{% extends "base_conservancy.html" %}

{% block subtitle %}Overview - {% endblock %}

{% block category %}overview{% endblock %}

{% block content %}

<h1>Overview</h1>

<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>

<p>If the member project's leaders want, Conservancy can also hold other

  assets and titles on behalf of the projects, such as copyrights,

  trademarks, domain names, online hosting accounts, title and ownership

  of physical hardware.  Also at discretion of the project's leaders,

  Conservancy can assist in defending the rights represented in these

  assets.  For example, Conservancy is available to assist member projects

  in enforcing the terms of the projects' FLOSS license.</p>

<p>Finally, developers of Conservancy's member projects, when operating in

  their capacity as project leaders, receive some protection from personal

  liability for their work on the project.</p>