Hey {{first name | there}}, everyone budgets for conference travel. I let the conference budget for me.
In today’s career notes:
three ways they cover your flights and hotels, and the one word that unlocks it
35+ conferences with the budget to fly you out, in one list
the biggest mistake experienced engineers make
🧗THE EDGE: Let Someone Else Pay for the Flight
A quick recap of where this series has taken you.
Part 1: speaking isn't invite-only
I started this series by letting you in on the open secret.
Almost every speaker you admire at a developer conference just filled out a public CFP form, so you go find those forms (aggregators, communities, the conference series you love) and apply.
I then showed you step-by-step how to write conference talk ideas that get accepted by leading conferences.
First an outcome-focused title, then a four-paragraph abstract that does the reviewer's job for them, and the "additional notes" field most people leave blank.
Which leaves one excuse standing. The expensive one.
"Even if they accept me, I can't afford to go there."
But I come bearing good news!!
A huge number of conferences will cover your travel. Flights, hotels, sometimes both.
The money is sitting in their budget right now. Most engineers just never ask for it.
There are three ways it works:
Auto — they fund every speaker, no asking required. Rare. KCDC does this.
Apply — there's a travel-support form. You fill it out.
Ask — no form; you email the organizers and request it.
Almost all of these are need-based.
The funding exists specifically so people who otherwise couldn't attend, can. It's not a favor you're begging for.
One caveat: funding terms change every year, so confirm on the event's current CFP or travel page before you bank on it.
Now the list.
🌍 Global / worldwide
Conference | Location | Funding Method/Type |
100+ events worldwide | Need-based (Application) | |
worldwide | Need-based (Request) | |
EU + Americas | Need-based (Application) |
🇺🇸🇨🇦North America
Conference | Location | Funding Method/Type |
Kansas, USA | Automatic for speakers | |
Raleigh, USA | Need-based (Application) | |
SEATTLE, WA, USA | Need-based (Application) | |
Atlanta | Need-based (Request) | |
Richmond, VA | Need-based (Application) | |
Asheville, North Carolina | Need-based (Application) | |
Portland, Oregon | Need-based (Application) | |
Vancouver, British Columbia | Need-based (Application) | |
Montreal, Canada | Need-based (Application) | |
Toronto | Need-based (Application) |
🇪🇺 🇬🇧 Europe & UK
Conference | Location | Funding Method/Type |
London, UK | Need-based (Application) | |
London, UK | Need-based (Application) | |
UK | Need-based (Application) | |
Norwich | Need-based (Application) | |
Cardiff, United Kingdom. | Need-based (Request) | |
Berlin, Germany | Need-based (Application) | |
Paris | Need-based (Application) | |
Amsterdam, Europe | Need-based (Application) | |
Amsterdam, Europe | Need-based (Application) | |
Amsterdam, Europe | Need-based (Application) | |
Barcelona, Spain | Need-based (Request) | |
Barcelona, Spain | Need-based (Application) | |
Helsinki, Finland | Need-based (Application) |
🌎Asia-Pacific
Conference | Location | Funding Method/Type |
Asia | Need-based (Application) | |
Mumbai, India | Need-based (Application) | |
Singapore | Need-based (Request) | |
Australia | Need-based (Application) |
✅ACTION ITEMS FOR YOU
Your homework:
Pick three near you.
Apply to speak using the winning CFP template
Follow the funding terms process.
You never know that it's possible until you try.
Make your move.
🔭VISIBILITY STACK
The Biggest Mistake Experienced Engineers Make – You just wake up one morning and realize the industry has moved on without you. In this video, I share fundamental lessons. I live by the hard way.
My favourite conference aggregator – This is how I find events happening all over the world and then apply to speak at them.
GitHub shipped Stacked PRs, now what? – Something technical I think you should know about.
Stay sharp. Stay visible.
Divine Odazie