At the start of each month, the Grants Lab team has an hour-long meeting that primarily focuses on strategy and progress against our goals. This month, we focused on our our Q3 goals wrapup + Q4 goals review. I’m linking the presentation here, as well as including an AI-assisted summary of the notes for anyone interested!
Link: Grants Lab Monthly_November24 - Google Slides
Summary (courtesy of AI assistant!):
The meeting commenced with Meg Lister addressing the emotional impact of the recent U.S. elections. The team reviewed their current GMV estimating it at approximately $10 million for the year. The team acknowledged individual kudos, particularly highlighting Nina’s success in social media and Kurt’s work on attestation images. For GG22, Umar Khan reported a significant decline in crowdfunding, noting a 50% drop compared to GG20 and a 10% decrease in unique donors, which he attributed to lower median donations. The team was encouraged to devise strategies to boost both the number of supported projects and the donation amounts.
Jessica May provided insights on DevCon, mentioning that many attendees had already arrived and outlining key events such as the Design Jam and a book launch. Kevin Owocki introduced the second edition of the Allo book, now called the Explorers Edition, aimed at newcomers to on-chain capital allocation, along with AlloExpert, a digital resource for ongoing updates. Meg Lister reflected on the organization’s progress over the past year, particularly in grants and capital allocation, while Kevin emphasized the importance of product launches for future revenue. Lister concluded with an update on Gitcoin’s financial runway and Q4 goals, stressing the need for a more aggressive strategy to establish Gitcoin as a leader in grants, including monthly feature launches and improved collaboration between engineering and marketing teams.
Chapters & Topics:
Team Updates and Kudos
- Monthly kudos and recognition of team members.
- Upcoming events and initiatives at DevCon.
- Updates on the GG22 campaign and its performance.
DevCon Update
- Jessica May shared details about DevCon, highlighting that the first event, the Design Jam with Funding the Commons, is underway. She mentioned the book launch scheduled for tomorrow and the Allo book event from the 9th to the 18th. Additionally, she noted that per diem has been issued and encouraged attendees to reach out to her or Rina for any questions.
Launch of Allo Book and AlloExpert Platform
- Kevin Owocki announced the launch of the Explorers Edition of the Allo book, which targets individuals new to on-chain capital allocation. He emphasized the importance of establishing Gitcoin as a leader in this field and introduced AlloExpert, a platform for accessing and updating knowledge about the mechanisms in the book.
- The book is set to launch on November 9 at Funding the Commons.
Financial Review and Organizational Progress
- Meg Lister discussed the organization’s transformation over the past year, focusing on the shift towards grants and capital allocation.
- Kevin Owocki shared his enthusiasm for the new product developments and the potential for revenue growth, while also expressing concerns about the organization’s financial runway.
- Lister also noted the transition in the finance team and the challenges in revenue tracking during this period.
Gitcoin’s Q4 Goals and Strategic Direction
- Meg Lister discussed Gitcoin’s current financial status, noting 15 months of runway in stable coins and $18 million in GTC. She emphasized the goal of positioning Gitcoin as a leader in grants, acknowledging the need for more impactful actions and a shift towards a bolder mindset.
- The leadership team is encouraged to embrace the “Gitcoin is shipping” mentality to enhance visibility and engagement in the market.
- Q4 goals and strategies for Gitcoin’s future.