Apply for a microgrant

The OSMUK microgrant programme supports those who want to help us grow the community or otherwise further our aims. It is intended to support individuals by covering costs that would make their efforts otherwise unviable.

The OpenStreetMap UK aims are:

  • Increase the quality and quantity of data about the UK in OpenStreetMap.
  • Improve and increase the size, skills, toolsets and cohesion of the OpenStreetMap community in the United Kingdom.
  • Promote and facilitate the use of OpenStreetMap data by individuals and organisations in the United Kingdom.
  • Promote and facilitate the release by organisations in the United Kingdom of data that is suitable for use in OpenStreetMap.
Current allocation round

There is currently no active microgrant allocation round. If you have a great idea that supports the OSM UK aims, please feel free to contact us a board@osmuk.org.

Previous allocation rounds
Round 1

Our first round of microgrants closed in February 2020. The size of fund was £500 in total whilst the maximum per application was £200.

Microgrant application process
For whom?

Members of OpenStreetMap UK with demonstrable track record (for example, has experience of editing the map) within OpenStreetMap.

What outcomes?
  1. Activities that help to achieve the aims of the OpenStreetMap UK group.
  2. Other benefit to the OpenStreetMap UK group – e.g. publicity via a blog post / social media engagement.
How is it decided?

A steering committee has set up the guidelines, publicises the program, receives the applications, monitors micro-grant activities, and oversees the whole process.

Initially, the group consists of the OSM UK Directors. When the programme expands we will reassess its governance.

The types of activities that are eligible and not eligible

Eligible: Anything that supports the OpenStreetMap UK aims. For example: 

  • Speaking about OpenStreetMap at a conference or workshop
  • OpenStreetMap training
  • Creating tools (e.g. hosting)
  • Running a mapathon 
  • Covering expenses
  • Printing leaflets
  • Postage
  • Supplies
  • Web hosting
  • Small equipment

Not Eligible:

  • People’s time
  • Activities that are not deemed to meet the aims of OpenStreetMap UK
  • Salaries
  • Time
  • Construction
  • Large equipment
  • Paying off debt
  • Facilitating lotteries
The types of activities, if any, that will receive funding priority

None in this first instance.

The application review process, including the review criteria

The following criteria must be met, that is they are binary (yes/no) criteria:

  1. Must meet at least one of the OpenStreetMap UK aims.
  2. Must be from an OpenStreetMap UK member (with demonstrable track record in OpenStreetMap – e.g. editing OpenStreetMap).

In order to facilitate better discussions amongst the review committee, each reviewer scores the application (from 1 to 5) on each of the following criteria:

  • Feasibility: Do we think it is feasible and the person is capable of delivering it?
  • Timeliness: Can it be delivered in a suitable amount of time (quicker projects score more highly)?
  • Reach: How wide an audience does it reach? Is it an audience that are important to us? (e.g. OSM training to 20 people in a poorly mapped areas is better than the same training to 3 people in a well mapped area).
  • Enduring benefit to OSM UK: Does the activity lead to an enduring benefit to OSM UK? How big? (e.g. something novel maybe more newsworthy and may open up the doors to further improvements).

The review committee will then meet to discuss the applications, using the scoring as a guide to help steer the discussion. It is anticipated that the scoring will help the committee to filter out the weakest applications and enable to committee to more objectively assess each application against the others. 

We will provide feedback to all applicants, including those who are not successful.

Any other information specific to your particular microgrant program.

Everything should be in GBP (£).

Contact, in case a potential applicant has questions / how do we answer questions

Email to board@osmuk.org (private questions) or Loomio (public questions). Anonymised answers will be published on Loomio subject to them being sufficiently anonymised to hide the identity of the author. 

Payment

Payment is made after the expense is incurred and all receipts are required. (Option for OpenStreetMap UK company to pay in advance if valid invoice issued by another company).