OASIS offers membership options and dues designed to ensure that all those affected by open standards have a voice in their creation.

• Foundational Sponsor-level membership offers the highest visibility and participation benefits.
• Sponsor-level membership enables organizations to fully participate in advancing open standards and be recognized for their contributions.
• Contributor-level membership accommodates organizations that wish to advance and track open standards without receiving promotional benefits.
• Individual and Associate-level membership allows participation in Committee work by those who are self-employed or whose employers are unable to join on their own behalf.

A range of annual dues are offered to accommodate organizations by size and type.

Foundational Sponsor-level membership

Demonstrating the highest level of commitment to open standards, Foundational Sponsors are globally recognized as industry leaders and innovators. Their support is critical in advancing the adoption of open standards and enabling the Consortium to fulfill its mission. Foundational Sponsors receive maximum participation, visibility, and promotional benefits including identification as underwriters of the award-winning Cover Pages web site and XML Daily Newslink newsletter, as well as sponsorship and exhibit space at two annual OASIS events.

Organizations should join OASIS at the Foundational Sponsor level if they are:

• a recognized industry leader committed to open standards development and adoption
• a serious stake-holder in the mission of OASIS and/or an OASIS Member Section
• a organization committed to providing objective standards information to the public through support of Cover Pages and OASIS events

Foundational Sponsor-level dues range between 44,000 and 50,000 USD based on the size and type of your organization. See annual dues and the benefits matrix for more information.

Sponsor-level membership

Sponsors provide the resources essential to advance the adoption of OASIS Standards and Committee work. Education, media outreach, public demonstrations, conference participation—all the activities necessary to promote widespread adoption—are made possible by Sponsor members. Organizations of all sizes join the Consortium at the Sponsor level because open standards are important to their business. They contribute to existing OASIS Committees or introduce new work to the technical agenda to whatever extent they choose. Sponsors benefit by being recognized in the industry for their contributions to OASIS. They protect their investment in the development of OASIS Standards by supporting adoption activities that ensure those standards will be used.

Organizations should join OASIS at the Sponsor level if they are:

• a large user or implementer of standards-compliant software seeking to influence and shape standards development to ensure business requirements are met and staff stay informed of key developments
• a software vendor providing products or services based on standards
• a company wishing to make connections for potential merger or acquisition opportunities
• a national government agency wanting to ensure interoperability
• an organization that finds value in having its contributions to open standards publicly recognized in OASIS promotional materials, press releases, newsletters, and public Committee web pages

Sponsor-level dues range between 10,000 and 16,000 USD based on the size and type of your organization. See annual dues and the benefits matrix for more information.

Contributor-level membership

Many organizations join OASIS solely to participate in the consortium's Committee work. As Contributor-level members, they play an active role in minimizing duplication of standards efforts, ensure their business requirements are met, and reduce the risk inherent in recommending new technology to their constituencies.

Note: Contributor membership dues support the OASIS Committee infrastructure only. Contributors rely on Sponsor-level members to fund the education and marketing activities that ensure the widespread adoption of their collaborative efforts; thus, Contributors do not take advantage of promotional benefits associated with those activities.

Organizations should join OASIS at the Contributor level if they are:

• a user company with a need to monitor standards development and learn about standards implementation relative to core business goals
• a startup software vendor or consultancy seeking to expand market position through standards expertise
• a local or small government agency wishing to reduce the risk in recommending new technology
• a non-profit industry group, trade association, or standards-setting body coordinating domain efforts with foundational work
• a university or research center applying academic resources to influence technology
• an organization that does not find value in having its contributions to open standards publicly recognized in OASIS promotional materials, press releases, newsletters, web sites, conferences, exhibitions, and other events.

Contributor-level dues range between 1,100 to 8,000 USD based on the size and type of your organization. See annual dues and the benefits matrix for more information.

Annual dues for organizations

(Effective 1 Sept 2006 for new members, 1 Jan 2007 for renewing members)

*Discounted dues for Contributor level membership are offered to all local government agencies, and to national government agencies from countries that are not members of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

* Contributor-level dues for national government agencies from OECD member countries are based on the number of employees and correspond to the dues categories for companies (i.e., 8,000, 7,500, 6,600, or 3,200 USD).

Individual- and Associate-level membership

OASIS makes it possible for individuals whose technical contributions merit and require subsidy by OASIS organizational members to participate in open standards work. Individual- and Associate-level membership is primarily intended to accommodate self-employed consultants and those involved in unaffiliated research. Only one employee from the same organization may hold Associate-level membership at any time.

Participation privileges are limited, apply to the named individual only, and cannot be transferred. Individual- and Associate-level members may join existing Committees, but they do not receive promotional benefits and are not eligible to vote on OASIS Standards or consortium business, including elections for the Board of Directors or Technical Advisory Board.

Persons may apply for OASIS membership as Individuals if they:

• have not assigned their intellectual property rights (IPR) to an employer or other legal entity

Persons may apply for OASIS membership as Associates if they:

• have assigned their IPR to an employer or other legal entity (which must sign the Membership Agreement)

See our application instructions for more information.