The more councils that subscribe, the more we can invest in our best-in-class platform and cutting-edge community resources.
Subscribing councils also access a number of exclusive benefits, including master classes, dedicated support, and more…
The subscription fee is voluntary, and LocalGov Drupal will always remain open source and free for anyone to download and use.
All new features, updates and product enhancements are available to all councils.
I couldn't praise it enough, both from a project manager's point of view, from a public sector democracy point of view, and from a digital point of view. It's a really, really good thing.
Exclusive subscriber benefits
Technical advice and support from LGD’s core team
All subscribers receive 3 hours of bespoke support from either our Tech team or Product Lead. This is available annually to new and existing subscribers
Our support offers new councils the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of LGD and receive guidance on hosting, deployment, and product features. Existing councils can use the time to explore new features, needs and challenges.
Masterclasses
We offer subscribing councils free access to our masterclass series. Each year, we host six masterclass sessions, delivered by our Certified Suppliers and other partners.
These provide a deep dive into the core skills our councils have requested. Topics include: AI, Accessibility, Content Design, SEO/GEO and more.
Third-party discounts and special offers
Our subscribers enjoy exclusive discounts on training, products, and software provided by third-party suppliers.
Co-op membership
Subscribers are eligible for membership in Open Digital Cooperative, the organisation that supports the community.
Co-op members have part ownership of Open Digital Cooperative, can nominate and vote for directors of the Open Digital Cooperative board, and can vote at the AGM.
Contact our Community Lead, Aaron, to subscribe.
How subscription money is spent
Product development
Roughly 70% of subscription fees go directly towards further improving the platform. This includes:
- Development of new features
- Release management for core products (LocalGov Drupal and LocalGov Microsites), including stable upgrade paths for minor and major Drupal versions (e.g. Drupal 9 to Drupal 10)
- Product leadership and management of the product backlog
- Technical leadership, coordination and governance
- Subscribers also help formulate our collective product roadmap.
Support
Subscription fees cover the cost of technical support for councils. This is primarily done through our Slack channel, as well as during the Tech Drop-in sessions (which you can sign up for on Luma). We also have a continuously updated docs site and a tutorial video library.
Additional services
Around 30% of our revenue is spent on community and collaborative resources.
Collaborative tools
We encourage councils to collaborate, but they often don’t do so without assistance.
The LGD team actively encourages collaboration, onboards new councils, runs community sessions, facilitates working groups to build new features, and more.
Comms function
We're actively spreading the word about our collaboration to potential new councils and suppliers. For example, we send a monthly email newsletter, maintain a presence on LinkedIn, host and attend events (LocalGov Drupalcamp / LocalGov Drupal Week), and maintain the LGD infrastructure (LGD website, demo sites, docs site).
Subscribing councils also receive additional recognition for their support via our comms channels.
How fees are calculated
Our subscription fees are based on the successful scheme run by the Co-operative Council Innovation Network and are designed to be as equitable as possible.
Fees are calculated on a sliding scale based on turnover and population, ranging from £ 1,000 to £ 9,750 per year.
This means that councils serving smaller populations with smaller budgets pay less than those serving larger populations with larger budgets. A cap on the overall fee will ensure that larger councils are not unduly burdened.
For those who can’t subscribe
LocalGov Drupal's code is available for you to take and use as you wish, but the most significant benefits come from participating.
Councils can join our community by joining the LGD Slack, and our meetups and events for free.
We encourage all councils to work collaboratively, build open-source functionality, test new features, and share user research.
All contributing councils must sign our Community Code of Practice.
If you would like to subscribe or find out more, email Aaron, our Community Lead.
We are always happy to chat about LocalGov Drupal, provide a demo, or show how councils are using it.