by 0x511a22cdd2c4ee8357bb02df2578037ffe8a4d8d (ginoct)
Linked Draft Proposal
A shared mission for the Decentraland DAO
Summary
This proposal seeks approval of the mission of the Decentraland DAO: To ensure the sustainability of the Decentraland ecosystem through representative governance, efficient management of collective resources, and technical innovation.
Abstract
The Decentraland DAO plays a critical role in the long-term sustainability of the Decentraland ecosystem. By defining its mission, the DAO will be equipped to drive meaningful governance decisions, manage its resources better, and drive innovation for the Decentraland protocol. This proposal presents the mission for approval, ensuring that the DAO is aligned with Decentraland’s shared proposed vision: “Own your digital life through open standards to enable social connections.”
This proposal came up after conversations held at the DCL DAO: Regenesis meeting in September 2024.
Motivation
The Regenesis Summit aimed to discuss and define the vision and mission for the Decentraland DAO, establishing its purpose within the ecosystem. Participants agreed that Decentraland’s vision should be ever-lasting and shared across the community, while the Foundation’s mission should focus on short- to mid-term goals and the DAO’s mission on long-term objectives.
The shared vision is to “Own your digital life through open standards to enable social connections.” Although the DAO is not solely responsible for achieving this vision, its mission is essential in sustaining the ecosystem through governance and innovation, empowering users to control their digital experiences.
Key motivations include:
- The need for a mission that enables the community to actively shape Decentraland’s future, in alignment with the broader vision of open standards and user ownership.
- Providing long-term clarity for the DAO’s operations enables it to lead innovation within the metaverse.
- It is necessary to clearly distinguish the roles of the Decentraland Foundation and the DAO, with the Foundation focusing on infrastructure and the DAO on governance and collective resources management.
Specification
The mission proposed for the Decentraland DAO is as follows:
Mission: Ensure the sustainability of the Decentraland Ecosystem through representative governance, efficient management of collective resources, and technical innovation.
The DAO’s mission is focused on the long-term sustainability and success of the Decentraland ecosystem. By concentrating on governance, resource management, and innovation, the DAO seeks to secure the platform’s future for its community, developers, and creators.
Key elements of this mission:
- Governance: Establishing representative governance ensures the DAO reflects the community’s voice and aligns with Decentraland’s goals while maintaining efficient decision-making.
- Collective Resources: The DAO supports creating, curating, and discovering metaverse content. It also manages the Treasury to secure the project’s future, fostering a community of people committed to Decentraland’s vision.
- Technical Innovation: By supporting innovation, the DAO keeps Decentraland at the forefront of metaverse technology, promoting decentralization and open standards.
Responsibilities of the DAO:
- Fund strategic projects that improve the experience of visitors, creators, and developers: The DAO will allocate resources to projects that enhance the in-world experience for visitors, streamline creation tools for creators, and lower barriers for developers to build in Decentraland, all while adhering to the core values of openness, decentralization, and respect for privacy.
- Safeguard the critical smart contracts of the project: As a decentralized organization, the DAO will ensure the security and integrity of the key smart contracts that underlie the functioning of Decentraland, maintaining the trust of the community.
- Manage the Treasury responsibly to extend the runway of the project: The DAO will focus on long-term financial sustainability, managing its treasury in a way that maximizes the runway and ensures the continued growth and evolution of the platform.
- Enable stakeholders to participate in decision-making about the project’s future: In alignment with the vision of enabling individuals to “own their digital life,” the DAO will create mechanisms and opportunities for community members to actively shape the direction of Decentraland, reinforcing decentralization and community ownership in the governance process.
Additionally, this mission, along with the shared vision of Decentraland, should be clearly stated and reflected in all relevant documentation of the DAO, including governance processes, communication materials, and any documents that represent Decentraland, the DAO, or the project as a whole.
Impacts
Strengthened Governance and Community Engagement
The new mission will provide a clear and unified direction for the DAO, resulting in improved processes. By aligning decision-making with long-term sustainability goals, the DAO will foster more meaningful participation from the community and the strengthening of a body of high-context community members that can push projects forward. This will help ensure that governance reflects the broader interests of Decentraland stakeholders and increases transparency in decision-making.
Sustainable Resource and Treasury Management
The mission will guide the responsible management of the DAO’s Treasury, focusing on long-term financial sustainability. Funds will be allocated to mission-aligned projects that drive value to the ecosystem, whether through improving the user experience, supporting developers, or fostering technical innovation. This disciplined approach to resource management will extend the runway of the Decentraland project, ensuring its growth and resilience.
Innovation and Competitive Advantage
By prioritizing technical innovation as a core part of its mission, the DAO will continue to push Decentraland to the forefront of the open metaverse space. The DAO will attract developers and creators who are eager to contribute to a platform that values decentralization, open standards, and cutting-edge technology.
Implementation Pathways
Formal Documentation and Integration
Action: The approved mission will be formally documented in all relevant DAO governance materials, including the DAO Docs, and other operational and internal documents. This ensures the mission becomes a core reference point for all future governance actions and decisions.
Responsibility: The DAO Committee, GSS, and GovSquad will update these documents.
Timeline: Updates to be completed within 1 month after approval.
Incorporating the Mission into DAO Decision-Making Processes
Action: The mission will be integrated into decision-making processes across all DAO committees and working groups. The mission will be used as a guiding principle for evaluating governance proposals, assessing potential partnerships, funding community projects, hiring teams and individuals, and determining strategic priorities. Committees, Core Units, and potentially, the DAO Council, will use the mission as a reference to ensure alignment with long-term sustainability and innovation goals.
Task Ownership: Each DAO team will be responsible for adapting their respective processes to reflect the new mission.
Timeline: Immediate integration, with regular alignment checks over the next 6 months.
Mission Visibility and Community Reinforcement
Action: The mission will be prominently displayed in all DAO communication channels and governance interfaces (e.g., forums, official website, documentation). This ensures that the community, developers, and stakeholders are aware of the mission and can refer to it when making decisions or proposing new initiatives. Additionally, community members will be encouraged to hold the DAO accountable to its mission, ensuring transparency and alignment over time.
Collaboration: Currently there is no team dedicated to promoting and doing marketing for the DAO, we can rely on the community builders and potentially the help of the Decentraland Foundation Marketing team to collaborate and spearhead efforts to launch campaigns, AMAs, and blog posts.
Timeline: Within 1-3 Months after approval. Since there is no dedicated team, it will be subject to the best efforts of collaborators to perform this tasks.
Conclusion
By approving this mission, the Decentraland DAO will be positioned to take decisive actions that ensure the sustainability and growth of the ecosystem. This mission will serve as a foundation for future governance decisions, aligning the DAO’s actions with the broader goals of the Decentraland project. The community is encouraged to participate in discussions, provide feedback, and vote to approve this mission, setting the stage for a more empowered and sustainable DAO.