About the Dinner

Ruby Central maintains RubyGems.org and Bundler, the infrastructure that every Ruby application in production depends on. We do this as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which means sponsorship and donations directly fund the work.

On July 13, we are hosting our first-ever Fundraising Dinner to celebrate that community and the people who built it. This is a limited-seat, seated dinner at the Rouge Room inside Red Rock Casino Resort, featuring a welcome reception, live awards ceremony honoring seven Ruby community leaders, dinner, silent auction, raffle, and after party.

The evening is designed for sponsors, engineering leaders, and executives who want to connect with the people who shaped the Ruby ecosystem. Every seat and every dollar raised supports Ruby Central's infrastructure, scholarship, and mentorship programs.

Two Ways to Join Us

Fundraising Dinner — $575 (early bird, limited seats)

A seated dinner for sponsors, engineering leaders, and executives. Includes the 5:00 PM welcome reception, dinner, live awards ceremony, silent auction, raffle, and after party. Early bird pricing increases to $700 when this tier sells out.

Gala Table — $6,000

Reserve a table of 8 for your team or company. Includes branded table name recognition, complimentary bottle of wine, priority seating for the awards ceremony, and recognition as a community supporter of the event. 6 tables available.

After Party Only — $149

Not able to join the dinner? The after party is open to all RubyConf attendees. Music, drinks, and dancing from 9:30 PM at the Rouge Room. Does not include the dinner, awards ceremony, or silent auction. 150 spots available.

Interested in sponsoring the dinner? Reach out at sponsors@rubycentral.org

THE EVENING / AGENDA

The Evening

5:00 PM Welcome Reception and Silent Auction Opens

6:00 PM Dinner, Opening Program, and Awards Ceremony

8:25 PM Live Auction and Giving Moment

9:15 PM Sponsor and Leadership Acknowledgements

9:30 PM After Party — Music, Dessert, Dancing

10:30 PM Silent Auction Closes

11:30 PM Evening Concludes

MEET THE HONOREES

This year's ceremony recognizes seven individuals whose work has shaped the Ruby programming language and its community for decades.

Ruby Brilliant Gem Award: Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto, Chad Fowler, David Alan Black, Rich Kilmer

Ruby Heart Award: Emily Samp

Cutting Edge Award: Nadia Odunayo

Ruby Guidepost Award: Saron Yitbarek

Community Gem Award: TBD

Contribution Drives Change

Our mission is clear: to be a reliable partner for the Ruby community by expanding resources, funding opportunities, and programs that empower developers and strengthen open source projects and educational opportunities worldwide.

This fundraising dinner is an opportunity for our community to come together, recognize the contributions of developers and projects, and help ensure that the Ruby ecosystem continues to thrive.

Your Contribution Directly Supports:

Stronger Infrastructure

We maintain essential tools and services used across the Ruby community. Funding helps improve reliability, security, and the developer experience.

Open Source Fiscal Sponsorship

We provide administrative and financial support to community-driven projects. Additional funding allows more open source ideas or community-led events to grow and succeed.

Developer Access and Inclusion

We are committed to lowering barriers for people entering tech. Support helps us offer global equity initiatives, mentorship opportunities, and access programs for underrepresented developers.

Program and Community Sustainability

Your support strengthens the core operations that keep Ruby Central running and ensures we can continue serving our global communities.

Talent and Community Development

Funding expands scholarships, microgrants for community organizers, and the mentorship initiative, RubyNeXT.

Emerging Programs

We are building new opportunities for startups, early-career developers, and local ecosystem growth.

The Big Picture

This dinner is new to the Ruby community. Nothing like it has existed before. We built it because the people who sustain this ecosystem deserve to be celebrated, and because Ruby Central's work depends on the support of the people who benefit from it most. If you believe in open source and the future of Ruby, we would be honored to have you at the table.

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Team Members