Project Proposal Template

Proposing a new Project starts with this template.

Filling out this template is an opportunity to clearly define the Project outcomes, scope, timeline, budget, payout schema, attentional budget, problems, win state and more.

If the Project is approved by the DAO, this template is used as a guide for the Project Lead throughout the lifetime of the project.

This Template is reviewed by the DAO and approved or denied. If approved, template becomes the contract that the DAO uses to hold the Project accountable.

See the Governance: Projects for instructions on how to initiate a Project.

Template:

**Project Title:** (Example Project Title)

**Client:** ('DAO Masons' OR Client Name)

**Submitted By:** (You)

**Project Lead:** (DAO Masons Core Member)

**Initial Role Structure:**

> Define the roles that contributors will fill when they do work on this project. All work should be accomplished from within a role toward a specific purpose or accountability. Project Lead has final say on Role additions, modifications, deletions and who fills which roles, and which Tasks are assigned to which roles.

> Every project must include the Project Lead role with the following role definition:
1. **Project Lead**
   **Purpose**: Order & Productivity
   Accountability: 
      Providing overall project management
      Ensuring appropriate levels of communication and accountability
      Ensuring project outcomes are achieved
      Assigning Contributors to Roles as needed
      Assigning Tasks to Roles as needed
      Adding or Editing roles as needed

>Include additional roles as needed

**Example Roles**:
1. Outreach Specialist
   Purpose: Get the right people in the right room
   Accountabilities:
   - Initiating discussions and conversations related
   - Answering community questions

1. Researcher
   Purpose: We are sensing opportunities
   Accountabilities:

   - Finding smaller communities within the Arbitrum ecosystem
   - Reconnoitering community terrain for opportunities
   - Reading ecosystem documents

1. Marketing Strategist
   Purpose: Make informed decisions on application of effort
   Accountabilities:

   - Identifying problems that need to be solved
   - Making a list of possible areas that have community demand for services
   - Making recommendations based on outputs of @Researcher
   - Making recommendations on style of approach for outreach

**Team:** 
> List team members and the roles they will fill

**Outcomes:**

> Include tangible, measurable outcomes that can be verified by external observers. *Bonus Outcomes* are 'nice to haves' or 'stretches' that can be pursued within the Project, but are not absolutely necessary. 

Example Outcomes:
1. Increase DAO Masons visibility
   - 1000 meaningful interactions
   - Forum post responses, references, likes, mentions
2. Establish partnerships with at least three other DAOs
   - 5 meetings/conversations with potential clients
3. Get Clients
   - Close on one paid deal
4. Bonus: Get a grant directly from Arbitrum DAO
5. Bonus: Achieve moderator or other Arbitrum-recognized status as trusted contributor

**Ongoing Processes:**

> Include any recurring activities that are party of this Project. *Ongoing Processes* may be picked up by follow-up projects if necessary. e.g. A project establishes relationships with 10 external DAOs as an Outcome, and defines an ongoing process to reach out to those DAOs every 4 weeks to keep the relationship warm.  

1. Weekly strategy & review meeting
1. Monthly review for project viability & continuation
1. Reach out to client DAOs every 4 weeks to keep relationship warm

**Due Date (or Review Date):** 

> Include an End Date or Review Date for the Project. If Review Date, specify what happens if the project passes its review.

Example:
Review Date: June 1 2025.  On this date Project Lead will take feedback and recommend continuation or end of project. If continuation, review again in 1 month. 

**Project TLDR:**
> Include a 2-3 sentence summary of this project proposal. 

**DAO Mechanism to Track Progress:** 

> Describe how you will track progress and give fair compensation to the team. [Ritual of Light](/Rituals/ritual-of-light) is an acceptable answer.


**Payment Method:** 

> How will compensation be handled? 

Examples: 
* Shares via DAO Masons App using @ 1 hour = 1 share, using [Ritual of Echoes(/Rituals/ritual-of-echoes)]
* XDAI sent via disperse by DAO proposal

**Client's Preferred Network & currency for Payments:** 

> If internal project for shares, specify 'shares via DAO Masons App'
> Otherwise: 'Arbitrum - eth', 'Gnosis - xdai' etc.

## Questions to Answer:

1. **What problem does this project solve?**

> Example:
   - We are facing the "cold start problem" where we need to build visibility, reputation & reliability so that we can secure clients who trust us enough to pay us and entrust us with important work.

2. **What is the "Win State" available at the end of this project?**

> Example:
   - The "Win State" is gaining the opportunity to secure a win for another DAO.
   - The larger Arbitrum community recognizes DAO Masons as a reliable partner to DAOs.

3. **What would be the major impact of not doing this project?**

> Example:
   - The major impact of not doing this project would be missing out on potential growth opportunities, limiting our DAO's reach within the ecosystem, and potentially stagnating our progress.

4. **What could go wrong? What is the "Lose State"?**

> Example:
   - We get a client and then don't have the bandwidth to sustain our community presence or deliver on promises
   - We could lose momentum, get discouraged or get distracted and end up wasting our time
   - We fail to resonate with other DAOs, leading to a lack of interest and engagement.

5. **How does your proposal uniquely move us toward the Win State and avoid the Lose State?**

> Example:
   - An emphasis on research and strategy design means we'll be working to solve real problems and providing tangible value
   - We are measuring meaningful interactions and emphasizing outreach & communication, which makes it likely we'll gain positive attention and be seen as a reliable source for DAOs within the larger Arbitrum community.
   - Breaking the work into discrete roles makes it less overwhelming to any individual, and granular roles can be handed off to others if we need to reassign people to client work
   - Weekly strategy & review meeting will be measuring meaningful interactions, which should create a reward cycle for us to improve motivation

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Document Status

Ratified documents have been reviewed and approved by the DAO and are considered "Active Governance" and will not change without a DAO vote. Anything before ratified is considered "Pending Governance" and is subject to change by editorswithout a DAO vote

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• Editing passes: 3
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