EasyRetroPGF.xyz Training Program + Pilot Cohort 1

Authors : @owocki + @sejalrekhan

TLDR

  1. Last week, we launched EasyRetroPGF.xyz
  2. We have a bunch of inbound interest to use this tool.
  3. We will be running a training program to instruct program managers on how to run a RetroPGF round.
  4. After the training program, there will be a Pilot Cohort running EasyRetroPGF.xyz rounds.
  5. Sign up here:

Summary

Education is a cornerstone in the successful implementation of any new endeavor. Its significance in fostering widespread adoption is undeniable. Reflecting on the success of Gitcoin in facilitating Quadratic Funding rounds for Ethereum, it’s evident that extending these benefits to other DAOs and communities was the next logical step.

In a similar vein, the Optimism Collective has pioneered the RPGF experiment. The time is ripe to extend this to other DAOs and communities, allowing them to witness and harness the magic of RPGF funding within their own ecosystems, using EasyRetroPGF.xyz

However, for any DAO to use this, it involves more than just learning from successes and challenges. It’s crucial to assimilate the best practices, guidelines, and detailed methodologies that underpin such initiatives. This is precisely why we are introducing our Optimism style RPGF training program. Targeted primarily at grant managers and those keen on mastering the art of conducting RPGF rounds using EasyRetroPGF.xyz , this program aims to impart the necessary knowledge and skills. Below, you will find the comprehensive curriculum we have developed for this purpose.

Timing (Tentative)

  1. Training Program Applications open now
  2. EOM Jan - Training Program Applicant Review & Acceptance
  3. mid Feb - start training cohort
  4. end March - end training cohort
  5. beginning April - start cohort 1 round
  6. end April - end cohort 1 round
  7. Summer/Fall - cohort 2 announced

Curriculum Overview

Week 1 | Module 1 :Wtf is Retropgf?

Week 2 | Module 2 :Scoping your retroactive funding round

Week 3 | Module 3: Badgeholders: Understanding the Guardians

Week 4 | Module 4: Application Process and Impact Evaluation Strategies

Week 5 | Module 5: Nomination and Voting

Week 6 | Module 6. Communications Strategy + KYC and payouts

Week 7 | Module 7: Mastering EasyRetroPGF.xyz Tool

Detailed Curriculum

Module 1: Wtf is RetroPGF?

Instructor : TBD

  • Origins and Development of RetroPGF
    • Understanding the concept and evolution
    • Maximizing long-term value in various ecosystems (How RPGF maximizes the long term value of OP Collective? Including its impact on the token ($OP)
  • Timeline and Process Overview + Best Practices
    • Detailed timeline and phases of a round
    • Scope and categories for each round

Module 2: Scoping your Retroactive Funding Round

Instructor : TBD

  • Articulating Goals and Objectives
    • Understanding how to set goals for your rpgf round
    • What kind of behavior you want to drive?
    • Case Study : Goals in Optimism’s past rounds
  • Timeline and Process Overview + Best Practices
    • Detailed timeline and phases of a round
    • Scope and categories for each round
    • Analysis of Optimism’s approach to scoping

Module 3: Badgeholders: Understanding the Guardians

Instructor : TBD

  • Understanding Badgeholders
    • Roles, responsibilities, and selection criteria based on scope
    • Setting standards for behavior and accountability
  • Project Discovery and Collaborative Evaluation
    • Badgeholders Hub
    • Leveraging expertise and collaborative tools (like Lists)

Content will cover :

  • Who are badgeholders and what do they do?
  • Badgeholders selection for your ecosystem and how to set Minimum Expected Behavior and Accountability Standards.
  • Project Discovery and Analysis : Badgeholders Hub for each ecosystem - Collaborative evaluation and leveraging badgeholder expertise. How can each community/ecosystem have this?
  • What are Lists? How do they enable collaborations etc

Module 4: Application Process and Impact Evaluation Strategies

Instructor : TBD

  • Project Sign-Up and Application Insights
    • Guiding projects through the application process
    • Crafting effective application questions
  • Data Gathering and Impact Reporting
    • Strategies for quantitative and qualitative data collection
    • Self-reporting and attestations

Content will cover:

  • Sign-up process, applying experience and applications questions for projects to demonstrate impact
  • Methods to gather quantitative and qualitative data
  • OSO way
  • Self Reporting
  • Attestations

Module 5: Nomination and Voting

Instructor: TBD

  • Self vs Badgeholder Nominations
    • Best practices and scenarios for both methods
  • Evaluating and Voting on Projects
    • Fair and effective evaluation techniques
    • Voting procedures and best practices

Content will cover

  • Self Nomination (What, why and how + best practices + when it is ideal)
  • Nomination by Badgeholders (What, why and how + best practices + when it is ideal)
  • How to evaluate and how to vote

Module 6: Ops and Communication Strategy + KYC and payouts

  • Effective communication before, during, and after the round
  • Organizing workshops, AMAs, and other sessions
  • Current process
  • Best practices

Content will cover

  • Before the Round (Between applicants and badgeholders)
  • During the Round (between badgeholders)
  • After the Round
  • Hands-on sessions with RetroPGF Sign-up, Discovery & Voting, List Creation UI
  • Badgeholder discussions cadence etc

Module 7: Mastering EasyRetropgf tool

Instructor : TBD

  • Setup

  • Configuration of how much votes each voter receives

  • Configure how much votes each project can receive

  • Adding Projects

  • Creating Badgeholders

  • Voting

  • Results

Educational Material to be created as a result of this training program :

  1. Guide to Best Practices and Runbooks like this
  2. Structured Training Course like this
  3. Case studies

Conclusion

Space is limited! We will accept only 6 DAOs for the pilot rounds.

Apply today:

  1. If you would like to be in the training cohort , please fill out this application form.
  2. If you would like to run an EasyRetroPGF.xyz round, please reach out here.

Any thoughts or suggestions on the curriculum are welcome :pray:

16 Likes

Cool, I want in! I want to create a Grants DAO in Arbitrum.

4 Likes

Very cool work and would love to participate in the training, submitting an application.

I’m wondering if it might makes sense to conduct a RetroPGF round in Developer DAO. Our token lacks liquidity/price, so as a short-term funding mechanism for public goods it is not ideal. However, I’d love to see us explore mechanisms to both rebalance the token distribution in our currently active community members vs those who were more active early on, particularly rewarding folks who contribute a lot of value in the community but earn a much lower proportion of token rewards as their contributors are harder to define than performing a specific role. I also see a lot of potential value in the idea of distributing governance power to ecosystem PG participants who share our mission, values and goals.

7 Likes

worth exploring imo :slight_smile:

same comment here. worth exploring!

5 Likes

Awesome! This would be super helpful in preparation for the planned launch of Celo RPGF, our proposal is going for vote on Celo on-chain governance this week. If successful, would love to be a part of this program! :slight_smile:

4 Likes

Love this initiative and happy to help with any training related to data gathering / impact reporting !

5 Likes

Like this proposal :green_heart: @owocki I have already filled out the form and joined the telegram group. As @MontyMerlin said, there is an active proposal in voting process right now in the Celo Governance and if this proposal pases there is an item in the budget planned to do a RPGFRound in Celo. You can read more about this proposal here

I will be supper happy to learn and help to make this RPGF happens :raised_hands:

4 Likes

I applied, excited to participate with you and bring pgf in Portuguese

3 Likes