The Tally Newsletter, Issue 60

January 14, 2022

Jan 14

Welcome back for issue 60 of the Tally Newsletter, a publication focused on defi and DAO governance. We’ll keep you updated on key proposals, procedural changes, newly launched voting systems, shifting power dynamics, and anything else you need to know to be an informed citizen.

This week we cover:

Rabbithole’s Entry into the DAO Governance Space
ENS DAO Holds Workstream Elections

Plus some quick updates from around the DAO ecosystem.

Rabbithole Learning and Discovery Platform Launches Metagovernance

TL;DR: Rabbithole will use voting power earned from protocol quest offerings to empower community governance.

Over the past year, Rabbithole has become an important user acquisition tool for DAOs and defi platforms. It offers a learning and discovery platform similar to Coinbase Earn, where users can earn a small share of tokens for proving knowledge about the sponsoring project. But unlike Coinbase’s offering, which frequently just involves video explainers and short quizzes to prove retention, Rabbithole encourages learning by doing - users must actively use and interact with the underlying project to earn their reward.

As part of their revenue model, Rabbithole keeps a small share of the tokens granted for user rewards. But with significant funding already in place, they have taken the forward looking approach of holding these DAO governance tokens on their balance sheet, which has led to a significant accumulation of voting power in supported projects.

rabbitholegg.eth @rabbithole_gg

1/ Today, we’re announcing the launch of RabbitHole Metagovernance. This means anyone in the RabbitHole community can participate in governance using the tokens held in Rabbithole’s treasury. What does this mean? Let's dive in 👇

With their latest announcement, Rabbithole has now committed to putting these tokens to work and further deepening their relationship with users and client projects. This will involve active delegation, voting, and participation, all directed by the Rabbithole community of users with proven DAO and defi engagement.

rabbitholegg.eth @rabbithole_gg

4/ As a holder of tokens, RabbitHole DAO can actively participate in the protocols it works with. To start, we’re excited to engage more deeply with: @ensdomains @Uniswap @AaveAave @compoundfinance @graphprotocol @PoolTogether_ @viamirror

Based on Rabbithole’s past quests, they can already begin using their token stakes to engage with 7 of the most prominent DAOs on Ethereum. And as they continue to expand their quests program, this practice of holding tokens for governance engagement can become an important selling point for projects - helping to acquire not only users, but also contributors.

ENS Forms DAO Working Groups

TL;DR: Voters are deciding on up to 3 initial stewards for each of the DAO’s workstreams.

ENS is kicking their governance operations into high gear with the upcoming launch of workstreams. While working group structures have been adopted by several other DAOs including MakerDAO and Gitcoin, ENS is taking a unique approach to team formation versus predecessors. Where other projects allow individuals or preexisting groups to propose new workstreams, the ENS DAO has taken the opposite approach of first ratifying working groups before confirming members.

ensdao.eth @ENS_DAO

this is your chance to engage to be of service to learn and grow nominate yourself to be a working group steward for the @ENS_DAO before 4am EST on Jan 9th

The Steward Nomination Window is open!The Steward Nomination window is now open! This is your chance to contribute to the ENS DAO, and play a crucial role in the coordination of working groups within the DAO. We expect all stewards to be contributors within working groups in some capacity. The role of steward is an additional role, wit…discuss.ens.domains

The initial proposal for working group formation passed with an overwhelming majority, and ENS holders are now considering open elections for up to 3 members of each of the 4 inaugural teams. Open elections for members brings some potential benefits but also comes with risk.

On the benefit side, this method is radically transparent and helps ensure working group members remain accountable to token holders (new elections happen every 6 months). There is also the possibility that this onboarding process will draw from a wider group of contributors, although name recognition and public profile may have a large impact on the eventual election winners. Besides the risk of working group elections devolving into a popularity contest, coordination may suffer if the elected members can’t work well together within or across teams.

Elections end within the next day, so we should begin to see initial results soon. According to the previously approved working group framework, representatives from all 4 teams will coordinate on a collective funding request proposal to the ENS DAO in the coming weeks, which should demonstrate if this novel team building style is conducive to high stakes coordination. Assuming this style of contributor elections works well, it could offer an important safeguard against the risk of contributors capturing parts of DAO organizations.

In Brief:

Blockchain at Berkeley student organization launches grants program:

(Blockchain at Berkeley)² @CalBlockchain

1/ Introducing Blockchain at Berkeley Grants, designed to bridge the gap between students’ unbridled potential and the resources they need to manifest their vision. 🐻 Who better to enable the next generation of builders than their own peers? 🧵⤵️ calblockchain.mirror.xyz/O6sX6CZu5R-9o_…

Introducing Blockchain at Berkeley Grants: The Future of Student… — MirrorBy: Ratan Kaliani, Darya Kaviani, & Emma Guocalblockchain.mirror.xyz

Dydx governance considers controversial market maker rewards changes, with questions raised about possible self-dealing among large market makers that also participate in governance: