This post outlines how Build DAO will activate and retain builders with funding to support open web projects and communities. Please share any feedback.
Summary
Following the approval of our proposal to NDC, we would like to share this request for $25k to fund the Build DAO community program in January.
Detailed Budget
→ NDC Funding Request — Build DAO (January 2024)
Objectives and Key Results
These strategic goals help us align toward success on a mission to widen ecosystem adoption and support public goods by rewarding open web contributors, improving the BOS developer experience, and ultimately, turning quality engagement into retention.
- Growth and Retention — 10% increase of active builders week over week, based on the number of Build DAO members who create or update at least one thing on mainnet
- Onboarding and Support — reduce builder acquisition costs by improving quality of resources and experience ($25k divided by how many builders interact with Build DAO)
- Sustainable Development — 10+ builders (who share weekly updates) on the roster of paid contributors, regularly using
bos-workspaceand related tools / apps
How To Measure Success
We are building common dashboards (made of reusable BOS components) for transparency. Recently, our team partnered with the NEAR Indonesia Guild to create this dashboard, which provides composable data visualizations of regional community engagement via Near Social.
Metrics will be used for both tracking project performance, and Build DAO success overall (based on the accumulated metrics from the supported initiatives). All metrics must be attributable to a relevant project / initiative through on-chain activity + off-chain reporting ensuring GDPR compliance and preserving privacy.
Build DAO has on-chain feedback channels to collect input from NEAR builders, and we support relevant projects via PotLock. Knowledge sharing is vital to understanding problems, answering important questions, and enhancing quality of experience. That’s why project leaders will share weekly updates in on-chain posts.
Rationale
Build DAO has demonstrated a low cost of onboarding new builders and projects that remain active on NEAR. We will continue to support builders joining the NEAR ecosystem, generating network effects by engaging other contributors in their communities.
Processes and Methods
Our governance model is quite simple: initial council members need 2 of 3 votes to approve any proposal. These representatives are held accountable by a community group, which includes ~50 recognized NEAR builders. Plus, there is an admin, who can efficiently approve new members.
Our team is growing the Build DAO community group (on-chain) by inviting known contributors. We use a variety of mechanisms to make decisions collectively.
- Groups → Badges for Skills (JavaScript, Rust, etc.) and Topics (DAO, NFT, AI, etc.)
- On-chain Attribution System → Attestations (stars, forks, dependencies, etc.)
- PotLock → Donations, Referrals, and Quadratic Funding
Gateway
Upcoming Events
- Abstraction Hacks (January 8 - 28)
- Builder house at ETHDenver (February 25 - March 4)
- Open Web Hackathon starting on pi day, March 14
About Build DAO
The shared purpose of this grassroots initiative is to help anyone build open-source infrastructure and open web applications. By creating applications and libraries of reusable components (templates + examples), our community brings value to the NEAR ecosystem and beyond.
Core Values:
- Empowering communities to build the open web stack (for builders, by builders)
- Respect for the blockchain ecosystem (fair, accountable, transparent, and reliable)
- Dedicated to ideas of decentralization (antifragile, scalable, collective decision making)
- Responsible operations (not a burden; help projects be more efficient and effective)
- Continuous improvement though iterations (plan ahead, measure impact, and adjust)
We are cultivating communities of builders who help other builders. Members of Build DAO can earn opportunities to get hired, and we will equip active contributors with necessary resources to guide promising collaborators to participate in our programs worldwide.
We fund projects that help our community connect with other builders (new audiences) who are unfamiliar with NEAR, along with anyone and everyone who wants to learn open web development.
Relevant Communities:
- Typescript + React app developers from “web2” via GitHub (bos-workspace)
- Lens app builders from various Ethereum / EVM communities (social modules)
- Open web contributors from Urbit and other non-blockchain ecosystems (Archetype)
- Civic innovation leaders and projects around the world (Liberty DAO)
- Data engineers and scientists (Hyperfiles)
Key Result: External groups are a consistent source of ideas, active builders, and projects.
Current Projects:
Each of these projects has its own clear goals with strategies to drive progress in terms of the Build DAO metrics defined above.
- everything.dev
- PotLock
- bos-workspace
- Hyperfiles
- Archetype
- DiscoverBOS
- Lens SDK
- NEARbuilders.org
- Assisterr
- Liberty DAO
- Data Citizens
- Build City
- Near Maps
Key Result: These projects enable stronger connections with relevant communities (above).
OVERALL IMPACT
- Strengthening the NEAR developer community via knowledge sharing
- Improving the quality of products developed using NEAR and the open web stack
- Activating contributors and retaining talented builders, projects, and teams
- Fostering a collaborative culture that aligns with NEAR’s core principles
- Empowering builders with real decision-making power in governance
The Cornerstone of Build DAO:
Everyone builds everything together.
Pillars of Responsibility
- Onboarding / Support → Learning Together (Helpful)
- Sustainable Development of Projects (Cooperative)
- Empowerment via Community Governance (Open)
Motto: “Builders helping builders.”
Together, we can build a better future, in which all people control their assets, data, and the power of governance. We appreciate your feedback, and we look forward to sharing updates in January.
Thanks for your consideration!
– build.sputnik-dao.near
Council Members:
- james.near
- efiz.near
- plugrel.near