Open Molecular Software Foundation - How to Join

February 2025

Zachary Baker

About OMSF

The Open Molecular Software Foundation (OMSF) is a nonprofit organization that provides governance, infrastructure, and financial support for open-source projects in molecular sciences. We help researchers, developers, and industry partners build sustainable, high-impact software by offering operational resources, community engagement, and long-term strategic guidance.

We work with researchers looking for new ways to make their work sustainable, industries that want to promote open science, and community-based projects focused on events, education, and stewardship.

Getting Started with OMSF

The core of the Open Molecular Software Foundation is its hosted projects - groups of talented people that drive innovation, foster collaboration, and contribute to our broader ecosystem.

Hosting your project with OMSF means aligning with its commitment to open science and open-source principles while benefiting from an established infrastructure for funding management, governance, and community support.

To begin, consider:

How your project fits within the computational molecular sciences domain.
Your commitment to open-source licensing and public code availability.
Your governance model and how decisions will be made within your project.
Your plan for financial sustainability, including potential funding sources.

OMSF is happy to work with you in structuring your proposal. If interested in hosting your project at OMSF, reach them at info@omsf.io

Benefits of Joining OMSF

Projects that become part of OMSF gain access to a comprehensive suite of services designed to streamline operations and enhance impact. By joining, projects benefit from a flexible framework that supports long-term growth within the molecular science ecosystem. These benefits include:

Full Back-Office Support: OMSF handles transparent accounting, contracts management, accounts payable and receivable, and insurance, allowing project teams to focus on their core scientific and technical work.
Human Resources Assistance: Support for international hiring, management of independent contractors, and administration of employee benefits and payroll ensures projects can attract and retain top talent globally.
Strategic Advising: OMSF offers guidance on revenue modeling, fundraising strategies, and project governance. This includes exploring funding options and business models to ensure long-term sustainability, as well as helping to identify and grow strategic partnerships and relationships with relevant stakeholders.
Event and Branding Support: Assistance with organizing events, developing branding strategies, and disbursing fellowships helps projects build community engagement and visibility within the scientific community.
Legal and Community Building Resources: Access to legal counsel with expertise in open-source software, coordination between projects and stakeholders with common interests to find mutually beneficial solutions, and assistance with growing healthy communities around hosted projects ensure compliance and foster collaboration.

Ideal Characteristics of a Project

When considering alignment with OMSF, a project ideally should exhibit the following characteristics:

Domain Relevance: The project should fit within the computational molecular sciences domain, contributing to areas such as drug discovery, materials science, or molecular modeling.
Open-Source Commitment: A strong dedication to open-source principles is essential, including the use of an open-source license and the public availability of code.
Governance Model: A clear governance structure outlining how decisions are made within the project, ensuring transparency and inclusivity.
Financial Sustainability Plan: A well-thought-out strategy for financial sustainability, including potential funding sources to support ongoing development and operations.

Structuring Your Proposal

When preparing your project for consideration, include:

Overview:

Provide your project’s name, a description, and a statement of its goals.
Outline your project’s leadership framework, governance, and structure
Consider your community standards, such as a Code of Conduct.

Governance and Structure:

Define your project’s leadership framework. Whether you have an advisory board, a technical leadership team, or a single project director, your governance model should ensure accountability and effective decision-making.
If you need help, OMSF can assist! Reach out to info@omsf.io for guidance.

Alignment:

Detail how your project aligns with OMSF’s commitment to the values of open science.
Outline your funding strategy - whether through industry partnerships, government grants, or philanthropic support, tell us how you plan to sustain your project over time.
Consider how your project complements other OMSF-hosted projects to foster collaboration and shared success. Find that information here: omsf.io/programs/projects/

Planning and Development: Clearly articulate your project’s roadmap:

What are your key milestones and deliverables?
What is your anticipated timeline for achieving them?
How will you measure progress and success over time?

Do you not know the answer to some of these? That’s okay! If you’d like guidance in how to answer these questions, reach out to info@omsf.io, and OMSF will be happy to help.

The Application Process

Interested in joining? The first step is easy: send your proposal to info@omsf.io.

Projects interested in joining OMSF go through an application and review process designed to assess their alignment with the foundation’s mission and their readiness for integration. The process includes:

Initial Inquiry: Prospective projects submit a proposal to info@omsf.io
Introductory Call: A meeting between the project leads and OMSF representatives to discuss fit, expectations, and potential next steps.
Formal Application: Submission of a detailed proposal covering governance, licensing, sustainability, and technical roadmap.
Review and Feedback: OMSF evaluates the proposal, providing feedback and identifying areas for alignment or improvement.
Decision & Onboarding: Approved projects receive an integration plan and guidance on leveraging OMSF’s resources.

What Happens in the Introductory Call?

The introductory call serves as an opportunity for both OMSF and the prospective project to evaluate mutual alignment. Key topics covered include:

The project’s mission, goals, and current status
The challenges the project faces and how OMSF can assist
Expectations for governance, infrastructure, and sustainability
The potential pathway for onboarding and next steps

By the end, you will have a good idea if OMSF is the correct fit for you. Regardless, OMSF strives for an iterative process - it wants to see your project be the best that it can be!

Thanks for taking the time to read this guide. If you have any lingering questions, be sure to reach out to info@omsf.io - OMSF is more than happy to hear from you!