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+title = 'Charter of Civil Society Technology Foundation'
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+
+## Purpose
+
+The Civil Society Technology Foundation (CSTF) empowers individuals and communities to reclaim digital sovereignty through open-source tools, self-hosted infrastructure, and transparent governance. We exist to create a world where technology serves people — not corporations or governments.
+
+## Vision
+
+A sustainable, decentralized ecosystem of people-centered technology. A world governed by user agency, not technocracy, where digital sovereignty enables rather than undermines democratic participation, personal autonomy, and collective action.
+
+## Mission
+
+To advance digital self-determination through the development and dissemination of open-source, self-hosted technologies. We aim to reduce structural dependency on centralized corporate or governmental platforms by enabling individuals and institutions to operate their own digital infrastructure.
+
+Through accessible tools, educational resources, and community engagement, we cultivate practical autonomy: the capacity of users to understand, modify, and maintain the technologies they rely on.
+
+## Core Principles
+
+1. **Sovereignty by Design**  
+   Users own their data and control their computing environment. Consent is explicit, revocable, and informed.
+
+2. **Tools Before Policy**  
+   We build alternatives rather than asking for permission. Reform is irrelevant where autonomy is possible.
+
+3. **Open Source, Always**  
+   Software must be libre — free to use, study, modify, and share. This is the foundation of digital freedom.
+
+4. **Self-Hosting Infrastructure**  
+   Individuals and aligned collectives should run their own infrastructure. Central hosting creates capture risks.
+
+5. **AI for the People**  
+   AI must be open, efficient, and serve civil society. Closed models and centralized control are unacceptable.
+
+6. **Transparent Governance**  
+   All governance must be visible, accountable, and auditable. Influence is earned through contribution.
+
+7. **Healthy Ecosystems Win**  
+   Projects are judged by their value to communities and civil society, not popularity or funding.
+
+8. **Forkability is Freedom**  
+   Divergence is a right. Balkanization is not failure — it is resilience.
+
+9. **Interoperability via Consent**  
+   Standards emerge from alignment, not imposition. We will propose, not enforce.
+
+10. **Contribution Defines Membership**  
+    Participation is earned through action. Identity is contextual and optional.
+
+11. **Critical Adoption over Blind Use**  
+    Pragmatism means understanding trade-offs. Users should know what rights they give up — and why.
+
+_Expanded explanations of these principles can be found in our [Core Principles](/foundation/core_principles) document._
+
+## Strategic Focus
+
+The Civil Society Technology Foundation pursues its mission through five interconnected areas of work:
+
+### 1. Infrastructure Development
+
+- Building and distributing personal cloud infrastructure
+- Creating efficient, user-friendly self-hosting solutions
+- Developing reference implementations of sovereign technologies
+- Ensuring solutions work on commodity hardware
+
+### 2. Education and Capacity Building
+
+- Creating accessible learning resources on digital sovereignty
+- Educating individuals and organizations on self-hosted alternatives
+- Building technical literacy and maintenance capabilities
+- Documenting best practices for independent technology
+
+### 3. Community Support
+
+- Facilitating knowledge sharing among practitioners
+- Creating spaces for collaborative development
+- Supporting civil society in adopting sovereign technologies
+- Connecting technologists with community needs
+
+### 4. Standards and Interoperability
+
+- Developing open standards that respect user sovereignty
+- Promoting interoperability between independent systems
+- Documenting protocols for federation and cooperation
+- Encouraging critical adoption of standards
+
+### 5. Research and Advocacy
+
+- Documenting the impacts of centralized vs. sovereign technology
+- Researching sustainable models for independent infrastructure
+- Identifying barriers to digital sovereignty
+- Advocating for enabling conditions for technological independence
+
+## Organizational Structure
+
+The Civil Society Technology Foundation is structured to reflect our principles in practice:
+
+### Governance
+
+- Permanently non-profit structure
+- Contributors have meaningful voice in decision-making
+- Transparent processes for strategic and operational decisions
+- Regular public reporting on activities and finances
+
+### Funding and Resource Allocation
+
+- Funding accepted from diverse sources with full transparency
+- No single funding source should create dependency or control
+- Resources prioritized for maximum impact on digital sovereignty
+- Sustainability takes precedence over growth
+
+### Membership and Participation
+
+- Contribution-based participation model
+- Multiple pathways for meaningful involvement
+- Recognition of diverse forms of contribution
+- Commitment to inclusive participation
+
+## Amendment Process
+
+This charter establishes the foundation of the Civil Society Technology Foundation. It may be amended through a transparent process that includes:
+
+1. Public proposal of amendments
+2. Community discussion period of at least 30 days
+3. Consideration of all substantive feedback
+4. Formal adoption through established governance processes
+5. Public documentation of changes and rationale
+
+The core purpose and principles may only be modified when necessary to better fulfill our fundamental mission of advancing digital self-determination and sovereignty.