Since its open source release in November of 2024, the Model Context Protocol project has grown faster than we could have ever imagined. That’s a wonderful problem to have, but with growth come growing pains. Our existing processes, which worked well for a small team, have started to show their limits.

Today, we’re taking a big step to ensure MCP can continue to grow and thrive. We’re introducing a formal governance model designed to bring clarity to the development process while preserving the collaborative, open source spirit that has made MCP successful.

Specification Enhancement Proposals (SEPs)

One of the first major changes we’re introducing is Specification Enhancement Proposals (SEPs). This will be the primary mechanism for anyone to propose changes to MCP. SEPs are inspired by other projects, like Python PEPs or Rust RFCs. We aim to make the process for suggesting changes to Model Context Protocol as straightforward as possible:

  1. Following the SEP guidelines, submit a proposal as a GitHub issue to start the conversation.
  2. Our maintainers and core maintainers regularly review proposals and tag SEPs for review and sponsorship. You can also reach out and collaborate with contributing folks on Discord or GitHub. Refer to MAINTAINERS.md for a list of currently active maintainers and their focus areas.
  3. Work with the sponsor and the MCP community to move your proposal through draft, review, and implementation stages.

SEPs provide a clear, documented path for evolving the protocol, ensuring that every major change is well-vetted by the community.

Leadership Roles

The new model also establishes three types of leadership roles, ensuring both focused ownership and broad community representation:

  • Maintainers manage specific components like SDKs, our documentation, and individual repositories.
  • Core Maintainers guide the overall direction of the project and the evolution of the MCP specification.
  • Lead Maintainers serve as the final decision-makers and ensure the project’s long-term health.

All maintainers form the MCP steering group. To ensure a structured and timely review of incoming proposals, our core and lead maintainers will meet bi-weekly to review submitted SEPs. Meeting notes and decisions will always be public. For example the notes from the core maintainer meeting on July 23rd, 2025.

Get Involved

We need your help to build the future of MCP, and everyone is welcome here. Whether you’re a seasoned open source veteran or just curious about how to get started, there’s a place for you in our community.

Many of our maintainers began with a single small contribution—sometimes just fixing a typo or asking a thoughtful question. Every journey starts somewhere, and we’re excited to help you take your first step.

  • New Contributors: Unsure where to begin? Start by helping with documentation, fixing bugs, or building out examples. Every contribution matters, and we’re here to support you. Check out issues tagged with good first issue - they’re perfect for getting started, and you’ll find friendly faces ready to help.
  • SDK Developers: Have a favorite programming language? As MCP grows, we need your expertise to build and maintain the protocol SDKs. Your work could empower entire new communities to use MCP.
  • Documentation Writers: Clear, comprehensive documentation is what turns a good project into a great one. If you love explaining things or making guides, your contributions will help others succeed.
  • Future Maintainers: We believe in growing our team from within. The path to becoming a maintainer starts with consistent, quality contributions and a commitment to the project’s success. Imagine yourself guiding new contributors and shaping the future of MCP.

No matter your background or experience, you belong here. Join our Discord to connect with other contributors, ask questions, and find mentorship. Whether you’re fixing a typo or proposing a major change to the protocol, your voice is valued and your efforts make a difference.

For all the details, please see our full governance documentation.

Thank You

None of this would be possible without the incredible community that has rallied around MCP. From the early adopters who believed in the vision, to the developers building MCP clients and servers, to the maintainers dedicating their time and expertise. Every contribution has been essential to making the Model Context Protocol the success it is today.

You’ve helped us identify issues, improve documentation, build SDKs, create compelling examples, and push the boundaries of what’s possible with platform integration. Your feedback, bug reports, feature requests, and code contributions have shaped MCP into something far better than we could have built alone.

As we embark on this next chapter with formal governance, we’re more committed than ever to fostering the open, inclusive community that has made MCP thrive. Thank you for being part of this journey - we can’t wait to see what we’ll build together next.