The FSF began collecting copyrights on Free Software in 1985. In that first year ten individuals assigned their work to the FSF. An assignment is the means by which an author transfer their copyright interest to another. Over the years the number of assignments received by the FSF has grown dramatically. Currently, the FSF receives more than 50 such assignments each month, with many major corporations also providing their contributions.

To understand further why the FSF collects assignments please look here.

To learn how to assign copyright to the FSF please look here.

In addition, to the collection of assignments, the FSF ensures that its software is protected by the timely registration of its copyright with the US Copyright Office. This aids the FSF Compliance Lab in its enforcement work, by giving a firm base from which to claim remedies for a violation, and move violators quickly to compliance.

A new initiative the FSF has undertaken is called the Assembly Project. This Project is the culmination of our many years of experience in handling copyrights. With the expansion in the number of Free Software Projects, the Free Software community needs an effective inventory control system for its legal papers.

The Assembly Operation will create an automatic, and transparent process by which the individual contributor will be matched up with their contribution and the related legal documents. Once established this will provide reliable and valuable information in regards to ownership. The Assembly Project will further develop FSF's established procedures, creating a process that will be easily portable to other Free Software projects.