Announcing The Octant Community Fund Round 2

[whatt4]

Introduction

We are thrilled to announce the next round of the Octant Community Fund, continuing the program that successfully concluded its first round earlier this year. The upcoming round will introduce an open nomination process for anyone interested in joining the Grants Council, feature a significantly increased grant pool, and incorporate improvements based on feedback from the initial round.

Our objective is to build on the successes and lessons learned to create a more impactful and efficient process for everyone involved.

What is the purpose of this grants council and round?

The Grants Council is responsible for reviewing applications and making decisions on the distribution of funds. Its primary goal is to ensure that the grants are allocated to initiatives that align with Octant’s mission and contribute to the growth of the ecosystem. By joining the council, members will have the opportunity to play a key role in shaping the direction of Octant.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for individuals with active involvement in Web3 communities, technical understanding, & clear communication abilities. Bonus points if you have previous experience in working with grants, and/or project management skills. Additionally, candidates should have alignment with Octant’s mission, and innovative thinking to bring creative solutions to the Grants Council.

Grants Council Operations

• Open Nominations: We will hold an open process for up to 8 seats on the Grants Council. The Octant core team will oversee the nomination process.
• Participation: Applicants will submit their pitches and stories to the Octant governance board, after which the core team will select the 8 members.
• Compensation: ~ 1800 USD (paid in $GLM) per seat, to be disbursed in tranches as work is completed.
• Time Commitment: ~ 20-24 hours of work total

Member Responsibilities

If you are interested in joining the next Octant Grants Council, the information below outlines the basic requirements.

1. Proposal Management & Review
   • Reviewing Applications: Council members are responsible for reviewing all assigned project proposals, applying an evaluation rubric to ensure alignment with Octant’s goals.
   • Providing Feedback: After proposal reviews, council members must provide their working group (and possibly the council) with constructive feedback.
2. Time Commitment
   • Mandatory Calls: Members are required to attend calls to ensure alignment and collective decision-making. These will be respectful of everyones schedule, but each participant should be able to find a way to make the group calls work.
   • Proposal Review Period: Members are expected to dedicate weekly hours to reviewing proposals, ensuring that deadlines are met.
   • Estimated Time: The overall time commitment is estimated at 20-24 hours total, including calls and proposal review.
3. Task Distribution
   • Working Groups: Council members will be assigned to specialized working groups (e.g., marketing, GLM locking initiatives, public goods collaboration), ensuring even task distribution.
   • Collaborative Efforts: Members are expected to collaborate across groups to ensure a holistic review process.

How Can I Apply?

To apply for a seat on the Octant Grants Council, follow these steps:

1. Prepare Your Submission: Start by crafting a detailed proposal explaining why you’re the right fit for the council. Your submission should highlight your past contributions to public goods or decentralized projects, relevant experience within the Web3 ecosystem, and your vision for how Octant can grow and succeed. If you have experience reviewing grants or working with decentralized governance, make sure to emphasize that.
2. Submit to the Governance Board: Once your proposal is ready, submit your nomination to the Octant gov forum post below. When nominating yourself, highlight your background to demonstrate why you would be a valuable addition to the group. You should highlight things like your relevant experience, such as any work you’ve done evaluating grants or contributions in the Web3 ecosystem. If you’re an active community participant, mention specific ways you’ve contributed to other decentralized ecosystems. Lastly, share your unique perspective, describing what insights or skills you bring that could benefit the governance process.
3. Core Team Selection: The Octant core team will review all submissions and select up to 8 new members for the Grants Council. Selections will be based on merit, vision, and past contributions to ensure the council has diverse perspectives. Applicants will be notified individually once a decision has been reached.
4. Due Date: Submissions must be in no later than 4 October 2024.

What Happens If I Am Selected?

If selected to join the Octant Grants Council, you will be onboarded shortly after the announcement. The core team will provide a detailed overview of the grants process, including responsibilities, expectations, and timelines. You’ll receive guidance on how to review proposals, evaluate projects, and collaborate with other council members. Regular meetings and communication channels will be established to ensure you’re fully integrated into the council’s operations. Additionally, any necessary tools or documentation will be provided to help you get up to speed and contribute effectively from day one.

Closing Summary

We are really excited about the upcoming round and for community members to actively shape the future of the Octant ecosystem. By joining the Grants Council, you’ll play a key role in evaluating innovative projects and driving the distribution of funds to initiatives that will help us grow. With a clear application process, improved structure, and increased grant pool, this round offers even more potential to make a meaningful impact. We encourage everyone interested to apply and help us build a stronger, more engaged community.

[renehdz]

Wow! This is awesome. I need to prepare my proposal because I’m very interested in being part of this. Thank you for sharing this amazing opportunity.

[sirlupinwatson]

Hi all Frens, hope you are doing well!

I’ve seen this message in the Telegram regen group and I believe I might be a perfect fit for this role.

Over the last 5 years, I had the opportunity to make contributions with quite a few projects in the web3 space, but not limited to. I started in 2019 with Gitcoin and MakerDao, even if at this time I was still a noob, my interest has not changed since. To make it short, I was originally one of the initial member at GitcoinDAO during the transition and (not to mention any name in particular) someone gave me my chance to be a member of the Fraud Detection & Defense. It was one of my best experience, where I was able to deliver positive results and I have gain an incredible amount of experience.

I should have reviewed anywhere from 1000 grants and up, and contributed to various design mechanism around capital allocation, budget administration, project-social management and been active to many hackathons or events.

My “taste” as a grant reviewer, might be simply said, “sharpen”, where I like to see or envision projects who are different or that could potentially bring innovative solutions, while I also do not “judge” or diminish any user-grants, or pretend them (anyone) as “favorable”, I prefer to support neutral opinion, or I will be context selective, as needed or per selected “category” available.

Currently I’m involved with a few working groups, as I like to hang around and contribute, you can check out my DAO’s on-chain rep, my POAP and my GitcoinDAO gov profile.

Basically, I can help you guys with almost anything, from data science-analytics, to building up teams, administering-security advisory, best practices, HR, tools and softwares…

If you have any question, feel free to ask! Have a great evening!

[thedevanshmehta]

Great to see formalization of the council from the freewheeling structure that we started off with! I would suggest possibly increasing the pay to ~$100 per hour to be on par with gitcoin and other councils in the space, but given the public service mission of the role it’s not a deal breaker.

I would like to nominate myself for the second edition of the octant council. Here are some points for consideration

Direct Experience

• I am on the Gitcoin community council, responsible for giving matching funds to communities running their own QF round. I make sure to give personal feedback to applications.
• I am a tier A reviewer for Thrivecoin, where I have evaluated funding requests for Arbitrum and Polygon grant programs
• I served on the first octant council in the dev tooling category where I wrote individual reviews for applicants. I also did outreach to ensure we have a good pool of applicants: 2 of the projects I reached out to (Grow The Pie in EthPrague and Hats) were selected. Event Horizon also applied after I referred them and while they were not selected, it did provoke some interesting discussion.

Indirect Experience

• I have written proposals for Arbitrum DAO and served on some committees. Most notably, the STEP program that gave $30 million to purchase select RWAs from providers. Working in high stakes and high functioning committees equips me well for the role.
• I run a journalism impact certificate platform VoiceDeck, through which i know of the best techniques for quantifying outcomes and also builds empathy for projects that apply

I am an Octant evangelist from early on, inspired by the sustainability of the permissionless fundraising mechanism for impact creators. Being on the council will give ideas for Twitter, where I blog daily, by providing an overarching view on the ecosystem. I hope to continue being of service to Octant

[ibrahimabdulkarim]

Dear Octant Community,

I am writing to formally express my interest in serving as a Grant Council Member for the Octant Community Fund, Round 2. My passion for Web3 education, combined with my extensive experience in grant writing and participation across various ecosystems, makes me an ideal candidate for this role.

Background and Experience

I have been actively working on ArbiLearn, a project dedicated to educating individuals about the Web3 ecosystem, with a particular focus on the Arbitrum network. My journey in the Web3 space has been marked by continuous learning, sharing knowledge, and a strong commitment to community involvement. I have participated in numerous grants, especially in the realm of quadratic funding, and have developed a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in grant applications.

Participation in GG21

My involvement in GG21 allowed me to refine my skills in proposal writing and grant acquisition. While I have faced rejections and failures, each experience has strengthened my resolve and provided invaluable lessons. These experiences have equipped me with a unique perspective on what makes a proposal successful and the challenges applicants face, which I believe will be highly beneficial in reviewing and guiding grant applications as a council member.

Active Involvement in the Octant Community

I have been an active participant in Octant’s activities, including contributing to weekly Discord discussions and engaging with the community on various platforms. This involvement has given me a comprehensive understanding of the community’s needs, values, and goals. I am deeply committed to the success of the Octant ecosystem and believe that my active participation demonstrates my dedication to its growth.

Why I Am Applying

I am seeking this opportunity to work full-time with the Octant community because I believe in the transformative power of grants and funding in fostering innovation within the Web3 space. Serving as a Grant Council Member will allow me to contribute meaningfully to the development of projects that align with Octant’s mission and values.

What I Bring to the Table

• Proven Experience in Grant Writing: I have a track record of writing successful proposals and securing funding in various ecosystems. My experience has honed my ability to critically evaluate proposals, ensuring that only the most promising and impactful projects receive funding.

• Deep Understanding of Quadratic Funding: My experience with quadratic funding models, particularly through my participation in GG21, provides me with a unique insight into how this funding mechanism can be leveraged to support diverse and inclusive projects.

• Community Engagement: My active participation in the Octant community, coupled with my broader involvement in Web3, positions me as a well-rounded candidate who understands the community’s pulse and can effectively represent its interests.

• Dedication to Web3 Education: Through ArbiLearn, I have demonstrated a commitment to educating others about Web3. As a council member, I will continue to advocate for projects that prioritize knowledge sharing and community empowerment.

Conclusion

I am confident that my experience, dedication, and passion for the Web3 space make me a strong candidate for the Octant Grant Council Member position. I am eager to contribute to the success of the Octant Community Fund and help drive the selection of innovative and impactful projects.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to serve the Octant community in this capacity.

Sincerely,
Ibrahim Abdulkarim
ibrahimabdulkarim193@gmail.com

[Sov]

Hey

I am writing to express my interest in joining the Octant Community Fund Grants Council for Round 2. As an experienced grants professional and active participant in the grants ecosystem, I can bring valuable insights and expertise to help shape Octant’s future.

Background and Experience

• Current Role: Head of Grants at Gitcoin
• Responsibilities: Design, implement, and manage grant programs for Gitcoin and our partners

Additional Web3 Grants Experience

• Extensive research and writing on grant programs (published at sov.mirror.xyz)
• Creator of curated grant program lists (most recently Karma’s Onchain Grant Registry)
• Member, Optimism Grant Council
• Founder & Curator, Crypto Grant Wire
• Founder and program manager for Cartographers
• Grantee experience (Uniswap, Aave, Polygon)

Governance Experience

• Current delegate for ENS, Radicle, Optimism, Gitcoin
• Tally Profile: Tally | Sov

Motivation for Applying

I am committed to creating sustainable ecosystems that fund and support public goods. Octant’s mission aligns perfectly with this goal, and I believe my experience can help.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of grant program design and implementation
• Extensive network in the Web3 space
• Experience in evaluating proposals across various domains
• Strong commitment to transparency and accountability in funding allocation
• Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders

Vision for Octant Grants

• Supporting critical infrastructure development
• Community engagement and education initiatives
• Funding projects that enhance interoperability and composability
• Encouraging sustainable and impactful public goods

Approach

• Leverage best practices from extensive grants experience
• Adapt strategies to Octant’s unique needs and goals
• Implement robust processes for evaluating and supporting grantees
• Collaborate with the community to identify strategic priorities

Additional Information

• I have been deeply involved in the Web3 space since 2017, and I have a strong understanding of technical frameworks and infrastructure.

• I have experience managing technical teams working on infrastructure and application layers.

• I am committed to disclosing potential conflicts of interest and recusing myself from decisions where necessary.

• I acknowledge that I may be removed from this role via the Representative Removal proposal type if necessary. I also understand that KYC will be required to receive Council rewards.

• I understand and agree to call expectations, thoroughly reviewing proposals, and collaborating with other council members.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to Octant’s growth and success.

Best,
Sov

[lumina.envision]

Regm!

I’m thrilled to submit my application for a seat on the Octant Grants Council. Over the past year, I’ve been actively involved in regenerative crypto, co-founding projects like ReFi Phangan, GreenPill Phangan, EcoSynthesisX, and DeCleanup Network. My projects have participated in numerous grant rounds, and I’ve gained experience both in grant writing and evaluating grants during the EcoSynthesisX Spring Round on Gitcoin.

Beyond my work with ReFi DAO and the GreenPill Network, I’m actively engaged in the Regen token community, a new member of VeBetterDAO (an ecosystem of sustainable apps), and a GLM staker.

Why I’m the Right Fit:
For the past few years, I’ve been deeply immersed in public goods initiatives and decentralized projects, focusing on environmental sustainability and community building within Web3. My experience in DAOs and grant-funded projects has given me a strong understanding of proposal evaluation, governance collaboration, and ecosystem growth. Additionally, I’m SheFi Cohort 10 graduate and proud to have gather the knowledge shared by the community of SheFiers and Maggie Love. Key highlights of my experience include:

• Grant Evaluations: Reviewed applications for the EcoSynthesisX Spring Round on Gitcoin. Report card available here
• Project Management: Managed decentralized environmental projects, overseeing both strategic direction and day-to-day operations, including fundraising and team coordination.
• Community Engagement: Actively contributed to Web3 ecosystems through onboarding events, workshops, and partnerships aimed at expanding decentralized solutions.
• Innovative Problem-Solving: I’m always exploring creative approaches to enhance processes and introduce new ideas to improve outcomes.

I believe Octant’s commitment to supporting projects that drive technological and social impact aligns perfectly with my passion for environmental sustainability. I’m particularly drawn to its focus on decentralized innovation and supporting projects that bring meaningful change.

I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to the Octant Grants Council and am fully committed to helping Octant expand its ecosystem and drive impactful initiatives. I look forward to the possibility of being part of this important mission.

Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely,
luminaenvisions

[juicybitnina]

Gm frens!
I’m excited to submit my candidacy for the Octant Grants Council! Here’s why I believe I’d be a great fit:

Why Me?

Project Management & DAO Experience:

• Project Manager at The Panama DAO, overseeing governance, operations, events, funding and community growth.
• Experience in organizing events, tech education, and transparent funding for public goods.
• Familiar with decentralized coordination and making things run smoothly in a DAO.

Active in Web3 since 2019:

• Started in crypto by studying Bitcoin, then worked as Operations Manager at a boutique OTC exchange.
• Created a women’s crypto community and have been a speaker at local conferences.
• Proud participant in SheFi Cohort 10 and active in communities like Surge Women.
• Actively building and onboarding people into Web3, both globally and locally in Panama.

Grant Management & Governance:

• Hands-on experience with grant application rounds for public goods in both US and LATAM.
• Have navigated both sides: as a grant applicant and as a resource allocator for The Panama DAO.
• Participated in quadratic funding rounds such as Giveth’s Galactic Giving and ETH Latam QF rounds — I have deep understanding of evaluating impactful projects, funding them and all complexities involved in grant applications.

-Bringing Diversity & Inclusivity to the Table:

• As a panamanian woman in Web3, I represent an often underrepresented demographic.
• Passionate about bringing diverse perspectives and ensuring inclusivity in funding decisions.
• My background in community building adds a fresh, innovative lens to Octant’s mission.

My Vision for Octant:

• Clear, transparent grant criteria to ensure fairness and efficiency.
• Ongoing support for projects post-funding to help them sustain and grow.
• Encouraging innovative, community-driven solutions to strengthen public goods globally.

Why You Should Elect Me:

• I’m passionate about collaboration, inclusivity, and transparency — values that align with Web3 and Octant’s mission.
• My hands-on experience in DAOs, grant management, and public goods gives me the insight to help Octant succeed.
• I represent diversity and will bring fresh ideas to ensure funding decisions reflect the needs of global communities.

Thank you for considering my candidacy! I’m excited about the opportunity to help build a stronger Octant community.

Best,
Nina

[cr33pt0]

Hi everyone, I hope you’re doing well!

I’m excited to nominate myself for the Octant Council and believe I’m a strong candidate for the role. Here’s why:

Direct Experience

• I recently served as a grantor for POKT, where I led the ideation, planning, and execution of their first RetroPGF round, distributing over $400K. We developed a new voting system to address key challenges seen in earlier RPGF rounds, such as OP RPGF Round 3.
• Additionally, I supported POKT’s quick grants by interviewing applicants, ensuring proper procedures were followed, and verifying that grantees delivered meaningful impact.
• My team and I have also been grantees with POKT, Cardano, Ergo, and GitCoin. Having experience on both sides of the grant process has given me unique insight into the challenges faced by both grantors and grantees.

Indirect Experience

• As a technical director in the web3 space for the past 4 years, I’ve overseen numerous projects from ideation to completion. This experience allows me to assess whether grantees can deliver on their proposals and if a grant will create meaningful impact.

Personal Motivation

• My motivation for joining the Octant Council is to deepen my understanding of the grant process from a grantor’s perspective. My team and I are developing a new grant tooling system called FaceDancer to improve the grant experience. Becoming a council member will provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by various stakeholders, and help me connect with the community to better understand their needs.

Lastly, I must say, Octant is a pioneer in supporting public goods, and it would be an honor to contribute to this community and help push our industry forward.

Thank you for your consideration!

[Clinamenic]

Very happy to see this community fund round advancing! I’d like to submit an application to join the council, based on the following experience.

Operational Experience

1. I was on the council for the last Octant Community Round, participating in the application review process as well as offering some preliminary paralegal advice regarding the handling of funds from a grantor perspective.
2. As a steward of the OpenCivics Consortium, I have been a round operator for all three OpenCivics community rounds during GG19, GG20, and GG21, overseeing the disbursement of over $130,000 to grantees in the decentralized civics (DeCiv) space.

Writing and Thought Leadership

1. Over the last three years I have written various articles and essays on the topics of onchain organization design, including onchain grant-making programs, and how this technology can inform novel socio-economic paradigms: Progressive Public Goods Funding, Prospectus of the Reconciliation of Individual Liberty and Collective Welfare, What Are Onchain Organizations?
2. I’m currently working on a report (draft here), sponsored by LexDAO and SuperBenefitDAO, about potential ways to unify impact assessment methodology across onchain grant-making programs. This methodological development could involve adopting the Common Impact Data Standard ontology for assessing impact outcomes and communicating these assessments in systematically interoperable ways (e.g. as JSON-LDs published via EAS using an interface like KarmaGAP). This methodology would develop across the onchain impact economy, with feedback from stakeholders and beneficiaries across a variety of fields, but as far as Octant is concerned it could inform our approach to assessing impact from grantee projects this next round.

Even if I am not selected for this round, I would be happy to help in a more limited capacity, if any of the above experience is considered useful to the round operators. Also happy to share more information, if further consideration is needed. Here is my website, which includes additional information about past experience in the web3 space.

In any case, I know this new council is gonna have a solid lineup!

[stellaachenbach]

Dear Octant Community,

I am excited to put forth my candidacy for the Octant Grants Council. As a designer, founder of The ALANA Project (educational community around Web3 and interconnected topics), and Lead Steward at Unlock Protocol DAO, I am deeply committed to fostering innovation and equal opportunities in the Web3 space. Here are a few reasons why you should consider my application:

Dedication to Fair Evaluation

I am a young member of the Octant community, but right from the start, I took my responsibility as a voting member very seriously. When I participated in the first round this year, I demonstrated a strong commitment to a detailed and fair evaluation process for grant proposals. I took the initiative to create evaluation criteria and a scoring template, which I published for the community to adopt.
This fair method allowed for a diverse range of projects to be considered, with my votes distributed in an equitable manner.

Commitment to Public Goods

As the founder of The ALANA Project, a Web3 initiative that produces a significant amount of public goods, I understand the immense value these projects bring to the ecosystem. I believe in the power of public goods to drive innovation, foster community, and create a more inclusive Web3 space. The world thrives on public goods, and so do people. At The ALANA Project, we also produce paid products such as the ALANAmagazine, where we will continue to highlight public goods as part of our mission.

Relevant Experience

I grew up with a machine programmer as a dad. Before receiving my first Barbie doll I had to learn how to programm a flight simulator in DOS. While it might not be surprising that I haven’t found my passion in coding but design, these experiences taught me fundamental skills that are useful now. In a former life, I used to work in the finance department of a real estate developer company and gained much knowledge in areas such as finance, project planning, compliance and risk analysis.
Additionally, my experiences as a DAO and community member in very different communities over the past four years and my current position as Lead Steward at Unlock Protocol DAO have equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary to evaluate grant proposals effectively and make informed decisions. I am adept at assessing the merits of projects, identifying their potential impact, and ensuring a fair and transparent allocation of resources.

Vision for Octant Grants Council

If elected to the Octant Grants Council, I will bring my principles of fairness, equality, and commitment to public goods to the evaluation process. I will work tirelessly to ensure that grants are awarded to projects that align with Octant’s mission, have a strong potential for impact, and foster a diverse and inclusive Web3 community. At the same time I am dedicated to contributing to frameworks and processes that will make our jobs easier in the future and more efficient.

I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of the Octant ecosystem. To learn more about me please check my current link in bio (aiming to switch soon to nounspace) and my LinkedIn profile.
Thank you for considering my candidacy, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve on the Grants Council.

Sincerely,
Stella

PS: Thank you, @lanzdingz, for giving me a push

[paul_burg]

Lumina for POTUS! I mean for OctCoun!

since forum requests 20 more characters → ready to be strict council aka bad cop if you don’t have enough worthy candidates

[DavisBrains]

GM Octant Fam!

I’m excited and optimistic about submitting my application for a role in the Octant Grant Council.

Leveraging my experience in Web3, cryptocurrency, regenerative finance, and decentralized governance, I’ll support innovative public goods projects.

WHY I’M A GOOD FIT:

As an active contributor and key stakeholder in various decentralized projects, I know I’ll be a great addition to the Grant Council.

With 2+ years in the crypto space, I’ve built a strong foundation through research. In 2022, I developed a passion for public goods and regenerative finance, driving me to contribute actively.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO PUBLIC GOODS/DECENTRALIZED PROJECTS:

• Borderlessdev Hub (Public Goods Project):

I’ve contributed through engagement, content creation, suggestions, feedback, donations, and voting processes since 2023.

• Octant: Despite joining recently, I’ve been an active member, contributing to its vision and goals.

MOTIVATION:

Octant seeks individuals with Web3 community involvement, technical understanding, and clear communication.

I possess these qualities, despite limited grant experience. I’m eager to contribute, learn, and drive positive change.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCES /CONTRIBUTIONS IN WEB3 ECOSYSTEM:

• Governance voting processes: Participated in Octant Epoch rounds, Jupiter voting proposals, and more.

• "Participating in DAOs:* Active contributor in Step Finance (DeFi & DAO), Solana All-Stars, and Hunters DAO.

• Community management: Assistant Community Manager at Blockchain Club RSU, organizing 30+ IRL meetups and 60+ online sessions engaging 1000+ Students.

• Web3-focused content creation: Contributed to Step Finance, BNDR AI, CIFI, Octant, and more.

VISION FOR OCTANT GROWTH:

Octant will become the leading platform for funding public goods, focusing on:

1. Expanded ecosystem support.

2. Community driven initiatives.

3. Inclusive governance.

As a grant council member, I will:

1. Identity and support high impact projects.

2. Facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration.

3. Advocate for inclusive governance and community engagement.

4. Be transparent and accountable in all dealings.

5. Be swift in providing feedback and reviewing proposals.

INSIGHTS, SKILLS, AND BENEFITS:

As a seasoned blockchain enthusiast and active contributor to decentralized ecosystems, I bring a distinct perspective to Octant’s Grant Council.

Insights:

1. Interoperability: My experience with cross-chain projects has shown me the importance of seamless interactions between blockchain networks.

2. Community-driven growth: I’ve witnessed firsthand how inclusive, education-focused communities can drive adoption and innovation.

3. Decentralized governance: I’ve participated in DAOs and understand the challenges and opportunities in decentralized decision-making.

Skills:

1. Strategic thinking: I can analyze complex ecosystems and identify high-impact opportunities.

2. Community engagement: I excel at facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing.

3. Technical expertise: I possess a deep understanding of blockchain technology and its applications.

4. Effective work rate: I deliver promptly and I’m always active to execute pending tasks.

BENEFITS TO GOVERNANCE PROCESS:

1. Informed decision-making: My insights will ensure grant allocations align with Octant’s mission and Web3’s evolving landscape.

2. Community representation: I will amplify the voices of underrepresented groups, promoting inclusivity and diversity.

3. Collaborative approach: I will foster partnerships between grantees, Octant, and the broader Web3 ecosystem.

In conclusion,

I’m confident my passion for Web3, public goods, and regenerative finance, combined with my experience and skills, make me an ideal candidate for Octant’s Grant Council.

I’m committed to driving growth, inclusivity, and innovation, ensuring Octant becomes the leading platform for funding public goods. I look forward to contributing my expertise and collaborating with the Octant community."

Sincerely,

Davis Brains.

[LauNaMu]

Hi everyone

I’m excited to share my interest in joining the Grants Council for a second round and build upon the learnings we gathered from the first iteration. I’m happy to contribute with my experience to continue to improve the development of the program and with it, it’s funding allocation.

Current Role

• Founder of Metrics Garden Labs
• Responsibilities:

1. Generate tooling and data that enables standardized Impact Evaluation of projects seeking retroactive or proactive funding by leveraging Impact Garden.
2. Understand and research the design, implementation, challenges and opportunity areas programs have to develop standardized evaluations of applicants. Identify missing data points and create methods to collect this data for short and long term analysis.

Additional Web3 Grants Experience (Current and past)

• Steward, Celo PG. I provide advise and feedback on Celo’s Public Goods strategy, design of QF, Retro, and Superchain programs, and Contribution paths and evaluation of funding proposals for Regional DAOs.
• Lead, Optimism’s Citizens Feedback Commission. Provide feedback to the Optimism Foundation on the design of experiments, communications, and other items required for the RetroRounds.
• Part of the Review Committee and Badgeholder in Optimism’s RetroRounds 3, 4, and 5.
• Have researched grants programs across multiple Ecosystems and available tooling. E.g. State of Web3 Grants v.2
• Consultant to Gitcoin to advise partners in the selection, design, implementation, development, and evaluation of RetroRounds and novel Mechanisms.
• Prototyping of new tooling and proposals to improve evaluation of grantees.
• Creator of multiple evaluation systems for Optimism’s applicants to RetroRounds: Impact Evaluation Framework, Evaluation Frameworks for contributor paths,
• Team Lead for Ethereum Mexico PGF. Designed and ran the first privacy preserving community RetroRound leveraging collusion resistant onchain voting (MACI).
• Mentor at Funding the Commons Builder Residency
• Badgeholder for POKT’s RetroPGF round

Governance Experience

• Current delegate for Optimism

Motivation for Applying

Having worked in Grant allocation for International Development, I am interested in ensuring that programs in the web3 space implement best practices and reduce the inefficiencies in allocation by enhancing program design and evaluation. I believe Octant is vulnerable to extractive behaviours from players in the space and it is through the design and good execution of these programs that we’ll be able to ensure more and more value is added to the Ecosystem.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of mechanism, incentive design and implementation, particularly for governance and grant programs
• Extensive network in the Web3 Governance, Grants and Impact space
• Experience in developing and implementing evaluation frameworks for diverse technical and non-technical categories
• Extensive network of regional web3 community leaders
• Strong commitment to iterative development of allocation programs
• Skilled at creating and streamlining processes on the go to increase efficiency during grant reviews

Vision for Octant Grants

• Ensure minimal or zero overlap with Octant’s other grant programs so as to increase efficiency in funding allocation
• Deliver an improved grantee and reviewers experience
• Creation of institutional memory so as to build on past successes and failures for future programs
• Increase program awareness and participation in the Octant protocol
• Kick start the generation of onchain metrics for applicants and grantees

Approach

• Suggest processes to reduce the friction in capturing learnings from Council members at multiple stages
• Ensure alignment in categories to be funded is sufficiently distant to other existing Octant programs
• Implement effective feedback loops between the Council, the Octant team, and Grantees
• Collaborate with the team in the improvement of review materials and platforms

Additional Information

• I understand we commit to providing constructive feedback to our working groups and the Council.
• I understand and agree to call expectations, thoroughly reviewing proposals, and collaborating with other council members.
• I am able to commit between 20-24 hours total.

Looking forward to continue supporting Octant’s growth and this programs development process!

Thanks @Sov for the template! I hope that by setting this as a standard of how data is provided we’ll reduce the workload for the Octant team.

[PJaythecyborg]

GM Octant Fam!!!

It’s great to get an opportunity to get a seat on the grant council. I am writing this proposal to formally indicate my interest in this position as well as nominate myself for this opportunity, and I would do this by giving a brief and well-enunciated pitch of my experience.

For the past few years, I have been greatly interested and invested in the public goods and regenerative/sustainability sector of Web 3 and as such I have promptly volunteered my time to get the required knowledge, focusing on the impact and impact measurement of projects, and DAOs on real-world and real-time communities, and that is where I coined my motto “Using Web 3 to impact my community.”

Related Experiences

• I have been actively involved in both on-chain and “off-chain” projects by being part of various DAOs and communities. In the GreenPill Network, I am part of the writers guild and a very active member of the GreenPill Nigeria chapter where we are currently running a citizens retro round and I am part of the council members/badge holders.
• I have conceptualized and implemented projects and ideas for tech communities like Arbitrum Uniport and participated in various grants as an applicant and grantee.
• Outside of on-chain grants and communities, I am a team lead for Borderless unn where I have served in different capacities like grant writing and project collaborations being part of them.
• I am the non-technical co-founder of Asendix, a platform where we are trying to re-ignite the passion for learning and academics in students in Nigeria and then Africa through a gamification of the learning process using AI-generated quizzes of subjects of their choice. I am also the project manager and grant writer for our start-up.
• I am currently the Project manager for AIESEC in Enugu, a chapter of AIESEC in Nigeria, where I manage and oversee certain projects.

In all these experiences, there are common factors that have been consistent with them, and that is that they are first and foremost public goods, and some of them required me to become proficient in sales and marketing.

Why should I be Picked?

• I believe that to be on the council, there should be a combination of real-world experiences and individual principles coming together to make choices and rationales more human both of which I have.
• I have been at both ends of applications by applying for grants and giving grants or allocating funds, so I could spot projects with real-world impact regardless of their presentation and spot projects that just have beefed up presentations.
• I would primarily love to bring projects with critical infrastructure to the spotlight and support their development while vying for more sustainable and impactful projects.
• Giving feedback follow-up on projects and recusing myself from areas of potential conflict of interest are no reasons for a dispute to me and would be properly handled.

Conclusion

I would be beyond elated at the opportunity to give my quota to the octant community, as since my onboarding I have not only onboarded new community members, but I have also contributed in my way to the growth of the community, and played a key role such as this would be like a stepping stone to achieve more for the octant vision.

[ElishaSunday]

Really Spectacular.
I’m so passionate about public goods, Governance and driving the Web3 Eco-system.

This would absolutely be a Plus to my active contribution in the space.

Expect my Entry, tomorrow.

[Zeugh.eth]

Should all applicants be individuals or would it be okay for us to apply as Blockful.eth?

The truth is that Blockful’s collective intelligence will be leveraged to make better decisions than I individually could, and we are trying to move towards standardizing our participation in different organizations so we can be more efficient.

[james]

I think we’d be looking for individuals at this point, but we can discuss in the future what this would look like!

[DavisBrains]

Eight (8) board members makes it a collective intelligence already and even more better.

Don’t you think so?

[NatalieCrue]

I would love to participate in Octant’s upcoming Community Fund - Grants Council for the second time. I believe that my unique, robust background and experience working across and building grant schemes and projects in and outside of Web3 uniquely position me to be a great fit for the grant council.

Background and Experience

• Current Role: Founder, Web3 Uncut/CS
• Additional Roles: Social Impact Lead, PizzaDAO; Co-Founder, Corner Store Co-Op; Board Member, Californians for the Arts/California Arts Advocates; Advisor, ArtsectDAO
• Formerly of Blockbuster DAO
• Responsibilities: Develop social impact and communication strategies, marketing campaigns, and toolkits for partners and participants. Manage community initiatives. Advise communities and projects in GTM (Go-To-Market), governance, community strategy and fundraising.

Additional Web3 Experience

• Extensive research and policymaking background
• Head of Community, BlockbusterDAO
• Researcher, RADAR.XYZ
• Founder, Crowdfunding Platform
• Co-Founder/Event Producer, DisruptLA
• Grant review experience: National Public Housing Museum (NPHM) Artist as Instigator Residency, Arbitrum Mini Grant Series, CAC (Impact Projects & Creative Corps), Octant Community Round 1, etc
• Grantee experience: Chicago’s Wealth Building Grant, NEAR, etc

Governance Experience

• Current governance crew member @ PizzaDAO
• I also heavily participate across DAOs such as ApeCoinDAO and was a heavy (governance and community) participant in SeedClub, Forefront and a laundry list of DAOs and communities beginning in 2019/2020
• Steered SeedClubs only sub-dao, mClub and am currently co-leading the sunsetting of the DAO

Motivation for Applying

I am keen to support and push forward what I believe to be one of the most spirited and vibrant communities and projects in the public goods sphere. Participating in the last Community Round gave me additional insight into the projects being brought onchain and how we, as a sector, can best support them in doing so. I am committed to rolling up my sleeves and advocating for equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Lastly, I enjoy supporting emergent and established projects whether its marketing, community development or advising on governance structures.

Qualifications

• I’ve stewarded and reviewed over $130 million dollars in grants both in and outside of Web3 including Abitrum’s Mini Grant series, California Arts Council, etc
• I participated as grant council member in the last community round and projects that I am very active in have been prior grantees/participants
• I have onboarded over 100k people into crypto/Web3 via initiatives such as NFTs.Tips, a foundational education community; Metaverse Music Festival, NEAR’s Onboarding DAO, PizzaDAO and numerous grant/public good schemes
• I was a Social Producer for the Emmy-nominated Laugh Aid event which raised over $368,000 to help comedians impacted by COVID-19
• I have almost two decades of building emergent mutual aid and funding projects and currently support projects in Uganda, Brazil, etc
• I have also built transparency, transformative justice and accountability frameworks for several organizations including a few early philanthropic projects in Web3
• I’ve worked with people from over 85 countries. Last year, PizzaDAO spawned parties in over 80 countries. My knack for building across borders and fostering community across them is uncanny. I also generated social impact parties in South Korea where we fed over 300 grandparents, Uganda, Lesotho, etc.

Vision for Octant Grants

• Supporting educational initiatives and pushing webs of care and support for participants. In the last community round, participants seemed to find this useful and encouraging
• Spawning Community engagement initiatives that reach beyond the typical regen/grant communities ie weekly Twitter Spaces and targeted outreach
• Fostering projects that enhance interoperability and composability
• Encouraging grant frameworks that center equity and diversity. Reeling in projects from diverse communities is imperative
• Public Goods should center the human spirit and find balance between that and the technical approaches many public good protocols often push forth. Projects often get lost in the latter. We need to ensure that we can seamlessly onboard and translate how Octant works, how people can participate and hold space for projects to find their footing as these rounds begin.

Approach

• Utilize extensive background to reimagine how we can push forth emergent grant frameworks
• Assess past rounds and grantees and utilize collective intelligence to spawn better processes
• Support potential applicants and grantees in navigating Octant and provide ongoing support via telegram chats and additional communication channels.
• Ensure language and disability support is available for those who need access and/or have access needs

Additional Information

• I live here! I have been in crypto for well over a decade and built numerous communities and participate heavily across them including ApeCoinDAO and PizzaDAO — where I spend most of my time.
• This interview speaks to my WHY? And how I ended up in Web3 and building early NFT and public good projects.
• I understand the responsibilities of this role and look forward to serving.