diff --git a/.github/actions/signed-push/README.md b/.github/actions/signed-push/README.md
index c91783be6..8a7a9812a 100644
--- a/.github/actions/signed-push/README.md
+++ b/.github/actions/signed-push/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0 -->
+<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-SA-4.0 -->
 # `signed-push` — verified commits from CI/AI tooling
 
 Estate composite action that pushes a branch's local commits as GitHub **Verified**
diff --git a/Justfile b/Justfile
index 147529df4..f789bb4cb 100644
--- a/Justfile
+++ b/Justfile
@@ -233,17 +233,17 @@ help-me:
 
 # Print the current CRG grade (reads from READINESS.md '**Current Grade:** X' line)
 crg-grade:
-    @grade=$$(grep -oP '(?<=\*\*Current Grade:\*\* )[A-FX]' READINESS.md 2>/dev/null | head -1); \
-    [ -z "$$grade" ] && grade="X"; \
-    echo "$$grade"
+    @grade=$(grep -oP '(?<=\*\*Current Grade:\*\* )[A-FX]' READINESS.md 2>/dev/null | head -1); \
+    [ -z "$grade" ] && grade="X"; \
+    echo "$grade"
 
 # Generate a shields.io badge markdown for the current CRG grade
 # Looks for '**Current Grade:** X' in READINESS.md; falls back to X
 crg-badge:
-    @grade=$$(grep -oP '(?<=\*\*Current Grade:\*\* )[A-FX]' READINESS.md 2>/dev/null | head -1); \
-    [ -z "$$grade" ] && grade="X"; \
-    case "$$grade" in \
+    @grade=$(grep -oP '(?<=\*\*Current Grade:\*\* )[A-FX]' READINESS.md 2>/dev/null | head -1); \
+    [ -z "$grade" ] && grade="X"; \
+    case "$grade" in \
       A) color="brightgreen" ;; B) color="green" ;; C) color="yellow" ;; \
       D) color="orange" ;; E) color="red" ;; F) color="critical" ;; \
       *) color="lightgrey" ;; esac; \
-    echo "[![CRG $$grade](https://img.shields.io/badge/CRG-$$grade-$$color?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/hyperpolymath/standards/tree/main/component-readiness-grades)"
+    echo "[![CRG $grade](https://img.shields.io/badge/CRG-$grade-$color?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/hyperpolymath/standards/tree/main/component-readiness-grades)"
diff --git a/READINESS.md b/READINESS.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e4e791655
--- /dev/null
+++ b/READINESS.md
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-SA-4.0 -->
+# Readiness — standards
+
+**Current Grade:** C
+
+This is the repository's machine-readable CRG grade declaration, as
+[COMPONENT-READINESS-GRADES.adoc](component-readiness-grades/COMPONENT-READINESS-GRADES.adoc)
+asks for under "Machine-Readable Grade Declaration". `just crg-grade` and
+`just crg-badge` read the line above.
+
+- **Evidence:** [0-canon/CRG-SELF-ASSESSMENT.adoc](0-canon/CRG-SELF-ASSESSMENT.adoc),
+  assessed 2026-04-09. It also lists what is still missing for Grade B.
+- **Earlier assessment:** [component-readiness-grades/SELF-ASSESSMENT.adoc](component-readiness-grades/SELF-ASSESSMENT.adoc)
+  records Grade B, assessed 2026-04-04. The later assessment governs.
+- **Declared:** 2026-10-13, by owner ruling.
+
+When the grade changes, update the `**Current Grade:**` line and the evidence
+it points to in the same change.