Foundation#
The GNOME Foundation is the GNOME project’s non-profit organization. It is the project’s legal entity and performs essential project functions, including managing the project’s finances, hosting infrastructure, and providing logistical support.
Governance#
The GNOME Foundation is a non-profit corporation registered in the United States. It is a membership-based organization which is governed according to California nonprofit corporation codes, as well as its bylaws.
The Foundation is governed by its Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for the overall direction of the Foundation, including financial oversight, strategic planning, and ensuring that the Foundation’s activities align with its mission. The Board of Directors meets regularly to review the Foundations’ activities and status, and to make decisions around policies, strategy, and goals.
The Board of Directors is elected by the GNOME Foundation membership, which is made up of GNOME project contributors. The board has a total of nine seats. Terms are two years in length, and elections are held annually, with half the board’s seats being elected each year. This ensures continuity while also allowing board members to be refreshed on a regular basis. Current members of the board are listed on the Board of Directors page.
The board appoints officers who have specific roles and responsibilities in the organization. Some of these officer positions, like the president and treasurer, are required by California law. Officer positions can be held by either directors or non-directors.
The GNOME Foundation Executive Director is appointed by the board and is responsible for all aspects of the Foundation’s operations, including managing the Foundation’s other staff. The Executive Director works closely with the Board of Directors to implement the Foundation’s strategic goals.
Parts of the Foundation#
In addition to the Board of Directors and the membership, the GNOME Foundation has a number of other components:
Committees: the Foundation has various committees that are appointed by the Board of Directors to handle specific areas of work, such as finance, travel, and elections. These committees are made up of volunteers and staff, and are responsible for carrying out performing important Foundation functions.
Staff: a small team of employees is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Foundation. This includes the Executive Director, who manages the staff and oversees the Foundation’s activities, and the Director of Operations, who handles logistics and administrative tasks.
Advisory Board: the GNOME Foundation Advisory Board is made up of fee-paying and non-fee-paying partners. The Advisory Board meets regularly with the Board of Directors to discuss the Foundation’s activities and provide feedback on its direction. Members of the Advisory Board are typically companies or organizations that support the GNOME project and its mission.
Membership: the Foundation membership is the basis of GNOME Foundation governance. Members can vote in board elections, can run for election themselves, and can nominate non-members to run for election. Members are invited to the Foundation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), are consulted on bylaw changes, and can participate in referenda.
Membership#
Every GNOME contributor is entitled to become a GNOME Foundation member and to participate in the running of the Foundation. Members also receive additional benefits, such as an @gnome.org email address and the use of additional GNOME infrastructure.
Contact#
There are various ways to contact the GNOME Foundation, depending on your needs:
Foundation Matrix room: a public chat room for Foundation topics, which is monitored by the directors and staff.
Email: note that this address is not monitored 24/7, so please be patient for a response.
Board issue tracker: can be used to contact the Board of Directors.