adding contributing.md and iterating on readme.md

Author: btabaska

CONTRIBUTING.MD

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# Contributing to Nava Strata
+
+Thank you for your interest in contributing to Nava Strata! Strata is a gold-standard target architecture and suite of open source tools that gives government agencies everything they need to run a modern service. We welcome contributions from developers, designers, policy experts, and community members. This document outlines how members of the community should approach the contribution process.
+
+## Community
+
+We are committed to providing a welcoming environment for all contributors. All contributors are expected to follow our [Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).
+
+## Bugs and issues
+
+Bug reports are welcome, as they make Strata better for everyone who uses it. Create a GitHub issue using the bug template to make sure it contains the neccessary information for us to triage the issue. Prior to filing an issue, please search the existing issues to make sure it is not a duplicate.
+
+If the issue is related to security, please email us directly at [email protected]
+
+## Getting Started
+
+To contribute, create a pull request on GitHub with:
+
+- Clear title and description
+- Reference to related issues
+- Screenshots for UI changes
+- Test results and coverage
+
+## Code Review Process
+
+### Submitting for Review
+
+- Ensure all tests pass
+- Update documentation
+- Self-review your changes
+- Request review from appropriate team members
+
+### Review Criteria
+
+Reviewers will check for:
+
+- **Functionality**: Does the code work as intended?
+- **Security**: Are there any security vulnerabilities?
+- **Performance**: Will this impact system performance?
+- **Accessibility**: Does this maintain accessibility standards?
+- **Maintainability**: Is the code readable and maintainable?
+- **Testing**: Are there adequate tests?
+
+### Addressing Feedback
+
+- Respond promptly to review comments
+- Make requested changes or discuss alternatives
+- Update tests and documentation as needed
+- Re-request review after making changes
+
+Thank you for contributing to the Nava Strata!

README.md

@@ -75,3 +75,12 @@ project to use a newer version of this template:
     ```sh
     nava-platform app update . <APP_NAME>
     ```
+## License
+
+This project is licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
+
+## Community
+
+- [Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)
+- [Contributing Guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.MD)
+- [Security Policy](SECURITY.md)