[@moderators could this sub-thread be split off, it only tangentially has to do with serving tiles]
There are a couple of things to point out here:
- the OSMF is a membership organisation contrary for example to the roughly same body for Wikipedia and its board members are determined in democratic elections by its members, again contrary to WP.
- the OSMF Articles of Association can only be changed by a vote of the membership, again contrary to WP where the board can change the AoA as it sees fit.
- it is very easy to become an OSM member, in particular for active community members it doesn’t require paying a membership fee.
- every (as in every single one) OSM contributor, that is the largest part of the active community, has a contract with the OSMF that defines the rights and obligations of both parties, for example it defines the process to change the distribution licence.
All that said, the OSMF simply does the things you need a formally incorporated body for, no surprises there.
Simon