docs: initial start of the maintainership docs under the bounty program

docs/maintainership-guide/_section.md

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+---
+title: Maintainership Program Guide
+weight: 5
+---

docs/maintainership-guide/budget.md

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+---
+title: AsyncAPI Maintainership Program Budgeting and Cost Breakdown
+description: This overview page outlines the AsyncAPI Maintainership Program Budget and Cost Breakdown
+weight: 30
+---
+
+Piloting an in-house mentorship program, such as the AsyncAPI Maintainership Program, involves thoughtful financial planning. Thanks to generous donations through our [Open Collective](https://opencollective.com/asyncapi), the AsyncAPI Initiative has been able to allocate a fixed portion of its annual funds to support this program.
+
+To ensure long-term sustainability, transparency, and impact, we annually evaluate our budget to determine the number of projects we can support, which includes providing fair stipends for contributors, recognizing mentor efforts, and covering essential administrative costs.
+
+We’ve also created a dedicated [**Open Collective page**](https://opencollective.com/asyncapi/projects/asyncapi-mentorship) specifically for the Maintainership Program. This helps organizers easily manage and track program-specific expenses while keeping them loosely coupled from the broader Initiative’s finances.
+
+## Budget Overview
+
+Each project accepted into the AsyncAPI Maintainership Program is funded with a **fixed $2,000 budget**, designed to fairly support both contributors and mentors. Whether a project is led by one contributor or a small team, the budget remains consistent to encourage scope discipline, collaboration, and resource sharing.
+
+### Cost Breakdown (Per Project)
+
+| **Expense Item**                | **Amount (USD)** | **Notes**                                                                   |
+| ------------------------------- | ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| Contributor Stipends            | $1,500           | Split equally among all contributors on the project.                        |
+| Mentor Recognition / Honorarium | $500             | Given to the lead mentor (or split between multiple mentors if applicable). |
+| **Total Per Project**           | **$2,000**       |                                                                             |
+
+ > _If a project has two contributors, each will receive $750. If three, each receives $500, and so on. Mentor funds are fixed per project regardless of team size._
+
+### Annual Cohort Budget Projection
+
+The number of project slots we support each year depends entirely on our available funding. For example, with a **$16,000 annual budget**, we can support up to **8 projects**:
+
+| **Item**                | **Per Project** | **Total (8 Projects)** |
+| ----------------------- | --------------- | ---------------------- |
+| Contributor Stipends    | $1,500          | $12,000                |
+| Mentor Honorariums      | $500            | $4,000                 |
+| **Total Budget Needed** | —               | **$16,000**            |
+
+> _Note: Actual project slots may vary from year to year depending on the total funds raised and community needs._
+
+This model allows us to scale based on financial support, ensuring every accepted project receives fair and consistent financial backing.

docs/maintainership-guide/contributor/_section.md

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+---
+title: Maintainership Program Contributor's Guide
+weight: 50
+---

docs/maintainership-guide/contributor/application-review-process.md

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+---
+title: Application Review Process
+weight: 70
+---
+
+The AsyncAPI Maintainership Program features a two-step contributor application process: the **Initial Application Phase** and the **Final Selection Phase**.
+
+## Initial Application Phase
+
+During this phase, contributor applications are reviewed collaboratively by program organizers and mentors to ensure alignment with project needs and contributor readiness.
+
+- **General Screening**: 
+    Program organizers conduct an initial review to filter out applications that fall into the following categories:
+  - Applications that **do not follow** the required template
+  - Submissions that **rely heavily** or **vaguely** on **AI-generated** content
+  - Applicants with **no prior** open-source contribution history
+  - Proposals that are **misaligned** or **unrelated** to any project idea
+
+- **Mentor Review**: 
+    Applications that pass the initial screening are forwarded to the appropriate mentors. Mentors assess each submission based on its alignment with the project’s scope, clarity, feasibility, and the applicant’s relevant experience.
+
+- **Shortlisting Candidates:** 
+    Based on their evaluations, mentors can submit a shortlist of up to **three preferred contributors** per project to the program organizers for final consideration in the next phase (contribution period).
+
+## Final Application Phase
+
+This phase serves as the final review stage, where mentors evaluate contributors who have advanced to the contribution period. The goal is to assess each contributor’s performance and suitability for the main program phase.
+
+- If a mentor has **multiple contributors**, this phase helps determine which applicant is best suited to continue in the program.
+- If a mentor has **only one contributor**, this phase acts as a final checkpoint to decide whether the contributor meets the expectations to proceed.
+
+Mentors will assess the following criteria during the final application review:
+
+- **Communication:**  
+    Contributors are evaluated on their responsiveness, clarity, and professionalism in communication throughout the contribution phase.
+
+- **Project Understanding:**  
+    Mentors assess how well contributors understood the project’s goals and requirements, as demonstrated through their questions, discussions, and submitted work.
+
+- **Quality of Contributions:**  
+    The relevance, completeness, and quality of contributions such as **PRs**, **documentation**, or **research** will be closely reviewed to evaluate the contributor’s technical capability.
+
+- **Collaboration & Conduct:**  
+    Emphasis is placed on how well contributors interacted with mentors and the community, respecting collaboration norms and the Code of Conduct.

docs/maintainership-guide/contributor/benefits-and-expectations.md

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+---
+title: Benefits & Expectations
+weight: 90
+---
+
+The AsyncAPI Maintainership Program (AMP) is more than just mentorship and a stipend, it’s a shared journey of learning, contribution, and community building. While AMP offers you world-class guidance and career-changing opportunities, it also relies on your dedication, collaboration, and accountability to succeed.
+
+Think of it as a two-way street: here’s what you can expect from us, and what we expect from you.
+
+## What You'll Gain
+
+### Personalized Mentorship
+
+Learn directly from AsyncAPI’s core team, including Technical Steering Committee members, Ambassadors, and experienced maintainers, who are deeply committed to your growth and to fostering a thriving open-source ecosystem.
+
+### Real-World Experience
+
+Work on production-grade, high-impact projects that are actively used by teams and companies. Your work will be merged, deployed, and making an impact, often during the program itself.
+
+### Community Recognition
+
+Gain visibility and credibility within the AsyncAPI community and the broader open-source world. You might even be invited to speak at events, share your journey, and inspire others.
+
+### Career-Boosting Visibility
+AMP is a launchpad. Many alumni have gone on to secure internships, full-time roles, or speaking engagements thanks to the skills and recognition gained here. You’ll also receive public endorsements, mentorship reviews, and a certificate of completion to strengthen your portfolio.
+
+## What You’ll Contribute
+
+### Communication
+
+- **Be responsive**: Check in with your mentor regularly and communicate early if you’re stuck or unavailable.
+
+- **Attend meetings**: Join scheduled calls on time and respect your mentor’s time.
+
+- **Ask questions**: Curiosity shows engagement — there are no “dumb” questions.
+
+- **Give updates**: Share progress weekly or bi-weekly, even if it’s small.
+
+- **Be respectful**: Treat everyone with empathy, patience, and kindness.
+
+### Collaboration
+
+- **Engage with the community**: Join discussions, participate in bonding activities, and be active on GitHub, Slack, and sync calls.
+
+- **Work in the open**: Publish your code under an OSI-approved open-source license.
+
+- **Follow standards**: Adhere to AsyncAPI coding, contribution, and documentation guidelines.
+
+- **Be open to feedback**: Use constructive criticism to improve.
+
+- **Support others**: Offer help and celebrate fellow contributors’ wins.
+
+### Commitment
+
+- Dedicate at least 30 hours per week for 12 weeks to your project.
+
+- If life throws curveballs (illness, outages, emergencies), communicate early and adjust expectations with your mentor.
+
+- Plan around milestones, meet deadlines, and follow through on commitments.

docs/maintainership-guide/contributor/how-to-apply.md

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+---
+title: How to Apply
+weight: 50
+---
+
+Applying to the AsyncAPI Maintainership Program (AMP) is simple, but before you get started, we recommend reviewing the [program timeline](../timeline-and-schedule.md) to ensure you’re aware of all key dates and deadlines.
+
+## Why Apply?
+
+By becoming an AMP contributor (sponsored or volunteer), you can:
+
+- Work closely with experienced maintainers on impactful, real-world projects
+
+- Build a strong technical portfolio through consistent, hands-on contributions
+
+- Grow into a long-term maintainer and potentially lead future initiatives
+
+- Join a community that values learning, inclusion, and collaboration
+
+## Paths to Application
+
+1. **Sponsored Contributors**: Selected contributors receive a stipend for their participation in the program.
+
+2. **Volunteer Contributors**: 
+Volunteers receive the same mentorship and project experience as sponsored contributors, but do not receive a stipend. This track is ideal if you:
+
+    - Want to learn and contribute without financial compensation
+
+    - Are building experience for long-term open-source engagement
+
+    - Wish to join a project even if sponsored slots are filled
+
+## Eligibility Requirements
+
+For either path, applicants must:
+
+- Have made at least two contributions to any AsyncAPI project (code, docs, or community support)
+
+- Have been active for at least 4–6 months
+
+- Not serving as a Project Administrator or Mentor in this program cycle
+
+- Have only participated once in AMP before
+
+- Not be participating in another paid open-source mentorship program at the same time (this requirement applies only to sponsored contributor applicants).
+
+## How to Apply
+
+1. Explore Approved Project Ideas
+
+    - Choose one that aligns with your skills and interests.
+
+    - Remember, only listed projects will be considered.
+
+2. Complete the Contributor Application Form
+
+    - Provide detailed answers showing your interest and alignment.
+
+3. Showcase Your Experience
+
+    - Highlight past contributions, technical skills, and motivation.
+
+4. Tailor Your Proposal
+
+    - Base it on your chosen project idea.
+
+    - Clearly outline your approach and deliverables.
+
+5. Use the AMP Proposal Template
+
+    - This ensures consistency and completeness.
+
+6. Indicate Your Application Path
+
+    - Specify whether you are applying as a sponsored or volunteer contributor.
+
+7. Submit and Await Notification
+
+    - Shortlisted candidates get an acceptance email with next steps.
+    - Others receive feedback and are encouraged to stay involved.
+
+
+## If You’re Not Selected
+
+Not being selected isn’t the end of your AMP journey. You can:
+
+- Stay involved in AsyncAPI projects and discussions
+
+- Contribute in areas like documentation, tooling, and advocacy
+
+- Reapply in future cohorts
+
+- Ask for feedback to strengthen your application

docs/maintainership-guide/contributor/what-mentees-says.md

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+---
+title: What our Mentees Say
+weight: 110
+---
+
+The AsyncAPI Maintainership Program has empowered developers from around the world to grow as contributors, and gain real-world experience. Here's what some of our past mentees have to say:
+
+_"Thanks to Missy’s mentorship, my design skills have grown tremendously, and I’ve picked up many new design terms along the way. Her constant positivity, encouragement, and support whenever I faced challenges made a huge difference. This program has been an incredible experience, and I genuinely hope AsyncAPI continues it in the future. It's a unique opportunity to learn directly from core maintainers and grow as a contributor."_ - Asmit Malakannawar
+
+
+_"Thanks for allowing me to meet other people and learn lessons that will serve me. If there is one thing I’ll never forget, it’s using “This” at the beginning of a sentence because it is an antecedent."_ - Vaishnavi Nandakumar
+
+_"Working on this project under Niktarios’ mentorship has been an incredible journey. I’ve gained invaluable insights, grown personally and technically, and felt consistently supported despite the project’s complexity. The AsyncAPI community itself is amazing, full of highly skilled and welcoming developers. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity this mentorship program has given me. It’s been instrumental in providing real-world exposure for young developers like me. I truly hope AsyncAPI continues to grow and thrive—best wishes to the entire team!"_ - Sumant Tirkey
+
+_"Thank you for providing such excellent mentorship during the program. I learned a lot from you and truly appreciated your guidance. I hope you continue offering the same support to future contributors. "_ - Ansh Goyal
+
+_"Thank you for giving me the opportunity, and that my background does not define me, contributing to OSS."_ - Olumide
+
+_"After completing my mentorship, I became a maintainer of the CLI! I've since created many issues to support newcomers, and the project has now reached over 200+ stars. Thank you for your support—I’ve learned so much from you and gained a deeper understanding of how different kinds of open-source projects work."_ - Aayush Saini

docs/maintainership-guide/definitions.md

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+---
+title: Definitions
+weight: 90
+---
+
+This section outlines key terms and phrases used throughout the AsyncAPI Mentorship Program (AMP) documentation. Understanding these definitions will help you navigate the AMP more effectively.
+
+- **AMP**
+    The abbreviation for the term AsyncAPI Maintainership Program.
+
+- **Program Organizers**  
+    The team responsible for organising, managing, and overseeing the execution of the AMP.
+
+- **Mentors**  
+    Members of the AsyncAPI community who guide, support, and evaluate mentees throughout the AMP.
+
+- **AsyncAPI Mentee (Contributor)**  
+    An individual who applies to and is accepted into the AMP to contribute to a selected project.
+
+- **Idea List**  
+    A publicly available collection of project ideas curated by AsyncAPI mentors, which applicants can base their proposals on.
+
+- **Project**  
+    An open-source task or initiative undertaken by a mentee. Projects may involve coding, documentation, design, or other contributions — not all projects are technical.
+
+- **Project Proposal**  
+    A detailed plan submitted by a contributor outlining their approach to a selected project idea, including goals, timeline, and deliverables.
+
+- **Project Submissions**  
+    All deliverables submitted by the contributor for their project, including the proposal, source code, documentation, and final materials.
+
+- **Final Project Material**  
+    The completed project deliverables include source code, design files, documentation, or other work as outlined in the project proposal.
+
+- **Acceptance Date**  
+    The official date when accepted project proposals are announced by the AMP team.
+
+- **Program Period**  
+    The overall duration of the AMP, including application, bonding, execution, and evaluation phases.
+
+- **Contribution Period**  
+    A period before the AMP start, where mentors assess the quality of a contributor's work to determine if they're a good fit for the AMP.
+
+- **Community Bonding Period**  
+    A period before the project work begins where selected contributors engage with their mentors, explore project resources, and become familiar with the community and tools.
+
+- **Execution Period**  
+    The designated timeframe during which participants work on and complete their projects.
+
+- **Evaluation Period**  
+    The window during which mentors assess contributor progress. This includes the midterm and final evaluation checkpoints.
+
+- **Midterm Evaluation**  
+    The first half of the Execution Period typically concludes with the Midterm Evaluation.
+
+- **Final Evaluation**  
+    The second half of the Execution Period, ending with the submission of the final deliverables and Final Evaluation.

docs/maintainership-guide/index.md

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+---
+title: 'Introduction'
+weight: 5
+---
+
+## The AsyncAPI Maintainership Organizer Guide
+
+**Welcome to the AsyncAPI Maintainership Program Guide! This is a community-driven resource that captures everything we've learned from organizing, mentoring, collaborating, and building with contributors across the globe, all wrapped into one handy playbook for aspiring maintainers.**
+
+Whether you're new to open-source or ready to level up, this guide walks you through the principles, practices, and expectations of being a successful participant in the AsyncAPI Maintainership Program.
+
+> **Note**: The Maintainership organizer guide is an ongoing project that we continuously update as we and the broader community of program organizers learn and grow together.
+
+## Introduction to Organizer Guide
+
+Are you ready to grow as an opensource contributor and give back to the ecosystem?
+
+Each cycle, maintainers/mentors drive AsyncAPI projects forward by mentoring contributors, defining meaningful work, and contributing to API standards and tooling that power real-world event-driven systems. Whether it’s your first time or you’ve mentored before, this guide aims to support your journey in experiencing most of the Maintainership program.
+
+### Code of Conduct
+
+We enforce a Code of Conduct for all mentors and contributors involved in this program. Learn more in [`CONDUCT.md`](https://github.com/asyncapi/.github/blob/master/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).