# Sustainability



Although open data is free to access, use and share, it is not free to create, as the many activities listed in this section imply. This needs to be taken into account by open data publishers. Many open data initiatives have failed to survive after the point their initial funding runs out.&#x20;

Balancing the benefits of openness with financial sustainability is challenging. Some open data will have network effects, where the more people who use it, the more valuable it becomes.   [Open Apparel Registry](https://theodi.org/news-and-events/blog/developing-a-sustainable-business-model-without-compromising-commitments-to-open-data/) (OAR) is a free, open data, open-source map and database of global apparel facilities. When everyone working within them enjoys equal access to quality data, opportunities rapidly open up to shift the industry onto a more sustainable and equitable path.

While OAR is currrently grant-funded, this is not the long term vision, and so it has developed paid-for services, such as their API connector and embedded map plug-in.

One way to think about revenue generation is as  "earned" and "unearned" .

&#x20;"Earned" revenue refers to income derived directly from selling services related to open data  (or services built upon it), while "unearned" revenue refers to the indirect economic benefits and social impact of open data. (These may be more difficult to quantify financially but not impossible - see the section on [Measuring Impact](evaluation/measuring-impact).)

"Unearned" revenue may result from increased efficiency, improved decision making, reduced fraud and crime (through transparency) or through network effects, as above.&#x20;

The Sustainable Data Access Workbook is a practical set of activities for organisations to undertake to make more informed decisions about their current and future revenue models.

Tool: [The Sustainable Data Access Workbook](https://theodi.org/insights/guides/introducing-the-odi-sustainable-data-access-workbook/) .
