[Qgis-user] Funding sources for QGIS development (local groups)
Emma Hain
emma at north-road.com
Mon Sep 8 22:03:13 PDT 2025
Hey All
This is a great discussion, as I am helping to coordinate QGIS AU, we are
wondering where we go with it.
Kind regards
Em
Emma Hain — Product Manager/Senior GIS Analyst
emma at north-road.com
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On Tue, 9 Sept 2025 at 02:07, Alexandre Neto via QGIS-User <
qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org> wrote:
> Quite an interesting topic, as we in Portugal still need to figure this
> out.
>
> Andreas, can you elaborate on what you mentioned by member users can use
> application modules? Do you guys have "private" plugins or something that
> you share with members?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Alex
>
> On Mon, 8 Sept 2025 at 09:05, Michał Żugajewicz via QGIS-User <
> qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org> wrote:
>
>> Andreas, Raymond,
>>
>> Thank you Guys for the valuable information💚 As I promised, I will
>> collect all information I receive from local groups into one document and
>> send it to everyone at this group.
>>
>> Have a nice week and stay in touch!
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> *MICHAŁ ŻUGAJEWICZ*
>>
>> CEO at EnviroSolutions | QGIS Poland Representative
>> ceo at envirosolutions.pl
>> +48 501 540 755
>> EnviroSolutions <https://www.envirosolutions.pl>
>> LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/envirosolutions/> | Facebook
>> <https://www.facebook.com/envirosolutionspl> | Instagram
>> <https://www.instagram.com/envirosolutions_team/>
>>
>> sob., 6 wrz 2025 o 20:03 Raymond Nijssen via QGIS-User <
>> qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org> napisał(a):
>>
>>> Hi Michal,
>>>
>>> In The Netherlands we have a similar approach as well.
>>>
>>> Company members pay 500 euros per year, individual members 25. This
>>> grants access to all meetings. Students can attend for free.
>>>
>>> Currently we're having around 30 companies and 140 individual members.
>>> The number of members has increased quite rapidly over the last 5 years
>>> (we started in 2020) and is still growing. We chose not to make a
>>> difference in company size or something, it's always the standard 500
>>> for freelancers or large enterprises.
>>>
>>> We decided to call it company *membership* because organizations
>>> struggled to pay for a *sponsorship*, especially public entities.
>>>
>>> During the last UC in Norrkoping I gave a presentation about our user
>>> group which you can watch here.
>>>
>>>
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIezzpPaSqM&list=PLi6mvse6ZEOx3REy1Dr0JFOWxVOxkqEY7&index=24
>>>
>>> We have recently started a Signal group "super user group" for
>>> discussing subjects like this, aligning the user groups and sharing
>>> ideas.
>>>
>>> Kind regards,
>>> Raymond
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 9/6/25 14:47, Andreas Neumann via QGIS-User wrote:
>>> > Hi Michal,
>>> >
>>> > The situation in Switzerland is similar to Sweden. Our main income
>>> > source are "memberships". We currently have about 130 members in
>>> > different categories.
>>> >
>>> > A: provinces, large cities, large companies (1000 CHF membership per
>>> year)
>>> >
>>> > B: smaller cities and companies (500 CHF)
>>> >
>>> > C: private persons (100 CHF)
>>> >
>>> > D: students/retired people (50 CHF)
>>> >
>>> > Members also get some benefits: cheaper courses at our annual event
>>> and
>>> > they can vote how the available funds are spent. We have a grant
>>> system
>>> > like QGIS.ORG has, and every January we vote on how the money is
>>> spent.
>>> > Members can submit proposals. Also, in order to use some application
>>> > modules (water, waste-water, etc.) one has to be a member in the QGIS
>>> > user group.
>>> >
>>> > About 2/3 of the Swiss provinces are members, many larger and smaller
>>> > cities and quite a few private engineering companies.
>>> >
>>> > Like in Sweden, it is easist for public entities to become member in
>>> an
>>> > association. It would be very difficult to donate, and sometimes
>>> > complicated to participate in crowd fundings.
>>> >
>>> > However, we had some successful crowd funding campaigns as well and
>>> many
>>> > public administrations also participate in crowd fundings.
>>> >
>>> > Hope this helps,
>>> >
>>> > Andreas
>>> >
>>> > On 2025-09-04 09:59, Michał Żugajewicz via QGIS-User wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Hi Karl-Magnus!
>>> >>
>>> >> Thanks a lot for your quick reply and for sharing your perspective -
>>> >> that's super helpful! We are a young association (founded in April
>>> >> 2025), so it means a lot to us to learn from our more experienced
>>> >> colleagues. Your advice and insights from Sweden give us valuable
>>> >> ideas for our own path 💚
>>> >>
>>> >> After collecting feedback from other local groups, I will prepare a
>>> >> summary report that I will share with everyone via email.
>>> >>
>>> >> Best regards,
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> *MICHAŁ ŻUGAJEWICZ*
>>> >>
>>> >> CEO at EnviroSolutions | QGIS Poland Representative
>>> >>
>>> >> ceo at envirosolutions.pl <mailto:ceo at envirosolutions.pl>
>>> >> +48 501 540 755
>>> >> EnviroSolutions <https://www.envirosolutions.pl>
>>> >>
>>> >> LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/envirosolutions/>|
>>> Facebook
>>> >> <https://www.facebook.com/envirosolutionspl> | Instagram <https://
>>> >> www.instagram.com/envirosolutions_team/>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> czw., 4 wrz 2025 o 09:03 Karl Magnus Jönsson <Karl-
>>> >> Magnus.Jonsson at kristianstad.se <mailto:Karl-
>>> >> Magnus.Jonsson at kristianstad.se>> napisał(a):
>>> >>
>>> >> Hi all!
>>> >>
>>> >> For us in Sweden membership fees are the main income. It is easy
>>> >> and not so much work for both members and board. We have tried
>>> >> some crowdfunding as well, but it is a lot more work and difficult
>>> >> for many public organizations (which are our main target) to
>>> >> participate due to stiff budgets and procurement rules. We had
>>> >> some sponsors for the international conference this year but
>>> >> otherwise we do not have sponsors in that way. One thing that
>>> >> probably should work well is to create a small surplus on our
>>> >> national meeting and events. But we have so far decided to try to
>>> >> break even on these events.
>>> >>
>>> >> Best regards
>>> >>
>>> >> **
>>> >>
>>> >> *Karl-Magnus Jönsson*
>>> >>
>>> >> *Från:*QGIS-User <qgis-user-bounces at lists.osgeo.org <mailto:qgis-
>>> >> user-bounces at lists.osgeo.org>> *För *Michał Żugajewicz via
>>> QGIS-User
>>> >> *Skickat:* den 3 september 2025 07:07
>>> >> *Till:* qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org <mailto:
>>> qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org>
>>> >> *Ämne:* [Qgis-user] Funding sources for QGIS development (local
>>> >> groups)
>>> >>
>>> >> Dear Colleagues!
>>> >>
>>> >> I am reaching out with an interest in learning more about how
>>> >> local QGIS user groups manage to secure funding and support for
>>> >> the development of the software and related tools, such as plugins
>>> >> and custom applications.
>>> >>
>>> >> Could you please share some insights into the typical sources of
>>> >> funding that your group or related initiatives rely on? For
>>> example:
>>> >>
>>> >> * Do you receive support from public institutions such as
>>> >> municipalities, government agencies, or universities?
>>> >> * Are there private companies, consultancies, or NGOs that
>>> >> contribute financially to your activities or sponsor specific
>>> >> development projects?
>>> >> * Do you make use of grants, donations, or membership fees to
>>> >> sustain your work?
>>> >> * Have you engaged in partnerships with organizations that
>>> >> benefit from QGIS to co-finance the development of plugins or
>>> >> other tools?
>>> >>
>>> >> I am particularly interested in understanding what models have
>>> >> proven effective and sustainable for your group, and whether there
>>> >> are strategies or best practices you would recommend for
>>> >> establishing these collaborations.
>>> >>
>>> >> Thank you very much for your time and for any details you can
>>> >> share. Your experience could be very helpful in shaping similar
>>> >> initiatives elsewhere 💚
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> Bests,
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> *MICHAŁ ŻUGAJEWICZ*
>>> >>
>>> >> CEO at EnviroSolutions | QGIS Poland Representative
>>> >>
>>> >> ceo at envirosolutions.pl <mailto:ceo at envirosolutions.pl>
>>> >>
>>> >> +48 501 540 755
>>> >>
>>> >> EnviroSolutions <https://www.envirosolutions.pl>
>>> >>
>>> >> LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/envirosolutions/> |
>>> >> Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/envirosolutionspl> | Instagram
>>> >> <https://www.instagram.com/envirosolutions_team/>
>>> >>
>>> >>
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>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
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