[SEP 38] [OBRA] Governance Accessibility and Participation Enhancement at SafeDAO - StableLab

Please refer to the full proposal text on the SafeDAO forum. Some parts may have been removed to fit within the character limit on Snapshot.

Title:

[SEP 38] [OBRA] Governance Accessibility and Participation Enhancement at SafeDAO - StableLab

Authors:

@Nneoma_StableLab

Created:

2024-08-10

Abstract

Provide a brief summary of your initiative

We previously submitted our proposal in an earlier OBRA wave, and despite nearly unanimous community support, it did not reach quorum. Since then, we have engaged with key stakeholders, gathering feedback to refine our approach and devise a more robust engagement plan. This revised proposal addresses key areas for improvement and aims to further support governance operations and deepen community engagement. Our focus is on positively impacting key metrics such as voter turnout, abstention rates, and the number of individual voters

StableLab proposes a comprehensive strategy to boost governance participation within SafeDAO, focusing on regular governance updates and interactive community engagement initiatives.

Aligned strategy: Which pre-approved strategy is this initiative driving forward?

[Strategy 5] Increase governance participation.

Funding request: What resources are being requested from SafeDAO in USDC?

35,000 USDC.

We aim to engage with SafeDAO on a “Seasonal Fee” basis. The fee specified above will cover

the remainder of Season 3 (Sprint 3-4), and the entirety of Season 4 (Sprint 1-4).

If applicable, upfront funding: Indicate if upfront funding is needed. Refer to 'Payout’ under Get funding from SafeDAO for lump sum payment options

Not applicable.

Relation to budget: State the requested funding as a percentage of the total initiative budget (e.g. if you ask for 50k for Strategy 1: 25%)

The funding request represents 35% of the total initiative budget (Strategy 5 now has a total budget of $100k after the latest Budget Amendment).

Metrics and KPIs: Which metrics and KPIs will the initiative be measured against?

The proposed initiative will impact the following KPIs:

• Amount of individual voters: By making SafeDAO governance more accessible through frequent updates, summaries, and digests, we aim to increase the number of individual voters who feel empowered and informed enough to contribute to decision-making processes in the DAO.
• Growth in high-quality governance proposals: Increased community input and awareness will result in more high-quality governance proposals.
• Reduction in abstention rates: Demonstrating enhanced community commitment and understanding through decreased abstention rates in SafeDAO votes.

Initiative Description: What is the initiative about?

Our grant proposal aims to optimize SafeDAO's governance processes and deepen engagement within the DAO. Our objectives and approach include:

• Boosting Community Engagement and Trust:

  • Address information asymmetry and low stakeholder engagement by providing more frequent and detailed community updates on governance and ecosystem activities including proposal summaries, digests, community call notes, event reminders, etc.
  • Onboarding Support:

• Monthly Welcome Calls: Host regular onboarding sessions tailored for both new and existing community members. These calls will provide an overview of governance activities, key updates, and include interactive segments to generate proposal ideas, content creation, and open up new contribution pathways.

• Establish a proposal feedback pipeline to help community members formalize their ideas, ensuring they are cohesive, impactful, and fully compliant with formatting requirements and DAO objectives.

• Supporting SafeDAO Workstreams:

  • Commit to various ad-hoc tasks within SafeDAO workstreams, including proposal uploads to Snapshot, guiding OBRA applicants through the current and upcoming Governance cycles, forum moderation, and additional support as needed.

Current status: Does the offering (product/service) already exist or is the funding used to create it?

StableLab currently contributes to SafeDAO governance with regular community updates and engagement activities over Seasons 1 & 2 and has received great feedback from the community. You can find the Weekly Updates in our dedicated SafeDAO forum thread, along with the relevant supporting engagement in Safe Discord channels and StableLab’s Twitter and Newsletter. Moreover, you can find other community engagement activities conducted by StableLab, such as the “Delegate Roles and Responsibilities” Twitter Space.

Governance Metrics from SGP Wave 1 and OBRA 1 engagement

• Objective: Increase active participation of SAFE available for voting through updates, education, and community activations.
• Metric Tracked: Share of SAFE available for voting that is actively participating, showcased on Dune and Curia dashboards.
• Results:
  • Post-SEP 6 (SGP Wave 1) implementation, observed a 10% increase in the share of SAFE voting on SEPs, reaching up to 15% SAFE available for voting in active participation.
  • Increase in voting power per SEP, despite a decrease in unique voting addresses.
  • Indication of successful delegation awareness, suggesting more active participation through delegation.
  • Positive feedback from the community, especially from new entrants to the DAO, suggests that frequent updates and digests on governance activity help to ease the onboarding process of new participants.
  • Successful completion of all milestones outlined in our first OBRA engagement, as verified by CES and SEF.

Conclusion: Efforts have led to enhanced engagement and informed participation in SafeDAO governance, with a notable increase in voting activity, and positive feedback from the community.

Risks: What risks does the initiative entail?

Primary risks involve the potential for engagement fatigue or information overload in the community, which we plan to mitigate through targeted and concise communication.

Timeline and milestones: Provide a detailed timeline or roadmap, including key milestones

| Sprint/Deliverable | Hours Allocated | Cost (USDC) | Description | |---------------------|-----------------|-------------|-------------| | S3 Sprint 4 | 60 | $7,000 | Onboarding Support & Weekly and Monthly Digests: Updates and summaries for S3 Sprint 4, focusing on facilitating community input and feedback on proposals. | | S4 Sprint 1 | 60 | $7,000 | Onboarding Support & Weekly and Monthly Digests: Updates and summaries for S4 Sprint 1, with a focus on community input and feedback on OBRA proposals. | | S4 Sprint 2 | 60 | $7,000 | Onboarding Support & Weekly and Monthly Digests: Final season and sprint updates for S4 Sprint 2, including summaries and detailed governance insights. | | S4 Sprint 3 | 60 | $7,000 | Onboarding Support & Weekly and Monthly Digests: Final season and sprint updates for S4 Sprint 3, including summaries and detailed governance insights. | | S4 Sprint 4 | 60 | $7,000 | Onboarding Support & Weekly and Monthly Digests: Final season and sprint updates for S4 Sprint 4, including summaries and detailed governance insights. | | Total | 300 | $35,000 | Comprehensive engagement and governance support across all sprints, including Snapshot proposal uploads, proposal review calls, strategy meetings with Governance Workstream, and more. |

List of Deliverables

• Weekly Updates and Summaries: ~20
• Monthly digests: 5
• Live discussion: 5

Initiative lead: Who is the accountable initiative lead? (individual or organization)

Nneoma Kanu (StableLab) - An experienced SafeDAO Delegate with a background in decentralized governance, technical documentation, project management, and community stewardship.

Team: How many individuals in total will be working on this initiative and what role do they have? Please provide a brief background of the team members, highlighting their relevant experience and expertise

The initiative will be led by Nneoma Kanu, supported by a dedicated team proficient in DAO governance operations and community engagement.

Additional support/resources: Are there any resources (non-financial) requested from the Safe Ecosystem Foundation or the core contributors?

Regular syncs with the SafeDAO Governance Workstream for strategic alignment, scheduling, and prioritizing community needs.