Gitcoin DAO Governance Strategy 2025
TL;DR
Gitcoin’s governance journey mirrors that of many DAOs - hectic, confusing and unreliable. As we move into 2025, we’re evolving our governance framework to better serve our growing ecosystem. This strategy outlines our approach to leveling up with professional governance, progressive decentralization, and enhanced builder engagement through clear structures and measurable outcomes.
Moving from chaos to clarity requires both ambition and structure. I believe our key goals for 2025 reflect this balance…
This governance strategy works alongside our broader ecosystem initiatives:
- Vision: Transparent, decentralized decision-making that empowers collective action.
- Mission: Continue building our governance framework that fosters progressive decentralization, incentivizes participation, and aligns decisions with the DAO’s long-term vision.
Key Goals for 2025:
- Update and ratify the DAO Constitution to solidify core principles
- Drive 50% community-initiated governance proposals across education, builds and business development
- Onboard 10+ high-caliber stewards through structured programs
- Execute 3+ DAO-to-DAO collaborations
1. Governance Goals for 2025
Progressive Decentralization
- Goal: Increase community-initiated proposals to 50% by Q4 2025
- How:
- Provide educational resources and workshops for proposal development
- Implement governance reputation points or token incentives
- Iterate on clear proposal templates and guidelines
- Align with regional event strategy for local engagement
- Support Grants Program proposal development
DAO Constitution
- Goal: Update and ratify the DAO Constitution by Q3 2025
- How:
- Update core principles and roles
- Iterate on clear amendment processes
Community Stewardship
- Goal: Onboard 10+ high-caliber stewards
- How:
- Launch Steward Training Program in Q2
- Implement token-based incentives
- Create clear accountability frameworks
- Integrate with regional builder programs
- Support Grants Program decision-making
Transparency and Communication
- Goal: Establish consistent governance updates and metrics
- How:
- Launch quarterly Governance Updates
- Host regular feedback sessions
DAO-to-DAO Collaboration
- Goal: Complete 3+ governance experiments with partner DAOs
- How:
- Identify strategic partnership opportunities
- Co-develop shared initiatives
- Document and share learnings
2. Tightened KPIs for Governance
| Category | KPI | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Decentralization | Community-Initiated Proposals | 50% by Q4 2025 |
| Updated Constitution Ratified | By Q3 2025 | |
| Participation | High-Caliber Stewards Onboarded | 10+ |
| Governance Participation Growth | +30% | |
| Transparency | Quarterly Retrospectives Published | 4 |
| Collaboration | DAO-to-DAO Experiments | 3+ |
3. Core Initiatives for Governance Strategy
DAO Constitution
- Why: Define the DAO’s core principles and long-term goals while providing clarity on governance processes
- Deliverable: A ratified Constitution requiring significant consensus for amendments
Steward Training Program
- Why: Ensure high-quality participation and decision-making from engaged stewards
- Deliverable: A structured program with modules on governance tools, frameworks, and responsibilities
DAO-to-DAO Collaboration
- Why: Innovate governance processes by learning from and partnering with other DAOs
- Deliverable: 3+ governance experiments or joint initiatives completed by Q4 2025
5. Quarterly Roadmap for 2025
Q1: Foundation Building
- Finalize DAO Constitution draft and begin community feedback phase
- Recruit and onboard a Governance Facilitator from the community
- Launch Steward Training Program with first cohort
- Align with Events & Builder Strategy implementation
Q2: Execution and Transparency
- Ratify the DAO Constitution through a governance vote
- Publish first quarterly governance retrospective
- Support Grants Program initiatives
Q3: Expansion and Collaboration
- Complete second cohort of Steward Training Program
- Launch 1+ DAO-to-DAO collaboration experiment
- Continue publishing quarterly retrospectives and tracking metrics
Q4: Review and Iteration
- Complete 3+ DAO-to-DAO collaborations
- Review progress on community participation goals
- Update governance KPIs for 2026
- Host community-wide review of governance impact
Discussion Points
We’d love your input on this governance strategy, particularly in the areas we’re looking to build out:
- Steward Training Program
- What skills and knowledge should we prioritize?
- How can we make the program more accessible while maintaining quality?
- Regional Development
- Which regions should we focus on first?
- What local partnerships would be most valuable?
- DAO Collaboration
- Which DAOs should we partner with?
- What governance experiments would you like to see?
- Implementation Timeline
- Is our quarterly roadmap realistic?
- Where should we allocate more or less time?
If you’d like to contribute directly to any initiative, please indicate your area of interest and expertise. We’re particularly looking for community members who can help with:
- Training program development
- Regional coordination
- Governance documentation
- Metrics dashboard requirements
Share your thoughts below! 
