NDC governance v1 - Sunsetting and Transition Period

NEAR Digital Collective
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Dear Trustees and Members of the Enforcer,

Thank you for your comprehensive communication regarding the decision to conclude the v1 NDC governance framework. Although the details of the ongoing transition remain somewhat unclear, I appreciate the transparency provided thus far. Recognizing the challenges and learning opportunities inherent in pioneering such efforts, it is understandable that encountering hurdles was an inevitable part of our journey.

As a global community rich in diversity, the NEAR ecosystem is naturally equipped to handle complexities in its initial governance attempts. This diversity, while a strength, can also present unique challenges in harmonizing different perspectives. However, I am concerned about the decision to completely discontinue the framework. It seems quite radical without a clear understanding of alternative pathways that will immediately address the gaps left behind.

I commend the dedication of those who have worked tirelessly up to this point and those who voiced concerns about the system’s shortcomings. Such openness is essential for growth and improvement. Reflecting on what has worked and what has not, It is crucial that we preserve the successful elements of this framework, such as the outstanding contributions by @NearGlobeDao in supporting grassroots community growth activities in their native languages. Additionally, the global onboarding of new developers—key drivers for mass adoption—. These are just a few examples of what has been working well.

Moving forward, I hope to see a governance model that not only learns from past lessons but also actively engages with different community segments. Overcoming language barriers and other obstacles to inclusion should be a priority. Regular, meaningful interactions between decision-makers and community members should be the cornerstone of our evolving governance model.

Thank you for considering this feedback. I look forward to more details on the transition and the future governance structures planned for our community.

In the hope that we all (and not just a few) have a voice in this new governance framework.

Best regards.

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Hello, I would like to echo the above comments. There is no need to close or create something new. What’s the point? Yes, there are many shortcomings, but they can all be solved. Instead of wasting time and creating a new organization for another experiment instead of developing an ecosystem, you can simply change and improve the shortcomings that the existing NDС currently has. In addition, NDС has made a great contribution to the development of the ecosystem and it shows. For example, thanks to NDС, we saw a revival and growth of activity in Near games,NFTs , the growth of regional communities, active support for projects on social networks, new projects, developers and much more. What guarantee is there that the new organization will be able to do something better?

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Thank you for the comprehensive update, Trustees and Enforcer! Your transparency and commitment to learning and improving the governance framework are commendable. While the v1 NDC governance framework may be discontinued, it’s clear that valuable lessons have been learned, which will undoubtedly shape future governance and decentralization efforts within the NEAR ecosystem.

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I completely understand your perspective.

These are thoughts shared by many within our community, and community leaders like myself hear them frequently. The political reasons you mentioned definitely create a barrier for those voices to reach higher levels. Thank you for raising these important points.

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Hello everyone, yes, NDC has its disadvantages. But they can be fixed. NDC has brought many great results to the ecosystem. Therefore, I believe that closing it or making a transition to an unknown direction or organization is a bad idea.

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Hello everyone!

The conversation around the NDC’s role in decentralizing ecosystem funding raises important points. As many of you highlighted, while NDC has its drawbacks, its contributions to grassroots initiatives cannot be overlooked.

From my experience working with NDC grants, the value of a decentralized approach in empowering local entities and enhancing community engagement is undeniable. However, the effectiveness of such decentralization should always be weighed against the administrative and operational overheads it entails.

Reflecting on Blaze’s insightful comment, it is crucial to ask whether a more centralized model could deliver better outcomes with the same resources. Yet, decentralization offers unique benefits that centralization might stifle, such as increased local engagement and innovation.

Finally, I believe that fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptation to changing circumstances will be key. Whether we tweak the current framework or transition to a new model, our primary focus should remain on supporting new builders and ensuring the sustained growth of our ecosystem.

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Hello, Everyone!

Since the existence of the NDC, we have always been in a situation of uncertainty, whether we will continue to support projects and develop the ecosystem, or whether the experiment will end before it has even begun.

It’s been 6 months since the first GDAOs joined the NDC and now the uncertainty is at its peak, we can’t promise anything to the projects, we can’t give guarantees about fundraising and support, we are at a standstill.

Each and every GDAO is a well established mechanism of work that started to form long before NDC V1, the formation of the charter, the roadmap, the work with the community, we have all been through it and it would be foolish to abandon it halfway.

So I propose that TRUST members consider GDAOs as separate, independent nodes and allow them to submit directly to TRUST to continue to support ongoing initiatives, provide stability and certainty to projects that come to develop the NEAR ecosystem!

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Competition is the engine of progress, not only developing existing ideas but also creating new ones!

The decentralised model of funding GDAOs as individual nodes directly through the Trust will allow us to move away from constant political warfare and focus on business and attracting more projects to NEAR.

Supporting decentralised nodes (GDAOs) can drive innovation and diversify the ecosystem. Each node operates independently, encouraging unique projects and increasing the resilience of the ecosystem.

And stopping funding could stagnate growth, limiting innovation and the engagement of new developers. Ongoing funding is essential to maintain momentum and support ongoing projects.

Keep the GDAOs alive!

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First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to the NDC Trust for their unwavering dedication and contribution to funding the NEAR ecosystem throughout the existence of NDC. I also want to extend a special thank you to the participants of the House of Merit for their diligence and significant work accomplished over the last six months.

Undoubtedly, NDC proved to be a useful experiment. Despite some shortcomings, thanks to NDC, more than 100 projects and 15 communities were sponsored, along with many other initiatives aimed at developing NEAR. This funding revitalized the ecosystem, providing support to projects in a variety of areas, from NFTs to the gaming industry. The invested funds were truly directed towards supporting community-developed projects.

Certainly, NDC was accompanied by difficulties, scandals, conflicts, and decision-making errors. However, in the end, the NEAR ecosystem received the necessary funding, starting with Marketing/Creative DAO and concluding with numerous other financial nodes.

After the closure of NDC, the question arises about the future financing of the ecosystem. Where will projects based on NEAR find funds for their development? For most, attracting venture capital will be difficult or even impossible at the early stage, and the NEAR Foundation will not be able to promptly review dozens or hundreds of applications monthly, with average amounts of $10,000 per project.

Based on my experience as the founder of Gaming DAO, I can assert that we receive over 15 applications for funding from gaming projects developed within the NEAR ecosystem each month. This highlights the enormous need for specialized support provided by nodes like Gaming DAO, Marketing DAO, Onboard DAO, etc., which conduct open and public funding.

Currently, ordinary developers and project founders have no opportunity to request support from the NEAR Foundation, as an open grant system is lacking, and following the closure of NDC, projects and developers will be left entirely without support, which could lead to adverse consequences for the NEAR ecosystem.

Therefore, preserving the key financial nodes funded by NDC and allowing them to continue working directly with the NDC Trust would be not only strategically justified but also a necessary step. This will ensure the continuation of support for new and existing projects, which largely depend on these resources for their development and success.

Best wishes
Haenko

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NDC was a great experiment, and I believe we all learned a lot from this experiment. This knowledge will influence the further development of our ecosystem. So the money wasn’t wasted. It was spent. Spent on making active community members feel that this is THEIR ECOSYSTEM. And they are responsible for its development. I think it worked.

Our GamingDAO attracted new founders, developers, and projects during this NDC period into the ecosystem. It shows us that even a small grant program like ours can do that. (Which I initially doubted, to be honest). But without funding it will not be possible anymore.

So I personally think that it’s crucial for the NEAR ecosystem to find a new way to fund such initiatives as GDAOs. If we want to continue to grow of course.

Thank you all guys for great work.

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Hi everyone,

tldr: Trustees should directly fund grassroots DAOs

As some of you know I have been active in the ecosystem for around 15 crypto years or 3 years fiat time now. :slight_smile:
I am a council member on the NEAR Gaming DAO, co-founder of NEAR Hub, Tamago and DragonVerse.

During that time there has been a range of different funding phases. Some more effective than others. but normally each did have its strengths. Some the scope was more focused, others more broadly reaching. The one thing that most have lacked is consistency. The path for the community to find support is constantly changing. Which can make planning very difficult for projects as support turns off and on.

The NDC from inception has been littered with drama fit for a telenovela. Enough to inspire the creation of the TG summary bot. That being said it has been a positive force on the community both projects and users.

Especially the last couple months now that everyone has gotten into the groove of the governance. Things have been much smoother. with or without the NDC the community needs grass roots funding.

The Trustees would still be in control of the final distribution of funds but I am assuming do not have the bandwidth to review every application submitted by the community.

To allow for smoother integration into more countries it would be great if NEAR can become as decentralized as possible.

The community needs support.
While funding is a big portion of what the grassroots DAO assist with they also help project to amplify their messages with marketing support as well as we are there for them for technical and BD support.

Focusing on the good of the last 6 months and setting aside the drama a lot of good has been done. NEAR has a sense of community again.

With the sunsetting of the NDC as an interim solution I would recommend allowing the grassroots DAOs to continue to operate directly through the Trustees.

This would allow for community projects to continue to grow and develop both their product and their communities, and as a direct result increase NEAR’s KPIs.

Spending would be at the discretion of the Trustee still to ensure funds are not being misappropriated. This would streamline the funding process (both time and costs required would be reduced from current system) while keeping moral up for the community.

If you made it to here, thank you for your time reading this.
Have an amazing day enjoy it all!

Jeff

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Overall NEAR needs to focus on projects and developers that deliver.

I first introduced Pumpopoly as a complete and working game on the testnet in January of 2022. The feeling was strange, as if I were unwelcome. At the same time many others were eating large grants for vaporware games. I was told by a representative of the NF on Discord that they were, “Busy with big projects”. Today most of those “big projects” rugged or were never released.

I launched in March of 2022 with no support, not even a Tweet from the NF.

It was an uphill battle just to be included in the now defunct community directory, “AwesomeNEAR”.

I’ve tried to engage on these issues elsewhere on this forum, but it hasn’t been a productive use of my time.

As a developer I don’t have time to follow all of the politics, palace intrigue or argue with the individuals benefiting from the same. It is both disturbing and distracting to see funds misused. That said, I’ll focus on the positive instead of pointing fingers at specific actors. Competent leadership should be able to correct this.

After two years of consistent in-game activity and better metrics than many of the gaming projects which had large grants, Pumpopoly finally received a relatively small grant from the GamingDAO.

The grant enabled Pumpopoly to offer larger giveaways. By working with the GamingDAO we have doubled Pumpopoly’s daily unique active wallets. Our biggest promotions are yet to come as we are working incrementally.

It would be disappointing to see the GamingDAO shut down just as Pumpopoly is getting a foot in the door. Their support has been helpful, not only for the grant, but for access to the NEAR community.

Please keep the GamingDAO alive.

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Hi everyone :wave:

I have been working in the NEAR ecosystem for quite some time. Currently, I am a council in AC DAO and a moderator at NEARCROWD. I fully support the idea of continuing trustee funding grassroots DAOs.

Thanks to the NDC, many projects have been funded, both directly and through requests to various grassroots DAOs. Honestly, I think the NDC was given too little time to prove itself. Based on the number of direct requests, we can see that the NDC was truly starting to show its potential in supporting projects. Yes, there were various problems and nuances, but it was a good support system for the community.

At present, I think the idea of supporting grassroots DAOs through Trustees is a good one. The community needs support in the form of funding to encourage growth and the creation of new projects, events, etc.

All expenses will go through the Trustees to ensure transparency and streamline processes.

Thank you and have a great day. :pray:

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Hello from NPunks and Near Kingdoms.

We entered the Near ecosystem back in 2021. Initially, we were actively engaged in creating an NFT collection, and since 2023, we have been developing a game.

We have never received any grants but have been eagerly awaiting them, hoping that for our contributions and the significant number of people we have brought into Near, we would be granted one.

We started the game development with our own funds, successfully created an MVP, and applied for a grant from Gaming DAO and M - and they finally provided us with financial support! Using it, we’ve managed to implement certain features, Near integrations, and other functionalities.

We are building a large-scale product (probably the most extensive game on Near). The support from Gaming DAO has been invaluable. Therefore, I hope this community stays and continues to fund great projects in the Near ecosystem for the future of all Near.

We have also received funding from the Marketing DAO and NFT DAO, for which we are unreservedly grateful, and we are implementing everything that the funds were committed to. Without these DAOs, the life of Near developers and projects would become more difficult.

We have been working for Near for three years now. I believe in the future of Near and in what Gaming DAO, Marketing DAO, NFT DAO is doing. I urge you to listen to our team and not to shut down DAOs but to continue providing them with financial support, they are doing great!

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Throughout my time in the ecosystem (4 years +) I’ve witnessed a lot of initiatives implemented and I must say the v1 NDC framework has been one of a kind despite the enormous setbacks that were experienced. Personally I feel reshaping the NDC is the way forward instead of starting a whole new framework. But since the decision has already been made, I would suggest nodes like Gaming Dao, Africa Dao, marketing Dao etc. keep getting funded so they can keep products and communities alive.

I started the Near Africa Gamers after noticing that they are a lot of amaizing games on Near with no active users.
The Gaming DAO has given most of these games the avenue to access grants and we have seen massive growth in these games and more builders building games on Near since the inception of the Dao. They are all likely to go quiet again if they don’t get supported by the gaming Dao. Please keep the Gaming Dao and other financial nodes alive.

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UniFat was born in January 2024. We launched the project under the name of Inscription LaunchPad and gained some recognition and success. Subsequently, as the popularity of inscriptions waned, we immediately pivoted to NFT games, a long-held dream for all the developers on our team.

During this period, UniFat had no financial investment. All development and marketing personnel worked without any income, driven purely by passion. Our market and development teams experienced a wave of turmoil, but fortunately, the core members stayed. We did struggle, seeking sponsorship from NearFoundation. Unfortunately, the response we received was that NF no longer issued any grants externally. However, they pointed us in a different direction - NearGamingDAO. With a try-it-and-see attitude, we submitted a grant request to NearGamingDAO. To our immense surprise, we received a response within just two days. At one point, I even wondered if it was a scam. Thankfully, it was indeed them - those who continue to contribute and strive for the Near Game ecosystem. We are truly grateful.

This grant has greatly boosted UniFat’s morale. We have completed many new features and are preparing to launch on May 20th. At that time, everyone will see a true on-chain game, uniquely styled as a dungeon.

I don’t understand why NearGamingDAO is being shut down. This is a team that genuinely gets things done. Is Near planning to abandon all new projects? Without NearGamingDAO, I don’t know if UniFat can continue to survive.

Please keep the NearGamingDAO alive.

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Dear Trustees and the Enforcer,

We are thrilled for this announcement and look forward to the next phase of development in terms of the governance framework. Like everything in its experimental phase, there are going to be problems, conflict of interests, lessons learned, and potential opportunities.
As a newer developer on NEAR, my team and I are blessed to have received support through NDC and the community. We felt NDC V1 did a great job in assisting new projects and contributed positively in making NEAR a dynamic, developer friendly ecosystem. It not only allowed the direct interaction between the community, the developers and the Foundation, but also allowed many projects like ours the opportunity to bring an idea to fruition. The governance framework is truly unique and we believe it embodied many attributes that we would like to see in a decentralized governance framework, but of course, there are many improvements that can be made, including many of the shortcomings mentioned in the announcement. But we remain optimistic in the transition and the next phase in constructing an improved governance system.

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CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF THE NDC?

Like the common biblical statement of something good coming out of Nazareth, the NDC stands the same.

The idea of Mental Maze was birthed from Aurora Africa back in May 2023. With the support gotten from the Aurora community grant then, I was able to hire Devs to start building.

As the case may be, Mental Maze went to a halt for months because we later could not pay a key developer in the team. Subsequently, man left as a ghost without pushing the smart contract code :smiling_face_with_tear:

This left me in shambles until the NDC was birthed and we had support through AC-DAO @marketingdao-councilrebuilt the entire V1 mainnet smart contract code within three weeks and launched live on Aurora.

Things got slow again due to the state of our product, given that we were yet to start generating enough revenue to be stable. In all this, there was still hope!

Our team for back to the drawing board and here we are with one of our best upgrades to launch Community Squad to aid people coming together in groups to battle other groups and the individual puzzle tournaments. Also, to deploy live on NEAR.

This present development could not have been possible without the support of GameDAO.

Mental Maze would have been dead without the NDC (truth be told).

My team and I have hope and we have added two more Devs to fasten our steps.

The entire ecosystem isn’t ready for what we are unfolding in five weeks :fire::fire:.

Mining, Gaming and battles combine together on Mental Maze

Thanks to the @HOM-TC-COA
Thanks to AC-DAO
Thanks to @marketingdao-council
Thanks to @garikbesson @haenko and Jeff of Gaming DAO for support

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Hello dears :sunflower:

Power struggles go back a long way.

As much as we are creating something new, it will be human beings fighting for power.

As @blaze said in the twitter post about cartels. Something very old.

We’re creating something new with centuries-old archetypes.

Good luck with the ecosystem.iam here to collaborate in next version

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