SEP-2148: MCP Contributor Ladder changedseps/2148-contributor-ladder
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2020 requirements.
2121</Note>
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23| Field | Value |
24| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
25| **SEP** | 2148 |
26| **Title** | MCP Contributor Ladder |
27| **Status** | Final |
28| **Type** | Process |
29| **Created** | 2026-01-15 |
23| Field | Value |
24| - | - |
25| **SEP** | 2148 |
26| **Title** | MCP Contributor Ladder |
27| **Status** | Final |
28| **Type** | Process |
29| **Created** | 2026-01-15 |
3030| **Author(s)** | David Soria Parra ([@dsp-ant](https://github.com/dsp-ant)), Sarah Novotny ([@sarahnovotny](https://github.com/sarahnovotny)) |
31| **Sponsor** | David Soria Parra ([@dsp-ant](https://github.com/dsp-ant)) |
32| **PR** | [#2148](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/pull/2148) |
31| **Sponsor** | David Soria Parra ([@dsp-ant](https://github.com/dsp-ant)) |
32| **PR** | [#2148](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol/pull/2148) |
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3434***
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6868
6969### Role Definitions
7070
71| Role | Summary | Key Privileges | Minimum Timeline |
72| ------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
73| [**Contributor**](#contributor) | Anyone who contributes to MCP | Submit issues, PRs, participate in discussions | Immediate |
74| [**Member**](#member) | Established, active contributor | GitHub org membership, triage rights, eligible for WG/IG leadership | 2-3 months of meaningful contributions |
75| [**Maintainer**](#maintainer) | Area steward with operational responsibility | Merge rights, release participation | 6+ months as Member |
76| [**Core Maintainer**](#core-maintainer) | Technical leadership and protocol stewardship | Final decision authority, governance participation | By invitation after sustained Maintainer contribution |
77| [**Lead Maintainer**](#lead-maintainer) | Ultimate project authority (founders) | All Core Maintainer privileges, veto authority, appoints Core Maintainers | Reserved for project founders — succession only |
78| [**Community Moderator**](#community-moderators) | CoC enforcement and community health | Moderation rights on community platforms, incident handling | Parallel track — Member status + appointment |
71| Role | Summary | Key Privileges | Minimum Timeline |
72| - | - | - | - |
73| [**Contributor**](#contributor) | Anyone who contributes to MCP | Submit issues, PRs, participate in discussions | Immediate |
74| [**Member**](#member) | Established, active contributor | GitHub org membership, triage rights, eligible for WG/IG leadership | 2-3 months of meaningful contributions |
75| [**Maintainer**](#maintainer) | Area steward with operational responsibility | Merge rights, release participation | 6+ months as Member |
76| [**Core Maintainer**](#core-maintainer) | Technical leadership and protocol stewardship | Final decision authority, governance participation | By invitation after sustained Maintainer contribution |
77| [**Lead Maintainer**](#lead-maintainer) | Ultimate project authority (founders) | All Core Maintainer privileges, veto authority, appoints Core Maintainers | Reserved for project founders — succession only |
78| [**Community Moderator**](#community-moderators) | CoC enforcement and community health | Moderation rights on community platforms, incident handling | Parallel track — Member status + appointment |
7979
8080*Timelines listed are minimum contribution periods, not guarantees of advancement. They exist to protect the project from rapid privilege escalation and to ensure a high bar of demonstrated commitment. Actual advancement is discretionary and may take longer in practice; the only guarantee is that advancement will not happen on a shorter timescale than documented. Exceptions require explicit Core Maintainer approval with documented rationale.*
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2612613. **Decision**: Approving authority reviews and decides
2622624. **Onboarding**: New role-holder receives appropriate access and onboarding
263263
264| Advancement To | Approved By |
265| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
266| Member | 2 existing Members+ from different organizations, **or** 1 Core/Lead Maintainer |
267| Maintainer | 1 Maintainer or Core Maintainer sponsor + Core Maintainer approval |
268| Core Maintainer | Lead Maintainers |
269| Community Moderator | 1 Core Maintainer or Lead Maintainer |
264| Advancement To | Approved By |
265| - | - |
266| Member | 2 existing Members+ from different organizations, **or** 1 Core/Lead Maintainer |
267| Maintainer | 1 Maintainer or Core Maintainer sponsor + Core Maintainer approval |
268| Core Maintainer | Lead Maintainers |
269| Community Moderator | 1 Core Maintainer or Lead Maintainer |
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271271Self-nomination is encouraged, but nominees must still secure the required sponsorship. Sponsors confirm support in the nomination issue.
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286286
287287#### Escalation Matrix
288288
289| Issue Type | First Escalation | Second Escalation | Timeline |
290| ------------------------------------------ | ------------------- | ----------------- | ---------------- |
291| Technical disagreement in PR | Maintainer in scope | Core Maintainer | 5 business days |
292| Technical disagreement in WG | WG Lead | Core Maintainer | 5 business days |
293| Technical disagreement in IG | IG Facilitator | Core Maintainer | 5 business days |
294| Disagreement with WG Lead / IG Facilitator | Core Maintainer | Lead Maintainer | 7 business days |
295| Disagreement with Maintainer decision | Core Maintainer | Lead Maintainer | 7 business days |
296| Core Maintainer disagreement | Lead Maintainer | N/A | 10 business days |
297| Code of Conduct violation | Community Moderator | Core Maintainer | Immediate |
298| Security issue | Core Maintainer | Lead Maintainer | Immediate |
289| Issue Type | First Escalation | Second Escalation | Timeline |
290| - | - | - | - |
291| Technical disagreement in PR | Maintainer in scope | Core Maintainer | 5 business days |
292| Technical disagreement in WG | WG Lead | Core Maintainer | 5 business days |
293| Technical disagreement in IG | IG Facilitator | Core Maintainer | 5 business days |
294| Disagreement with WG Lead / IG Facilitator | Core Maintainer | Lead Maintainer | 7 business days |
295| Disagreement with Maintainer decision | Core Maintainer | Lead Maintainer | 7 business days |
296| Core Maintainer disagreement | Lead Maintainer | N/A | 10 business days |
297| Code of Conduct violation | Community Moderator | Core Maintainer | Immediate |
298| Security issue | Core Maintainer | Lead Maintainer | Immediate |
299299
300300**Escalation process:**
301301
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