A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Contribution Agreement

Note: Want to skip the guide and go straight to the free templates? No problem - scroll to the bottom.
Also note: This is not legal advice.

Introduction

A contribution agreement is a must-have document for any collaboration between two or more organizations. It establishes the rights and obligations of all parties involved, ensuring that the collaboration is conducted in accordance with their expectations. Without a well-crafted contribution agreement, organizations are at risk of facing serious legal issues and financial losses due to a lack of clarity.

Fortunately, help is now at hand in the form of Genie AI’s open source legal template library – the world’s largest collection. Millions of datapoints have taught Genie’s AI what a market-standard contribution agreement looks like so that anyone can quickly draft and customize high quality documents without paying a lawyer. These agreements are tailored to each specific collaboration, providing guidance on how to conduct it and setting out deadlines for completion.

At Genie AI, we understand the importance of this essential document better than anyone else - which is why we are here to provide free templates that ensure all parties involved understand their rights and obligations in any given situation. With our step-by-step guide (read on below), you can begin building your own contribution agreement today without needing an account with us!

Definitions (feel free to skip)

Parties Involved - People or organizations involved in the collaboration.
Risks and Liabilities - Possible dangers and responsibilities associated with the collaboration.
Conditions and Requirements - The rules and guidelines that need to be followed in order for the collaboration to be successful.
Ownership, Control, and Management - Who has ownership of the collaboration and who is in charge of running it.
Tax and Legal Considerations - Any obligations the parties have to pay taxes, follow the law, and other legal requirements.
Applicable Laws and Regulations - The laws and regulations that the parties need to comply with.
Dispute Resolution and Arbitration - Ways of resolving any disputes between the parties.
Legal and Financial Advice - Expert advice from a lawyer or financial professional to ensure that the agreement is legally valid and enforceable.

Contents

• Defining the nature and scope of the collaboration
• Identifying the parties involved
• Exploring the potential risks and liabilities of the collaboration
• Discussing the conditions and requirements of the collaboration
• Drafting the agreement
• Outlining the specifics of ownership, control, and management
• Addressing any tax and legal considerations
• Identifying any applicable laws and regulations
• Discussing any potential dispute resolution and arbitration
• Finalizing the agreement
• Reviewing and revising the agreement
• Obtaining any necessary legal and financial advice
• Signing the agreement
• Distributing the agreement
• Sending a copy of the agreement to each party involved
• Collecting and storing the signed copies of the agreement
• Establishing an ongoing review process
• Scheduling regular reviews to ensure that the agreement is up-to-date
• Making adjustments as necessary to ensure the agreement remains valid and relevant

Get started

Defining the nature and scope of the collaboration

• Determine what type of collaboration is being proposed (e.g. joint venture, subcontracting, research, etc.)
• Discuss the purpose of the collaboration and the goals to be achieved
• Describe the scope of the collaboration, including any deliverables and timelines
• Identify any resources that each party will need to provide
• Establish how each party will benefit from the collaboration
• Establish how any intellectual property developed as part of the collaboration will be shared
• Determine any additional requirements for the collaboration (e.g. compliance with certain laws or regulations)

Once you have discussed and defined the nature and scope of the collaboration, you will be able to move on to the next step: Identifying the parties involved.

Identifying the parties involved

• Gather information about the parties involved in the collaboration
• Determine the roles and responsibilities of each party
• Clarify the legal identities of the parties
• Identify the contact information for each individual or organization
• Discuss any applicable restrictions or limitations for each party
• When all parties have been identified and their information is accurately documented, you can move on to the next step.

Exploring the potential risks and liabilities of the collaboration

• Research the type of collaboration and associated legal risks
• Consult with a lawyer or other legal professional to discuss potential risks and liabilities
• Create a document that outlines the potential risks and liabilities associated with the collaboration
• Identify any applicable laws, regulations, or industry standards that need to be followed
• Make sure that all parties involved in the collaboration are aware of the risks and liabilities
• When you have a comprehensive understanding of the risks and liabilities, you can check this step off your list and move on to discussing the conditions and requirements of the collaboration.

Discussing the conditions and requirements of the collaboration

• Schedule a meeting with the collaborator to discuss the goals and conditions of the collaboration
• Make sure to cover the scope of the project, the timeline and the expected deliverables
• Discuss the budget, any special considerations, and any other relevant details
• Outline the responsibilities of each party
• Agree on how to handle any potential conflicts or changes
• Once all of the conditions and requirements have been discussed and agreed upon, you can move on to the next step of drafting the agreement.

Drafting the agreement

• Research the legal implications of a contribution agreement
• Research any relevant laws and regulations that might affect the agreement
• Draft the agreement in a way that meets the needs of both parties
• Make sure the agreement includes all of the conditions and requirements discussed in the previous step
• Make sure the agreement outlines the specifics of ownership, control, and management
• Have a lawyer review the agreement before it is finalized
• Make any necessary changes to the agreement based on the lawyer’s review
• Once the agreement is finalized, have both parties sign it
• Once both parties have signed the agreement, it is officially in effect and you can move on to the next step.

Outlining the specifics of ownership, control, and management

• Outline who will own the contribution, and who will be able to manage and control it
• Detail the terms and conditions of ownership and control, including any restrictions or limitations
• Make sure to include the relevant parties’ consent to the agreement
• To complete this step, you will need all relevant parties to have consented to the ownership, control, and management as outlined in the agreement
• Once all relevant parties have consented, you can move on to the next step of addressing any tax and legal considerations

Addressing any tax and legal considerations

• Research any federal, state, and/or local laws or regulations that apply to the proposed contribution agreement
• Consult with a lawyer or tax advisor to determine any tax or legal implications of the agreement
• Incorporate any relevant tax or legal considerations into the agreement
• Confirm that all parties involved understand any tax or legal implications of the agreement
• Check off this step when all parties involved have agreed to the tax and legal considerations of the agreement.

Identifying any applicable laws and regulations

• Research local, state, and federal laws to determine what is applicable to the agreement
• Understand the applicable laws and regulations to identify any potential conflicts or issues that must be addressed in the agreement
• Consult with a legal expert or lawyer to ensure that all applicable laws and regulations are addressed in the agreement
• Update the agreement to reflect any applicable laws and regulations that must be included
• Review the agreement and ensure that it reflects all applicable laws and regulations
• Check off this step when all applicable laws and regulations have been successfully identified and addressed in the agreement.

Discussing any potential dispute resolution and arbitration

• Discuss with the other relevant parties which dispute resolution process should be used to address any disputes that may arise out of the contribution agreement.
• Consider the types of disputes that may arise and the available dispute resolution processes that may be used, such as arbitration, mediation, or litigation.
• Make sure that the dispute resolution process chosen is appropriate for the parties involved and their needs.
• Draft provisions in the agreement that lay out the process that will be used to resolve any disputes that may arise regarding the agreement.
• Obtain the other relevant parties’ agreement to the dispute resolution process.
• Once the dispute resolution process has been agreed upon by all relevant parties and the relevant provisions have been included in the agreement, you can move on to the next step of finalizing the agreement.

Finalizing the agreement

• Review the agreement with all parties to ensure that all items have been agreed upon
• Read through the agreement a second time to make sure that everything is correct
• Get the agreement signed by all parties involved
• Have each party keep a copy of the agreement for their records
• Once all parties have signed the agreement, it is considered legally binding
• You can check this off your list and move on to the next step once all parties have signed the agreement.

Reviewing and revising the agreement

• Read through the agreement carefully, paying special attention to the details of the agreement
• Make any necessary changes to ensure that the agreement accurately represents the intent of all parties involved
• Ensure that the language in the agreement is clear, concise, and easy to understand
• Have all parties involved in the agreement review and approve the document
• Once all parties have reviewed the agreement and it has been approved, you can move on to the next step.

Obtaining any necessary legal and financial advice

• Consult a lawyer or financial advisor to ensure your agreement meets all legal requirements
• Ask for advice on any financial implications of the agreement
• Make sure you understand all the terms and conditions written in the agreement
• Make sure you have a clear picture of all the risks associated with the agreement
• Once you have obtained the necessary advice and are confident in the agreement, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Signing the agreement

• Obtain the signatures of both parties on the agreement
• Make sure all parties understand the terms of the agreement and are in agreement with them
• Ensure that the agreement is dated and witnessed, if applicable
• Confirm that the agreement is legally binding
• Once the agreement has been signed, the process is complete and you can now move on to distributing the agreement.

Distributing the agreement

• Make a copy of the agreement for each party involved.
• Send the copies of the agreement to each party via email or regular mail.
• Ensure that all parties have received the agreement.
• Once all parties have received the agreement, this step is complete and you can move on to the next step.

Sending a copy of the agreement to each party involved

• Send a copy of the agreement to each party involved in the contribution agreement.
• Use email/mail/fax, or other methods as applicable.
• Make sure to include instructions on how to return the signed copy.
• Make a note of each person you sent the agreement to and the date it was sent.
• When all parties have received the agreement, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Collecting and storing the signed copies of the agreement

• Request signed copies of the contribution agreement from all parties involved
• Ensure all copies are signed by the appropriate parties
• Create a filing system to store the signed copies of the agreement
• Scan and save digital copies of the signed agreement
• Store the original hard copy of the signed agreement in a secure location
• Make sure the hard copy of the signed agreement is easily accessible
• When all copies are collected, store them in the designated filing system to complete this step
• Check off this step as complete when all signed copies are stored

Establishing an ongoing review process

• Create a timeline/schedule for when reviews of the contribution agreement should take place
• Decide who will be responsible for conducting the reviews
• Establish a system or procedure for how the agreement will be reviewed
• Make sure that the process is documented and that all stakeholders are aware of it
• Once these steps are completed, you can check off this step and move on to the next one.

Scheduling regular reviews to ensure that the agreement is up-to-date

• Set a timeline for the review process, such as once a year or every two years
• Develop a checklist to ensure that each review considers all relevant aspects of the agreement
• Make sure to include all parties involved in the agreement in the review process
• Set aside enough time to do a thorough review and make any necessary changes
• Make sure to provide enough notice prior to the review date so that all parties can adequately prepare
• Once the review is complete, document the changes that have been made and the date of the review
• Once the review process is complete, check it off your list and move on to the next step.

Making adjustments as necessary to ensure the agreement remains valid and relevant

• Review the agreement regularly to identify any changes that need to be made.
• Consult with the other parties to determine the best way to make any necessary changes.
• Update the agreement as needed to ensure that it is valid and up-to-date.
• Get the updated agreement signed off by all parties involved.
• Keep a record of the updated agreement.

When you have completed these steps, you can be confident that the agreement is valid and relevant.

FAQ:

Q: What are the main differences between a contribution agreement and other types of agreements?

Asked by Maria on 4th June 2022.
A: A contribution agreement is typically used to grant rights to an intellectual property (IP) such as software, technology or artistic work, and allows the contributor to retain ownership over the IP while also allowing the recipient to use, copy, modify or distribute it. This type of agreement is different to other types of agreements because it specifically deals with issues related to IP ownership, which other types of agreements may not cover. For example, a service agreement between a company and a freelancer will not address any issues related to IP ownership.

Example dispute

Lawsuit involving Contribution Agreement

• Plaintiff may raise a lawsuit which references a contribution agreement if they believe they were wronged by the agreement’s other party.
• The lawsuit can focus on any violations of the agreement’s terms and conditions, such as breach of contract, or failure to fulfill obligations as outlined in the agreement.
• To win the lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove that the other party was in breach of the agreement in some way.
• The plaintiff also must show that they have been harmed in some way because of the breach.
• If the plaintiff is successful, they may be entitled to financial compensation for any damages they incurred as a result of the breach.
• The amount of compensation will depend on the specific terms of the agreement, and may include the return of funds or payment of attorney’s fees.

Templates available (free to use)

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