Google uses Payoneer to pay Google Summer of Code Contributors and Organizations. Payoneer is a fast and convenient way to receive payments globally.
If your organization participated in GSoC between 2017 - 2023 and already created a Payoneer account then this is going to be very quick and easy for you but you do still have an action item - keep reading!
And if you haven’t created a Payoneer account read the instructions below carefully and complete all the steps before the required dates.
I. Included in your payment:
- $500 per contributor for your organization (often called the organization stipend) though the money does not generally go to the actual mentor. If the org wishes to disburse the funds to their mentors they are welcome to do that on their own.
Example: If you have 8 accepted GSoC contributors you’ll receive $4,000.
We use June 5th as the cutoff date for contributors. If the contributor drops out after June 5th or they fail later in the program, it won’t affect your organization stipend amount.
$1200 travel stipend for 1 delegate to attend 2024 GSoC Mentor Summit. If no delegate from your org attends the 2024 GSoC Mentor Summit, $0 travel stipend will be issued.
(possible) $700 if your org is granted an additional delegate slot for a 2nd person to attend the 2024 GSoC Mentor Summit (essentially someone selected from the waitlist).
II. How to claim your payment - choose which option fits your situation
A. My org did NOT participate in Google Summer of Code between 2017 - 2023 OR our Payoneer account is NOT linked to GSoC
- Fill out the payment request form by Thursday, May 13th. You must include the email address for the person responsible for accepting payment at your organization.
- On May 15, Google Program Admins will send a registration token link via email to the person responsible for accepting payment. Important: only register with the link that is sent by the Google team on May 15. Do not sign up directly on the Payoneer website as this will cause payment delays and headaches for you and Google.
- Once the registration link is received, the designated person responsible
for accepting payment will follow the one-time registration instructions on
the Payoneer website, this must be completed before July 1.
- Once the account has been approved by Payoneer, the designee will receive an email with a link to complete their tax form. This must be completed before July 15.
- All funds will be transferred once all of your Contributor projects have been submitted (see schedule below).
B. My org participated (and was paid) in GSoC between 2017 and 2023.
- Go to your Payoneer dashboard and ensure that all of your banking and contact information is up date and accurate.
- If any changes are needed, you can do it via your Payoneer dashboard or if you are having problems you can contact Payoneer to request changes be made on your behalf.
- Fill out the payment request form by Monday, May 13.
- Funds will be transferred by September 30 for orgs with only 8-16 week projects, all other org stipends will be sent at the end of the month the org has all of their projects conclude.
III. Important Dates
- May 13: Deadline for Orgs to fill out the 2024 payment request form
- May 15: Google Program Admins send out registration tokens to new orgs
- July 1: Deadline to complete Registration with Payoneer
- July 15: Deadline to complete tax form available on your Payoneer account
- September 30: Organizations with only 8-16 week projects are paid
- October 30: Organizations with extended 18-20 week projects are paid. All orgs that sent a delegate to 2024 Mentor Summit will receive travel stipend (except orgs with 22 week projects).
- November 12: Organizations with 22 week projects receive all org stipends, including Mentor Summit travel stipends
IV. FAQ
It says my Payoneer account is not linked to the Google Summer of Code program. How do I fix that?
This means you did not register via the link sent to you from Payoneer. Please contact Payoneer directly and let them know you are part of the GSoC Org program distribution - it can take several weeks to get sorted out.
Am I required to submit a tax form? I’m not based in the US/It’s too time consuming/too complicated/doesn’t pertain to me/etc?
Yes, all Google Summer of Code organizations are required to complete a tax form to enroll on the Payoneer website. We cannot provide any tax advice. As you go through the tax form wizard on the Payoneer website it asks questions which will help you determine which form you need to complete.
What tax form am I required to complete?
We cannot provide any tax advice. As you go through the tax form wizard on the Payoneer website it asks questions which will help you determine which form you need to complete. Please contact a local tax professional if you have any tax questions.
I need to change or update my bank account in Payoneer. How do I do this?
You can go to your Payoneer dashboard and update your account as needed. Alternatively you can contact Payoneer customer support and they will update the information on your behalf.
My organization is based in India and I am not able to choose the prepaid card option on the Payoneer website. What's going on?
At this time, the prepaid card option is not available in India. You must choose a direct bank transfer instead.
I am having problems setting up my account. Where can I go for help?
If you have any questions regarding your Payoneer account, please be sure to contact Payoneer directly via their contact page. You can also use the link in your Payoneer "My Account" page. Payoneer offers multilingual customer support for all payment related issues via e-mail, telephone and live chat.
If your card is lost or stolen, please contact Payoneer immediately so it can be disabled and a new card will be sent to you.
My organization doesn't have an entity that can accept funds. Can I accept funds on my organization's behalf?
Yes, you can be paid by Payoneer and set up the account in your name to receive the funds on behalf of the organization. You are responsible for any tax implications.
You may also want to consider joining the Software Freedom Conservancy (or a similar organization) that can provide infrastructure for FOSS projects and can help you manage the payment process.
What if my organization doesn't want to accept funds?
Please complete the payment request form even if you do not plan to accept any money from Google. There is an option to decline funds, so you will not receive reminders to register for a Payoneer account. We need a record of you declining the funds.
Remember that Google can not issue stipends to Organizations that are part of any Federal Government. Google can not issue funds to government or public university employees in the United States. And finally, Google can not disperse any stipends to Google-led Organizations.
If the Organization is unable to create an account with Payoneer, Google can not issue any funds to that Organization.
What if my organization would like to donate these funds?
We can not issue payment to another charity/non-profit for you. You are welcome to accept the funds and then distribute them yourself. Please consider donating your funds to Software Freedom Conservancy.
What if we need to change the email address associated with our initial registration?
Google will submit payments based on the email address provided in the payment request form (which becomes the identifier for your org). If you are the person in charge of receiving payments for two or more orgs then you should notify Google Admins so we can make special accommodations for your multiple payments.