Co-Created Endorsed Delegate Charter v0.2.0: Discussion and Draft for Community Review
This post summarizes the key governance design questions that emerged from the review and feedback on the Interim Endorsed Delegate Charter (v0.1.0).
It also includes the core deliverables of a V0.2.0 draft and a feedback report (in a reply post).
Introduction: Rethinking the Endorsed Delegates
The changes needed to evolve the Endorsed Delegate Charter go far beyond simple edits. This post raises the key structural and cultural design questions we need to align on before finalizing a community-ratified charter.
The goal here isn’t to review the draft line by line, but to surface shared understanding around the governance design principles that define how authority, accountability, and participation should function in the House of Stake.
An updated draft charter is included only to illustrate assumptions and provide context, not as the main item for critique. The draft exists to help us discuss the big design choices that will guide the next version.
How to Participate in Co-Creation
- Review the Discussion Topics (shared in the post below) and share your reflections or alternative models.
- Focus on structure, legitimacy, and accountability, not wordsmithing. Your insights will guide the next constitutional iteration.
Deliverable
Endorsed Delegate Charter v0.2.0
NEAR House of Stake
Endorsed Delegate Charter
Version: 0.2.0
Status: Open Feedback Cycle
Article 1 — Purpose and Representation Model
1.1 The Endorsed Delegate Charter defines the mandate, duties, and accountability standards for individuals entrusted with delegated voting power within the House of Stake (HoS).
1.2 Endorsed Delegates act as stakeholder-based representatives of veNEAR holders and ecosystem constituencies—such as validators, node operators, developers, contributors, and users—each elected or endorsed by their own group through transparent processes.
1.3 The Charter ensures that delegation of governance power remains transparent, inclusive, and anchored in the principles of neutrality, collaboration, and accountability defined by the Constitution.
Article 2 — Authority and Checks and Balances
2.1 Mandate: Endorsed Delegates exercise governance authority on behalf of their stakeholder groups and the broader community through voting, discussion, and policy deliberation within the House of Stake.
2.2 Scope: Delegates may submit and amend proposals, participate in working groups, and facilitate feedback cycles between their constituents and the governance body.
2.3 Checks and Balances: Governance authority is distributed across three mutually accountable bodies:
- Head of Governance — ensures procedural integrity and constitutional compliance.
- Steward Council — provides oversight and performance review of delegates.
- Endorsed Delegates — represent stakeholder voice and exercise voting authority.
Each body may audit, challenge, or appeal decisions of the others through constitutional mechanisms, maintaining institutional balance without hierarchical control.
2.4 Alignment: Delegates must act in accordance with the NEAR House of Stake Constitution, Mission–Vision–Values, and Code of Conduct.
Article 3 — Membership and Eligibility
3.1 Eligibility: Any registered veNEAR holder is eligible to serve as an Endorsed Delegate if they demonstrate active engagement, reliability, and commitment to governance. Eligibility is based on activity and participation, not stake amount or tenure.
3.2 Application Process: Applicants must publish a public application including:
- Governance identity (real name optional);
- Ecosystem or DAO governance record;
- Conflict of interest disclosures;
- Statement of governance philosophy and stakeholder focus.
3.3 Stakeholder Endorsement: Stakeholder groups may elect or endorse delegates by their own transparent methods. The Steward Council records these endorsements for public reference.
3.4 Term and Renewal: Delegates serve fixed terms as defined by House of Stake governance rules and may seek renewal upon satisfactory performance review.
3.5 Removal and Appeal: Delegates may be removed for violations of the Code of Conduct, persistent inactivity, or misrepresentation. Removal is subject to due process and appeal through constitutional channels or re-application in a future cycle.
Article 4 — Responsibilities and Performance Standards
4.1 Participation: Delegates must participate in at least 80 percent of proposals and core governance votes.
4.2 Reporting and Responsiveness: Delegates must publish monthly reports outlining voting rationales and community feedback received. They must respond publicly to proposals or concerns raised by their stakeholder group within the forum.
4.3 Engagement and Workshops: Delegates are required to participate in scheduled governance workshops and stakeholder sessions to surface perspectives that are otherwise under-represented.
4.4 Community Growth and Outreach: Delegates are encouraged —but not required— to help expand veNEAR delegations through education and community outreach. Outstanding contributions to growth may be recognized through incentives approved by the Steward Council.
4.5 Conduct: Delegates must adhere to the House of Stake Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy. Violations may trigger review and disciplinary action.
Article 5 — Transparency and Compensation
5.1 Compensation Standards: Delegates may receive compensation for governance service based on approved standards set by the House of Stake. All standard rates are publicly disclosed.
5.2 Disclosure Threshold: Reimbursements and benefits must be disclosed when they exceed a defined public threshold, balancing transparency with reasonable privacy and administrative efficiency.
5.3 Public Record: All delegate votes, rationales, and attendance must be recorded in a public registry within seven days of each cycle’s close.
5.4 Accountability to Constituents: Stakeholder groups retain the right to publish performance reviews and call for replacement votes if their delegate fails to represent them effectively.
Article 6 — Oversight and Review
6.1 Oversight Body: The Steward Council conducts quarterly reviews of each delegate’s activity, participation, and community engagement.
6.2 Criteria: Reviews prioritize qualitative feedback and stakeholder input over rigid quantitative metrics. Low participation or lack of responsiveness may trigger corrective measures.
6.3 Corrective Actions: The Steward Council may issue warnings, recommend training, suspend benefits, or initiate removal procedures based on review outcomes.
6.4 Public Reporting: Aggregate results of quarterly reviews are published to promote transparency and shared learning.
Article 7 — Transition and Sunset Clause
7.1 This Charter formally replaces the previous Interim Endorsed Delegate Charter. All interim authority is terminated upon ratification of this document.
7.2 The Steward Council assumes full oversight responsibilities for delegate endorsement and review immediately upon ratification.
7.3 If the House of Stake fails to maintain an active Steward Council or delegation process by May 31, 2026, all endorsements and compensation shall automatically expire until a new community-ratified process is established.
Article 8 — Dispute Resolution and Amendment
8.1 All disputes arising under this Charter shall be resolved through the process defined in the House of Stake Constitution.
8.2 The Steward Council may mediate minor matters informally but must defer to constitutional procedure for binding decisions.
8.3 Amendments to this Charter require public consultation and ratification by the House of Stake voting process.
Acknowledgements
This Charter was co-created through community deliberation and feedback gathered during Cycle 1 of the Endorsed Delegate Charter forum discussion, reflecting the principles of stakeholder-driven representation, elected stewardship, and transparent accountability for the NEAR House of Stake.
1. Delegation and Representation Model
Discussion Question: Should the community continue with an “Endorsed Delegate” model — where only vetted individuals represent veNEAR holders — or transition toward fully open, permissionless delegation sooner?
Change magnitude: High
Impact on governance: Very High
Pros: Provides structure and trust during the early transition; ensures quality control and accountability.
Cons: Risks entrenching centralized gatekeeping if endorsement remains too long under committee control.
Hack Humanity Suggestion
The Endorsed Delegate model is valuable because it sets clear performance requirements tied to compensation which is something most DAOs struggle with. It avoids paying for minimal participation and instead is intended to reward proactive governance.
Consider evolving the model to include stakeholder-based representation, with seats for the Key Stakeholder Groups such as validators, node operators, protocol developers, etc., each elected by their own groups. That would strengthen legitimacy and ensure diverse perspectives.
2. Interim Authority of the Screening Committee
Discussion Question: How should the community design the transition from Screening Committee–controlled endorsement to a decentralized, community-managed endorsement process?
Change magnitude: High
Impact on governance: Very High
Pros: Enables safe governance bootstrapping during the interim phase.
Cons: Concentrates decision-making power in a small group until new mechanisms are established.
Hack Humanity Suggestion
Rather than removing the Screening Committee’s authority outright, the community could consider transitioning it into an elected Steward Council.
This evolution would maintain institutional knowledge while adding democratic legitimacy. It also aligns with the principle of continuity through accountability — ensuring the transition enhances trust without creating governance gaps.
3. Eligibility and Application Criteria
Discussion Question: Should there be minimum eligibility thresholds (e.g., veNEAR stake, governance experience, or activity level) for becoming an Endorsed Delegate?
Change magnitude: Medium
Impact on governance: High
Pros: Ensures only committed and capable participants represent others.
Cons: Could exclude new or smaller contributors who lack formal governance history.
Hack Humanity Suggestion
Eligibility to serve as an Endorsed Delegate might remain broad and inclusive, with minimal entry barriers. However, maintaining endorsement could depend on demonstrated participation and reliability as judged by the stakeholder group they represent, rather than stake size or prior tenure.
Over time, stakeholder groups may choose to define their own standards for representation, ensuring adaptability to the ecosystem’s diversity.
4. Delegate Accountability and Removal
Discussion Question: What performance standards should trigger review or removal — such as low participation, inactivity, or loss of delegations?
Change magnitude: Medium
Impact on governance: High
Pros: Maintains active, responsible representation.
Cons: May create unnecessary churn or discourage participation if criteria are too rigid.
Hack Humanity Suggestion
Performance standards could focus less on numeric participation (e.g., voting frequency) and more on evidence of stakeholder engagement — such as participation in workshops, feedback sessions, and proposal commentary.
Stakeholder groups should be encouraged to review and evaluate their delegates’ performance, reinforcing accountability through peer and constituent feedback rather than top-down oversight.
5. Participation and Reporting Standards
Discussion Question: Should Endorsed Delegates be required to publish monthly reports and respond publicly to community proposals or concerns?
Change magnitude: Medium
Impact on governance: Medium
Pros: Improves transparency and accountability to voters.
Cons: Adds administrative burden that may deter volunteer participation.
Hack Humanity Suggestion
Delegates might be asked to publish regular rationales explaining their votes and positions, ensuring the community can understand the reasoning behind decisions.
A light-touch monthly verification process by the Steward Council could help maintain consistency and reinforce transparency without adding undue administrative burden.
6. Delegate Responsibilities for Growing Participation
Discussion Question: Should Endorsed Delegates have an explicit responsibility to attract and grow veNEAR delegations through community engagement and education?
Change magnitude: Medium
Impact on governance: Medium
Pros: Encourages active outreach and ecosystem growth.
Cons: May advantage well-known delegates over newer contributors.
Hack Humanity Suggestion
While direct outreach and delegation growth need not be mandatory, it may be beneficial to reward proactive engagement.
Delegates who invest time in onboarding new voters or increasing community literacy could receive modest incentives or recognition, strengthening participation without overburdening all delegates.
7. Disclosure and Compensation Transparency
Discussion Question: Do we want to maintain mandatory public disclosure of all compensation or material benefits for delegates, even for minor reimbursements?
Change magnitude: Low
Impact on governance: Medium
Pros: Reinforces public trust and reduces conflicts of interest.
Cons: May discourage participation if privacy is overly constrained.
Hack Humanity Suggestion
To uphold transparency while respecting privacy, the community might retain full disclosure of standard pay rates and introduce reasonable thresholds for additional reimbursements (e.g., travel or events).
This hybrid approach preserves trust while avoiding unnecessary administrative exposure.
8. Transition Deadline and Sunset Clause
Discussion Question: Should the interim authority automatically expire on May 31, 2026, or should it be extended if the community-led process isn’t ready?
Change magnitude: Medium
Impact on governance: High
Pros: Enforces decentralization timeline and accountability.
Cons: Risk of governance gap if no successor process is ratified in time.
Hack Humanity Suggestion
To ensure accountability for decentralization milestones, the community could uphold the automatic sunset clause (May 31, 2026).
If a replacement process is not ready by then, the system should pause delegate compensation and endorsement functions — a clear signal that ongoing authority depends on demonstrated progress toward full decentralization.
9. Dispute Resolution Framework
Discussion Question: Should disputes about delegate decisions be handled through the existing Constitution process, or should a specialized mediation mechanism be introduced?
Change magnitude: Low
Impact on governance: Medium
Pros: Keeps consistency with broader governance system.
Cons: May be too rigid for nuanced or interpersonal delegate issues.
Hack Humanity Suggestion
The Constitution’s existing dispute mechanism could remain the default, while the community explores lightweight mediation options for interpersonal or performance-related disputes among delegates.
This would allow the system to remain fair and responsive without overcomplicating the governance structure.
Closing Reflection
These recommendations aim to balance accountability, transparency, and decentralization while ensuring that governance remains practical and fair.
As the House of Stake evolves, stakeholder-driven representation, elected stewardship, and clear standards for performance will be key to building legitimacy and trust across the ecosystem.
Next Steps
Community members are encouraged to comment directly on each key question and discussion point. We encourage you to raise alternative models that better meet both efficiency and legitimacy goals.
The goal of this discussion thread is not to finalize policy wording but to surface clear preferences to direct further drafting of the Endorsed Delegate Charter.
This moves the Endorsed Delegate Charter into Cycle 2 during iteration 9 (nov 4-18) which will be another Open Feedback cycle outputting a revised draft.