[Election & Application Thread] Arbitrum D.A.O. (Domain Allocator Offerings) Grant Program

Applications for DAO programs
9

Applicant Information

Background & Skills

Please provide a brief overview of your experience in the digital asset industry, particularly within the Ethereum & Arbitrum Ecosystems. Include your involvement in any relevant projects, grant program or contributions to the ArbitrumDAO, or other Ecosystems.

We’ve worked efficiently in tandem within both Arbitrum and GMX, governance, metrics, and cooperation between the wider ecosystems.

Saurabh has led Questbook and Gitcoin’s BD teams and was the first grants manager for Questbook’s Arbitrum DDA program. He has spearheaded GMX’s grants programs for seasons 1 and 2, represented the GMX grants committee in the LTIPP council, and oversees GMX’s BD and governance operations. This includes facilitating integrations and collaborations for GMX within the broader Arbitrum ecosystem. Additionally, Saurabh plays a key role as a GMX delegate within the Arbitrum DAO.

Shogun has worked with more than fifty teams within the industry on Dune including Railgun, Reserve Protocol, HOP, STFX, Radiant Capital, Pear Protocol, D2 Finance, and many more. Consisting of a focus in data and metrics, tooling, and support. Having been experienced in GMX’s data team and the Governance Committee, Shogun can offer a analytical approach, has meant his skills, are versed in and amongst the Arbitrum DAO and its ecosystem.

Domain Related Experience and Vision

Explain how your skills and experience align with the domain you are applying for, and what vision you have for this domain.

Our close relationships with builders on Arbitrum, has meant we’ve grown a tangential understanding in how difficult innovative solutions take, the painstaking odds, and with extensive experience in the operational efficiency of grants programs, elevating incentive mechanisms, and growing ecosystem development, our skills align seamlessly with the domain of incentives, grants, and governance. Our background spans leading grants programs, designing incentive structures, and driving integrations, all critical to building sustainable and impactful ecosystems.

Grant related Experience

Highlight, if any, any previous experience in grant’s programs. Explain how a good grant proposal is structured in your opinion, what are the key points that will lead you to an approval,

We have extensive experience managing grants programs across multiple organizations. Also Saurabh had led Questbook’s BD team and acted as the first grants manager for its Arbitrum DDA program, where he implemented decentralized decision-making frameworks. At GMX, he successfully managed the Grants Program for seasons 1 and 2, which had a combined budget of $2.6 million.

Similarly Shogun has experience from being a recipient of grants (as a builder featured in BanklessDAO, Railgun, and UniDex grant programs), presiding as a committee member to offer support for grant applicants in GMX, compiled research on incentive programs in relation to STIP Report, STIP Bridge Report, that oversaw the distribution across perps, lending, socialfi ecosystem of $10 million ARB. In strong cohesions, we represented the GMX Grants Committee in the LTIPP council, facilitating the adoption of the GMX grants template in the LTIPP program. In this Committee, we were acutely aware of the desires and developments of the builders of GMX, and helped echo this vision further by offering advice, technical assistance, and integration support.

Additionally, Saurabh has played a pivotal role in overseeing GMX’s governance and BD operations, focusing on integrations and collaborations within the Arbitrum ecosystem. Demonstrated his expertise by onboarding projects like Uniswap, Polygon, and Avalanche to the Grants Stack, showcasing my ability to build partnerships and enhance grant ecosystems.

Structuring a Good Grant Proposal

  • Clear Objectives: Start with a concise executive summary outlining the problem, solution, and intended impact. The goals should be specific, measurable, and aligned with the grantees priorities.
  • Feasibility and Roadmap: Present a well-defined roadmap with realistic timelines, milestones, and a transparent budget. Highlight the team’s expertise and past accomplishments to build confidence in execution.
  • Alignment with Ecosystem Goals: Proposals that clearly align with the ecosystem mission and strategic priorities are more likely to succeed.
  • Well-Defined ROI: Clearly articulate the tangible benefits, whether in terms of financial returns, user growth, or ecosystem improvements.
  • Proven Track Record: A team with relevant experience and past success significantly boosts credibility. Evidencing a proven record of execution helps showcase how readily a team is able to solve the proposal.

Deal Breakers

  • Ambiguity: Vague goals, unclear deliverables, or an incomplete plan undermine confidence.
  • Unrealistic Budgets: Inflated costs or poorly justified expenses suggest a lack of planning.
  • Misalignment: Proposals that do not resonate with the ecosystem’s needs or values are unlikely to gain traction.
  • Lack of Expertise: An inexperienced team without the skills or knowledge to execute the project raises red flags.

Declaration of Conflict of Interest

Declare what Conflicts of Interest, to the best of your knowledge, you might have.

Both Saurabh and Shogun are part of the GMX governance committee and also work for GMX, which is one of the ecosystem projects of the ecosystem. Having been centred around Arbitrum, we are well aware of the presence of some teams tangentially, if a significant association arises, we’ll clearly make that compromise in any outstanding or past relationships.

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