Gearbox DAO

Summary

The OBRA model has continued to prove itself highly effective and productive. Contributors appreciate its clarity, flexibility, and efficiency — particularly the fact that small adjustments do not require additional DAO-wide votes while still maintaining accountability.

With sufficient time having passed since the last updates, we propose a new refinement that introduces an additional contributor role and expands budget flexibility for current initiatives.

Motivation

• Performance: OBRA has provided structure without bureaucracy, balancing decentralization with clear deliverables.

• Flexibility: The ability to handle minor adjustments internally has been valuable for operational agility.

Next Iteration: To keep scaling smoothly, it is now appropriate to add capacity for both new contributors and HR-related flexibility. It keeps OBRA efficient by avoiding unnecessary DAO votes on small adjustments while ensuring fair compensation and contributor retention as responsibilities grow.

Proposal

Part 1 — Extra budget for New Contributors

We propose onboarding a few new contributors (Product Manager, 2-3 Developers), with a monthly budget allocation of $20,000 USDC. This will strengthen our ability to deliver on current initiatives and expand capacity in areas of need.

Part 2 — Flex Budget for Current Contributors

We further propose allocating an additional $15,000 USDC per month across initiatives. This flex pool is intended for:

• Adjustments to compensation for existing contributors;
• Covering additional HR and operational expenses that may arise during the cycle.

Importantly, the flex budget is not required to be spent each month. It can be carried forward and used variably, for example:

• Occasional bonuses for contributors;
• One-off HR or operational costs;
• Special incentives tied to performance or milestones.

Exact amount and reason for using budget will be announced by Initiatives in the legal-foundation chat.

###Voting Simple: Approve/Reject