Becoming a

Linux Foundation
Collaborative Project
Working Together to Help
Projects Grow
Companies such as Google, IBM,
Intel, the New York Stock Exchange,
Qualcomm, HP, Samsung and
others have relied upon The Linux
Foundation to host their collaborative
software projects and provide the
organizational, promotional and
technical infrastructure needed to
make their hosted projects successful.
LEVERAGE THE ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATIVE PROJECT IN THE WORLD
Picking the right home for your project is one of the most important decisions that you can make,
and partnering with The Linux Foundation can ensure your project will have success.
Hosting your project with The Linux Foundation provides the nancial, operational, promotional,
technical and managerial support and services needed so that your staff can focus on your
projects technical development. With ten years of experience managing open source projects and
support services, The Linux Foundation can provide the back-ofce, technical infrastructure and
legal framework to get your collaborative project off the ground quickly and efciently.
Most importantly, The Linux Foundation can share its expertise, networks and promotional
reach with your new hosted collaborative project, but within a clear framework that ensures your
independence.
Forging your own foundation can be costly and can take too long to gain the competitive
advantage needed in todays software markets. By hosting your project with The Linux
Foundation, you can get your project off the ground in a short amount of time with a repeatable
and understandable business model. You also gain afnity with The Linux Foundation and
get assistance from Linux Foundation executives and staff on project formation, governance,
positioning and launch services.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
1
ADVANTAGES OF BECOMING A LINUX
FOUNDATION COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
The Linux Foundation is in the unique position to provide
a neutral framework for collaborative projects. Why? Our
experience helping Linux achieve its position as the most
successful collaborative software project in history means
collaborative software development is in our DNA. Advantages
of hosting your project with us include:
Get your project up and running quickly under
our 501c.6 non-prot umbrella, or leverage our experience
in securing your own non-prot status
Retain governance, revenue and messaging
independence
Reduce, contain and be able to accurately forecast
administrative costs
Utilize our neutral organization for holding
trademarks and running compliance programs
Benet from afnity with The Linux Foundation
brand
Offer employees world-class health and retirement
benets immediately
Offer sponsors a high degree of nancial
transparency and reporting from an organization
with an impeccable nancial track record
The Linux Foundation has decades of cumulative staff
experience in corporate open source to help align goals with
your collaborative project.
We are passionate about sharing
our best practices with projects
and industries who are newly taking
advantage of open development to
solve innovation challenges.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
2
WHAT TYPE OF
SERVICES DO YOU
OFFER?
Launch Services
General Ledger
Headquarters Services
Human Resoures
Web and Technology
Management
Trademark Management
Collaborative Support
Steering Group
Management
Press and Marketing
Event and Conference
Management
LAUNCH SERVICES
Whether your codebase is 10 years old or brand new, The
Linux Foundation has already helped organizations like yours
successfully transition to open source with open governance.
Develop a business plan for the critical rst year of the
organization
Work with your organizations leadership to help clarify your
mission, value proposition and key messages
Build governance, organizational, membership and dues
structures
Work with top legal counsel to develop state-of-the-art
governance documents, including bylaws, license policies,
an intellectual property rights policy, rules and procedures
and a membership agreement
Set up key nancial systems and controls
Partner to recruit pre-launch members
Establish community communication channels
Coordinate US and worldwide trademark registration
Drive public relations and marketing activities to get
your new organization airborne
Establish a source code strategy for open sourcing
proprietary code, including which components will be open
and when
Identify a suitable open source license for source code
Provide a customized launch readiness audit process
Align best-in-class technical infrastructure with project goals
Perform regular check-in meetings with key stakeholders
CAN YOU HELP WITH
CODE CONTRIBUTION?
The Linux Foundation is able
to provide guidance based
upon direct experience with
code provenance questions
and contribution guidelines.
With over 150 corporate members,
The Linux Foundation is able to
advocate our collaborative projects to
companies and communities around
the world.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
3
GENERAL LEDGER
With over $22M in annually managed capital, The Linux
Foundation brings nancial management of open source
projects to an entirely new level. Services we provide include:
Manage banking relationships and reconciliation
Manage Accounts Receivable including
bird-dogging late pay and no pay members
Manage Accounts Payable according to
vendor contracts
Budget management, tracking, and forecasting
Contract management
Vendor relationship management
Manage currency conversion and multi-currency
transactions if appropriate
Provide reports on income, vendor payments,
and account balance
Oversee third-party rms work on tax
preparation, audits and VAT recovery
WHAT ABOUT RECORD
KEEPING AND AUDITS?
The Linux Foundation
operates a highly transparent
financial reporting organization
with ten years of audited
financials.
The Linux Foundation employs staff
with expertise in all areas of nancial
management and provides timely
and accurate nancial reporting for
our collaborative projects and their
boards.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
4
HEADQUARTERS SERVICES
The Linux Foundation is located in the heart of the US
technology industry, with close proximity to Silicon Valley.
Maintain an ofce and physical address at The Linux
Foundation, located in San Francisco
Provide a mailing address; receiving and
distributing printed mail
Manage domain registration and renewals
Route email to appropriate staff and project
members
Route calls to volunteers or staff throughout the
world
Maintain electronic and hardcopy les and
inventory of key documents
Provide Visitor Visa invitation letters to foreign
nationals for events
DO WE HAVE ACCESS
TO CONFERENCE CALL
LINES?
The Linux Foundation
provides our collaborative
project partners access to
conference call lines that can
be used for meetings between
staff and team members
throughout the world.
The Linux Foundation administrative
staff provides logistical support for all
of our collaborative projects, including
day-to-day management.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
5
HUMAN RESOURCES
With full time employees in 5 countries on 4 continents,
The Linux Foundation understands the challenges of global
recruitment, compliance and compensation.
Provide recruiting services, including job descriptions,
screening and interviewing candidates and onboarding new
hosted employees
Manage new employee training to ensure maximum
alignment between member companies and collaborative
project program
Provide complete HR services for hosted employees,
including payroll, performance management and
employee development and training
Manage payroll processing, including input, audit, and
transmission
Manage payroll reporting, including GL interface, report
generation, benet accrual, vacation and sick time
accrual tracking
Prepare tax deposits and lings for employees
Provide a complete benets package including health
insurance, vision and dental plans, exible spending
benets plan, 401K plan, short and long-term disability
insurance, and life insurance
Administer employee changes, including salary
adjustments, promotions, title changes, FLSA clarication,
leaves of absence, etc.
Ensure compliance with U.S. and multinational
employment laws
DO YOU HAVE
EXPERIENCE WITH
TELECOMMUTING?
Like the Linux and open
source communities, The
Linux Foundation has team
members located around
the world and can provide
collaborative project staff and
volunteers with the support
they need.
The Linux Foundation knows that
talent is the most important ingredient
for success, and we provide world-
class HR benets for our collaborative
project team members so that they
can focus on development.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
6
WEB & TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
Tap into the shared expertise of the organization that manages
kernel.org, the home of the largest and most successful
collaborative software development project in history. The Linux
Foundation provides infrastructure services for kernel.org and
over 50 other projects.
Provide standard web hosting services on managed
infrastructure, with additional management and
customization options available
Perform contract execution with solutions providers
Provide web trafc data reports
Manage online event registration systems
WHAT ABOUT
COLLABORATIVE
INFRASTRUCTURE?
The Linux Foundation has
a team of technical experts
who maintain kernel.org and
many other projects technical
underpinnings. We offer
cutting edge technology to
give our projects a complete
architecture of participation.
Projects and foundations that are
hosted with The Linux Foundation are
part of the greater network of Linux
Foundation activities and have access
to our infrastructure expertise.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
7
TRADEMARK MANAGEMENT
The Linux Foundation actively manages 17 registered
trademarks in the US and in jurisdictions around the world.
Coordinate the application for trademark registrations
in selected jurisdictions or worldwide
Coordinate trademark ofce action responses
Recommend trademark policy and guidelines
Recommend managed exceptions to trademark policy
Administer trademark usage requests and approvals
Coordinate trademark challenges in jurisdictions worldwide
IS LEGAL SUPPORT
PROVIDED?
While The Linux Foundation
is not a law firm and does not
offer legal advice, we do have
leading minds on open source
legal and compliance issues
on staff and can help shape or
guide programs that touch on
these areas.
The Linux Foundation has ten
years of experience handling risk
management and compliance issues
for technology non-prots.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
8
COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT
Innovation loves company. The Linux Foundation brings
executive decision makers together with the best and brightest
open source talent in the world, including kernel maintainers,
project leads, architects, and highly skilled engineers.
Provide private meeting and conference session space at
The Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit
Increase inuence and offer discounted sponsorship
opportunities for LinuxCon
ARE WE ABLE TO
HOST A TRACK AT
THE COLLABORATION
SUMMIT?
The Linux Foundation is in the
unique position to provide a
neutral environment at all of
our conferences.
The Linux Foundation is in the
unique position to provide a neutral
framework for our collaborative
projects, providing an unmatched
environment for problem solving,
future planning and collaboration.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
9
STEERING GROUP MANAGEMENT
The Linux Foundation has years of experience customizing
project governance models to t the needs of the project. Direct
relationships with senior decision makers and open source
inuencers at over 170 member companies can help your
project recruit new members and diversify your board.
Manage member interactions in compliance with industry
best practices
Answer membership inquiries
Provide information to members and prospects
Process membership applications and renewals
Provide member onboarding kits
Manage membership renewal processing
Provide monthly membership status
Additional program and member management services can be
made available to your project.
WHERE DO COMMITTEE
MEMBERS MEET?
Collaborative project partners
get access to meeting rooms
at our member events and
conferences for in-person
meetings with members.
The Linux Foundation understands
open source, and we are ready to
help our collaborative project partners
understand the value of the open
source model.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
10
PRESS AND MARKETING
Member companies and collaborative projects have grown to
depend upon The Linux Foundation to provide comprehensive
press and marketing support. With in-house PR professionals,
The Linux Foundation is able to offer these optional services:
Drive news cycles within both business and trade
publications
Press releases
Direct outreach
Social media
HOW MANY SOCIAL
MEDIA FOLLOWERS DO
YOU HAVE?
The Linux Foundation has
over 200,000 followers across
social media channels, and
we use them to help promote
our collaborative projects
through innovative outreach
programs and marketing
initiatives like blog posts,
contests, infographics and
videos.
The Linux Foundation reaches tens of
thousands of people every year with
events, millions every month with its
web properties, including Linux.com,
and thousands every month with its
research and commentary on open
source issues.
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
11
EVENT AND CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT
15 annual branded events worldwide. 22 managed workshops,
developer days, and co-located events. Over 6,000 registered
attendees last year. The ability to plan and deliver technical,
legal, business, and executive level events.
From invitation-only events to global shows with thousands of
attendees, The Linux Foundation is uniquely equipped to service
your events and conference needs with the quality and efciency
that industry leaders have grown to expect and depend upon.
Event logistics and execution support for a consistent brand
experience, from board or member meetings to international
conferences for thousands of attendees
Optional events support available
BECOMING A LINUX FOUNDATION
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
12
ARE YOU ABLE TO HELP
US MANAGE OUR CALL
FOR PROPOSALS?
The Linux Foundation
has extensive experience
with managing speaking
proposals. In spring 2013
we will be launching our new
proposal submission system
that will make session reviews
and management easy for our
collaborative project partners.
Linux Foundation events help foster
innovation, encourage forward-
thinking and will help increase
visibility for collaborative projects and
initiatives.
To learn more about The Linux Foundation Collaborative
Projects Program please contact:
Mike Woster
The Linux Foundation
+1 847 636 1784
mwoster@linuxfoundation.org