Project

A practical toolkit to help diamond open access journals plan their finances

Research Consulting

DOI: 10.26303/t50t-ey47

What is it about?

Diamond Open Access journals are free for authors to publish in and free for anyone to read. Many African research journals work this way. They rely on universities, volunteers and short-term grants to keep going, which makes their future uncertain, and few practical resources exist to help them plan ahead.

We developed a toolkit with EIFL to help the editorial teams of eight African Diamond OA journals, in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Togo, write three-year financial sustainability plans. It shows journals how to work out what they really cost to run, including the unpaid time that editors and reviewers give. It also helps them find funding that doesn't involve charging authors or readers, and plan ahead for the loss of a major funder. The toolkit comes with a simple spreadsheet template for projecting costs and funding over three years, and a fully worked example for a fictional journal.

Why is it important?

Diamond OA journals keep research publishing open to everyone, whether or not they can pay. In Africa, these journals are essential for sharing locally relevant research and building research communities. Yet many depend on a single supporter or on volunteer goodwill, and could close if that support ends.

Much of the real cost of running a journal is hidden because it is paid in time rather than money. The toolkit helps journals make that hidden value visible and present their case convincingly to universities and funders. It also helps them build funding from several sources so that no single one dominates. Although it was written for African journals, the approach can be used by Diamond OA journals anywhere.

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Who is involved?