DroidBuildersCharter

Charter
Category:	Governance
Creators:	Steele Smith
Contributors:	Board of Directors
Created:	August 2018
Updated:	June 2026
Notes:	Charter v2.0

About This Charter

This Charter is the identity and program constitution of DroidBuilders, Inc. (the "Organization" or "DroidBuilders"). It records who we are, what we stand for, and how our builder community is organized -- our mission, vision, and values; our independence and intellectual-property stance; our membership program; our global structure of Sectors, Regions, and Zones; and the custom titles that give our culture its character.

This Charter is subordinate to the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of DroidBuilders, Inc., and must not conflict with them. The Articles establish the Organization's legal existence; the Bylaws govern its corporate affairs -- the Board of Directors, officers, meetings, committees, and finances. Where this Charter touches on governance, it defers to the Bylaws. If any provision of this Charter conflicts with the Articles or the Bylaws, the Articles and Bylaws control.

Who We Are

DroidBuilders, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization. Our global community of volunteer builders constructs full-scale, working replica droids -- including R2-D2, BB-8, MSE mouse droids, and 80+ other types -- and brings them, along with the science and engineering behind them, to schools, children's hospitals, and community events.

We use the wonder of droids as a doorway into STEM. A child who meets a hand-built astromech is not just delighted -- they are seeing real engineering, electronics, and craftsmanship up close, and discovering that building things like this is something they could do.

We are not a business. We are not a studio. We are a volunteer community united by craft, curiosity, and a belief that science and technology should be for everyone.

Mission, Vision, and Values

Our Mission

To inspire the next generation in science, technology, engineering, and math through the art of building droids.

We bring full-scale, hand-built replica droids -- and the makers behind them -- to schools, children's hospitals, and community events, turning wonder into hands-on STEM learning. Every appearance is offered free to the communities we serve.

Our Vision

A world where every young person -- whatever their background -- sees themselves as a builder, a maker, and an engineer, and knows that science and technology belong to them.

Our Values

Value	What It Means
Discovery	We exist to spark curiosity and a love of learning. Every droid is an invitation into science, technology, and engineering -- and a reason to ask "how does that work?"
Community	We lead with connection. We are warm, inclusive, and welcoming to newcomers and veterans alike.
Craftsmanship	We take quality seriously. Our builds and our work reflect real engineering and attention to detail.
Joy	We show up to make people smile. Playfulness and wonder are features, not bugs.
Integrity	As a nonprofit, we are stewards of trust. We are honest, transparent, and mission-focused.

The mission, vision, and values above are the Organization's official identity statements. They are maintained in coordination with the Brand Style Guide and should be confirmed against the Board-approved and IRS-filed language.

Intellectual Property and Affiliation

DroidBuilders, Inc. is an independent, fan-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We build original, hand-made replicas inspired by droids from science fiction and popular culture, out of love for the craft and to advance our STEM education mission.

We are not affiliated with, authorized by, endorsed by, or sponsored by Lucasfilm Ltd., The Walt Disney Company, or any other rights holder. Our brand, our name, and our mission are entirely our own. Getting this right protects the Organization and respects the creators whose work inspires us.

Members and units of DroidBuilders shall:

• describe our work as "replica droids" or droids "inspired by" their source designs;
• lead with the DroidBuilders brand and mission;
• never use franchise logos, wordmarks, or trademarks in DroidBuilders materials, and never imply official authorization, licensing, or endorsement; and
• include the approved affiliation disclaimer wherever official affiliation could be assumed.

The approved disclaimer and the full intellectual-property rules are set out in the Brand Style Guide. When in doubt about an IP or affiliation question, route it to the Board before publishing.

Governance

DroidBuilders, Inc. is governed by its Board of Directors as set out in the Bylaws. The Board is the governing body of the Organization; it holds the Organization's fiduciary, legal, and financial authority, and it elects the Organization's officers -- the Prex (Board Chair/President), the ExO (Chief Executive), the Auditor General (Treasurer), and the Secretary.

This Charter does not establish or alter the Organization's governance. Board composition, officer roles, meetings, committees, and all other governance matters are defined exclusively in the Bylaws. The builder "members" described in this Charter are a program and recognition community; they are not statutory members of the corporation and do not, by virtue of membership, hold any right to vote for Directors or on corporate matters.

The Membership Program

Membership in DroidBuilders is a recognized status within our builder community. It is the heart of our culture -- a way of welcoming and recognizing the people who build droids and bring them out into the world in service of our mission. DroidBuilders is a community, not a bureaucracy: the standard for belonging is simple -- build, show up, and treat people well.

Nondiscrimination

DroidBuilders welcomes builders and volunteers of every background. Membership and participation are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Membership Tiers

• Associate Member -- a builder actively working toward their first full-scale droid, or a volunteer or supporter taking part in the community before completing a droid. Associate members are full participants in the life of the community.
• Full Member -- a builder with at least one full-scale droid that meets DRL standards and is entered in the Organization's droid registry.

The Droid Registry and the DRL Standard

Membership is earned through building. The Droid Reference Library (DRL) publishes the construction standards a droid is built to. When a builder completes a full-scale droid that meets those standards, the droid is entered in the Organization's droid registry and receives a registry number, and the builder becomes a Full Member.

The Droid Registry Committee maintains the registry and recognizes members, applying the standards published by the Droid Standards Committee. The process is meant to be welcoming and low-friction -- recognition follows the build.

Good Standing

Members are expected to maintain good standing by following this Charter, the Code of Conduct, and the Operations Safety Code, and by operating their droids safely at events. Good standing is a condition of representing DroidBuilders and of holding any leadership role.

Member Rights and Expectations

Members may:

• represent DroidBuilders at approved events and appearances;
• use the DroidBuilders name and the marks of their Sector, Region, or Zone, consistent with the Brand Style Guide;
• take part in the life of their local unit and stand for program-leadership roles; and
• participate in the builder community's activities and decisions as provided in this Charter and Board policy. (This does not include voting for the Board of Directors, which is governed by the Bylaws.)

Members are expected to:

• uphold the mission, values, and standards of DroidBuilders;
• follow the Code of Conduct and the Operations Safety Code;
• represent the Organization honestly and within its brand and IP standards; and
• support the communities we serve.

Admission, Standing, and Removal

The front door is local and welcoming: Sector, Region, and Zone leads welcome and support builders, and the Droid Registry Committee recognizes members as their builds are registered. The default is to welcome.

Membership may be suspended or revoked only for conduct that violates this Charter, the Code of Conduct, or the Operations Safety Code, and only through the reporting-and-review process set out in the Code of Conduct, which provides for fair handling and non-retaliation. This keeps "treat people well" as the real standard, with a defined and fair path for the rare case where someone does not.

Organizational Structure: Sectors, Regions, and Zones

DroidBuilders organizes its global community geographically so that local builders can serve the communities closest to them while remaining part of one Organization. The structure nests from largest to smallest:

• Sector -- the largest grouping; a collection of Regions covering a broad geographic area. A Sector represents DroidBuilders across its area and uses an approved Sector mark alongside -- never in place of -- the national DroidBuilders logo.
• Region -- a collection of Zones within a Sector.
• Zone -- the smallest and most local unit, as small as one to three builders in close proximity. Zones are where most direct community outreach actually happens.

All units operate under this Charter, the Bylaws, and Board policy. Units do not have independent legal existence; they are part of DroidBuilders, Inc. The Board recognizes and may reorganize units as the community grows.

Recognized Sectors (the Board maintains and updates this list):

• BlackSun Sector
• Los Angeles Sector
• MidAtlantic Sector
• NorthEast Sector
• San Diego Sector

Program Leadership and Custom Titles

DroidBuilders uses a set of custom titles that are part of our identity. Some are corporate offices defined in the Bylaws; others are program-leadership roles defined here.

The Organization runs on two complementary layers. The Board's standing committees provide governance and oversight and are made up of Directors; the VicePrex program leaders run the corresponding day-to-day operations. For example, the Droid Standards Committee sets build-standards policy, while the Production VicePrex runs the build program that applies it. Program-leadership roles are not corporate officers and do not carry the Board's fiduciary authority. Authority over the Organization's funds is reserved to the Auditor General and the Finance Committee -- no VicePrex role controls money.

Governance Titles (defined in the Bylaws)

Title	Role
Prex	Presiding Officer -- Board Chair and President
ExO	Executive Officer -- Chief Executive
Auditor General	Treasurer
Secretary	Recording and records officer
Direx Board	The Board of Directors -- the governing body

Program-Leadership Titles (defined in this Charter)

The VicePrex Council is the program-leadership team that supports operations across the Organization. It is led in coordination with the ExO and is made up of the Executive VicePrex program leaders and the leads of the Organization's units, as the Board provides by policy.

The Executive VicePrex portfolios and their responsibilities:

Portfolio	Responsibilities	Works With
Legal	Interprets this Charter and club rules, mediates member disputes, and advises on event/venue agreements and IP/affiliation questions. Corporate-legal matters are escalated to the Board.	Board
Media	Brand, social media, website, and press. Ensures all output follows the Brand Style Guide.	External Relations Committee
Resources	Volunteer onboarding, training, and member support; helps new builders get started and find their first project.	--
OMM (Office of Materials Management)	The Organization's IT systems (the registry platform, website, and accounts) and its physical and digital assets and inventory.	Droid Registry Committee
Charity (Outreach)	The outreach and mission-delivery program: relationships with schools, hospitals, and community partners, and tracking the impact we report.	Fund Development / External Relations Committees
Production	The build program: supports builders in meeting DRL standards and oversees the day-to-day operation of the droid registry.	Droid Standards & Droid Registry Committees
Scheduling	The events calendar and appearance logistics: matching builder and droid availability to event requests, and coordinating crews and handlers.	--
Sector Administration	Supports and coordinates Sector, Region, and Zone leads; helps form and sustain local units.	--

Relationship to Our Policies

This Charter sits alongside the Organization's policies, which carry the detailed rules in their areas:

• the Conflict of Interest Policy;
• the Code of Conduct;
• the Operations Safety Code; and
• the Brand Style Guide.

Where this Charter and a policy address the same subject, the policy governs the details. All members are expected to know and follow these policies.

Amendment of This Charter

This Charter may be amended by a majority vote of the Board of Directors at a regular meeting, provided the proposed text is circulated to the Board at least fifteen (15) days in advance. Because this Charter carries the membership program, changes that affect the membership community should be shared with the membership for input before adoption. No amendment may bring this Charter into conflict with the Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws.

Adoption and Review

This Charter will be reviewed at least annually by the Board of Directors and updated as the Organization grows. It takes effect on adoption by the Board.

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Adopted by the Board of Directors of DroidBuilders, Inc., a Georgia nonprofit corporation, on ________________, 2026.