OpenCollective As a Tool For Grassroots Organising
During the COVID-19 pandemic, across the UK and the world, grassroots initiatives like Mutual Aid Alnwick played a crucial role in supporting their communities. One of their most innovative projects - transforming a phone box into a community larder - ensured that people in need had access to essential supplies. Late last year, Alnwick’s community larder was forced to close, it faced several threats during its time and withstood many of them but ultimately closed in November.
These are the same challenges grassroots groups face everywhere. While the work is essential, managing finances, handling donations, and navigating legal requirements can feel impossible, and even risky. That’s where Food & Solidarity can help. As an experienced fiscal host on Open Collective, we support grassroots groups by providing transparent financial management, allowing them to focus on organizing and action instead of getting bogged down by admin, taxes, and concerns over financial accountability. Groups that work with us gain access to an established network, fundraising tools, and accountability structures, making it easier to sustain and scale their work.
If your group is tackling issues in your community but needs a way to manage funds without legal headaches, consider partnering with us. Let’s make sure that grassroots initiatives not only survive but thrive—because we know that, in the end, the people save the people.
Read this from Katie about Mutual Aid Alnwick’s experience of using OpenCollective and of Food & Solidarity as Hosts.
How to Fund a Group Without the Headache
Managing money shouldn’t take away from your organising: here’s how Open Collective makes it easier
Today, I want to discuss something that proved extremely helpful for the small mutual aid group we had in Alnwick during the Covid lockdown: using Open Collective for funding and teaming up with Newcastle’s very own Food & Solidarity as our fiscal host. If you’re part of a grassroots mutual aid group, or thinking of starting one, this could be really useful for you to know - find out more in this post!
Grassroots Fundraising Made Simple with Open Collective
Why Open Collective is a game-changer for small groups.
Open Collective is a platform that facilitates managing funds for community initiatives. It's a space in which you can keep track of donations, expenses, and budgets without becoming overwhelmed with spreadsheets or feeling as though you need to hire an accountant to manage everything for you. It allows you to manage where your funding's going, without taking away from your mutual aid work.
Managing Donations with Transparency and Accountability
Why public tracking of funds builds trust in mutual aid.
One of the best things about Open Collective is its transparency. We all know that trust is key in mutual aid. Donors will always want to know where their money is going, and with Open Collective, you can show exactly how these funds are being used. You can create detailed reports, share them with your community, and everyone can see the impact of their contributions. Donations are visible to everyone viewing your Open Collective page, so everyone's aware of how much money is in the pot. In order to be reimbursed for expenses, you have to upload a receipt, which is then approved by your fiscal host. Having third-party involvement in this process improves accountability, which is vital in mutual aid.
Grassroots Financial Management Without the Stress
How a fiscal host like Food & Solidarity takes care of the legal side.
On to our fabulous fiscal host, Food & Solidarity. If you’re not familiar with their work, they’re a grassroots activist group based in Newcastle that works to promote food justice and solidarity within the community. A fantastic part of having had them as a fiscal host was our shared values and the way we could trade experiences and advice, being geographically relatively close to one another. It was fascinating to see what worked in a city like Newcastle versus what worked in a small town like Alnwick! Having a fiscal host means we didn’t have to worry about the complex legal side of things that comes with handling money. That's OpenCollective's department, leaving you with more time for mutual aid work.
Community-Led Funding: Strength in Numbers
The power of working with a like-minded organisation to build financial resilience.
Another perk of working with Food & Solidarity is their network. They’re deeply rooted in the local community and have connections to other activist groups, causes resources, and potential allies, making it a fantastic way to build bridges and collaborate, exchange ideas and share tips and tricks.
When you’re part of a mutual aid group, you will want to involve the community as much as possible - after all, mutual aid is community-based by nature. Open Collective allows for easy contributions, and Food & Solidarity encourages local involvement. Whether it’s through volunteering, attending events, or donating, there’s always a way for community members to get involved. It makes the whole process feel both inclusive and vibrant.
So if you’re running a small mutual aid group and are feeling a bit lost in the world of funding and finances and the responsibility that goes along with receiving monetary donations, I truly recommend checking out Open Collective and considering a partnership with a like-minded group like Food & Solidarity.
Pandemic Lessons: Mutual Aid as a Long-Term Strategy
Why we can’t rely on politicians and how mutual aid groups are keeping communities strong.
In the end, it’s all about supporting each other and building a stronger, more resilient community. We cannot rely on political parties to save us, and this was a point that many of us woke up to during the pandemic. The people save the people. Let’s keep the spirit of mutual aid alive and thriving!
