Michlmayr: Growing open-source projects with a stable foundation

Martin Michlmayr has put together a primer on managing open-source projects
through their growth cycle, specifically with the help of a support
foundation, and published the results as a
67-page PDF file.

Starting an open source project is easy. Running a successful
project, on the other hand, comes with a lot of work and responsibilities,
especially if the project attracts a large user base. While open source
projects come in all shapes and forms, most projects encounter a similar
set of growth issues throughout their life cycles. Because of this, various
organizations have arisen to help projects handle these problems; these
organizations are generally known as FOSS foundations. This primer covers
non-technical aspects that the majority of projects will have to consider
at some point. It also explains how FOSS foundations can help projects grow
and succeed.

He has also posted a
separate research report [PDF] on foundations that support open-source
projects.