The TEI Consortium is supported by a set of institutional hosts who provide financial, technical, and administrative resources to the Consortium. Each host makes an annual host contribution of $5000 in cash and $5000 of in-kind services or support to the TEI. The hosts are also represented on the TEI board of directors. In-kind services include supplying publicity materials, contributing effort to the TEI membership administration, developing technical infrastructure, hosting workgroup meetings, and similar activities. Host contributions are vetted by the TEI Board of Directors to determine their appropriateness and value.

Hosts typically serve for four years at a time, with renewal cycles in 2009, 2013, and so on. A call for hosts is sent out at each renewal point, when the existing hosts decide whether they wish to continue their role. But in addition, prospective hosts may submit proposals at any time. There is no limit on the number of TEI hosts, but only four hosts may be represented on the TEI board at a time; in the event that there are more than four TEI hosts, the hosts decide among themselves how to rotate the representation.

The current institutional hosts are: Brown University: The host contribution is made jointly by the Brown University Women Writers Project and the Brown University Library's Center for Digital Initiatives. Nancy: Hosting is provided by a group of institutions located in Nancy, France, coordinated by Loria and also including ATILF and INIST. Oxford University: Hosting is provided by Research Technologies Services at Oxford University Computing Services. University of Virginia: Virginia's host support comes jointly from the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, the University of Virginia Library, and the University of Virginia Press.

Prospective hosts should submit a proposal to the TEI (info@tei-c.org) with the following information: Who would be involved in the TEI hosting at the prospective host institution? What kinds of in-kind services would the prospective host be able to provide to the TEI, and what is their approximate value? Who would serve as the host representative to the TEI Board of Directors? What entities at the institution (for instance, the library, a digital project, a university press) would be contributing effort and funding?