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SPONSORS.md
Document Type: Sponsorship Framework
Project: CeloHT
Status: Active
Last Updated: August 2026
Authors: Johnny Dubic & CeloHT Community
Sponsors can help CeloHT expand education, financial inclusion, community programs, technology development, environmental initiatives, and research.
This document establishes principles for sponsorship relationships and explains how sponsorship support should be managed transparently and responsibly.
CeloHT sponsorships should follow these principles:
Transparency
Accountability
Independence
Community benefit
Legal compliance
Responsible use of funds
No misleading claims
Respect for CeloHT governance
Sponsorship may support:
Financial literacy
Web3 education
Training materials
Workshops
Educational technology
Local events
Community activities
Digital inclusion initiatives
Training programs
Software development
Infrastructure
Security
Hosting
Developer tools
Tree planting
Nurseries
Maintenance
Environmental education
Monitoring
Research projects
Data collection
Publications
Academic collaboration
CeloHT may accept different sponsorship models.
Direct financial support.
Products, services, infrastructure, equipment, or professional support.
Support dedicated to a specific CeloHT initiative.
Support for a specific event or campaign.
Support for infrastructure, software, hosting, or technical services.
Potential sponsors may include:
Companies
Foundations
NGOs
Universities
Community organizations
Technology organizations
Individuals
Philanthropic organizations
CeloHT may decline sponsorships that conflict with its principles or create unacceptable risks.
Before accepting significant sponsorship, CeloHT may evaluate:
Sponsor identity
Reputation
Business activities
Funding source
Legal considerations
Conflicts of interest
Public perception
Relationship risks
The depth of review should correspond to the size and nature of the sponsorship.
CeloHT should not accept sponsorship arrangements that require:
False claims
Manipulation of users
Guaranteed financial returns
Misleading investment promotion
Unauthorized access to user information
Suppression of legitimate security findings
Improper influence over governance
Violation of applicable law
Sponsors should not automatically receive control over CeloHT decisions because they provide funding.
Sponsorship does not equal governance authority.
Where applicable, significant sponsorship arrangements should follow CeloHT governance procedures.
Material sponsorships may be disclosed to the community.
Significant sponsorships should preferably be documented through an appropriate agreement.
An agreement may specify:
Sponsor
Amount or contribution
Purpose
Duration
Deliverables
Reporting
Recognition
Restrictions
Termination conditions
Sponsors may request that funds support a specific program.
CeloHT should document restricted funding clearly.
Restricted funds should not be represented as unrestricted resources.
Unrestricted sponsorship provides CeloHT greater flexibility to allocate resources according to priorities.
Allocation should remain consistent with applicable governance and financial policies.
Where appropriate, CeloHT should report:
Sponsorship received
Sponsorship type
Program supported
Period
Material restrictions
Use of funds
Confidentiality requirements should be respected where legally and contractually necessary.
Sponsors may receive appropriate recognition.
Recognition may include:
Website acknowledgment
Sponsor listing
Event recognition
Logo placement
Public announcement
Program acknowledgment
Recognition should accurately describe the relationship.
Sponsor recognition does not necessarily mean that CeloHT endorses every product, service, opinion, or business activity of a sponsor.
Sponsor logos and names should follow applicable brand guidelines.
CeloHT should retain control over its official branding.
Public sponsorship announcements should accurately state:
Who provided support
What was supported
Relevant dates
Material limitations
Marketing language should not exaggerate the impact of sponsorship.
For significant sponsorships, CeloHT may provide reports covering:
Activities completed
Participants reached
Funds used
Results
Challenges
Future plans
Impact claims should distinguish between actual results and projections.
Environmental sponsors may support:
Tree planting
Seedling production
Maintenance
Monitoring
Environmental education
CeloHT should avoid claiming that sponsorship automatically equals verified carbon removal.
Education sponsorship may support:
Teachers
Training sessions
Learning materials
Digital tools
Scholarships where applicable
Educational infrastructure
Educational outcomes should be measured using appropriate indicators.
Technology sponsorship may include:
Cloud resources
Software
Hardware
Development services
Security services
Technical expertise
Technology donations should be reviewed for security and operational dependencies.
Community sponsorship should prioritize measurable local benefit.
Potential indicators include:
Participants
Training sessions
Events
New contributors
Community projects
Services delivered
Research sponsors should not improperly control research conclusions.
Where appropriate, research publications should disclose sponsorship.
Potential conflicts should be disclosed and managed.
Individuals involved in approving sponsorships should not use sponsorship decisions for personal benefit.
Sponsors may provide feedback and recommendations.
However, sponsorship should not provide automatic authority over:
User funds
Security decisions
Community governance
Technical architecture
Independent research conclusions
Sponsors should not receive user data simply because they provide funding.
Any sharing of personal information must follow applicable privacy requirements and CeloHT's privacy policies.
CeloHT should not allow sponsorship arrangements to become disguised financial promotions.
Sponsors should not use CeloHT channels to make unsupported investment claims.
Where sponsorship involves CELO, cUSD, or other digital assets, the arrangement should be documented clearly.
Transactions should comply with applicable CeloHT policies and relevant legal requirements.
CeloHT sponsorship does not require creation or distribution of a proprietary CeloHT token.
CeloHT maintains its NO_TOKEN_POLICY.md.
CeloHT should maintain appropriate records of material sponsorships.
Records may include:
Agreement
Contribution
Purpose
Date
Sponsor
Restrictions
Reporting obligations
Termination
Sponsorship relationships may be reviewed periodically.
Review factors may include:
Performance
Reputation
Compliance
Community impact
Financial obligations
Strategic alignment
CeloHT may terminate a sponsorship relationship where appropriate.
Reasons may include:
Material breach
Reputational risk
Illegal conduct
Misrepresentation
Conflict with CeloHT principles
Failure to meet agreed obligations
Sponsors may withdraw according to applicable contractual terms.
CeloHT should plan for the operational impact of losing significant funding.
CeloHT should avoid excessive dependence on a single sponsor where practical.
Diversification can reduce:
Funding volatility
Strategic dependency
Operational disruption
CeloHT should communicate material sponsorship relationships honestly.
A sponsorship should not be presented as:
An investment
A guaranteed return
Government endorsement
Independent validation
A security certification
unless the relevant claim is independently supported.
CeloHT may organize sponsors into categories such as:
Strategic Sponsors
Program Sponsors
Technology Sponsors
Community Sponsors
Environmental Sponsors
Research Sponsors
Categories should reflect the actual relationship.
If CeloHT establishes sponsorship tiers, they may be structured according to contribution and support.
Example:
Level | Typical Role -- | -- Community | Local support Program | Specific initiative Strategic | Significant long-term support Institutional | Large-scale ecosystem supportSpecific financial thresholds should be established separately if required.
CeloHT should consider:
Mission alignment
Sponsor legitimacy
Community benefit
Security
Legal considerations
Financial sustainability
Reputation
Operational feasibility
Material sponsorships may be included in:
Annual reports
Transparency reports
Program reports
Treasury reports
Public announcements
CeloHT may maintain a public sponsor directory containing:
Sponsor name
Sponsor category
Supported initiative
Sponsorship period
Public recognition information
Only verified relationships should be listed.
A sponsorship primarily provides support.
A partnership may involve deeper operational collaboration.
These relationships should not be represented interchangeably.
A donation may provide support without requiring significant public recognition or commercial benefits.
A sponsorship may involve agreed recognition or program visibility.
The appropriate classification should be documented.
Sponsorships may have tax, contractual, accounting, or regulatory implications depending on jurisdiction.
CeloHT should seek qualified professional advice when necessary.
Sponsorship funds should be processed through appropriate financial controls.
Controls may include:
Authorized accounts
Documentation
Reconciliation
Approval procedures
Reporting
Audit trails
Sponsorship funds should be used according to applicable agreements and CeloHT policies.
Material misuse should be investigated and addressed.
Sponsorship activities should be considered within CeloHT's broader risk-management framework.
See RISK_MANAGEMENT.md.
Sponsorship arrangements should not bypass established governance procedures.
Where a sponsorship has significant strategic implications, the appropriate governance body may review it.
Sponsors can provide valuable resources, but community trust must remain a priority.
CeloHT should never sacrifice transparency or user protection simply to retain funding.
As CeloHT grows, it may establish a formal sponsorship program with:
Application process
Sponsor tiers
Due diligence
Agreements
Reporting
Recognition guidelines
Renewal procedures
Sponsorship should help CeloHT create meaningful impact without compromising its independence, security, transparency, or community mission.
The guiding principle is:
Accept support that strengthens the mission without allowing funding to compromise the project's values or accountability.
Document Status: Active
Maintained By: CeloHT Community
Primary Authors: Johnny Dubic & CeloHT Community
© 2026 CeloHT - Open Source. Global Impact. Licensed under Apache.