The open access movement involves publishing content so that it is available for anyone with an internet connection, without access barriers. However, as readers are not charged to access and read articles (unlike in the traditional subscription model), journals need to fund their activities through alternative methods.

Potential funding sources

While article processing charges often dominate discussions around open access business models, there is a wide range of options that do not rely on these. Running a journal without article processing charges can promote equity and global representation in research: the (un)availability of funding to cover article processing charges causes severe imbalances across the world, with authors from low- and middle-income countries in particular often noting that publication budgets strongly affect their choice of publishing venue.

Where article processing charges are deemed to be necessary, journals should consider offering waivers to eligible countries, for example in alignment with the guidance offered by Research4Life. However, it should be noted that article processing charges can cause a barrier for researchers in all countries if they are in a discipline or based at an institution that has limited funding available. In these cases, geography-based waivers will therefore not address imbalances in access to funding.

In the following table, we discuss some potential strategies for funding open access journals which do not impose financial burdens on authors. Please note that examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not endorsed or otherwise supported by the Toolkit.

Finally, we note the potential role of in-kind contributions and shared platforms. While not business models in their own right, these can help reduce the costs associated with publishing open access journals. There are a wide range of non-profit platforms offering hosting services, software development support and other technical resources at low or no cost, and in some cases grants and financial support may also be available (e.g. Project Euclid, Free Journal Network). Such contributions can alleviate the financial burden on journals and enhance their operational efficiency.

The role of voluntary labour

A study commissioned by cOAlition S and funded by Science Europe sought to investigate the diamond open access landscape (see Glossary). Through a survey, they found that 60% of respondents (out of over 1,600 diamond open access journals) make use of volunteers; of these, 86% reported having a high or medium reliance on volunteers. The widespread use of voluntary labour means that a part of the total costs incurred by these journals remains invisible and is difficult to gauge. However, the above-mentioned study found that the journals that rely the most on volunteers are those using fewer paid staff (under 1 FTE) and operate on lower budgets (below $/€10,000).

In addition to peer review and editorial board membership, volunteers are used across the whole publishing process with a core focus on editing, proofreading and copy-editing.

Making a choice for your journal

There is no sure-fire way to pick among the options described above, and even more may be available in future. Journals should critically assess the local and national landscapes, including public and philanthropic funding opportunities, as they make their first steps, to choose what option or mix of options appears most appropriate to their specific case. 

The Toolkit section on the costs of running an online open access journal provides a starting point for journals to assess likely financing required, and we highlight that some reliance on voluntary labour will be necessary in many cases.