A New Membership Model for a More Equitable DataCite

Since our founding in 2009, DataCite's work has been guided by a singular and shared commitment to building and sustaining open infrastructure that everyone can participate in and benefit from. We are a community where all research organizations can belong and where all research outputs, resources, and activities can be shared, discovered, and connected. 

We have followed that founding principle while developing programs and services that address ongoing and emerging use cases, expand global access, and support long-term sustainability. And we've taken steps over the years to adapt our membership model alongside these developments, in consultation with our members, Executive Board, and broader community. 

We are now taking the next step forward in this journey.

What’s changing

Starting this month, we're introducing key updates to our membership fee structure to re-align with the guiding values behind our origins and our vision for the future.

We're making a deliberate shift from a transactional model based on DOI registration quantities to a collective funding model focused on supporting shared open infrastructure. This means that DataCite’s standard fee structure will no longer include per-DOI fees or fees based on DOI quantities. 

As part of this change, we're also simplifying how fees are applied and adjusting costs based on country-level economic indicators to achieve a more balanced distribution across member organizations.

Why this matters

DataCite has always been focused on community-driven infrastructure, and we’ve never been just about DOIs. Moving away from a DOI-centric pricing structure removes disincentives to making all outputs and activities broadly accessible. It allows us to shift the focus from the cost of a single DOI to the potential that can be achieved through rich metadata, lasting connections, and long-term stewardship. 

A simpler and more equitable fee model makes it easier for organizations to contribute to and benefit from shared open infrastructure. This isn't just about inclusion. It's also about investing in the quality and completeness of the global research record. Our infrastructure and our metadata stores become more valuable when they are used by and available for everyone. 

We have always supported multiple pathways to participation and multiple ways to use our infrastructure. These updates to the membership fee structure continue to broaden pathways of participation and advance DataCite's vision of shared ownership, where all organizations can engage in a way that works for them, whether that means accessing services directly, participating in a consortium to share costs and engage in communities of practice, or investing funds in DataCite's mission. 

Why now

DataCite metadata and metadata retrieval tools have always been freely and openly available to anyone. As a membership association, we sustain our operations through fees additional member-only services and to participate in DataCite governance. These fees are determined by the membership and Executive Board according to our statutes, and are designed to support cost recovery and long-term sustainability of DataCite infrastructure while ensuring equitable global access to DataCite membership and services. The fee structure has evolved over the years, and was last updated in 2020.

As the DataCite community has continued to grow, so has the scale and diversity of how and where DataCite infrastructure is used. A fee model tied closely to DOI volume no longer reflects the full meaning of participation, nor does it support the broadest possible engagement. At the same time, there is increasing recognition across the research ecosystem that shared infrastructure requires shared investment. Shifting from a transactional model to a collective one positions DataCite to more tightly align sustainability with mission.

What remains constant

While our fee structure is evolving, DataCite’s services, governance model, and commitment to open infrastructure remain constant. Our membership program, statutes, and fees will continue to be shaped by our General Assembly and Executive Board, while we continue to support existing members in achieving their goals and engage with new organizations joining the community through the pathway that best meets their needs. 

If you are not yet part of the DataCite member community and would like to learn more about membership pathways and benefits, we invite you to contact our community team and join our open community webinar next month. If you're ready to get started right now, you can submit a membership inquiry. 

We look forward to welcoming more organizations into the DataCite community, and to continuing to build open research infrastructure together.