Terminology

We use some terms to describe processes in the Open Collective ecosystem. Please use these terms instead of 'user' when you create issues or support requests. Everyone is a user!

Individuals

Everyone interacting with the Open Collective platform is considered an individual. Individuals can take on different roles in the ecosystem:

• Contributor: Someone who supports an initiative, with money or in other ways.
• Organizer: An individual who creates or manages an initiative.

Financial Contributors

Organizational Financial Contributor

A company or organization that supports an initiative financially, often at a higher tier. These contributors are often called sponsors. They may want benefits such as brand exposure, community goodwill, or tangible perks.

Individual Financial Contributor

An individual who supports an initiative financially, with one-time or recurring contributions. They may find initiatives through:

• Open Collective's homepage
• Direct links to a Collective
• Organizer's page

Expense Submitter

An individual who requests payment from an initiative's budget using the expense function. This can be to get paid back for purchases made for the initiative, or to get paid for completed work.

Non-Financial Contributors

Organizer

An individual who creates or works on an initiative. After they talk with our team, organizers decide whether they are creating a 'Fund' or a 'Collective'.

Core Contributor

Individuals who are major contributors and represent the Collective on its page as part of the team.

Collective Admin

A type of Core Contributor with additional permissions, allowing them to:

• Edit the Collective
• Change settings
• Approve expenses
• Make financial contributions to other Collectives
• Receive messages from people trying to contact the Collective

Core Contributors aim to make their communities financially sustainable, using tools like tiers, goals, and social media sharing. They focus on managing and growing their communities by creating events and sending updates.

Event Attendee

Individuals who register to attend a Collective's event, often arriving through direct links provided by event organizers.

Initiatives

Initiatives are accounts for projects or groups hosted by Open Source Europe. An initiative can be either a Collective or a Fund. During the application process, our team will help you choose the right account type for your project.

Collective

A Collective represents a project or group with a mission or purpose, raising and spending funds transparently to achieve their goals.

Fiscal Hosts

A Fiscal Host, or Sponsor, is a type of Organization that lets Collectives handle money without having to legally incorporate. The Fiscal Host holds a Collective’s funds in their bank account and can generate invoices and receipts for Financial Contributors. Think of a Fiscal Host as an umbrella organization for the Collectives it supports.