[NON-CONSTITUTIONAL] Arbitrum Onboarding V2: A Governance Bootcamp

On December 12, 2024, the Snapshot vote to launch the Arbitrum Governance Bootcamp successfully passed. 

One area of feedback questioned the level of interest in protocol matching. In response, we’re pleased to share that Areta, Event Horizon, Gains Network, Gitcoin, Tally, Plutus DAO, and Uniswap Foundation are eager to work with a Governance Fellow to support their governance needs and strengthen their alignment with the DAO. If your organization is interested in working with a Governance Fellow, please complete this survey. 

To ensure the program is impactful, we’ve taken a data-driven approach, gathering insights from 14 Arbitrum stakeholders — including protocols and service providers — on their needs, pain points, and priorities for working with a Governance Fellow. These findings have shaped curriculum refinements and additional program improvements to better serve the DAO. 

The rest of this update will highlight the changes that we have made between the Snapshot vote and the ongoing Tally vote. 

Note: We have created a Chatbot to assist you with reviewing the details of the proposal.

The full Snapshot proposal is included at the end.

Changes Made Since Snapshot

Team Updates

We’re thrilled to welcome Bhaumik Patel, founder of Atrium Academy, as an advisor to our team! Atrium Academy, a Uniswap Foundation grantee, builds immersive cohort-based experiences for advanced solidity developers, with a focus on V4 hooks. See this case study and this hooks directory to learn more about Atrium and its impact. 

With deep experience building and shipping educational programs, both at Atrium Academy and in previous roles, Bhaumik brings invaluable insights to the Onboarding Working Group. He has already been instrumental in enhancing our operations and refining the curriculum.

Meanwhile, Manu and Angela have transitioned to new roles elsewhere. 

Program Updates

1. Open call for workshop facilitators

• We will launch an open call for applications, inviting anyone in the DAO to apply to facilitate workshops aligned with their subject matter expertise.

2. Curriculum refinement based on survey responses. 

• The program has been tailored to have a greater focus on practical training and exercises that directly address the challenges and priorities of DAO delegates. 

3.  A smaller budget (see budget here). 

• The budget has decreased $21,657 since the Snapshot proposal.

Curriculum Refinement

We made the following changes to the curriculum based on survey responses to better align with delegate needs:

1. Governance Goals & Strategic Alignment

Delegates identified two primary goals with their governance participation:

• Advocating for initiatives that align with their entity’s objectives.
• Building relationships with delegates and ecosystem participants.

To support these goals, we have added a workshop on Strategic Governance that will cover the following topics:

• How different DAO stakeholders approach governance.
• Mapping entity goals to DAO objectives.
• Identifying governance proposals that align with strategic priorities.
• Structuring proposal narratives to align with broader DAO goals.

2. Governance Fellow Support & Key Responsibilities

Delegates highlighted the following areas where Governance Fellows can add the most value:

• Proposal Management & Tracking – Support in organizing, monitoring, and documenting proposals and initiatives.
• Participation in DAO-wide Calls & Summarization – Support in having a presence and sharing information.
• Grant & Funding Opportunities – Help in identifying and applying for relevant grants.

To address these needs, we have added the following workshops:

1. Governance Reports & Dashboards – Teaching participants how to synthesize, analyze, and present governance data effectively.
2. Governance Project Management – Covering best practices for tracking governance initiatives, including hands-on experience with project management tools and frameworks.

3. Enhancing Visibility & Influence in the DAO

Some respondents noted challenges in gaining visibility and influence within the DAO. To help address this, we have added the following workshop:

• DAO Relationship Management – A workshop designed to help participants build credibility, expand their network, and engage strategically with key DAO stakeholders. This session will cover:
  • Effective communication strategies
  • Relationship-building with key stakeholders
  • Navigating DAO dynamics
  • Leveraging governance communication platforms

Additionally, the Onboarding Working Group will offer Fellows 1:1 office hours during their Fellowship for personalized support.

Schedule

Week	Workshop Title
1	Arbitrum DAO Governance Basics
2	Strategic Governance
3	Governance Reports & Dashboards
4	Governance Project Management
5	Arbitrum Tech Deep Dive
6	DAO Relationship Management
7	Work on Exercises
8	Work on Exercises

Participants will have access to video tutorials and additional reference materials created by the Onboarding Working Group. All workshops will be recorded. 

Detailed workshop materials are available in the Appendix.

Exercises

At the conclusion of the six-week workshop series, participants will have two weeks to complete practical exercises, applying the knowledge they have gained.

The top 10 submissions will have the opportunity to be matched with an Arbitrum Protocol or Service Provider, where they will gain real-world governance experience as Governance Fellows.

Participants who are not selected for matching will be invited to join the next cohort on a fast-track basis, bypassing the application and interview process. This creates a positive feedback loop, ensuring multiple opportunities for individuals to engage with Arbitrum governance and contribute meaningfully over time. Each cohort will feature updated content and refined sessions to enhance the learning experience.

The next section provides sample exercises, which may be adjusted to better align with the evolving needs of the DAO.

Sample Exercises

These exercises provide Governance Trainees with hands-on experience in core governance activities—commenting on forum posts, analyzing proposals, and engaging in DAO-wide calls—while also increasing their visibility on social media and the Governance Forum.

The exercises are designed to address the governance needs of onboarded Service Providers and Protocols, incorporating insights from collected survey responses.

Graduation & Matching Criteria

To graduate and be eligible for matching with a Protocol, Governance Trainees must complete all five mandatory exercises. Bonus points will be awarded for completing optional exercises.

Mandatory Exercises

1. Draft and submit a proposal idea

• Based on the DAO’s vision, goals, and strategy, trainees will create a proposal idea and submit it for feedback in the Governance Forum.
• This group exercise (3-4 participants) fosters engagement with the governance process and alignment with DAO priorities.

2.Analyze a recent governance proposal

• Explain how different stakeholders (service providers, protocols, delegates) might vote on it.
• This helps trainees understand governance dynamics and stakeholder decision-making processes.

3.Engage in Governance Forum discussions

• Comment on at least three different proposals with thoughtful feedback or questions.
• Encourages active participation in governance discussions.

4.Attend an Open Discussion of Proposals call & share insights

• Join a live governance discussion and write a recap on X.
• Encourages active participation in governance discussions.

5.Identify and summarize a grant opportunity

• Research and summarize a grant program within the Arbitrum ecosystem.
• Delegates identified sourcing grant opportunities as a governance need, making this a valuable skill for Governance Fellows.

Bonus Exercises (Optional for Extra Points)

• **Write a blog po

... please visit link below to view full proposal

https://tally.xyz/gov/arbitrum/proposal/41764616447638715300612914863093416410063619332654034338488569044333128121381