---
title: Organizer tips
path: tips
menu: Organizer tips
---

Contents
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- 1.1 Purpose
- 1.2 What is an OpenStack User Group
- 1.3 What OSUG exist?
- 1.4 Starting a new OpenStack User Group
- 1.5 Operating a user group
- 1.6 Running a Hackathon

Purpose
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The OpenStack User Group HOWTO is intended to serve as a guide to founding, maintaining, and growing a GNU/Linux user group. OpenStack is Open source software for building private and public clouds. If you want to know more about OpenStack go to http://openstack.org

What is an OpenStack User Group
-------------------------------

The OpenStack User Groups are informal associations of people around the world that meet to discuss about OpenStack, share knowledge and experiences. These are important entities for the OpenStack project as they help by spreading awareness, recruit developers and users and more. The user groups don't have a direct relation with the OpenStack Foundation even though the members of the user groups can be members of the OpenStack Foundation and/or be a member of the OpenStack User Committee. It is important to note that these user groups include developers, operators, end-users, ecosystem partners, and distribution providers. So we are defining a user more broadly than usual.

What OSUG exist?
----------------

The full list of OpenStack User Groups is maintained on OpenStackUserGroups. Before starting a new OSUG consult that list and find one in your area. The point is that starting a user group is a significant undertaking, which should be commenced with all relevant facts and some appreciation of the effect on other groups. If you don't find one on the list, ask on the mailing list community@lists.openstack.org of the User Group team.