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Apache Incubator Mentor Onboarding

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Mentors must be Incubator PMC members to ensure they understand ASF policies and can participate in formal voting, which is critical to podling development. Any ASF member can ask to become an IPMC member.

New mentors may find it helpful to review the training resources in Section 13 to gain additional confidence before engaging with their first podling.

3.2 Primary Responsibilities

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• Control or direct podling decisions — - communities govern themselves, following The Apache Way.
• Act as project managers or primary contributors.
• Make unilateral governance or policy decisions.
• Replace the Incubator PMC or ASF officers.
• Handle all conflicts independently — - escalate serious issues as needed.
• Keep key discussions or decisions private — - always promote transparency.
• Speak on behalf of the podling — - the community should represent itself.
• Override community consensus — - mentors advise, not dictate.

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• Building a sustainable, active community with steady growth and diverse contributors.
• Maintaining transparent, meritocratic governance following The Apache Way.
• Fully adopting ASF infrastructure and complying with The ASFs policies.
• Delivering successful releases under ASF licensing requirements.
• Growing the PPMC and increasing the number of project committers.
• Respecting ASF trademarks and branding guidelines.
• Completing the Incubator graduation vote successfully.

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11. Mentor Offboarding Process

After graduation or the retirement of a podling, mentors can provide feedback.

11.1 Reflect on the Mentorship Experience

Review the Best Practices for Mentors and Mentor Onboarding documents, documenting key takeaways on what worked well and areas for improvement.

11.2 Provide Feedback (Optional)

Share feedback with the podling on strengths and areas for growth. Optionally, provide feedback to the Incubator PMC on the mentoring process.

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11. Contact Points and Support

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• Be clear and concise; avoid unexplained jargon.
• Be patient and respectful of diverse backgrounds.
• Encourage open, public mailing list discussions.
• Use inclusive language.
• Be mindful of time zones and the nature of asynchronous communication.
• Listen actively and acknowledge contributions.
• Encourage questions and feedback.
• Model The Apache Way in interactions.
• Handle conflicts calmly; escalate if needed.

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13. Resources for Mentors

The following references provide essential guidance for mentoring in the Apache Incubator. They cover governance, policies, and best practices for supporting podlings.

• Apache Incubator Website - The main entry point for information about the Incubator, including current podlings, policies, and documentation.

• Mentor Handbook -  The central reference tying together all mentor responsibilities, guidance, and training materials.

• Incubator General Mailing List - The open list for discussions about incubation, mentoring, and podling progress. A valuable channel for sharing experiences and asking questions.

• Incubator Policy - Defines the formal rules of incubation, including podling requirements, releases, and graduation.

• Mentor Responsibilities - Outlines the expected duties of mentors, including reporting, voting, and community guidance.

• The Apache Incubator Cookbook - Practical, step-by-step advice for podlings and mentors on common tasks and challenges.

• ASF Maturity Model - Framework to evaluate a podling’s readiness for graduation based on community and process maturity.

• The Apache Way - Core ASF philosophy: meritocracy, transparency, open collaboration, and community-driven governance.

• Best Practices for Mentors - Guidance on effective mentoring approaches, with real-world advice for supporting podlings.

• ASF Infrastructure Wiki - Information on mailing lists, version control, issue trackers, and other ASF-provided infrastructure.

• ASF Legal Resources - Policies on licensing, IP clearance, and handling third-party code.

• Distribution Guide - Instructions for properly publishing and distributing releases under ASF rules.

• Assembling License and Notice Files - Requirements and examples for creating compliant LICENSE and NOTICE files.

• ASF 3rd Party Licensing Policy - Clarifies what third-party dependencies may be included in ASF projects and under which conditions.

• Apache Voting Guide - Explains ASF voting processes, including consensus, majority votes, and binding vs. non-binding votes.

• ASF Code of Conduct - Sets expectations for respectful, inclusive behavior across ASF projects.

• Retiring Podlings - Outlines the process for retiring inactive or stalled podlings from the Incubator.

13.1 Training Resources

In addition to the written resources above, the Incubator provides some draft interactive training materials for Mentors and IPMC members. These resources help reinforce best practices and prepare you for mentoring podlings effectively:

• IPMC Mentor Quiz - Knowledge check on mentor responsibilities and ASF processes.

• IPMC Mentor Scenarios - Practical mentoring challenges and decision-making exercises.

• IPMC Incubator Quiz - Knowledge check on Incubator policies, reporting, and processes.

• IPMC Scenarios - Case studies on incubation challenges such as graduation readiness, community health, and governance.

We welcome feedback on this material, especially suggestions for improvements or corrections.

Privacy Notice

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To the best of our knowledge, the platform is GDPR compliant and collects only minimal personal information (name, email address, and possibly IP address). No additional personal data is tracked or retained.

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14. Conflict of Interest

Mentors must maintain impartiality and transparency.

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Thank you for your dedication to the Apache Incubator! Your efforts help new projects thrive through open collaboration.andreww: is there any process through which mentors share their experiences and support each other? If there is, there should be a section describing it; if not, maybe there should be. Seems like, without it, we may lose a lot of wisdom and opportunities to mentor a new mentor.
Justin: Not really and yes, that's a good idea. Mind you, that applies to just about any position at the ASF.

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