diff --git a/control-plane-operator/controllers/openshiftmanager/input_resource_dispatcher.go b/control-plane-operator/controllers/openshiftmanager/input_resource_dispatcher.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..907d4d71a897
--- /dev/null
+++ b/control-plane-operator/controllers/openshiftmanager/input_resource_dispatcher.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package openshiftmanager
+
+import (
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/event"
+)
+
+type inputResourceEventFilter func(obj client.Object) bool
+
+// inputResourceDispatcher is a simple dispatcher that applies GVK scoped filters
+// and forwards matching events.
+//
+// Each GVK has its own set of filters. Today these
+// may include name/namespace checks, and in the future label selectors.
+//
+// Longer term, this dispatcher is expected to track which input resources are
+// associated with which operator.
+type inputResourceDispatcher struct {
+	eventsCh chan event.GenericEvent
+	filters  map[schema.GroupVersionKind][]inputResourceEventFilter
+}
+
+func newInputResourceDispatcher(filters map[schema.GroupVersionKind][]inputResourceEventFilter) *inputResourceDispatcher {
+	return &inputResourceDispatcher{
+		eventsCh: make(chan event.GenericEvent),
+		filters:  filters,
+	}
+}
+
+func (d *inputResourceDispatcher) Handle(gvk schema.GroupVersionKind, cObj client.Object) {
+	// as of today, the initial list of resources
+	// always contains only "exact resources".
+	// Therefore, if there are no filters defined,
+	// we are not interested in that object.
+	//
+	// see: https://github.com/openshift/cluster-authentication-operator/blob/7f4a59434336c25a05c821fd0e9d94e6a30a8644/pkg/cmd/mom/input_resources_command.go#L18
+	for _, filter := range d.filters[gvk] {
+		if filter(cObj) {
+			d.eventsCh <- event.GenericEvent{Object: cObj}
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (d *inputResourceDispatcher) ResultChan() <-chan event.GenericEvent {
+	return d.eventsCh
+}
diff --git a/control-plane-operator/controllers/openshiftmanager/input_resource_dispatcher_test.go b/control-plane-operator/controllers/openshiftmanager/input_resource_dispatcher_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3836e8e86a23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/control-plane-operator/controllers/openshiftmanager/input_resource_dispatcher_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+package openshiftmanager
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/event"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestInputResourceDispatcherHandle(t *testing.T) {
+	wellKnownGVK := schema.GroupVersionKind{Group: "example.io", Version: "v1", Kind: "Widget"}
+	obj := &corev1.ConfigMap{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+			Name:      "widget-a",
+			Namespace: "default",
+		},
+	}
+
+	scenarios := []struct {
+		name           string
+		filters        map[schema.GroupVersionKind][]inputResourceEventFilter
+		inputGVK       schema.GroupVersionKind
+		inputObj       client.Object
+		expectedEvents []event.GenericEvent
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "dispatches matching filter",
+			filters: map[schema.GroupVersionKind][]inputResourceEventFilter{
+				wellKnownGVK: {
+					func(cObj client.Object) bool {
+						return cObj.GetName() == "widget-a"
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			inputGVK: wellKnownGVK,
+			inputObj: obj,
+			expectedEvents: []event.GenericEvent{
+				{Object: obj},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "does not dispatch when filters do not match",
+			filters: map[schema.GroupVersionKind][]inputResourceEventFilter{
+				wellKnownGVK: {
+					func(cObj client.Object) bool {
+						return cObj.GetName() == "widget-b"
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			inputGVK: wellKnownGVK,
+			inputObj: obj,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "does not dispatch when gvk has no filters",
+			filters:  map[schema.GroupVersionKind][]inputResourceEventFilter{},
+			inputGVK: wellKnownGVK,
+			inputObj: obj,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "dispatches when any filter matches",
+			filters: map[schema.GroupVersionKind][]inputResourceEventFilter{
+				wellKnownGVK: {
+					func(cObj client.Object) bool {
+						return cObj.GetName() == "widget-b"
+					},
+					func(cObj client.Object) bool {
+						return cObj.GetNamespace() == "default"
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			inputGVK: wellKnownGVK,
+			inputObj: obj,
+			expectedEvents: []event.GenericEvent{
+				{Object: obj},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, scenario := range scenarios {
+		t.Run(scenario.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			dispatcher := newInputResourceDispatcher(scenario.filters)
+			// dispatch in a goroutine for simplicity with an unbuffered channel
+			go dispatcher.Handle(scenario.inputGVK, scenario.inputObj)
+
+			events := readEvents(t, dispatcher.ResultChan(), len(scenario.expectedEvents))
+			require.Equal(t, scenario.expectedEvents, events)
+			ensureNoMoreEvents(t, dispatcher.ResultChan())
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func readEvents(t *testing.T, ch <-chan event.GenericEvent, expected int) []event.GenericEvent {
+	if expected == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	events := make([]event.GenericEvent, 0, expected)
+	for i := 0; i < expected; i++ {
+		select {
+		case evt := <-ch:
+			events = append(events, evt)
+		case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
+			require.Failf(t, "expected event not received", "received %d/%d events", len(events), expected)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return events
+}
+
+func ensureNoMoreEvents(t *testing.T, ch <-chan event.GenericEvent) {
+	select {
+	case ev := <-ch:
+		require.Failf(t, "unexpected event received", "got %+v", ev)
+	case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
+	}
+}