title: About CentOS layout: aside
The CentOS Project is a community-driven free software effort focused around the goal of providing a rich base platform for open source communities to build upon. We will provide a development framework for cloud providers, the hosting community, and scientific data processing, as a few examples. We work with several 'upstream' communities to help them layer and distribute their software more effectively on a platform they can rely on.
The CentOS Governing Board is made up of members of the CentOS Project, some whom have been around since the creation of the Project, as well as new members from the community and Red Hat. The focus of the Governing Board is to curate the CentOS Project, assist and guide in the progress and development of the various SIGs, as well as to promote CentOS Linux. For more information read the governance page.
The CentOS Project is modeled on the structure of the Apache Foundation, with a governing board that oversees various semi-autonomous Special Interest Groups or 'SIGs'. These groups are focused on providing various enhancements, addons, or replacements for core CentOS Stream functionality. A few notable examples of SIGs are: