An open proposal process is a method of soliciting ideas within a participatory decision making framework. The process invites broad participation, through both inviting proposals for a given process and inviting voting on proposals. For decisions where CfA resources are involved (both money and time), there is a transparent validation step. This validation step allows staff to review proposals and accept, modify, or reject proposals. Accepted proposals are then voted on. If a proposal is rejected, however, staff must provide a clear explanation of why the proposal is rejected and to do so in a timely and transparent manner.