There’s some big news from the OpenStreetMap US Team – funding is now available to support our members’ mapping and community building efforts! OSM US is thrilled to announce OpenStreetMap US Microgrants, a new program for investing directly in the people growing the OpenStreetMap community in the United States. Applications for the first round of microgrants open today, so read on and learn how you can apply!
What activities are funded?
There are three opportunities for funding through OSM US Microgrants:
Travel: Travel Grants are available to support the transportation, lodging, and registration costs for folks speaking about OpenStreetMap at conferences, symposiums, or other professional or academic networking events around the country. Learn more about the Travel Grant ➔
Events: Event Grants are available to new and existing local OpenStreetMap community groups to fund the cost of advertisement, food, space and equipment rental, and other expenses related to hosting meetups, mapathons, mappy hours, and training sessions. Learn more about the Event Grant ➔
Education: In collaboration with TeachOSM, Education Grants are available for two or more academic institutions or organizations looking to collaborate (either virtually or in person) on a mapping project to engage students. Learn more about the Education Grant ➔
OpenStreetMap US is hoping to support newly formed local mapping groups, folks sharing their OSM-based research, educators bringing OSM into their classrooms, and many more mappers across the US!
Do I need to meet any requirements?
There are a few requirements all grantees must meet to ensure the financial sustainability of this new program and that support goes to the US mapping community:
- Someone must be an active member of OpenStreetMap US (at any tier) both at the time of application, and the time of your grant-funded activities.
- If applying for a Travel Grant, you must meet the requirement as an OSM US invididual member.
- If applying for the Event Grant on behalf of a community group, one member of the group must meet the requirement as an OSM US individual member.
- If applying for the Education Grant, either one educator or organizer can meet the requirement as an OSM US individual member or one of the participating institutions or organizations can meet the requirement as an organizational member.
- Your grant-funded activities must occur within the United States. Virtual events funded through the Events Grant can be open to international participants, but must be US-focused.
Each grant category has their own additional requirements and guidelines, which you can review on their respective webpages.
How can I apply?
First, look at the grant cycles available this year and determine which application season aligns with your planned event or travel. OpenStreetMap US will not fund any activity that has already occurred by the time of application or grantee notification, so please keep that in mind when applying!
Here is the grant cycle timeline for 2025:
| Cycle | Application opens | Application closes | Grantees notified by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | April 2 | May 5 | June 3 |
| Summer | July 7 | August 4 | September 8 |
| Fall | October 6 | November 3 | December 1 |
Second, decide which microgrant you’d like to apply for (Events, Travel, or Education) and review the dedicated webpage for that grant detailing specific information you’ll need to know before applying. You may submit an application for more than one grant category in a cycle, but they must not be intended to fund the same event or travel.
Finally, fill out the application form! OpenStreetMap US can’t wait to see what ideas, projects, and opportunities land in our inbox!
Grant applications are reviewed and selected on a quarterly basis. Please see the program webpage for the 2025 application deadlines and other relevant information. All grants are awarded at the discretion of the OSM US staff and Board of Directors. Questions? Email grants@openstreetmap.us.
