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Basics

This is your starting point after OSE accepts your Collective. Work through the essentials, then use the relevant guide for each transaction.

Your first steps

  1. Check your public profile and contacts. Use the platform's Quick Start Guide. Keep administrator access and the main contact up to date, and notify OSE of changes.
  2. Choose how to receive funds. Start with donations and funding routes. You can receive contributions without waiting for a welcome call.
  3. Agree how your Collective makes spending decisions. Read budget decisions.
  4. Prepare your first payment. Use Pay and get reimbursed. Funds must be received and available before payment.
  5. Keep the community informed. Use Updates and review the responsibilities below.

Some steps need OSE's agreement first. Contact the team before a grant application naming OSE as recipient or signatory, a specific contract OSE would sign, or a proposed commercial arrangement. Details follow below.

Welcome to Open Source Europe!

Once your application to be hosted by Open Source Europe (OSE) is approved, you can immediately start managing your Collective on the Open Collective platform. Welcome aboard!

Top 5 Things to Remember

  1. Contracts and agreements: Before any arrangement requires OSE to sign a specific contract, discuss it with OSE and get its acceptance.
  2. Grant applications: If OSE will be named as recipient or signatory, contact the team before submission so it can review and accept its role and commitments.
  3. Community updates: Use the Updates feature to keep your community informed. OSE recommends publishing at least one update per year. This is not a general hosting obligation. Reporting requirements in a funding arrangement or applicable agreement still apply.
  4. Expenses: Follow the expense guide for documents, review and payment.
  5. Contributions: OSE mainly supports donations and grants. Before committing to sales, invoiced services or contributions with promised benefits, contact OSE to discuss whether the arrangement can be supported and under what conditions. Do this before making commitments or receiving payment. Acceptance is not guaranteed.

Understanding Open Collective

Open Collective is the platform that OSE operates on. It provides tools for transparent budgeting, customizing a Collective profile, setting up tiers and goals, and more.

For an overview of using the Open Collective platform, check out its documentation. It explains the features you can use.

Its Quick Start Guide is another good place to start.

Budget Management of Your Collective

Receiving funds and submitting expenses are both simple. Each has its own page in these docs with the details. Feel free to share them with the contributors and members of your Collective.

Being fiscally hosted by OSE means joining a community of hundreds of initiatives that share the same tools to manage their independent projects. It needs little attention, but it does need some to work properly.

Please read the guidelines on donations and expenses. If you have any questions or doubts, contact us at home@opensourceeurope.org.

Important Notes

  • Tax obligations: You’re responsible for understanding and fulfilling all of your tax obligations. If you’re not sure whether you need to charge or pay tax, we encourage you to ask a tax professional about your tax obligations. OSE can’t provide tax advice.
  • Terms & Conditions: Please review our Terms & Conditions for detailed information about your responsibilities and our policies.

Need Assistance?

If you have any questions or need help, feel free to contact us.

Keeping your contacts up to date

When administrators or the main contact change, update access on Open Collective and notify OSE so the team can keep supporting you without a break.

Optional welcome call

Welcome calls happen only occasionally and are not a standard step. Contributions can start after acceptance without waiting for a call. See How to apply.