<p>The Software Freedom Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization that

  helps promote, improve, develop, and defend Free, Libre, and Open Source

  Software (FLOSS) projects.  Conservancy provides a non-profit home and

  infrastructure for FLOSS projects.  This allows FLOSS developers to

  focus on what they do best — writing and improving FLOSS for the

  general public, while Conservancy takes care of the projects' needs that

  do not relate directly to software development.</p>

<p>FLOSS projects whose <a href="/members/apply">applications are

    accepted</a> become an actual part of the Software Freedom Conservancy

    (akin to a separate department for a large agency).  Once joined, the

    the benefits of existing as a non-profit corporate entity without

    actually having to form and maintain one.  Conservancy aggregates the

    work of running a FLOSS non-profit for <a href="/members/current/">its

    many members</a>.</p>

<p>The Conservancy provides a large group of important services for its

  member projects.  Member projects can take directed donations, which

  allows donors to earmark their donations for the benefit of a specific

  FLOSS project.  Conservancy provides fiscal oversight to ensure that

  these funds are spent in a manner that advances the project and fits

  with Conservancy's 501(c)(3) mission to advance software freedom.</p>