free-software nonprofit fiscal sponsor

Software Freedom Conservancy

A free-software nonprofit providing fiscal sponsorship, legal support, and compliance work for public-interest open-source projects. Software Freedom Conservancy scores well because the model leaves more value with stakeholders and ownership is comparatively aligned, and no current penalty outweighs that structure.

Why this matters: Legal and fiscal infrastructure for free software helps projects resist enclosure and proprietary capture.

Letter grade A Good Medium confidence (AI) Rubric gcd-rubric-v1 Last reviewed May 6, 2026

Final Score 58* A - Good

AGOOD58 pts

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

Base Material54

Bonus+4

Cap66No structure cap

After Cap58

Penalties0

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Evaluation Overview

A - Good

The score turns mainly on Extraction; no penalty currently dominates the evaluation.

Strengths

Extraction9/10
Ownership8/10
Governance7/10

Penalties

No penalties applied in this version.

Evidence state

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)
ThoroughnessPartial (AI)
Linked claims12
Direct axis claims11
Coverage11/11

Scoring Axes

Axis	Score	Why this score
Ownership ? Control rights: shareholder-dominated at 0, worker cooperative control at 10.	8 / 10	The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. That places Software Freedom Conservancy high on Ownership: decisive control is held by workers, users, members, or another stakeholder class rather than outside capital. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 168 scored entries below, 32 tied, 26 above on Ownership. Linked evidence context Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. [1] context Conservancy runs practical initiatives including copyleft compliance and support for free-software projects that let users study, use, improve, and share software. [2] Software Freedom Conservancy is a nonprofit fiscal home for free-software projects rather than an investor-owned software company. [3]
Governance ? Binding decision authority: centralized control at 0, democratic stakeholder control at 10.	7 / 10	The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. That places Software Freedom Conservancy in the middle of Governance: there are accountability mechanisms, but they stop short of broad democratic control. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 163 scored entries below, 28 tied, 35 above on Governance. Linked evidence context Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. [1] context Conservancy runs practical initiatives including copyleft compliance and support for free-software projects that let users study, use, improve, and share software. [2] Software Freedom Conservancy provides nonprofit governance support for member projects, but control varies by project and is not equivalent to universal user democracy. [4]
Extraction ? Surplus allocation, wage share, CEO pay ratio, margins, and structured extraction judgment.	9 / 10	The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. That places Software Freedom Conservancy high on Extraction: surplus is structurally routed toward workers, producers, users, or public benefit instead of being primarily captured upward. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 208 scored entries below, 18 tied, 0 above on Extraction. Linked evidence context Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. [1] context Conservancy runs practical initiatives including copyleft compliance and support for free-software projects that let users study, use, improve, and share software. [2] By supporting free and open-source software projects, Software Freedom Conservancy routes value toward commons infrastructure instead of proprietary extraction. [5]
Labor Sovereignty ? Worker power: coercive conditions at 0, co-determination or ownership at 7. Employee dissatisfaction matters only when source-backed evidence shows concrete limits on worker agency, such as coercive scheduling, retaliation, wage theft, harassment, unsafe conditions, suppression of worker voice, or extreme turnover.	5 / 7	The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. That places Software Freedom Conservancy in the middle of Labor Sovereignty: workers or participants have some protection or agency, but not enough binding power to control the relationship. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 152 scored entries below, 40 tied, 34 above on Labor Sovereignty. Linked evidence context Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. [1] context Conservancy runs practical initiatives including copyleft compliance and support for free-software projects that let users study, use, improve, and share software. [2] The organization supports developers and maintainers through nonprofit project infrastructure, but does not by itself create worker ownership over all participating software labor. [6]
Solidarity with the Unemployed ? Treatment of exits and nonworkers, including severance, redeployment, and non-competes.	5 / 7	The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. That places Software Freedom Conservancy in the middle of Solidarity with the Unemployed: some access, severance, retraining, openness, or mutual-aid value is present, but it is not central or durable. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 158 scored entries below, 38 tied, 30 above on Solidarity with the Unemployed. Linked evidence context Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. [1] context Conservancy runs practical initiatives including copyleft compliance and support for free-software projects that let users study, use, improve, and share software. [2] Free-software infrastructure and nonprofit fiscal hosting create access for people outside paid software markets, including users and contributors without employer sponsorship. [7]
Loss-Bearing Fidelity ? Willingness to absorb costs to preserve values, workers, users, and public obligations.	6 / 7	The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. That places Software Freedom Conservancy high on Loss-Bearing Fidelity: the institution is structured to absorb real costs rather than shifting losses onto weaker parties. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 163 scored entries below, 54 tied, 9 above on Loss-Bearing Fidelity. Linked evidence context Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. [1] context Conservancy runs practical initiatives including copyleft compliance and support for free-software projects that let users study, use, improve, and share software. [2] Software Freedom Conservancy absorbs legal, fiscal, and administrative burdens for projects that individual maintainers would otherwise struggle to carry. [8]
Market Conduct ? Pricing fairness, switching costs, lock-in, and rent extraction.	5 / 5	The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. That places Software Freedom Conservancy high on Market Conduct: pricing, access, switching, and bargaining practices show restraint compared with ordinary rent-seeking competitors. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 180 scored entries below, 46 tied, 0 above on Market Conduct. Linked evidence context Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. [1] context Conservancy runs practical initiatives including copyleft compliance and support for free-software projects that let users study, use, improve, and share software. [2] Its free-software enforcement and fiscal-hosting work improves market conduct by preserving user freedoms against proprietary capture. [9]
Product Integrity ? Preservation of quality rather than degradation for monetization.	5 / 5	The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. That places Software Freedom Conservancy high on Product Integrity: the core offering is genuinely useful and comparatively less dependent on traps, degradation, or harmful dependencies. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 134 scored entries below, 92 tied, 0 above on Product Integrity. Linked evidence Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. [1]
Scale Integrity ? Whether growth improves or degrades fairness and accountability.	4 / 5	The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. The linked record identifies Software Freedom Conservancy as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. That places Software Freedom Conservancy high on Scale Integrity: growth appears compatible with accountability, quality, and stakeholder benefit. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 109 scored entries below, 81 tied, 36 above on Scale Integrity. Linked evidence context Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software. [1] context Conservancy runs practical initiatives including copyleft compliance and support for free-software projects that let users study, use, improve, and share software. [2] Software Freedom Conservancy scales through project hosting and rights enforcement, making commons protection broader while remaining dependent on nonprofit capacity. [10]

Penalties

No penalties applied in this version.

Bonus Credits

Bonus	Credit	Why this credit
Constitutional Spirit ? Credit for respecting constitutional rights and civil-liberties norms even where private law does not strictly require it.	2 / 3	Software Freedom Conservancy supports software freedom and copyleft compliance so users can study, use, improve, and share software. Software Freedom Conservancy supports software freedom and copyleft compliance so users can study, use, improve, and share software. That supports partial Constitutional Spirit credit because the institution respects speech, privacy, due process, conscience, or civil-liberties norms beyond bare legal compulsion. The value remains partial because the linked record does not show the practice as comprehensive, durable, or central enough for full credit. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 188 scored entries below, 23 tied, 15 above on Constitutional Spirit. Linked evidence Software Freedom Conservancy supports software freedom and copyleft compliance so users can study, use, improve, and share software. [11]
Good Deal ? Credit for unusually fair value: durable quality, fair pricing, low lock-in, and clear customer surplus.	2 / 3	Software Freedom Conservancy supports community-driven free-software projects and alternatives to proprietary software, creating public technology value beyond direct customer extraction. Software Freedom Conservancy supports community-driven free-software projects and alternatives to proprietary software, creating public technology value beyond direct customer extraction. That supports partial Good Deal credit because ordinary users receive unusually fair value, durability, access, or surplus. The value remains partial because the linked record does not show the practice as comprehensive, durable, or central enough for full credit. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 185 scored entries below, 14 tied, 27 above on Good Deal. Linked evidence Software Freedom Conservancy supports community-driven free-software projects and alternatives to proprietary software, creating public technology value beyond direct customer extraction. [12]

Confidence Basis

Confidence is computed from the evidence trail and review state, not typed into the profile by hand.

Medium 78/100

12 verified linked claims 11 direct axis claims 0 disputed claims 11/11 components covered

This confidence label measures the source-backed evidence trail. AI-scaffolded scores remain tentative until human review.

Claim confidence 15/20

12 verified linked claims

Source quality 10/18

Best source per verified claim, weighted by institutional reliability

Direct axis-specific claims 14/18

11 direct claims across 11 active components

Dispute load 12/12

0 disputed claims on this entity

Recency 10/10

Newest accepted timestamp: May 13, 2026

Reviewer status 7/12

Human-reviewed components score higher than AI scaffolding

Component coverage 10/10

11/11 evidence-bearing components have direct support

Evidence State

Profile stateAI draft / human-pending

VerificationUnverified

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)

ThoroughnessPartial (AI)

Correction routeUse “Challenge this rating” for factual errors, missing counterevidence, source problems, or calculation mistakes.

Company responseCompany representatives can submit source-backed corrections; payment never changes scores or reviewer authority.

Claims and Sources

Claims are the evidence record. Each claim needs a source link, axis category, status, confidence level, and timestamp before it can support a score.

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

1Software Freedom Conservancy describes itself as a 501(c)(3) charity that grows the software freedom movement and supports community-driven alternatives to proprietary software.

Product Integrity Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

2Conservancy runs practical initiatives including copyleft compliance and support for free-software projects that let users study, use, improve, and share software.

Constitutional Spirit Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

3Software Freedom Conservancy is a nonprofit fiscal home for free-software projects rather than an investor-owned software company.

Ownership Verified Medium confidence Human-reviewed May 12, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

4Software Freedom Conservancy provides nonprofit governance support for member projects, but control varies by project and is not equivalent to universal user democracy.

Governance Verified Medium confidence Human-reviewed May 12, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

5By supporting free and open-source software projects, Software Freedom Conservancy routes value toward commons infrastructure instead of proprietary extraction.

Extraction Verified Medium confidence Human-reviewed May 12, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

6The organization supports developers and maintainers through nonprofit project infrastructure, but does not by itself create worker ownership over all participating software labor.

Labor Sovereignty Verified Medium confidence Human-reviewed May 12, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

7Free-software infrastructure and nonprofit fiscal hosting create access for people outside paid software markets, including users and contributors without employer sponsorship.

Solidarity Unemployed Verified Medium confidence Human-reviewed May 12, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

8Software Freedom Conservancy absorbs legal, fiscal, and administrative burdens for projects that individual maintainers would otherwise struggle to carry.

Loss Bearing Fidelity Verified Medium confidence Human-reviewed May 12, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

9Its free-software enforcement and fiscal-hosting work improves market conduct by preserving user freedoms against proprietary capture.

Market Conduct Verified Medium confidence Human-reviewed May 12, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

10Software Freedom Conservancy scales through project hosting and rights enforcement, making commons protection broader while remaining dependent on nonprofit capacity.

Scale Integrity Verified Medium confidence Human-reviewed May 12, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

11Software Freedom Conservancy supports software freedom and copyleft compliance so users can study, use, improve, and share software.

Constitutional Spirit Verified High confidence Human-reviewed May 7, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

12Software Freedom Conservancy supports community-driven free-software projects and alternatives to proprietary software, creating public technology value beyond direct customer extraction.

Good Deal Verified Medium confidence Human-reviewed May 7, 2026

Conservancy copyleft complianceGeneral web source · 58%

Alternatives

Competitors

AGOOD66 Lemmy open-source federated forum software · same market AGOOD66 Mastodon nonprofit open-source social network project · same market AGOOD64 Python Software Foundation open-source nonprofit foundation · same market AGOOD63 GNOME Foundation membership-based free-software foundation · same market AGOOD63 Tor Project nonprofit privacy-technology project · same market AGOOD60 Electronic Frontier Foundation nonprofit digital-rights organization · same market CPERFORMATIVE41 Linux Foundation nonprofit consortium · same market DEXTRACTIVE32 Mozilla Foundation nonprofit · same market

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Audit Log

Recent public changes for this company or group. The full audit log is part of the Transparency record.

May 6, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC ai-scaffolding

Added source-backed tentative evaluation during the A-grade/public-interest and nonobvious extraction expansion pass.

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