Pricing Update for 2022

The Carpentries depends on revenue from memberships and workshop administration fees to support our programs and deliver quality, hands-on, effective training in more than 70 countries around the world. We launched a Membership program in 2016, and have kept our prices stable over the past five years. During this time, we have learned a lot about the expectations for a membership program from our Member organisations and the costs of running such a program for our organisation. It also became clear that our current pricing structure is out of reach for institutions outside high income countries. In January 2022, we will be updating our pricing structure to improve the equity of our programming, making it more cost-effective for institutions with limited funds. These changes are in service to our core values of Access for All and Strength through Diversity.

Short Summary

Starting January 2022 prices paid for membership, workshops, and Instructor Training will depend on an institution’s geographic location. In addition, limited financial support for membership will be available through an application process. We have reduced the number of workshops and Instructor Training seats included in each membership package. Any Member can add additional workshops and Instructor Training seats to their membership at a 40% discount on posted rates for the general public, at any time during their membership year. A new membership package, Titanium, will be available for organisations with at least one prior year of membership. A Titanium membership is ideal for organisations that do not need to purchase workshops or Instructor Training seats but are interested in maintaining Member status and supporting The Carpentries.

Introducing Geographically Based Tiered Pricing

In partial fulfillment of goal 2 of our strategic plan to “Intentionally incorporate equity, inclusion, and accessibility to support a diverse community”, we are introducing a geographically-based tiered pricing system, to expand access to organisations in lower income regions. Most of our organisational members to date have been in high income countries. Starting in January 2022, institutions in countries classified as upper-middle, lower-middle, or low income by the World Bank will have their fees set at 75%, 50%, or 25% of the fee for high income countries.This tiered pricing will be applied automatically to membership fees, as well as a la carte workshops and Instructor Training seats, based on the geographical location of the purchasing organisation.

Financial Support for Memberships

In addition to geographically-based pricing, organisations will also be eligible to apply for financial support, regardless of where they are located. Financial support will be awarded based on previous involvement with The Carpentries, service to underserved populations, and the potential impact of the membership on the applying organisation. Organisations awarded financial support may receive support between 25% - 50% of their tiered price. Financial support will be subject to availability and the amount of support provided will be determined through the application process. Instructions on how to apply for financial assistance will be available once the new pricing structure takes effect in January 2022.

A La Carte Pricing Updates

Our a la carte prices for workshops and Instructor Training seats will increase by 20% in high income countries. The tiered pricing system will also apply to workshops and Instructor Training seats, so institutions in upper-middle, lower-middle, or low income countries will see a fee that reflects 75%, 50%, and 25% of the fee for high income countries. Any Member can add additional workshops and Instructor Training seats to their membership at a 40% discount on posted rates, at any time during their membership year.

Membership Updates

In alignment with an update to the a la carte pricing, the membership fees are being updated as well. To reduce the change in the membership fee, we have modified the various benefits (workshops and Instructor Training seats) included at each level. These updates to benefit levels are based on historic usage, as well as feedback received from the Member Council. The membership website will be updated in January at the time these changes are scheduled to take effect.

We are introducing a fifth membership tier - Titanium. The Titanium membership level is suited for organisations who do not need workshops or Instructor Training seats but would like to maintain their membership status, financially support The Carpentries, and connect with other Member organisations. To be eligible for Titanium membership, organisations must have at least one prior year of membership. If you are a Member organisation with sufficient Instructors to run as many self-organised workshops as you need, a Titanium membership may be a good fit for your organisation.

Timeline

As we continue to work on updates to the website, this blog post serves to highlight changes to come. These pricing updates will take effect in January 2022. At that time we will publish an updated webpage, as well as another blog post to announce these changes going into effect.

Questions?

We value the feedback we’ve received from current and potential Members that has helped us understand how to adjust our offerings to best serve our community. We welcome any questions or comments you may have about this new pricing structure, and how to build a membership package that is right for your organisation. Please contact us at membership@carpentries.org.