---
# System prepended metadata

title: OSMF Membership Drive 2024

---

OSMF Membership Drive 2024

# Rationale
Members of the Foundation are entitled to vote in the affairs of the Foundation. They have no special say in how the OpenStreetMap project is run, just the running of the Foundation. OSM contributors who want to influence the activities of the Foundation are welcome to join. Note that you do not have to be a member in order to use or contribute to OpenStreetMap. 

OSMF Members can self-nominate or run for board (see requirements) as well as vote during the elections provided

As of 16 January 2024, there are a total of 1,929 members of OSMF. The regional distribution is as follows:

Table 1. Regional distribution of OSMF Membership as of January 2024 (Source: MWG)
 Continent | Number of OSM Foundation members | Percentage %| Remarks|
| -------- | -------- | -------- |-------- |
| Europe | 1228    | 63.64%| |
| North America | 385    |19.94% | |
| Asia | 117    | 6.07%  | |
| Africa | 73    |3.78%  | |
| South America | 49    | 2.54%  | |
| Oceania | 47    |  2.44%   | |
| Countries which span both Europe and Asia continents* | 29    |1.50% | |
| no data | 1    |0.05%  | |
| Total | 1929    |100% | |

Note: *Turkey, Georgia and Russia
Source: MWG

[Country breakdown can be viewed in this spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-6RfZgi-P2gtfJMKKtLum3XL9A1j5dadBonlCRC0Swg/edit?usp=sharing).

In our aim to grow and diversify OSMF membership, there is clearly an opportunity to grow membership in regions and countries where there is no to very few OSMF members.

# Objectives

<to be improved><
    
* Promote OSMF memberships (normal, associate, active contributor) with support from OSMF Communications WG
* Provide general stats on membership make up (per region / per country)
* Collaborate with regional/national community leaders especially in regions/countries where OSMF membership is low

# OSMF Membership Drive 2024 Plan

## Timeline

Target: First quarter of 2024 (Jan-March)
* Jan to mid-Feb - planning
* 18-24 Feb - launch and start
* 18 Feb - 31 March - campaign period
* Board meetings
    * Feb 29
    * March 28 ?
* Volunteer meetings
    * 3 Feb - kick off and planning
    * 17 Feb - prep for launch of campaign
    * 9 March - updates and mid-campaign
    * 6 April - Retrospective
* Other dates to note:
    * Local Chapters and Communities Congress - 2 March
    * Open Data Day - 8-14 March
    * International Women's Day - 8 March
    * Women's Month - March
    * Holy week holiday - 28 to April 1
    * Arnalie on leave / personal commitment - 18-24 March

| Date | Action | Responsible Party / Point of Contact (POC)| Remarks|
| -------- | -------- | -------- |-------- |
| January 2024 | - Conceptualizing and planning; gather and clean membership stats; call for volunteers    | Arnalie -lead; Dorothea & MWG -support; CWG, MWG and board -informed| [Call for Volunteers](https://community.openstreetmap.org/t/call-for-volunteers-and-campaigners-help-us-grow-and-diversify-osmf-membership/108655)|
| 3 Feb | Volunteers Meetup; confirm roles and tasking    | Arnalie | [Meeting notes](https://hackmd.io/VFqCRFH2RkeL2Kw9mwWdoQ?both) ; [osmcal invite](https://osmcal.org/event/2632/)|
| 4-18 Feb | design visual comms / pubmats    | Mapmakers / visual comms designers| Member stats data; See Important Links section for details about Membership and how to apply |
| 4-11 Feb | provide testimonials to visual comms designers    | Campaign Ambassadors| board to add testimonials |
| 7-14 Feb | Request and implement page and text changes to [Active Contributor Membership Application page](https://supporting.openstreetmap.org/active-contributor-membership/application-form-for-active-contributor-membership-other/)   | Arnalie - lead request ; board & MWG -support; CWG/FC - implement| Doc: [Proposed page and text changes to Active Contributor Membership Application page](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qChhp4wiPegSkys31BzI57BhUfiO4LXYB5akakc6DpM/edit)|
| 17 Feb | 2nd Volunteers Meetup - provide updates to tasks   | Arnalie and volunteer leads -required; members -optional | [Meeting notes](https://hackmd.io/VFqCRFH2RkeL2Kw9mwWdoQ?both) ; osmcal invite to be shared soon|
| 18-24 Feb | launch/start campaign: OSM blog, pubmats (Call to Action)   | Arnalie, volunteer leads and CWG -lead; members -amplifiers | [Meeting notes](https://hackmd.io/VFqCRFH2RkeL2Kw9mwWdoQ?both) ; osmcal invite to be shared soon|
| 15-22 Feb | Updates to board and WGs and community forum   | Arnalie | |
| 29 Feb | Board meeting - provide updates and inform launching   | Arnalie and/or 1 volunteer lead|Dorothea/Arnalie to share details and invite |
| 18 Feb - 31 March | campaign period   | All | links to pubmats and comms plan|
| 9 March | 3rd Volunteers Meetup - provide updates to tasks and campaigns   | Arnalie and volunteer leads -required; members -optional | [Meeting notes](https://hackmd.io/VFqCRFH2RkeL2Kw9mwWdoQ?both) ; osmcal invite to be shared soon|
| 28 March | Board meeting - provide updates and conclusion/recommendations | Arnalie and volunteer leads -required; members -optional | Dorothea/Arnalie to share details and invite|
| 6 April | 4th Volunteers Meetup - retrospective and recognition of contributions of volunteers   | Arnalie and volunteer team | [Meeting notes](https://hackmd.io/VFqCRFH2RkeL2Kw9mwWdoQ?both) ; osmcal invite to be shared soon|

## Roles and tasks

### Campaign Ambassadors
- Lead: [preferable one per region]
    - provide updates to board POC (Arnalie)
    - volunteer mover and amplifier who will lead the team to promote the membership campaign
    - provide testimonials about their experience being an osmf member and why it is important
- Members:
    - names
        * x
    - Tasks:
        - volunteer movers and amplifiers who will promote the membership campaign
        - provide testimonials about their experience being an osmf member and why it is important

### Mapmakers / visual comms designers
- Lead: (1-2 leads)
    - provide updates to board POC (Arnalie)
    - lead the team to design visual communications materials (e.g. maps, posters, leaflets, etc) to be used for the campaign 
- Members:
    - names
        * x
    - Tasks:
        - design visual communications materials (e.g. maps, posters, leaflets, etc) to be used for the campaign

### Communications Working Group (CWG)
- posts on official osm channels and accounts
- amplify Campaign Ambassadors' testimonial posts
- update page and form text relating to OSMF Membership, as requested
- Lead / POC: 

### Arnalie (Board member)
- board POC for this campaign
- posts on OSM global community channels
- report and update on progress of the membership drive

### Membership Working Group 
- provide stats as requested
- provide timely feedback in case there are challenges encountered
- POC: Steven

### OSMF Board
- impartially review and evaluate Active Contributor Membership applications
- provide timely feedback in case there are challenges encountered
- POC: Dani and/or Craig?

### Fundraising Committee
- monitor and document payments on membership applications
- provide timely feedback in case there are challenges encountered
- POC: 

## Pubmats

POC: Mapmakers / visual comms designers

- OSMF Visualization make up e.g. map showing stats of how many OSMF membership is there
-  Call to Action poster/s 
-  leaflet about OSMF Membership, why apply, how to apply
-  Poster / videos/ reel on campaign ambassadors' testimonials

POC: Campaign Ambassadors

- testimonial posts about 
    - experience and learnings / challenges about being an OSMF member
    - why being OSMF member is important
    - what is the OSMF membership, how to apply, different applications, benefits of being a member

## Channels

POC: CWG
- OSM blog 
- OSM social media accounts 
- OSM Youtube?

POC: Arnalie
- Community forum
- OSM-wide channels e.g. OSM channel in Telegram 
- osm-talk and osmf-talk mailing list 
- virtual and online community meetups, mapathons, conferences etc

POC: Campaign Ambassadors
- professional social media accounts
- regional and local OSM community channels e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram, mailing lists, Facebook Messenger, etc
- virtual and online community meetups, mapathons, conferences etc

## Hashtag/s to use
HASHTAGS (top 3 are most important)
* x 
* x
* OSMFMembershipDrive2024
## 

## FAQs



# Important links

* OSM Wiki:
* [OSMF Membership page](https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/Membership)
* [Membership categories](https://supporting.openstreetmap.org/#Membership-Categories)
* Membership applications:
    * Annual payment of 15gbp
        * [Normal member form](https://supporting.openstreetmap.org/normal-membership/)
        * [Associate member form](https://supporting.openstreetmap.org/associate-membership/)
    * Active Contributor Membership:
        * [Volunteer mapping activity (42 mapping days) form](https://supporting.openstreetmap.org/civicrm/contribute/transact/?reset=1&id=14)
        * [Other Volunteer contributions](https://supporting.openstreetmap.org/application-form-for-active-contributor-membership-other/) form
            * **Note**: In the process of revising the page and form text
* [Call for Volunteers](https://community.openstreetmap.org/t/call-for-volunteers-and-campaigners-help-us-grow-and-diversify-osmf-membership/108655)
* [Meeting notes](https://hackmd.io/VFqCRFH2RkeL2Kw9mwWdoQ?both)
* [Board gitlab ticket #440](https://gitlab.com/osmfoundation/board/-/issues/440) (viewable by board only)
* [Jamboard for first Volunteers Meet](https://jamboard.google.com/d/1fXIUmIBtj_7WNt2rGix_ZE7D3gXnUhGtAlFoBnENtNA/viewer?f=0)

