OSGeo Constitution

''This is absolutely a draft in every respect and has no approval from the Board. Please feel very welcome to contribute to it!''

= Social Contract = OSGeo is committed to benefitting society, by developing and promoting geospatial software and information in forms that guarantee everyone the right to use, modify, and redistribute those works.

= Directors = The Board of Directors has formal responsibilities as expressed in the bylaws. https://www.osgeo.org/content/foundation/incorporation/bylaws.html

= Voting Members =

The 45 voting members have the ultimate authority and responsibility within the foundation. They serve as a check on the board in that they select board members by vote.

= Participating Members =

The Foundation depends on volunteers of all kinds to carry out its activities.

= Projects =

OSGeo represents the interests of a collection of software Projects. An initial set of Projects that are going through an Incubation stage to gain a formal status as an "OSGeo Project".

http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/Incubation_Committee is working out a formal process of deciding when a Project has been sufficiently incubated, to offer as a proposal to the Board.

= Committees =

A Committee represents an activity in support of OSGeo. A Committee is assigned some specific area of responsibility by the board. Committees have Chairs who formally become Vice Presidents within the Foundation structure. cf https://board.osgeo.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=board&msgNo=421 A Committee must be formally instantiated by the Board, and the Chair of that Committee approved in their position by vote from the Board. Committee Chairs do not need to be Voting Members of the Foundation.

= Working Groups =

Working Groups are the expression of a "community of interest" within the Foundation. They may be offered hosting and resources which are at the disposal of the Web Committee. Working Groups can be initiated through one of the Committees or by the Board directly.