Governance
Bylaws and policies
The Foundation operates under a written governing document and a suite of governance policies, all adopted by its Board of Directors on August 13, 2026 and published here in full.
Governing document
Board and organizational governance
Conflicts of Interest Policy
Disclosure, recusal, and review procedures for conflicts involving directors, officers, and related parties.
Anti-Capture Policy
Structural limits on funder and employer influence, including revenue concentration limits and board eligibility restrictions.
Anti-Nepotism Policy
Restrictions on hiring, contracting, and appointing family members of directors and officers.
Antitrust Policy
Competition law compliance for Foundation meetings, community spaces, and standards work.
Whistleblower Policy
Protections for people who report suspected legal or policy violations in good faith, and how reports are received and investigated.
Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Retention periods by record type, destruction procedures, and legal hold obligations.
Gift Acceptance Policy
Which gifts the Foundation accepts, which it declines, and how gifts are reviewed, valued, and acknowledged.
Volunteer and Expense Reimbursement Policy
Volunteer engagement and the substantiation, approval, and reimbursement of expenses.
Programs, community, and intellectual property
Community Programs and Standards Policy
The membership and Mission Supporter programs, community standards, moderation, and the terms of participation.
Open Source Policy
License selection for Foundation software and documentation, and the Developer Certificate of Origin contribution model.
Trademark Policy
Permitted and restricted uses of the Foundation's Marks, fork and distribution naming, and enforcement.
Questions about the Foundation's governance documents are welcome at info@openarcollective.org. Questions specific to the Open Source Policy can go to opensource@openarcollective.org, and questions specific to the Trademark Policy to trademark@openarcollective.org.