---
title: Developing Open Source Governance
description: Have you read the The State of Open Source in Financial Services report yet? The report gives insight into open source leadership, governance, collaboration and much more.
image: https://www.finos.org/hubfs/insight2ospolicy.png
---

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- [Projects](https://www.finos.org/projects) 
    - [Artificial Intelligence (AI)](https://ai.finos.org/)
    - [Common Domain Model (CDM)](https://www.finos.org/common-domain-model)
    - [FDC3](https://www.finos.org/fdc3)
    - [Fluxnova](https://fluxnova.finos.org)
    - [FINOS Common Cloud Controls](https://www.finos.org/common-cloud-controls-project)
    - [High Performance Computing (HPC)](https://hpc.finos.org)
    - [OSERA](https://osera.finos.org/)
    - [Open Source Readiness Initiative](https://www.finos.org/open-source-readiness)
    - [OS-Climate](https://www.finos.org/os-climate)
    - [Try our Projects](https://www.finos.org/project-sandbox)
    - [All Projects Landscape](https://landscape.finos.org/)
- [Community](https://www.finos.org/engage-with-our-community) 
    - [FINOS Community Calendar](https://www.finos.org/calendar)
    - [Community Quickstart](https://www.finos.org/get-involved)
    - [FINOS Community Site](https://community.finos.org/)
    - [Contribute](https://community.finos.org/docs/governance/Software-Projects/contribution)
    - [Unable to Contribute?](https://www.finos.org/open-source-readiness)
    - [Join our Slack channel](https://finos-lf.slack.com/messages/finos-community/)
    - [Recognize a contributor](https://github.com/finos/community/issues/new?assignees=mcleo-d&labels=community-recognition&template=Community-Recognition.md&title=FINOS+Community+Recognition)
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    - [Inquire](https://www.finos.org/membership-benefits#become-a-member)
    - [Join](https://joinnow.platform.linuxfoundation.org/?project=finos)
    - [Member ROI Summary & Calculator](https://www.finos.org/roi-report-calculator)
    - [Dependency Consumption Analysis](https://www.finos.org/dependency-consumption-analysis)
- Resources 
    - [2025 Mission & Vision](https://www.finos.org/2024-in-review-2025-vision)
    - [Research & Case Studies](https://www.finos.org/research-case-studies)
    - [Training](https://training.linuxfoundation.org/finos/)
    - [Open Source Maturity Model](https://osr.finos.org/docs/bok/OSMM/Introduction)
    - [Contributions Live Dashboard](https://metrics.finos.org)
    - [Our Github Organization](https://github.com/finos/)
    - [Our Developer Toolchain](https://odp.finos.org/)
    - [FINOS Store](https://store-finos.myshopify.com/)
- News & Events 
    - [This Week At FINOS](https://www.finos.org/this-week-at-finos)
    - [Community Blog](https://www.finos.org/blog)
    - [Newsletter](https://www.finos.org/newsletter)
    - [Podcast: Open Source in Finance](https://www.finos.org/open-source-in-finance-podcast)
    - [Press Releases](https://www.finos.org/press)
    - [FINOS Events](https://www.finos.org/hosted-events)
    - [Community Events](https://www.finos.org/featured-events)
    - [Community Spotlight](https://www.finos.org/community-spotlight)
    - [Stay Informed](https://www.finos.org/sign-up)
- [About](https://www.finos.org/about-us) 
    - [Stay Informed](https://www.finos.org/sign-up)
    - [FAQs](https://www.finos.org/faq)
    - [Contact Us](https://www.finos.org/contact-us)
    - [Governing Board](https://www.finos.org/governing-board)
    - [Technical Oversight Committee](https://www.finos.org/technical-oversight-committee)
    - [Team](https://www.finos.org/team)
    - [Governance](https://www.finos.org/governance)
    - [Code of Conduct](https://www.finos.org/code-of-conduct)
- [OSFF + Videos](https://events.linuxfoundation.org/open-source-finance-forum) 
    - [OSFF 2026](https://events.linuxfoundation.org/open-source-finance-forum/)
    - [OSFF NY Workshops](https://www.finos.org/osff-ny-2026-workshops)
    - [OSFF Toronto 2026 Videos](https://www.finos.org/osff-toronto-2026-videos)
    - [OSFF New York 2025 Videos](https://www.finos.org/osff-nyc-2025-videos)
    - [OSFF London 2026 Videos](https://www.finos.org/osff-london-2026-videos)
    - [apidays Paris 2025 Videos](https://www.finos.org/apidays)

![Community Blog](https://www.finos.org/hubfs/10.04.19.FINOS_WebsiteBanners_3.png)

# Community Blog

# Developing Open Source Governance

 May 17, 2022

[Niamh Parker](https://www.finos.org/blog/author/niamh-parker)

Have you read the [The State of Open Source in Financial Services report](https://www.finos.org/state-of-open-source-in-financial-services-2021) yet? The report gives insight into open source leadership, governance, collaboration and much more.

One of the key findings show that respondents have an appetite to consume and contribute to open source but lack clarity about governance, policies, processes, tools and training. As indicated in the below infographic the results show that 67% have an open source policy at their organization, 21% do not and 11% do not know. So there’s room for further improvements in the financial services industry.

![insight2ospolicy](https://www.finos.org/hs-fs/hubfs/insight2ospolicy.png?width=1836&name=insight2ospolicy.png)  
The most important element of a governance program is a policy that lays out the guidelines for how open source is used in an organization and having a group of individuals assigned to manage compliance with the policy. This often takes the form of a review board with cross-functional skills or an Open Source Program Officer (OSPO) whose responsibilities are to advise, build, implement, and evolve a governance program and address exception cases to the policy. As suggested in the report, organizations should consider that they need to employ full-time open source staff to reap the benefits of open source initiatives.

According to one OSPO director, *“Previously, we had an open source review board. Volunteer firefighters are great, and volunteer firefighters are necessary. But they also have a day job that requires them to pay their mortgage.”* In essence, there’s only so much a volunteer open source contributor can do. It therefore becomes important that open source governance is not adjunct to a staff member’s day-to-day responsibilities but is the full-time job of multiple individuals or, ideally, an entire department.

                           
To learn more download the full report [here](https://www.finos.org/state-of-open-source-in-financial-services-2021)

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[Fintech Open Source Foundation (FINOS), Hyperledger Foundation, and The Digital Dollar Project Team Up to Drive Open Development and Collaboration for CBDCs →](https://www.finos.org/blog/finos-hyperledger-foundation-and-the-digital-dollar-project-team-up-to-drive-open-development-and-collaboration-for-cbdcs)

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