Terminology

We have developed some terminology to describe processes within the Open Collective ecosystem. Please use these terms when creating issues or support requests, instead of user —everyone is a user!

🧍 Individuals

Everyone interacting with the Open Collective platform is considered an individual. Individuals can assume various roles within the ecosystem:

• Contributor: Someone who provides support to an initiative, either financially or through other means.

• 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, commonly referred to as sponsors, may seek benefits such as brand exposure, community goodwill, or tangible perks.

🙋 Individual Financial Contributor

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

• 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 could be for reimbursement of purchases made on behalf of the initiative or compensation for completed work.

🤝 Non-Financial Contributors

🛠️ Organizer

An individual who creates or works on an initiative. After consultation with our team, organizers will determine if 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, utilizing 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 Collective Europe. An initiative can be either a Collective or a Fund. During the application process, our team will assist in determining the appropriate 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 enables Collectives to transact financially without needing 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.

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For more detailed information, please refer to the Terminology page.