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The Processing Foundation is excited to announce pr05 (pronounced “pros”), a new grant and mentorship initiative by the Processing Foundation designed to support the professional growth of early to mid-career software developers through hands-on involvement in open-source projects.

This is a unique opportunity to grow as a developer while making a tangible impact on software projects used by millions of creatives, artists, educators, and students globally.

The Processing Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting software learning within the arts, and artistic learning within technology-related fields. Their efforts also aim to celebrate the diverse communities that make these fields vibrant, liberatory, and innovative.

Focus Areas

• Participants will choose from a predefined list of projects that can be completed under mentorship. In the spirit of their first program’s theme ‘New Beginnings’, they have assembled a curated list of projects selected for their potential to solidify and expand the foundations of Processing and p5.js. Each project will be mentored by a developer/contributor experienced in this specific area.
  • Simplify the Workflow for Processing Libraries, Tools, and Modes
    • Expected Outcomes:
      • An improved system for submitting new contributions via a PR template.
      • A simplified workflow for updating the contributions list in Processing and on the processing.org website.
      • Repository templates for libraries using the new Gradle templates.
  • Create an Official Processing VSCode Extension
    • Expected Outcomes:
      • Successful development and launch of a fully functional VSCode extension for Processing.
      • Run and Stop buttons integrated within the VSCode environment.
      • IntelliSense, including code completion and documentation on hover.
  • Prototype a Collaborative Desktop Editor for Processing
    • Expected Outcomes:
      • Create a basic Electron application that can load, edit, and run Processing sketches.
      • Integrate collaborative editing functionalities using CodeMirror.
  • Revamp the Friendly Error System (FES) for p5.js 2.0
    • Expected Outcomes:
      • Revamp FES and merge the code into the p5.js 2.0 GitHub branch.
      • Develop a new detection method for accidentally overridden p5.js functions and constants.
  • Upgrade CodeMirror to Version 6 for the p5.js Editor
    • Expected Outcomes:
      • Refactor the Editor Component from a Class to Functional Component.
      • Upgrade CodeMirror from Version 5 to Version 6, testing with emphasis on its accessibility features.

What will you get?

• A total of five candidates will be invited to join their 2024 cohort. Selected candidates will receive a $10,000 stipend to allow them to spend 200 hours over a period of 4 months on their contributions.
• They also gain access to the Processing Foundation’s network of developers, artists, designers, activists, educators, engineers, researchers, and collectives to collaborate and exchange during and after the completion of their project.
• Mentors are assigned to each Grantee. Mentors are experienced software professionals and/or core contributors from the Processing and p5.js communities. The role of mentors is to provide guidance (creative, technical, and professional), as well as serve as an advocate for the grantee’s work. Grantees are expected to participate in regular virtual meetings with their mentor.

Who is this program for?

• If you are an early to mid-career programmer, coder, developer, or software engineer and are excited about contributing to open-source projects, this program is for you. Their goal is to build a diverse cohort of participants dedicated to enhancing the Processing and p5.js ecosystems, while enriching their professional journey.
• Open to U.S.-based and international applicants. Only one application per person. Groups, collectives, and organizations cannot apply as the grant is offered to individuals.
• They particularly encourage applications by individuals from communities historically underrepresented or marginalized in tech fields due to race, gender, class, sexuality, immigration/documentation status, age, geographical location, and/or disability. Their goal is to assemble a group of grantees that reflects global diversity and brings a variety of perspectives to development work. 

For more information, visit Processing Foundation.