Raft itself is made up of many projects, each with its own structure. Below, find a discussion of how those structures interact with the requirements structures of Raft itself.
Model A project governance
When Model A projects sign up with Raft, they choose either a Project Lead (one person) or Project Committee (multiple-person)1 structure.
Although Raft is opinionated about governance practices, and we’re happy to strategize and imagine new approaches, fundamentally our concern is that the governance structure with Raft matches the “real” power structure of the project. That is, we need projects to honest with themselves, and with us, about where power actually resides.2
Adding or removing committee members
Adding new project committee members
Contact us with confirmation that all current committee members support the addition,3 and connecting us to the new member via email. We will provide them with a link to fill out and then have them sign an Induction Agreement.
Removing a project committee member
Provided that they are departing on good terms (or at least voluntarily), please have them send us an email resigning from their position, as of that day or the date of their choosing. We will then remove them from the monthly bulletin, RaftTalk, and archive their information in our systems. You should then remove their access on Open Collective.
If they are not leaving voluntarily, we will need to investigate the situation. Please contact us.
Changing the Project Lead
Contact us if the grantee needs to change for a Model C project - all that is needed is a straightforward amendment to the fiscal sponsorship agreement, provided the current grantee supports the change.3
Change between Lead and Committee structure
Contact us if the structure needs to change to/from a Lead/Committee project structure - all that is needed is a straightforward amendment to the fiscal sponsorship agreement, provided the existing structure supports the change.3
Model C project governance
For Model C projects, the arrangement is a little different. Instead of signing an agreement with a Project Lead or Project Committee, the agreement is with a single outside entity (whether than be an individual or some sort of organization) that serves as the “grantee.”
Change in Model C grantee
Contact us if the grantee needs to change for a Model C project - all that is needed is a straightforward amendment to the fiscal sponsorship agreement, provided the current grantee supports the change.3
Adding new activities or subprojects
If you would like to bring new activities under your project’s umbrella, you must first ask yourself one key question: is this project completely within our stated project purposes?
If you do not remember the boundaries of your “project purposes,” refer back to the fiscal sponsorship agreement with Raft, where this is defined,4 or contact us if you have lost track of your agreement.
If the activities are clearly within your project purposes, and all participants in the new activities understand that they will be governed by your project, as part of Raft Foundation, under the strictures of the fiscal sponsorship agreement (including IP!) then you may go ahead and make a Project profile for the activities in OC.
If any aspect of the new activities falls outside your stated project purposes, you must contact us to explore how best to proceed, whether that be by expanding the project purposes (via a simple amendment), by engaging the new activities as a separate fiscally sponsored project, or, in some cases, by making a grant to an outside entity.
Changing between Models A and C
Contact us if the arrangement with Raft needs to change to/from Models A and C - we are happy to make the needed arrangements, provided we agree it is an appropriate change.
In rare cases of total dysfunction
In general, our desire is projects to work things out themselves.
But, in the case that the governance structure of a project fails to function, it is the responsibility of Raft’s executive leadership to do its best to sort things out, centering the project’s community. In some cases, a formal investigation by Raft’s leadership may be required.
Footnotes
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Up to a maximum of seven. Projects that currently have one leader but intend to have more can still engage in a “Project Committee” structure and add new members after signing an agreement with us. ↩
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For example: when the founder creates a board they report to, but doesn’t actually cede them power over the project. Or, when only one individual signs but actually the project is governed by a group or committee not known to Raft. ↩
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If there is not unanimous support for a change, or support from the outgoing grantee/lead, it is our responsibility to investigate before moving forward with the change. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
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Or if applicable, any amendments we may have made to the agreement. ↩