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CNCF Initiatives

Initiatives are lightweight, time-bound organizational units used for TAG or TOC work. They enable focused collaboration on specific deliverables while maintaining clear accountability and timelines.

What is an Initiative?​

An initiative is a short-term, scoped work effort with:

  • Pre-defined objectives: Clear goals and expected outcomes
  • Exit criteria: Specific conditions for completion
  • Time bounds: Typically completed within 2 quarters (may be extended with justification)
  • Assigned oversight: At least one TAG Tech Lead, Subproject Lead, or TOC member responsible
  • Active participation: Minimum of 2 participants beyond the assigned lead

Types of Initiatives​

CNCF supports three types of initiatives, each with different formation and oversight requirements:

TAG Initiatives​

General initiatives aligned with the scope of a Technical Advisory Group, such as white papers, reports, or technical assessments.

Oversight: Managed by TAG Tech Leads, with at least one assigned as sponsor

Examples:

  • Technical white papers on cloud native practices
  • Landscape analysis reports
  • Best practices documentation
  • Cross-project integration studies

Subproject Initiatives​

Customized work efforts defined within a subproject's charter, tailored to meet specific subproject needs and tracked through GitHub issues.

Oversight: Managed by Subproject Leads

Examples:

  • Security assessments for CNCF projects
  • Project health reviews
  • Contributor strategy implementations
  • Mentoring program iterations

TOC Initiatives​

Initiatives created and owned by the TOC when work spans multiple TAGs or coordinates specific foundation-wide goals.

Oversight: At least one TOC member must be assigned to organize, shepherd, and report on status

Examples:

  • Foundation-wide governance improvements
  • Cross-TAG technical architecture initiatives
  • Ecosystem-wide standards and practices
  • Strategic planning and roadmap efforts

Current Active Initiatives​

To view current active initiatives across all groups:

Initiative TypeGitHub LabelView Active
TAG Developer Experiencetag/developer-experienceView Issues
TAG Infrastructuretag/infrastructureView Issues
TAG Operational Resiliencetag/operational-resilienceView Issues
TAG Security and Compliancetag/security-and-complianceView Issues
TAG Workloads Foundationtag/workloads-foundationView Issues
Contributor Strategy Subprojectsub/contributor-strategy-and-advocacyView Issues
Mentoring Subprojectsub/mentoringView Issues
Project Reviews Subprojectsub/project-reviewsView Issues
All TOC Initiativeskind/initiativeView Issues

Initiative Requirements​

All initiatives must meet the following requirements:

Required Elements
  • Documentation: Goals, milestones, deliverables, and exit criteria must be documented (typically as a GitHub issue)
  • Active Participation: Minimum of 2 participants plus the assigned lead
  • Regular Progress: Active work with monthly check-ins to assess progress and continued need
  • Timely Completion: Should not exceed 2 quarters without extension approval from parent governing body
  • Acknowledgment: All active contributors should be acknowledged upon completion

Additional Requirements for Subproject Initiatives​

Subproject-based initiatives may have different requirements outlined in their subproject charter. Check the specific subproject documentation for details.

Proposing a New Initiative​

To propose a new initiative:

For TAG or TOC Initiatives​

  1. Identify Alignment: Determine which TAG or the TOC should sponsor the initiative
  2. Draft Proposal: Create a clear description including:
    • Problem statement or opportunity
    • Proposed objectives and deliverables
    • Expected timeline and milestones
    • Required resources and participants
    • Success criteria and exit conditions
  3. Create Issue: File an issue in the cncf/toc repository with the kind/initiative label
  4. Engage Leadership: Discuss with TAG Tech Leads or TOC members to identify a sponsor
  5. Get Approval: Obtain approval from the sponsoring group

For Subproject Initiatives​

Follow the process defined in the specific subproject's charter and documentation.

Initiative Lifecycle​

graph LR
    A[Proposal] --> B[Approval]
    B --> C[Active Work]
    C --> D{Monthly Check-in}
    D --> E{Progress?}
    E -->|Yes| C
    E -->|No - 3 months| F[Pause/Cancel]
    C --> G{Complete?}
    G -->|Yes| H[Deliver & Acknowledge]
    G -->|No - 2 quarters| I{Extension Needed?}
    I -->|Yes| J[Request Extension]
    I -->|No| F
    J --> C

Completing an Initiative​

When an initiative is complete:

  1. Deliver Outputs: Ensure all deliverables are published and accessible
  2. Document Results: Summarize outcomes and lessons learned
  3. Acknowledge Contributors: Recognize all participants who actively helped
  4. Close Issue: Update the tracking issue with final status and close it
  5. Communicate: Share results with the community (blog posts, presentations, etc.)

Initiative Best Practices​

Success Tips
  • Start Small: Define clear, achievable scope rather than over-ambitious goals
  • Communicate Often: Regular updates help maintain momentum and attract contributors
  • Be Inclusive: Welcome diverse perspectives and make it easy for newcomers to participate
  • Document as You Go: Don't wait until the end to create documentation
  • Celebrate Wins: Acknowledge progress and contributions throughout the initiative

Getting Involved​

Anyone in the CNCF community can participate in initiatives:

  • Browse Active Initiatives: Review the links above to find initiatives of interest
  • Join Discussions: Comment on initiative issues or join related meetings
  • Volunteer: Offer to help with specific tasks or deliverables
  • Propose New Work: Identify gaps and propose new initiatives to address them

Contact and Resources​

For questions about initiatives:

  • TAG-Specific Questions: Contact the relevant TAG via their Slack channel or mailing list
  • General Initiative Questions: Post in #toc on CNCF Slack
  • Process Questions: File an issue in cncf/toc