The OpenStreetMap Foundation Board is delighted to announce a $150k gift from Microsoft to benefit the OpenStreetMap project and community. This substantive support will go directly to the improvement of OSM operations and infrastructure, as well as to funding OSM community activities such as local, regional, and global State of the Map events.
At Microsoft, we are fully committed to supporting OpenStreetMap, not only through financial contributions but also by fully embracing and encouraging open map data and actively participating in the community via volunteering and development efforts.
—-Marko Panić, Principal Lead Product Manager at Microsoft
The funds from this gift will be allocated in the following ways:
- Microsoft will become OSM’s second Platinum Corporate Member. Welcome!
- Silver sponsorship of the 2023 State of the Map Europe.
- Platinum sponsorship of the 2024 State of the Map in Nairobi.
- Platinum sponsorship of the 2024 State of the Map US in Salt Lake City, Utah
- An additional $57k to the 2023 OSM fundraising campaign.
Importantly, Microsoft supports OSM through ‘in-kind’ gifts, as well as monetary contributions. It has donated technical expertise and engineering resources; helped build awareness of the importance of OSM amongst other companies, nonprofits, and other entities; and played an important consulting role on the OSM Advisory board.
The OSM Advisory Board is a unique group within the OSM community that brings companies and local communities together. It builds positive connections between companies who use and contribute to OSM and the local communities who know the local guidelines, spearhead development projects, and bring OSM mappers together through education and events.
— Mikel Maron, OSMF Board Member
Microsoft, through its representatives, donations, and other help, has provided significant support for the maintenance of the iD editor, is working on improvements to OSM’s sign-up flow, and has introduced OSM to a wider user base through Bing’s Map builder. The OSMF board is grateful for the many contributions to the success of OpenStreetMap.
The OSMF welcomes in-kind support, as well as financial support for OSM’s technical development, operations, and community:
- Learn about the benefits of an OSMF Corporate Membership
- Learn why making a financial gift to OpenStreetMap helps thousands of people, projects, and communities all over the world
The OpenStreetMap Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation, formed to support the OpenStreetMap Project. It is dedicated to encouraging the growth, development and distribution of free geospatial data for anyone to use and share. The OpenStreetMap Foundation owns and maintains the infrastructure of the OpenStreetMap project, is financially supported by membership fees and donations, and organises the annual, international State of the Map conference. Our volunteer Working Groups and a very small core staff are the primary support for the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
This post is also available in: French Galician Japanese Spanish Korean Arabic