On December 12, 2024, the Snapshot vote to launch the Arbitrum Governance Bootcamp successfully passed.

One area of feedback questioned the level of interest in protocol matching. In response, we’re pleased to share that Areta, Event Horizon, Gains Network, Gitcoin, Tally, Plutus DAO, and Uniswap Foundation are eager to work with a Governance Fellow to support their governance needs and strengthen their alignment with the DAO. If your organization is interested in working with a Governance Fellow, please complete this survey.

To ensure the program is impactful, we’ve taken a data-driven approach, gathering insights from 14 Arbitrum stakeholders — including protocols and service providers — on their needs, pain points, and priorities for working with a Governance Fellow. These findings have shaped curriculum refinements and additional program improvements to better serve the DAO.

The rest of this update will highlight the changes that we have made between the Snapshot vote and the ongoing Tally vote.

Note: We have created a Chatbot to assist you with reviewing the details of the proposal.

The full Snapshot proposal is included at the end.

Changes Made Since Snapshot

Team Updates

We’re thrilled to welcome Bhaumik Patel, founder of Atrium Academy, as an advisor to our team! Atrium Academy, a Uniswap Foundation grantee, builds immersive cohort-based experiences for advanced solidity developers, with a focus on V4 hooks. See this case study and this hooks directory to learn more about Atrium and its impact.

With deep experience building and shipping educational programs, both at Atrium Academy and in previous roles, Bhaumik brings invaluable insights to the Onboarding Working Group. He has already been instrumental in enhancing our operations and refining the curriculum.

Meanwhile, Manu and Angela have transitioned to new roles elsewhere.

Program Updates

1. Open call for workshop facilitators

• We will launch an open call for applications, inviting anyone in the DAO to apply to facilitate workshops aligned with their subject matter expertise.

2. Curriculum refinement based on survey responses.

• The program has been tailored to have a greater focus on practical training and exercises that directly address the challenges and priorities of DAO delegates.

3.  A smaller budget (see budget here).

• The budget has decreased $21,657 since the Snapshot proposal.

Curriculum Refinement

We made the following changes to the curriculum based on survey responses to better align with delegate needs:

1. Governance Goals & Strategic Alignment

Delegates identified two primary goals with their governance participation:

• Advocating for initiatives that align with their entity’s objectives.
• Building relationships with delegates and ecosystem participants.

To support these goals, we have added a workshop on Strategic Governance that will cover the following topics:

• How different DAO stakeholders approach governance.
• Mapping entity goals to DAO objectives.
• Identifying governance proposals that align with strategic priorities.
• Structuring proposal narratives to align with broader DAO goals.

2. Governance Fellow Support & Key Responsibilities

Delegates highlighted the following areas where Governance Fellows can add the most value:

• Proposal Management & Tracking – Support in organizing, monitoring, and documenting proposals and initiatives.
• Participation in DAO-wide Calls & Summarization – Support in having a presence and sharing information.
• Grant & Funding Opportunities – Help in identifying and applying for relevant grants.

To address these needs, we have added the following workshops:

1. Governance Reports & Dashboards – Teaching participants how to synthesize, analyze, and present governance data effectively.
2. Governance Project Management – Covering best practices for tracking governance initiatives, including hands-on experience with project management tools and frameworks.

3. Enhancing Visibility & Influence in the DAO

Some respondents noted challenges in gaining visibility and influence within the DAO. To help address this, we have added the following workshop:

• DAO Relationship Management – A workshop designed to help participants build credibility, expand their network, and engage strategically with key DAO stakeholders. This session will cover:
  • Effective communication strategies
  • Relationship-building with key stakeholders
  • Navigating DAO dynamics
  • Leveraging governance communication platforms

Additionally, the Onboarding Working Group will offer Fellows 1:1 office hours during their Fellowship for personalized support.

Schedule

Week	Workshop Title
1	Arbitrum DAO Governance Basics
2	Strategic Governance
3	Governance Reports & Dashboards
4	Governance Project Management
5	Arbitrum Tech Deep Dive
6	DAO Relationship Management
7	Work on Exercises
8	Work on Exercises

Participants will have access to video tutorials and additional reference materials created by the Onboarding Working Group. All workshops will be recorded.

Detailed workshop materials are available in the Appendix.

Exercises

At the conclusion of the six-week workshop series, participants will have two weeks to complete practical exercises, applying the knowledge they have gained.

The top 10 submissions will have the opportunity to be matched with an Arbitrum Protocol or Service Provider, where they will gain real-world governance experience as Governance Fellows.

Participants who are not selected for matching will be invited to join the next cohort on a fast-track basis, bypassing the application and interview process. This creates a positive feedback loop, ensuring multiple opportunities for individuals to engage with Arbitrum governance and contribute meaningfully over time. Each cohort will feature updated content and refined sessions to enhance the learning experience.

The next section provides sample exercises, which may be adjusted to better align with the evolving needs of the DAO.

Sample Exercises

These exercises provide Governance Trainees with hands-on experience in core governance activities—commenting on forum posts, analyzing proposals, and engaging in DAO-wide calls—while also increasing their visibility on social media and the Governance Forum.

The exercises are designed to address the governance needs of onboarded Service Providers and Protocols, incorporating insights from collected survey responses.

Graduation & Matching Criteria

To graduate and be eligible for matching with a Protocol, Governance Trainees must complete all five mandatory exercises. Bonus points will be awarded for completing optional exercises.

Mandatory Exercises

1. Draft and submit a proposal idea

• Based on the DAO’s vision, goals, and strategy, trainees will create a proposal idea and submit it for feedback in the Governance Forum.
• This group exercise (3-4 participants) fosters engagement with the governance process and alignment with DAO priorities.

2.Analyze a recent governance proposal

• Explain how different stakeholders (service providers, protocols, delegates) might vote on it.
• This helps trainees understand governance dynamics and stakeholder decision-making processes.

3.Engage in Governance Forum discussions

• Comment on at least three different proposals with thoughtful feedback or questions.
• Encourages active participation in governance discussions.

4.Attend an Open Discussion of Proposals call & share insights

• Join a live governance discussion and write a recap on X.
• Encourages active participation in governance discussions.

5.Identify and summarize a grant opportunity

• Research and summarize a grant program within the Arbitrum ecosystem.
• Delegates identified sourcing grant opportunities as a governance need, making this a valuable skill for Governance Fellows.

Bonus Exercises (Optional for Extra Points)

• Write a blog post explaining how to participate in Arbitrum DAO governance and share it on X.
• Post about the Governance Bootcamp on X, sharing thoughts or highlights.
• Share insights after each workshop in a thread, summarizing key takeaways.
• Summarize recent governance proposals in a concise thread to keep the community informed.

These exercises ensure that trainees develop essential governance skills while actively contributing to Arbitrum DAO’s governance ecosystem.

Facilitator Training

Workshops will be led by experienced stakeholders from the Arbitrum DAO ecosystem, selected through an application process managed by the Onboarding Working Group. Interested facilitators can apply by selecting up to two workshops they are willing to lead. Those chosen will complete a Facilitator Workshop to ensure they are equipped to run engaging and effective sessions.

Facilitator Workshop Overview

The Facilitator Workshop prepares participants to deliver high-quality governance training through the following key areas:

1.Understanding the Role of a Facilitator

• The importance of learner-centered education in governance.
• Setting clear expectations for a successful workshop.

2.Designing an Engaging Learning Experience

• Structuring content for clarity and impact:
  • Introduction – Setting the context and objectives.
  • Core Content – Balancing explanations, discussions, and examples.
  • Conclusion – Summarizing key takeaways and next steps.
• Simplifying complex governance topics.

3.Handling Questions & Discussions

• Managing difficult or uninformed questions professionally.
• Encouraging debate and critical thinking.
• Balancing discussion time while maintaining focus.

To further support facilitators, the Onboarding Working Group  will provide comprehensive resources and materials to assist with presentation design.

MSS

We will be using the MSS services for payment. For swapping ARB to USDC, the MSS will send funds to an Arbitrum Foundation controlled address.

Acknowledgements

Big thank you to the following individuals who helped shape this proposal over many months of brainstorming, feedback, and iteration:

Alice Corsini from Karpatkey, Ana-Maria Yanakieva from Arbitrum Ventures Initiative, Bhaumik Patel from Atrium Academy, Cole Schendl from 404 DAO, Cliff and Raam from Arbitrum Foundation, David Paperno from The Mount Vernon School, Erin Koen from Uniswap Foundation, Eugene Leventhal from Scroll Foundation, Frisson from Tally, Joe McKenzie from R3gen Finance, Katerina Bohle-Carbonell from Together-Crew, Krzys and Sinkas from L2Beat, Liz Yang from Azuki, Nestor Bonilla, Sov from Gitcoin, and Tnorm from Gauntlet.

Appendix

Live Workshops

Arbitrum DAO Governance Basics

• The Amended Constitution of the Arbitrum DAO
• How to Delegate your Voting Power
• How to Submit a DAO Proposal and Docs
• Writing Your First Proposal to the ArbitrumDAO
• Proposal Lifecycle (RFC, Snapshot, Tally)
• Constitutional vs. Non Constitutional Proposals
• The role of the Arbitrum Foundation

Arbitrum Tech Deep Dive

• How to create a Dapps on Arbitrum
• Orbit Chains Technical Introduction
• A gentle introduction: Stylus
• Quickstart: Arbitrum bridge

Video Tutorials

Arbitrum DAO Tools and Resources

• Karma Delegate Dashboard
• Arbitrum Hub
• Arbitrum DAO Twitter
• Arbitrum DAO Updates
• Governance Forum
• Arbitrum DAO Calendar
  • Foundation-led: Bi-weekly Proposal Discussions Call
  • Monthly Governance Reporting Call
• Telegram Updates Channel
• Weekly Voting Reminders
• Snapshot
• Tally

Resources

Arbitrum DAO: Important Proposals

• Improving Predictability in Arbitrum DAO’s Operations
• COI & Self Voting Policies
• Incentives Detox Proposal
• Code of Conduct
• Mission, Vision, Purpose

Arbitrum DAO: Important Initiatives

• Delegate Incentive Program
• Working Groups, Committees, Councils and Service Providers
• Security Council
• Key Delegates
• Multisig Support Services (Entropy)
• Establishing a DAO Events Budget for 2025
• Stylus Sprint
• Grants Programs: (Foundation, Questbook)
• Additional Grants resources: GrantsDAO

Arbitrum DAO Tools and Resources

• Karma Delegate Dashboard
• Arbitrum Hub
• Arbitrum DAO Twitter
• Arbitrum DAO Updates
• Governance Forum
• Arbitrum DAO Calendar
  • Foundation-led: Bi-weekly Proposal Discussions Call
  • Monthly Governance Reporting Call
• Telegram Updates Channel
• Weekly Voting Reminders
• Snapshot
• Tally

Snapshot Proposal

Abstract

This proposal requests $193,138 USD paid in ARB for the Onboarding Working Group to run V2 of Arbitrum DAO’s Onboarding Program for 7 months.

Earlier this year, the Onboarding Working Group ran a three-month Pilot Program (V1) to bring new participants into the DAO. Based on feedback from delegates and ecosystem participants, we’ve applied key lessons learned to create V2—a more robust and refined iteration of the program. V2 will function like a Governance Bootcamp and the Onboarding Working Group will act akin to a recruitment agency, sourcing and training a select group of new DAO contributors. The Onboarding Working Group is comprised of the following individuals: @Manugotsuka from @SEEDGov, @ocandocrypto from @web3citizenxyz, @san from Reserve Protocol, and @RikaGoldberg from @404DAO. Our advisors are @krst and @Sinkas from L2Beat.

Motivation and Rationale

Arbitrum DAO needs to onboard high-quality and diverse (see note 1) governance participants to thrive in the future. Currently, fragmented information, siloed resources, and private communication channels create a culture of exclusivity, making it challenging for newcomers to navigate the governance process and contribute meaningfully.

In V1, we pioneered a solution by running a Pilot Program where we hosted weekly onboarding calls and grouped participants into one of five Fellowship tracks based on their interests and skills. Ultimately, each Fellowship was expected to collaborate and work on a Proposal to publish on the forum.

Based on the lessons learned in V1 (details are here), we have developed V2, a more robust and meritocratic Onboarding Program. V2 focuses on selecting high-quality participants, training them, and assessing their skills— ultimately matching top performers with Arbitrum Protocols that need a Governance Fellow. (see note 2)

Note 1: In an effort to increase diversity within Arbitrum, we are committed to ensuring that at least 25% of program participants are female/non-binary. This ratio is aligned with the representation in the Pilot Program (V1). We will also focus on inclusivity, creating opportunities for LGBTQ+ and applicants from underrepresented regions, including developing countries, throughout the application and interview process.

Note 2: V2 does not guarantee program participants with long-term placement in the DAO.

Key Terms

Governance Analyst — An individual who is selected into V2 based on their application and interview.

Governance Fellow — A Governance Analyst who successfully graduates from the program and is subsequently matched with a Protocol to assist with Governance work.

Specifications

The Onboarding Program consists of the following components:

• An Application and Interview Process.
• A Curated Curriculum and Workshops.
• Exercises to assess comprehension of workshop materials.
• A Rubric to evaluate and grade exercises.
• Completion NFTs/Forum Badge for Governance Analysts and Fellows
• An updated DAO Contributors List

These components are described in detail below.

Applications and Interview Process

To assess candidates for experience and cultural fit, V2 will include a one-month rolling application period followed by a month of interviews, after which twenty applicants will be selected to join the program.

We will be seeking applicants with specific characteristics, including a positive mindset, an ability to work well with others, an aptitude to engage in healthy debate, and an eagerness to learn. Furthermore, applicants should have a high-level of familiarity with Ethereum and L2s.

Workshops

Over the course of 6 weeks, the selected cohort of 20 Governance Analysts will participate in weekly workshops that cover critical concepts (see Curriculum section) of Arbitrum DAO’s governance process.

The workshops will be primarily facilitated by Manugotsuka (Manu), a Governance Contributor at @SeedGov, who is most notably involved in managing Arbitrum’s Delegate Incentive Program. Members of the SEEDGov team will also support Manu as needed.

Curriculum

The following governance content will be covered in the workshops: Note: You can find links to all content in the original forum post.

Arbitrum Protocol Basics:

• A gentle introduction to Arbitrum
• Get started with Arbitrum

Arbitrum DAO Governance Basics

• The Amended Constitution of the Arbitrum DAO
• How to Delegate your Voting Power
• How to Submit a DAO Proposal and Docs
• Writing Your First Proposal to the ArbitrumDAO
• Proposal Lifecycle (RFC, Snapshot, Tally)
• Constitutional vs. Non Constitutional Proposals

An Introduction to the Arbitrum Foundation

• The role of the Arbitrum Foundation

Arbitrum DAO: Important Proposals

• Improving Predictability in Arbitrum DAO’s Operations
• COI & Self Voting Policies
• Incentives Detox Proposal
• Code of Conduct
• Mission, Vision, Purpose

Arbitrum DAO: Important Initiatives

• Delegate Incentive Program
• Working Groups, Committees, Councils and Service Providers
• Security Council
• Key Delegates -Multisig Support Services (Entropy)
• Establishing a DAO Events Budget for 2025
• Stylus Sprint
• Grants Programs: (Foundation, Questbook)
• Additional Grants resources: GrantsDAO

Arbitrum Tech Deep Dive

• How to create a Dapps on Arbitrum
• Orbit Chains Technical Introduction
• A gentle introduction: Stylus
• Quickstart: Arbitrum bridge

Arbitrum DAO Tools and Resources

• Karma Delegate Dashboard
• Arbitrum Hub
• Arbitrum DAO Twitter
• Arbitrum DAO Updates
• Governance Forum
• Arbitrum DAO Calendar
• Foundation-led: Bi-weekly Proposal Discussions Call
• Monthly Governance Reporting Call
• Telegram Updates Channel
• Weekly Voting Reminders
• Snapshot
• Tally

Note: Recordings will be shared on X to maximize the educational content’s distribution and reach.

A week-over-week schedule is presented in the below table:

Exercises

At the conclusion of the 6 weeks of workshops, participants will have two weeks to work on practical exercises to apply the knowledge they gained.

These exercises, along with the grading rubric, will be designed by Sandra Carillo (a V1 Pilot Program Fellow, Project Manager at Reserve Protocol, and Developer).

The top 10 submissions will be eligible to be matched with an Arbitrum Protocol where they will acquire real-world governance experience as Governance Fellows (more details in the ‘Governance Fellows’ section).

Those not selected for matching will be invited to participate in the next cohort on a “fast-track,” bypassing the application and interview process. This creates a positive feedback loop, providing multiple opportunities for individuals to be matched with a Protocol and contribute to Arbitrum governance.

The next section provides Sample Exercises.

Mandatory:

1. Draft a mock proposal for Arbitrum DAO and submit it for feedback on the Governance Forum – This encourages participants to actively engage with the governance process, understand proposal creation, and contribute thoughtful feedback. This is an exercise that can be made in groups of 3 or 4 people.
2. Comment on at least three different Governance Forum proposals, providing thoughtful feedback or questions – This ensures participants are involved in governance discussions and contributing to decision-making.
3. Write a blog post explaining how to participate in governance for Arbitrum DAO and share it on X or Farcaster– This promotes deeper understanding of the DAO structure and helps educate the broader community.
4. Attend an Open Discussion of Proposal(s) call and write a thread about your experience on X or Farcaster – Participation in live discussions helps foster community engagement and ensures participants are informed about ongoing governance. As the Open Discussion of Proposal(s) happens every 2 weeks, the participants will have the opportunity to attend to at least 1 call.
5. Share on the governance forum how you would vote on a proposal that’s currently in active voting, explaining your rationale and feedback – This promotes critical thinking and encourages participants to articulate their rationale on voting process.

Bonus Points

1. Write a tweet or a cast about the Arbitrum DAO Onboarding Program on X or Farcaster: Share your thoughts or highlights from the onboarding experience, spreading the word about how others can get involved.
2. Share your insights after each workshop in an X or Farcaster thread: Reflect on key takeaways and learnings from the workshops, helping others benefit from your knowledge and fostering community discussion.
3. Write a thread summarizing recent governance proposals and share it on X or Farcaster: Provide a clear, concise overview of the latest proposals to keep the community informed and encourage broader participation.
4. Write a tweet thread explaining how ARB token holders can participate in governance and share it on X or Farcaster: Educate the broader community by breaking down how ARB holders can engage in governance, making the process more accessible and encouraging more involvement.

Note: These exercises will be refined before V2 starts.

Rubric

The rubric that we will use to grade Exercise submissions is provided in the below table. We drew inspiration from the Rubric created by SeedGov for the Delegate Incentive Program.

Maximum points per exercise: 25 points Maximum points for completing 5 mandatory exercises: 125 points Maximum points for completing 5 mandatory exercises and 2 bonus exercises: 175 points

Governance Analysts and Fellows

The highest-scoring Governance Analysts (up to 10 individuals), based on rubric evaluations, will graduate to become Governance Fellows and will be matched with a protocol to assist with governance work.

Each Fellow will be paid a monthly stipend of $1,500 USD in ARB. The Onboarding Working Groups will support Fellows during these two-months to ensure maximum alignment and success.

Ocandocrypto (Angela), a Contributor at Web3Citizen and an Arbitrum DAO Delegate, will manage the relationships between Protocols, Governance Fellows, and the Onboarding Program.

If your protocol is interested in working with a Governance Fellow, please indicate that in your comment on this forum post or reach out directly to Angela @ocandocrypto on Telegram.

KPIs

We will be measuring the Onboarding program’s success with quantitative KPIs. To ensure alignment and leverage existing DAO programs, we will base these KPIs on the metrics tracked in the Delegate Incentive Program (DIP v1.5).

Specifically, we will be using the following metrics (please refer to the Karma delegate dashboard):

• Snapshot Voting (SV) KPI: Percent increase in SV from beginning to end of program
• Tally Voting (TV) KPI: Percent increase in SV from beginning to end of program
• Commenting Rationale KPI: Percent increase in SV from beginning to end of program
• Delegates Feedback (DF) KPI: Percent increase in DF from beginning to end of program

We will use a 6-month trailing average will be used to calculate the program’s starting baseline for each metric, smoothing out monthly variability in the number of proposals. For the program’s endpoint, we will use a 3-month trailing average, aligned with the 3-month duration of the Fellowship.

To ensure realistic expectations for Fellows, we will use a 5% increase as a baseline goal for each metric.

KYC

Governance Fellows will need to KYC with the Foundation in order to receive the stipend. We will work with the Foundation on this process.

MSS

We plan to use the MSS services for payment.

Timeline

We have intentionally allocated ample time, 2 weeks, for delegates to respond and provide feedback on the forum. We will incorporate the feedback and make necessary revisions before posting to Snapshot.

Expected Timeline: RFC Discussion: November 18 - Dec 2 Snapshot: Dec 5 - Dec 12 Tally: January 6 - January 27 We are planning to start the Program on February 10, 2025 and end on September 29, 2025.

Budget

We are proposing a budget of $193,138 USD (including a 30% volatility buffer and accounting for an ARB price of $0.69) paid in ARB over 7 months. Any unused ARB will be returned to the DAO.

A detailed budget breakdown can be found here: Arbitrum Onboarding WG Budget V1.