Whether you’re passionate about maps, data, or shaping the future of OpenStreetMap (OSM), the community is always looking for your inspiring ideas! Why not sharing them during State of the Map 2026?
The call for participation of SotM 2026, taking place in Paris, France, on August 28 – 30, 2026, is now open! The programme committee is ready and waiting, eager to unwrap your submissions for talks, workshops, and panels. These sessions aren’t just part of the conference; they’re its beating heart, driving conversations and sparking ideas that resonate worldwide. Presenting your work, projects and ideas at SotM is also a great way to get in touch with the wider OSM community.
Tracks
Sessions can be submitted for the following tracks:
OSM Basics – Information dedicated to newcomers
Community and Foundation – Bringing people together, working group experiences, strategies & vision
Mapping – All about making the mapping easier and better
Cartography – Your ideas on how to create good-looking presentations of the OSM dataset
Software Development – Software for processing and editing data
Data Analysis & Data Model – Reflections about the OSM data, its model and analysis of quality and completeness
User Experiences – Stories of using OSM and its data as a user
Education – How you use OSM in an educational context
If your submission doesn’t seem to fit into one of these tracks, don’t worry – as long as it is clearly related to OpenStreetMap, you’re perfectly fine if you simply choose the track that feels to fit best.
OSM Science (Academic Track) at SotM 2026
In addition to this general call for participation, there will again be a proper academic track with a separate CfP, which will be announced later. So, if you’re knee-deep in the captivating world of OpenStreetMap, stay tuned for the official call: The working group is eagerly awaiting the most riveting insights and groundbreaking results from your studies. Get your research hats on, gather your data, and prepare to submit the best of your studies.
Stay tuned for more news about the State of the Map 2026! See you later this year in Paris, France, and online!
The State of the Map Working Group
Do you want to translate this and other blogposts in your language…? Please email communication@osmfoundation.org with subject: Helping with translations in [your language]
The State of the Mapconference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
The State of the Map Organizing Committee provides a Travel Grant Programme (TGP) to facilitate accessibility and diversity at the global SotM 2026 Conference, which will happen in Paris, France, August 28-30.
Taking into consideration the success of last year, the programme will also dedicate a portion of the budget available to support remote attendance (e.g. by providing access to a reliable internet connection) for those who cannot travel to Paris because of imposed restrictions, travel costs, or other reasons.
The call for applications to the Travel Grant Programme will be open until 1st March 12:00 UTC.
It is fundamental to read all the information on this page before submitting an application.
For applicants
This section sets out the benefits of a Travel Grant to attend SotM 2026 and the process and criteria by which applicants will be selected. The TGP is administered by the State of the Map Organizing Committee.
Travel Grants
The Travel Grant will include a full conference ticket and a lump-sum contribution towards travel, accommodation and other expenses.
There will be five (5) different sizes of travel grants available:
Applicants from other European countries or High-income economies based on World Bank country rating by income
5
E
£1.300,00
Applicants from other countries classified as Upper-middle-income economies or lower based on World Bank country rating by income
6
The size and number of grants may be adjusted at the discretion of the Organizing Committee, depending upon the level of funding raised and the number of applications received. Applicants will only be able to apply for one size of travel grant, and they should apply for the grant depending on their country of residence. The World Bank rating is available at the link https://datatopics.worldbank.org/world-development-indicators/the-world-by-income-and-region.html
Anyone applying for more than one grant will be excluded from the application process.
For categories C, D and E, a maximum of 2 winners will be chosen for each country of origin.
Online Attendance Support Grant
For those interested in attending the conference remotely but with limited internet connectivity, smaller grants will be made available to subsidise the cost of purchasing mobile data passes. The size of each grant will vary depending on the country and mobile data packages available, but it’s expected not to exceed £ 30.
With an estimated 1GB per hour of streaming videos in HD quality (720p), it’s expected that a maximum of 40GB will be sufficient to cover the entire conference. Arrangements will be made with grant recipients to purchase the data packages directly or to transfer the amount needed via mobile money.
Criteria
In order to guarantee a transparent and fair allocation of funds, the travel grant programme uses a points system for ranking applications. Points are awarded if applicants match specific criteria. After the application phase is over, all applicants are ranked by points, and the applicants with the most points will receive funding.
Please note that the travel grant programme aims to enhance diversity at the conference. We might reserve a few programme spots for people with unique and outstanding applications. However, most programme spots will solely be determined by the point ranking.
To ensure the participation of OSM contributors who have not attended any in-person SotM conference, the in-person Travel Grant winners of the previous three SotM (SotM 2025 Manila, SotM 2024 Nairobi and SotM 2022 Firenze) will not be eligible for this Travel Grant.
Furthermore, once the ranking has been drawn up and the scholarships assigned based on it. The next two people for each grant size will be informed of their position. If one of the first winners communicates by the 3rd of July that he will not be able to participate, the scholarship will be provided to the people who are in the second ranking. However, those people will receive a free online ticket to attend the conference virtually. Moreover, if they are able to attend the conference in person, they could receive a free ticket if they provide support volunteering.
Note on authenticity and use of AI
Submissions are expected to reflect the applicant’s personal and direct experience within the OpenStreetMap project. The use of generative AI tools to write or substantially edit these sections is strongly discouraged. Overly generic, self-promotional, or marketing-style narratives may be penalised.
Ranking criteria
Nationality
The allocation of points is based on the World Bank country rating by income.
Applicants from Low-income economies receive 1.5 points.
Applicants from Lower-middle-income economies receive 1 point.
Applicants from Upper-middle-income economies receive 0.5 points.
Applicants from High-income economies receive 0 points.
Residence
The allocation of points is based on the World Bank country rating by income.
Applicants who are currently living in Low-income economies receive 1.5 points.
Applicants who are currently living in Lower-middle-income economies receive 1 point.
Applicants who are currently living in Upper-middle-income economies receive 0.5 points.
Applicants who are currently living in High-income economies receive 0 points.
Gender and Minorities
In order to create a more diverse community, women and applicants from other underrepresented groups will receive 2 points. The minority criteria will be considered with respect to the other candidates of the same category.
Students
Students, including PhD students, receive 1 point. You may be asked to provide evidence of enrollment.
First State of the Map
Applicants who attend SotM for the first time receive 1 point.
Amount required
The expected cost amount requested is to be indicated in pounds sterling (£). Applications without an explicit request for the amount required will not be considered. The minimum between the expected cost and the grant size based on the residence country will be assigned.
OpenStreetMap and Community
Details of their past contributions to OpenStreetMap projects or community activities: up to a total of 4 points. Up to 2 points for mapping activities based on your OpenStreetMap username and up to 2 points for other contributions to the project as you will describe.
You & OpenStreetMap
Present the most valuable experience, mapping activities, or community moment that describes the travel grant experience in the OpenStreetMap world. This is not the call for participation; the call will be open, and there will be the possibility to submit talks and workshops. So, this is not an instrument to present talks; you are invited to participate in the call for talks and workshops if you would like to present your activities.
Please provide a short abstract about what you would like to present, with a maximum length of 100 words.
No points; the abstract will be used as a discriminant for the final decision.
Volunteering
The travel grant winners will be asked to volunteer for a time proportional to 1/3 or less of the conference length, depending on the number of other volunteers. Indicate the roles that you are confident to do: Room Assistant, Registration and Infodesk, Session Assistant, Venueless Assistant (only for remote grants). For more detailed info on the roles, see the wiki pages of volunteers for Sotm 2025: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/State_of_the_Map_2025/volunteers#Roles . No points.
Payment
You must be able to fund the direct costs of your travel to SotM and be in possession of a valid passport and entry visa and other documents (for example, vaccinations). Successful applicants will receive a conference pass and become eligible for reimbursement of expenses up to the limit of the travel grant when they check in at the conference registration desk. Reimbursement of expenses will be by electronic means (details to be advised).
The travel grant amount will NOT be provided in advance. The applicants should be able to cover the costs on their own.
How to Apply
If you wish to be considered for a SotM travel grant, please fill out the application form.
All data will be held confidential and only used for assessing TGP applications. Please ensure that the email address that you provide is regularly monitored, as the selection committee may wish to seek clarification of responses. If no replies have been provided to requests via mail for the Travel Grant Committee within 5 days, the Travel Grant will be removed from you and assigned to the next applicants in the ranking.
Applications must be received by the 1st March at 12:00 UTC.
The selection committee will aim to notify recipients of grants by the 16th of March.
Supporting the Travel Grant Programme
The travel grant programme is funded through the State of the Map Sponsors.
The State of the Map Working Group
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
Following the call for applications launched in April, we are thrilled to announce the results of the State of the Map 2025 Travel Grant Programme. This initiative aims to support contributors who may face challenges in attending the global OpenStreetMap conference, which will be held in Manila, Philippines, from October 3rd to 5th, 2025.
The Travel Grant Programme is a part of the OpenStreetMap Foundation’s ongoing commitment to making State of the Map more inclusive, diverse, and globally representative. By providing financial assistance, the programme enables community members from various regions and backgrounds to participate in the conference, both in person and online.
This year’s call for applications received an extraordinary response, with over 180 applications submitted by mappers and community members from more than 35 countries. The majority of applicants hailed from Asia and Africa. Notably, approximately 78% of all applicants were students or early-career mappers. However, only about one-third of the applicants identified as female. Furthermore, over 80% of the applicants had never attended a State of the Map event before. These figures underscore the ongoing success of the Travel Grant Programme in reaching new and emerging OpenStreetMap communities, particularly in the Global South.
Applicants represented a wide spectrum of mapping experience within the OpenStreetMap ecosystem. For example, using one of the multiple selection criteria (the number of changesets), we could see the wide spectrum of OSM mappers who applied to the call. Around 20% of applicants were new or had minimal mapping experience (fewer than 10 changesets), while approximately 30% were in the intermediate range (100–2000 changesets), showing consistent engagement and growing contributions. Notably, nearly one in four applicants were highly active mappers with more than 2,000 changesets, demonstrating deep, ongoing involvement in OSM projects. Overall, the applicant pool combined new contributors eager to join the global community with experienced mappers making strong local impacts, reflecting the programme’s success in attracting a balanced mix of experience levels.
After careful evaluation, 37 grantees were selected to receive support for travel and participation. However, only 25 of them were able to attend the event in Manila. The selected applicants represent a diverse range of grant categories, from £215 to £1000. The allocation of funds was based on factors such as the distance traveled, regional cost levels, and individual circumstances.
Grant category
Number of recipients
Origin countries
£215
8
Philippines (outside Metro Manila), Indonesia
£675
7
Nepal, Bangladesh, India
£750
3
Poland, Canada, Portugal
£1000
6
Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda
Online support
9
Various countries
The selection criteria employed in the call successfully achieved the objective of increasing the diversity of participants at SotM. A total of 17 female and 16 male grantees attended, resulting in a nearly gender-balanced group. Notably, there was strong representation of women within the OpenStreetMap community. Furthermore, 90% of the grantees hailed from Africa and Asia, underscoring the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to equitable global participation.
The diversity of applicants and grantees reflects the remarkable progress made by the OpenStreetMap community in expanding access to global events. Thanks to the Travel Grant Programme, many first-time attendees will now have the opportunity to share their experiences, projects, and local insights with the global OSM community in Manila.
The OSM Foundation and the State of the Map organizing team warmly thanks all applicants, reviewers, and sponsors whose support made this year’s programme possible. We look forward to welcoming everyone to State of the Map 2026 in Paris!
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
Do you want to translate this and other blogposts in your language? Please email communication@osmfoundation.org with subject: Helping with translations in [your language]
Having hosted the Olympic Games, Paris is now preparing to welcome another international gathering centered on community, openness, and diversity. Like the sporting disciplines themselves, OpenStreetMap’s mapping covers a multitude of themes and territories. Nature and hiking enthusiasts will find a space for expression there, as well as professionals in the field of geographic data.
Join us in Paris from August 28th to 30th, 2026, for State of the Map!
This annual gathering brings together OpenStreetMap volunteers, professionals, and enthusiasts to share knowledge, showcase innovations, and highlight the impact of open mapping.
Whether you’re a seasoned contributor, a curious newcomer, or a professional in the field, SotM 2026 is a chance for you to connect with the global community, learn about the latest developments, and contribute to the growth of OpenStreetMap. Mark your calendars and be part of this extraordinary event!
Save the date! Stay tuned via our website, 2026.stateofthemap.org for more updates on speakers, agenda, ticketing, and how to get involved as the event draws closer.
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
Do you want to translate this and other blogposts in your language? Please email communication@osmfoundation.org with subject: Helping with translations in [your language]
The community voting for the OpenStreetMap Awards 2025 is open! During the call for nominees, you submitted more than a hundred of them. Then, a number of active community members have prepared a shorter list. Now it is again your turn: choose who gets an award during State of the Map in Manila.
We have 28 nominees to choose from 7 categories:
Core Systems Award
Innovation Award
Influential Writing Award
Greatness in Mapping Award
Expanding the Community Award
Team Achievement Award
Ulf Möller Memorial Award
Every one of these worked hard, and deserves every bit of our love. You don’t have to choose only one nominee per category: that would be an impossible choice, given we have so many great people on the list. Click as many checkboxes as you like, even all of them. What matters is not winning, but knowing that hundreds of people support you and your project. The main point of a community is to support its members, and this is your chance to do that. Don’t forget to press the “Vote” button afterwards.
And do use the fact that you can change or add to your votes at any time until the voting ends on 30 September 2025, right before the State of the Map 2025 conference, at which winners will be announced.
Do not postpone visiting the website — spend a minute right now. Please vote now awards.openstreetmap.org and show your appreciation!
The State of the Map Working Group
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
Did you miss the call for general and OSM Science presentations? Fret not! You can still present your project and initiatives at State of the Map 2025! The Call for Posters for SotM 2025 is now open!
Your poster could show how well your community is mapped. It could be a new beautiful style or a map. It could be a community project or statistics, or a poster explaining and inviting people to OpenStreetMap. The important thing is that it is about OSM. We also welcome academic posters on research around OpenStreetMap data.
Please send an email to sotm [at] openstreetmap.org with a description of your poster. For example, the background of the project or whatever you consider important to mention in the context of the poster – all that you would tell people if you show them your poster. We will publish this text together with the poster on the SotM website. Please also mention the filename of the uploaded poster in your email, so that we can know which of the uploaded posters is yours.
Timeline
Deadline: 15 September 2025
The SotM team hopes to shortlist up to 20 posters that will be published on our website and some other SotM channels under CC BY SA 3.0 (or later)
The State of the Map Working Group
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
We’re excited to invite bids for the next State of the Map conference, taking place in 2026. This is a unique opportunity to partner with us and host the conference in your city!
Why bid?
Share your community’s experiences and successes with the global OpenStreetMap community
Showcase your city’s unique culture and attractions
Contribute to the growth and development of OpenStreetMap globally
How to bid:
Read the guidelines and selection criteria on the OSM Wiki page
Plan your application carefully, considering dates, venues, and logistics
Avoid clashes with other relevant conferences, such as FOSS4G and local SotMs
Early bird advantage:
By bidding now, you’ll have the greatest flexibility in choosing dates for the 2026 conference. Don’t miss this opportunity!
We look forward to receiving your bid and partnering with you to bring State of the Map to your community/Country
Key Dates
Call for venues open: 13 June 2025
Deadline of bids: 31 August 2025
We will review the bids for State of the Map 2026 in September 2025 and will inform the teams immediately after the decision.
Also observe other relevant event dates, e.g. avoid collisions with FOSS4G and local SotMs.
Need help?
The SotM Working Group is available for any further clarifications! Please contact via email: sotm [at] openstreetmap.org as early as possible so that we can provide guidance, if needed. We look forward to collaborating with you.
The State of the Map Working Group
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
Tickets are now available for State of the Map 2025 in Manila! Get ready for an incredible experience to connect, learn, and celebrate OpenStreetMap!
The moment you’ve been waiting for has arrived – tickets for State of the Map 2025 in Manila are officially on sale!
Act Fast! Early Bird Tickets Available Now! To make it easier for you to join us, we’re offering Early Bird tickets at a special discounted rate. This is a limited opportunity to secure your place for less!
We have two types of Early Bird tickets available:
Community Early Bird Specifically for individuals who contribute to OpenStreetMap as a hobbyist.
Regular Early Bird: Our standard discounted rate.
Early Bird Pricing:
Community: GBP 150.00 GBP 70.00
Regular: GBP 300.00 GBP 220.00
These Early Bird tickets are limited in number (currently 200 of each type available) and are only offered for a limited time, so grab yours before they’re gone!
SotM is the premier global conference for the entire OpenStreetMap community. It’s where mappers, developers, researchers, users, companies, and everyone passionate about the world’s free and open map comes together. This is your chance to share your amazing work, learn groundbreaking new things, discover exciting projects, and make real-world connections with fellow enthusiasts from every corner of the globe.
Why attend SotM 2025 in Manila?
Experience a vibrant global community gathering in Southeast Asia!
Attend inspiring talks and practical workshops.
Meet the people behind the map and expand your network.
Be part of discussions shaping the future of OpenStreetMap.
Enjoy the atmosphere and connect with friends, old and new!
And of course, soak in the unique culture, hospitality, and buzz of Manila! Ready to join us in Manila? Head over to the official SotM 2025 website to get your tickets today at 2025.stateofthemap.org/tickets
Don’t wait too long – grab your ticket, secure your place at the heart of the OpenStreetMap community, and start planning your trip to Manila!
We absolutely can’t wait to see you there!
The State of the Map Working Group
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
We are excited to announce the call for nominees for the OpenStreetMap Awards 2025! The awards ceremony will take place this October at the State of the Map 2025 conference in Manila!
These community awards are nominated and chosen by the community. The OpenStreetMap Awards is a global recognition event that celebrates contributors from all corners of the OSM project – including mappers, developers, community organizers, writers, and everyone who makes OSM great. We need your help to identify the best and brightest of OpenStreetMap globally!
The awards are back with the following categories to recognize a wide range of contributions:
Core Systems Award
Innovation Award
Influential Writing Award
Greatness in Mapping Award
Expanding the Community Award
Team Achievement Award
Ulf Möller Memorial Award
You can find more details about what each award represents on the wiki: OSM Awards
We are primarily looking for recent impactful contributions. Therefore, projects, works, and activities should have occurred or been announced between January 1st, 2024, and April 1st, 2025 to be eligible for most categories. The Ulf Möller Memorial Award is an exception; anyone is eligible regardless of when they were active in the project.
Think about the individuals, teams, or groups whose efforts have impressed you during this time. Have you seen fantastic mapping, innovative tools, inspiring community work, or influential writing? This is your chance to make their contributions visible to the entire world! You can even nominate yourself or your team if you believe your work deserves recognition.
Ready to nominate? It’s quick and easy!
Visit the official OSM Awards website to add your nominees: SotM Nominations
The call for nominees will close on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025.
Please make sure to add your nominations before the deadline. The more nominees we receive, the better we can represent the breadth and depth of amazing work happening in OpenStreetMap, and the more exciting the final voting and ceremony will be.
Keep the OpenStreetMap Awards in mind and nominate those who deserve recognition today!
The State of the Map Working Group
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
The State of the Map Organizing Committee provides a Travel Grant Programme (TGP) to facilitate accessibility and diversity at the global SotM 2025 Conference, which will happen in Manila, Philippines, October 3-5. Taking into consideration the success of last year, the programme will also dedicate a portion of the budget available to support remote attendance (e.g. by providing access to a reliable internet connection) for those who cannot travel to Manila because of imposed restrictions, travel costs, or other reasons.
The call for applications to the Travel Grant Programme will be open until May 16,12:00 UTC.
It is fundamental to read all the information on this page before submitting an application.
For applicants
This section sets out the benefits of a Travel Grant to attend SotM 2025 and the process and criteria by which applicants will be selected. The TGP is administered by the State of the Map Organizing Committee.
Travel Grants
The Travel Grant will include a full conference ticket and a lump-sum contribution towards travel, accommodation and other expenses.
There will be five (5) different sizes of travel grants available:
Category
Grant Size
Likely Used For
Expected number of winners
A
£ 20
Applicants from the Manila metro area
5
B
£ 215
Applicants from Philippines and Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia or Singapore)
The size and number of grants may be adjusted at the discretion of the Organizing Committee, depending upon the level of funding raised and the number of applications received. Applicants will only be able to apply for one size of travel grant, and they should apply for the grant depending on their country of residence. The World Bank rating is available online
Anyone applying for more than one grant will be excluded from the application process.
For categories C, D and E, a maximum of 2 winners will be chosen for each country of origin.
Online Attendance Support Grant
For those interested in attending the conference remotely but with limited internet connectivity, smaller grants will be made available to subsidise the cost of purchasing mobile data passes. The size of each grant will vary depending on the country and mobile data packages available, but it’s expected not to exceed £ 30.
With an estimated 1GB per hour of streaming videos in HD quality (720p), it’s expected that a maximum of 40GB will be sufficient to cover the entire conference. Arrangements will be made with grant recipients to purchase the data packages directly or to transfer the amount needed via mobile money.
Criteria
In order to guarantee a transparent and fair allocation of funds, the travel grant programme uses a points system for ranking applications. Points are awarded if applicants match specific criteria. After the application phase is over, all applicants are ranked by points, and the applicants with the most points will receive funding.
Please note that the travel grant programme aims to enhance diversity at the conference. We might reserve a few programme spots for people with unique and outstanding applications. However, most programme spots will solely be determined by the point ranking.
To ensure the participation of OSM contributors who have not attended any in-person SOTM conference, the in-person Travel Grant winners of the previous two SOTM (SOTM 2024 Nairobi and SOTM 2022 Firenze) will not be eligible for this Travel Grant.
Furthermore, once the ranking has been drawn up and the scholarships assigned based on it. The next two people for each grant size will be informed of their position. If one of the first winners communicates by the 22nd of August that he will not be able to participate, the scholarship will be provided to the people who are in this second ranking. However, those people will receive a free online ticket to attend the conference virtually. Moreover, if they will be able to attend the conference in person, they could receive a free ticket if they provide support volunteering.
Applicants receive points for the following criteria:
Applicants who are currently living in Low-income economies receive 1.5 points.
Applicants who are currently living in Lower-middle-income economies receive 1 point.
Applicants who are currently living in Upper-middle-income economies receive 0.5 points.
Applicants who are currently living in High-income economies receive 0 points.
Gender and Minorities
In order to create a more diverse community, women and applicants from other underrepresented groups will receive 2 points. The minority criteria will be considered with respect to the other candidates of the same category.
Students
Students, including PhD students, receive 1 point. You may be asked to provide evidence of enrollment.
First State of the Map
Applicants who attend SotM for the first time receive 1 point.
Amount required The expected cost amount requested is to indicate in pounds sterling (£). Applications without an explicit request of the amount required will not be considered. The minimum between the expected cost and the grant size based on the residence country will be assigned.
OpenStreetMap and Community Details of their past contributions to OpenStreetMap projects or community activities: up to a total of 4 points. Up to 2 points for mapping activities based on your OpenStreetMap username and up to 2 points for other contributions to the project as you will describe.
You & OpenStreetMap
Present the most valuable experience, mapping activities, or community moment that describes the travel grant experience in the OpenStreetMap world. This is not the call for participation; the call will be open, and there will be the possibility to submit talks and workshops. So, this is not an instrument to present talks; you are invited to participate in the call for talks and workshops if you would like to present your activities. Please provide a short abstract about what you would like to present, with a maximum length of 100 words. No points; the abstract will be used as a discriminant for the final decision.
Volunteering
The travel grant winners will be asked to volunteer for a time proportional to 1/3 or less of the conference length, depending on the number of other volunteers. Indicate the roles that you are confident to do: Live Video Cutting, Remote/Pre-Recorded Talk Assistant, Session Assistant and Venueless Assistant (only for remote grants). For more detailed info on the roles, see the wiki pages of volunteers for SotM 2024. No points.
Payment
You must be able to fund the direct costs of your travel to SotM and be in possession of a valid passport and entry visa and other documents (for example, vaccinations). Successful applicants will receive a conference pass and become eligible for reimbursement of expenses up to the limit of the travel grant when they check in at the conference registration desk. Reimbursement of expenses will be by electronic means (details to be advised). Reimbursement may take up to two months after the conference date, provided that the travel grantee has submitted all the necessary information before the conference commences.
Only in the case of demonstrated needs and exceptional cases will the travel grant amount be provided in advance or used to cover specific travel costs directly.
How to Apply
If you wish to be considered for a SotM travel grant, please fill out the application form.
All data will be held confidential and only used for assessing TGP applications. Please ensure that the email address that you provide is regularly monitored, as the selection committee may wish to seek clarification of responses. If no replies have been provided to requests via mail for the Travel Grant Committee within 5 days, the Travel Grant will be removed from you and assigned to the next applicants in the ranking.
Applications must be received by the May 16 at 12:00 UTC.
The selection committee will aim to notify recipients of grants by the May 31.
Supporting the Travel Grant Programme
The travel grant programme is funded through the State of the Map Sponsors.
The State of the Map Working Group
The State of the Map conference is the annual, international conference of OpenStreetMap, organised by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. 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 small core staff work to support the OpenStreetMap project. Join the OpenStreetMap Foundation for just £15 a year or for free if you are an active OpenStreetMap contributor.
OpenStreetMap was founded in 2004 and is an international project to create a free map of the world. To do so, we, thousands of volunteers, collect data about roads, railways, rivers, forests, buildings and a lot more worldwide. Our map data can be downloaded for free by everyone and used for any purpose – including commercial usage. It is possible to produce your own maps which highlight certain features, to calculate routes etc. OpenStreetMap is increasingly used when one needs maps which can be very quickly, or easily, updated.
