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UCCO Foundation — Governance Roadmap

Published: 14 March 2026 Document Reference: UCCO-GOV-ROADMAP-2026-001 Status: Active — Phase 1

Where We Are Today

The UCCO Foundation exists today as a public initiative, not yet as a legal entity. The standard is published, the repository is live, the governance framework is documented, and the contribution process is open.

The foundation is currently administered by Tim Rignold (Founding Steward) with technology services provided pro bono by UCCA Inc under a published services agreement (UCCO-PBSA-2026-001).

This document describes the roadmap from where we are today to a fully independent, incorporated non-profit with an elected board, transparent finances, and formal governance.

Everything in this roadmap is published because we believe the foundation's credibility depends on transparency from day one — not from the day the paperwork is filed.

Phase 1 — Stewardship (Current)

Status: Active

The standard is maintained by the founding steward with input from the community via GitHub Discussions, Issues, and the published contribution process.

What exists today: - The UCCO Standard (v1.1 Rev2 Draft), published under CC BY 4.0 - A public GitHub repository (github.com/ucco-foundation/ucco-standard) with full governance documentation: CONTRIBUTING.md, GOVERNANCE.md, SECURITY.md, CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md - A published editorial process based on rough consensus (IETF model) - A published Pro Bono Technology Services Agreement between UCCA Inc and the UCCO Foundation - A spec lifecycle: Draft → Candidate Release → Published Standard - An Open Collective page for transparent fundraising

What the steward can do: - Accept and review contributions to the standard - Facilitate community discussion - Publish draft revisions - Administer foundation infrastructure

What the steward cannot do: - Publish a final standard without community review - Make unilateral changes to governance - Use foundation funds for any purpose other than foundation operations - Grant UCCA Inc or any other entity preferential treatment in the standard's development

Phase 2 — Formation

Trigger: Open Collective balance reaches USD $5,000

When the foundation's Open Collective balance reaches the formation threshold, the following will be initiated:

  1. Incorporation. The UCCO Foundation will be incorporated as a Delaware non-profit corporation.

  2. Tax exemption. An application for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status will be filed with the IRS. (Note: this process can take 3–12 months. The foundation will operate as an incorporated non-profit while the application is pending.)

  3. Board formation. An initial board of directors will be appointed, consisting of:

  4. The founding steward (transitioning to a defined board role)
  5. At least two independent directors with no financial relationship to UCCA Inc

  6. The board will have a minimum of three members and a maximum of seven

  7. Fund transfer. All funds held by the Open Collective fiscal host will be transferred to the foundation's own accounts upon incorporation and establishment of appropriate financial controls.

  8. Agreement re-execution. The Pro Bono Technology Services Agreement (UCCO-PBSA-2026-001) will be re-executed by the newly formed board.

  9. Governance activation. The editorial team structure described in GOVERNANCE.md will be formally constituted, with roles appointed by the board.

Phase 3 — Independence

Trigger: Board is seated and operating

Once the board is seated, the foundation transitions to full independent governance:

  1. Standard development is governed by the editorial team under board oversight.
  2. Financial decisions require board approval.
  3. The founding steward holds no special authority beyond their defined board role.
  4. UCCA Inc's relationship is governed solely by the published Pro Bono Technology Services Agreement, which the board may amend, renegotiate, or terminate.
  5. New technology providers may be engaged at the board's discretion. UCCA Inc has no exclusivity.
  6. Board elections will be conducted according to bylaws adopted at incorporation.

Founding Members

Every individual or organisation that contributes to the UCCO Foundation through Open Collective before the Phase 2 formation threshold is reached will be recognised as a Founding Member of the UCCO Foundation.

Founding Members will be: - Recorded in the foundation's permanent founding ledger - Acknowledged on the foundation's website (unless they request anonymity) - Recognised in the foundation's incorporation documents

Founding Member status is a recognition of early support. It does not confer governance authority, voting rights, or financial claims against the foundation. Board seats are appointed based on expertise and independence, not donation amount.

Financial Transparency

The UCCO Foundation's finances are managed through Open Collective, which provides:

  • A public ledger of all incoming contributions
  • A public ledger of all outgoing expenses
  • Real-time balance visibility
  • Fiscal hosting by the Open Source Collective (a US 501(c)(6) non-profit)

No foundation funds pass through UCCA Inc. No foundation funds are held by UCCA Inc. The technology services UCCA Inc provides are pro bono and entirely separate from the foundation's finances.

The foundation's Open Collective page is linked from ucco.foundation and from this document.

Why This Structure

Some will ask why the UCCO Standard is not governed by an existing standards body, or why the foundation is not already incorporated.

The answer is practical: standards bodies move slowly, and incorporation costs money. We chose to publish the standard, open the governance process, and build transparency from day one — then let the community decide whether this is worth formalising.

If the community contributes enough to reach the formation threshold, that is a signal that the standard has value and the foundation should exist as a legal entity. If it doesn't, the standard is still open, still CC BY 4.0, and still available for anyone to use.

We would rather build in the open and let the community decide than incorporate first and hope the community shows up.

Questions

If you have questions about the foundation's governance, finances, or roadmap, the best place to ask is the Discussions tab on the GitHub repository:

github.com/ucco-foundation/ucco-standard/discussions

You can also reach the founding steward directly at admin@ucco.foundation.

Document UCCO-GOV-ROADMAP-2026-001 — Published on ucco.foundation This document is part of the UCCO Foundation's public transparency record.