Questions & answers
Clear answers about joining, funding and working together. If your situation is different, talk to us.
Your group agrees how it makes decisions and who approves spending. Fiscal hosting does not determine whether a group is democratic: that depends on its practices. Make responsibilities clear, involve the people affected and keep a record of important budget decisions. OCE’s hosting agreement sets the financial responsibilities that still apply.
Plan your budget together ↗OCE welcomes initiatives with a shared public-benefit purpose and a nonprofit approach. Groups may be based anywhere in the world. Standard collective hosting is for groups without a separate legal organisation; existing organisations should discuss an appropriate fund or grant arrangement with us. You do not need a minimum balance to apply.
Check the hosting criteria ↗Fiscal hosting can help your group receive and use funds without setting up a separate legal organisation. OCE administers funds and processes eligible, documented payments. Your administrators still lead the activities, approve expenses and maintain the information needed for the arrangement. We review each application; there is no guaranteed setup deadline.
Understand fiscal hosting ↗Hosted collectives can request documented payments for work related to their mission. Paying an invoice is different from employing someone. If you are considering employment, contact OCE before making an offer so we can check what arrangements are available for the countries and activity involved.
Read the payment guide ↗Open Collective Europe is the Belgian public utility foundation providing fiscal hosting and administering philanthropic funds. Open Collective is the platform we use to record contributions, expenses and budgets. Open Source Europe is a separate legal entity with its own hosting scope. Sharing tools and an ecosystem does not make these organisations interchangeable.
About Open Collective Europe ↗Fiscal hosting provides an arrangement for receiving funds and making documented payments for your group’s mission. OCE combines this practical support with the Open Collective platform, where your community can follow the budget. Your group leads its activities and contributes the information needed for agreed reporting.
Explore hosting ↗Contact OCE before closing your page or moving funds. We will review outstanding payments, commitments and any restrictions attached to your funding. Your hosting agreement and the funder’s conditions determine how remaining funds may be used or transferred.
Read about hosting responsibilities ↗Your collective leads its activities and its administrators approve expenses. OCE administers the funds within the agreed hosting framework and reviews payments and supporting documents. Only an appropriately authorised person may sign an agreement or make a commitment in OCE’s name.
Understand the arrangement ↗An administrative contribution of 10% of the funds received supports the foundation’s shared work: the people, financial administration and tools that make collective action possible. For a contribution of €100, €10 supports this shared administration and €90 is allocated to the collective. The amount available may also be affected by payment processing or currency conversion.
Ask about the administrative contribution ↗Standard collective hosting is for groups without a separate legal organisation. Your group should agree how it works together and identify the people responsible for administration. OCE confirms the administrator and record-keeping requirements during review. If you already have a legal organisation, tell us so we can discuss the suitable arrangement.
Check eligibility ↗Eligibility depends on the particular funding programme. Send OCE the opportunity, deadline, activity and proposed budget before applying or making commitments. We will check whether the funder accepts the hosting arrangement and confirm the legal recipient, signatures and reporting responsibilities.
Prepare a grant application ↗Tell us if your activities pause or your plans change. The hosting agreement and any conditions attached to your funding determine how long funds can remain available and what happens next. Keep your community informed and discuss outstanding commitments with OCE before moving or reallocating money.
Read the hosting agreement ↗Yes. Open Collective Europe is a public utility foundation based in Belgium. We provide a home for mission-aligned nonprofit initiatives and administer funds for collectives and philanthropic programmes. You can explore our public budget on Open Collective.
Explore our EUR budget ↗VAT treatment depends on the transaction, the parties and the countries involved. Nonprofit status does not automatically establish an exemption or a right to deduct VAT. Ask OCE about unclear invoice information before a payment is processed, and seek advice for your own tax obligations where needed.
Read the VAT guide ↗Contact OCE before an agreement is signed or a commitment is made in its name. Share the draft agreement, the parties involved and the proposed budget. OCE will confirm the appropriate legal recipient, authorised signature and any documents needed between the foundation and your collective.
Prepare an agreement ↗Follow the instructions on your expense form and in the agreement for your initiative. For standard hosted collectives, OCE’s guidance asks for invoices addressed to the collective with an administrator’s name and address. Other arrangements may require different details. Confirm the recipient before the invoice is issued, and do not use OCE’s tax number without authorisation. Keep personal details in the private supporting document.
Read the invoice guide ↗Start by agreeing your priorities, the funds available and who can approve spending. Decide how proposals will be discussed and how decisions will be recorded. A participatory budgeting tool can help, but your group’s process should fit the people involved and the conditions attached to its funding.
Use the budget discussion guide ↗OCE has EUR and USD hosting profiles. The currency for your collective is agreed as part of its setup. Available contribution and payout currencies depend on the payment route and countries involved. Payment processing and currency conversion can affect the amount available. Ask the team before promising a particular route to a donor or payee.
Ask about currencies ↗A new collective. A shared fund. An idea that deserves a chance. We would love to hear it.