Here's a patch for the first package, clojure-mode. Let me know if it looks good to you and I'll create more patches for the other packages.
> I'm interested in adding some of the packages I maintain to NonGNU ELPA
> (e.g. clojure-mode, inf-clojure, CIDER, Projectile, crux) and I'm curious
> what's the exact process there. I already read the README and it seems that
> all I have to do is change one file (elpa-packages) and see if the packages
> build correctly afterwards,
That's about right.
> but I'm not clear on the following:
> - Does someone need to approve the packages that I suggest?
> - Should I get commit access to the repo and do the necessary changes myself?
You can send me the patch to `elpa-packages`.
> - Where's that admin/README file that elpa-packages refers to?
It's in the `elpa-admin` branch of the `elpa.git` repository (it gets
added under `admin` when you do `make` after cloning nongnu.git):
Stefan
0001-elpa-packages-clojure-mode-Add-package.patch