In these guidelines, you will find out what the Network is, how it is organised today and where it came from, the types of membership available, what members can expect and what they commit to, and how to join.

Shall we get started? 
 

Network Today 

The Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) stands on a simple premise: knowledge should be accessible to everyone. The Open Knowledge Network exists to carry knowledge beyond the place or field where it was created, from one node to another, from one group or project to a much wider audience. Over many years, the Network has helped strengthen transparency, democratic participation and public accountability, evolving through several different formats along the way. 

The Network has always been very interdisciplinary. We are interested in bringing together at the same table all different aspects of the open movement, and we want to bring together the people advancing it. There are different ways of taking part on the network (see section Types of membership at the Open Knowledge Network), but regardless of the type of member, all must abide by the OKFN Code of Conduct. 
 
The Network is a network of experts: individuals and organisations who actively advance open knowledge in their fields and communities. It embraces all OKFN communities — Open Data Day, School of Data, ODE/The Tech We Want, Frictionless, among others — connecting expertise across countries and thematic areas rather than simply aggregating organisations.

Where do you fit in?

Already active in the open movement? If you work or volunteer (or have worked or volunteered) in activities related to the areas covered by the Open Definition — from access to knowledge to open science, from frictionless data to open AI — read Types of membership, members rights and responsibilities to find the membership type that you are interested and, then follow the steps in How to become a member.

New to the movement? We'd love to meet you! While membership is designed for people already active in the field, everyone is welcome to get involved. A great first step is the Open Knowledge Forums, our main discussion space, where Network members and other specialists share knowledge, answer questions and coordinate around open knowledge topics.

A quick look back at the Network's history

Since the beginning, Open Knowledge has been an organisation with a global outlook. Based and registered in the UK, many of the early contacts and partners were in other parts of the world. The first glimpse of the network as it exists today started with ambassadors, local groups, topical working groups and chapters. 

Local Groups and Ambassadors worked together on open advocacy, campaigning and projects of all kinds in a local context and were connected with others around the world through the network. The local groups were independent from the beginning and had its own local focus but, at the same time, being a part of the global community-run network. Open Knowledge chapters, too, were autonomous, independent non-profit organisations that led the way on open data and open knowledge in their countries.

The first formal Open Knowledge chapter was founded in Germany in 2010, followed by Austria in 2011, Switzerland and Belgium in 2012, and Greece and Finland in 2013. We currently have chapters in 12 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ghana, Japan, Nepal,  Sweden, and Switzerland. Several requests for new chapters are currently going through the joining process.

A Network that is always expanding and evolving 
In 2015 the network's ambition was to be an extended community of people who came together in nodes attached to each other in different ways - thematically and geographically - enabling the flow of information and the development of knowledge. That ambition remains. But the world has changed, and in the AI era, we want to put people back at the centre of the conversation. Whether you are navigating AI policy, open data or open science, we want to connect you with experts you can trust. That is why the Network today can be considered a network of experts.
 

Individual Members

Individual members are experts based anywhere in the world, who share the views and goals of Open Knowledge and have proven experience or expertise in the areas covered by our work. All members subscribe to, respect, and uphold the OKFN Mission, Vision and Principles, as well as all its policies. Every individual member has the opportunity to be listed in our expert directory, an openly available resource that people, organisations, companies and governments use when they want to identify trusted experts in the areas of our work. 

Affiliated Organisations 

Affiliated Organisations are independent organisations, institutions or established communities that share Open Knowledge’s values and contribute to advancing its mission through their activities, expertise or collaborations. They may work across a broad range of fields, with open knowledge representing one part of their work. They retain their own institutional identity, governance, priorities and branding.

Affiliated Organisations participate through knowledge exchange, joint initiatives and community activities. Affiliation does not imply that they represent OKFN or form part of its institutional identity. Affiliated organisations may be non-profit or for-profit. An affiliated organisation is listed in the expert directory, and its members can join the directory on request, after completing the requirements for individual membership. 
 

Chapters 

Open Knowledge Chapters are autonomous organisations that form part of the wider Open Knowledge Network. They share a long-term commitment to advancing open knowledge, uphold OKFN’s principles and values, and contribute to the development of the global Network. Chapters may operate nationally, regionally or thematically; more than one Chapter may be recognised in a country or field, upon consultation with pre-existing Chapters, especially in countries with vast geographical area. 

Chapters may use Open Knowledge’s name and branding or maintain their own established identities, reflecting their history, local context and areas of expertise. Their activities and priorities may differ, but advancing open knowledge remains central to their mission.

Chapters remain legally and operationally independent. Their relationship with OKFN is formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding that defines mutual commitments, opportunities for collaboration, agreed representation, and their role within the Network.

The members of the Chapters can join the expert directory upon request.  
 

To become a member, you should be willing to uphold the rights and responsibilities of membership. This includes committing about 3 working days per year (roughly 2 hours a month) to the Network. You should also have proven expertise in areas relevant to the open movement, and provide one referral from a recognised open movement organisation (such as Wikimedia, Mozilla or a similar body). All of this information will be requested in the registration form you fill in when applying.
To make the admission process consistent and effective, we have designed a standard procedure:

1. Fill out the interest application. This first step is the same for all membership types.

2. You hear back from OKFN. An OKFN representative reviews your application and directs you to the membership type that best fits your profile, along with the next steps.

From there, the path depends on the type of membership:

Individual member or affiliated organisation

• OKFN reviews and approves your request.
• You fill in a registration form committing to our privacy and anti-harassment policies.
• Each year, you confirm your continued interest with proof of activity.

Chapters

• OKFN reviews and approves your request.
• A Memorandum of Understanding is signed.
• The relationship is reviewed every 3 years.
   

The Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) has historically led the Network and currently serves as the Network's general coordinator, providing:

• The monthly Network call — roughly one hour long, held at two different times to cover different time zones.

• Joint proposals — opportunities to work with OKFN on funding and project bids.

• Expert directory listing — the chance to be listed as an expert member in the Open Knowledge Global Directory.

• Project Repository — the chance to showcase prominent projects. 

• For coordination among Chapters, a lightweight Chapter Council, meeting annually in December, online, will advise on Network priorities, shared initiatives, branding and institutional relationships. 

Network Communication channels 

Good communication is central to how the Network works. Here is how we stay in touch, from the big picture to the day-to-day. The working language of the Open Knowledge Network is English, with support in other languages when resources permit. 

Monthly Network  Call

The Network call is a space to share updates from the Foundation and from Network members, exchange best practices and concerns, discuss topics of interest and connect with other members. Calls are held in English. If you can't make it, you can always catch up in the shared notes. 

Forums

The Network's main ongoing space is the Open Knowledge Forums. We encourage all members to register and take part: sharing input, answering questions, and mentoring newcomers to the open movement. Beyond the Network's own space, the Forums also host domain-specific groups focused on discussion and activity around a particular area of open knowledge. Groups can operate in different languages, and we encourage members to create language-specific ones to coordinate across jurisdictions.
 

Email

Whenever an Open Knowledge representative needs to contact a Network member directly, they will do so by email.