TLDR

SI<3> is an organization focused on driving accessibility, collaboration and diversity in Web3. With Public Noun’s support, we are wanting to create a diversity tracking framework with the aim of collecting diversity data in Web3 funding (and beyond). We will be introducing this framework as a free public good for the Web3 industry, where we will begin with the grants space to understand what % of funding is going to diverse and underrepresented groups. Data collection is a key stepping off point for improving the % of funding going towards diverse demographics.

Ask: 5 ETH

About SI<3>

SI<3> is an organization focused on driving diversity, accessibility and collaboration in Web3.

Our focus in Web3 grants and financial inclusion:

• Granting Access virtual event with grant program operators
• Granting Access press link
• FIXX (Financial Inclusion XX Chromosomes) Working Group

FIXX is a 6-month working group and Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion education and collaboration program for Web3 organizations managing grant programs. In our experience as grantees, we became aware of the very low % of grant funding going to women and non-binary individuals. In response, we have initiated FIXX with experts and facilitators in DEAI topics ranging from advocacy and allyship, unconscious bias, diversity and visibility, and impact tracking and measurement.

Our aim is to empower blockchains, protocols, foundations and grant distribution systems with the resources and strategies to elevate their focus on attracting and funding more diversity-led projects. We currently have 32 members in our FIXX program!

Diversity Tracker with Public Nouns Support

With Public Nouns support, we will be able to produce our diversity tracker and legal framework to introduce within grant programs. Our aim is to create this framework and tool as an industry standard for grant programs, researched by a lawyer specialized in Web3.

A Web3 Grants study in 2023 analyzed 13 grant programs with a cumulative of $1 billion in grant funding. Due to the large market size of Web3 grants and potential for impact on early stage organizations, we believe it is critical that diverse groups have equitable opportunities for financial inclusion. During the period of 2022-2023, 6.5% of VC funding in Web3 went to women-led organizations, and we don’t want to replicate these statistics in the grant space. We can’t create a successful new economy by reproducing the same demographics holding and allocating wealth, power, and decision-making as in our present-day default economy.

As with any initiative wanting to move the needle in an industry, it is very important that there is data available for analysis. Gender (or any diversity) data doesn’t exist yet in Web3 grants, as industry standards have not been implemented to-date. With Public Nouns financial support, we will have the opportunity to deliver this tracker and framework that can be implemented industry-wide, mitigating the costs and potential barriers of each organization researching this process and framework individually.

Diversity Tracker Rollout Plan:

December 2024: Our diversity tracker questionnaire is developed and introduced to our FIXX program participants (grant program operators), with data collected utilized to help us further hone and focus our legal framework.

January 2025: V1 of the legal framework is developed and introduced to our FIXX program participants with qualitative interviews supporting iteration to V2.

February 2025: V2 of the framework is iterated with legal templates for key Web3 jurisdictions

March 2025: Our DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion) Playbook and Diversity Tracker framework is launched publicly with a press release and distribution from our 30 women in Web3 community leader partners.

SI<3>’s Diversity Tracker is a public good as it is free, non-rivalrous, and open for public use.

• Data collected from the tracker would be made public for all to review
• This data is accessible to anyone
• This is a replicable framework that anyone can use to gather more data points from other DAOs and build on top of the original research.

As a part of this proposal, we would like to offer Public Nouns:

• 2 spots for Public Nouns holders active in the grants space the opportunity to attend our 6 month FIXX working group.
• Opportunity to share Public Nouns in the group of participants for potential new members
• Logo placement as the sponsor for the legal research and diversity tracking framework in our Playbook
• Inclusion (mention and quote) in our public press announcement of the playbook, working group and legal framework (currently in discussions with crypto publications)
• Opportunity to utilize this diversity framework and Playbook in the Public Nouns grants community

About the Proposers

Kara Howard, Founder of Si<3>

Kara Howard has been in Equity Research since her first job out of college. From Wall St to Silicon Valley to LATAM, her career has participated in the worlds of finance, emerging technologies and markets, PR & growth marketing, and inclusion-focused community building.She has been an advocate for decentralization since the Fall of 2008 when she started the MBA program at NYU. The market crashed in the first month of the program, with Occupy Wall St protests outside campus doors.

As times of crisis create opportunity, the sharing economy began and Kara shifted from Finance into Entrepreneurship and Marketing and chose pathways toward collaboration, growth and community. In 2015, she discovered her purpose in community building for womxn in tech. Over the last ten years, Kara been passionately creating thought leadership platforms and community for womxn in tech and has placed over 400 womxn in speaking opportunities. Kara is presently activating SI<3> (See-3), an ecosystem architecting a more diverse and accessible web.

To learn more about Kara, view her siher.eth.link page here.

Maria Castillo, Tech & Blockchain Lawyer, and Founder of Peace Keepers

María Castillo is a distinguished Tech Lawyer from Mexico with ten years of experience. She has served as legal counsel for numerous blockchain and cybersecurity projects throughout her career, showcasing her expertise in this innovative field. María was also the founder of a successful law firm and currently leads as the founder and CEO of Peace Keepers, a pioneering dispute resolution system for blockchain.

Driven by her passion for technology, María has expanded her knowledge by studying blockchain, cybersecurity, OSINT, and pursuing a degree in Systems Engineering. As a Latina and disabled person, she is a strong advocate for inclusion. She works tirelessly to ensure that diverse voices are heard and valued in the tech and legal industries.

Candice Teo, Espoir PR & Communications Consultant

Motivated by tech for good, Candice holds a strong track record since 2017 in web3 strategic communications and PR, leading strategic PR & Communications in consulting and senior in-house roles. She is currently an independent consultant for projects in different ecosystems, broadening her deep subject matter expertise. As a core team member of Crypto Communications Collective, Candice plays a leading role in elevating trust, credibility and best practices in crypto PR & Communications.

Candice is also an active member of The Cosmos Cartel, a movement comprising those identifying as women in the Cosmos ecosystem aimed to increase female representation in the Web3 and crypto industry. Her work in purpose-driven companies focused on responsible business,responsible sourcing, climate action, user accessibility, DeFi, biotech oncology and privacy. Before moving to Web3, Candice worked across different industries in public-listed companies in Australia, Singapore, US and Europe, building strong expertise in global markets.

Feedback Loop We will keep Public Nouns in the loop of all of our key activities and updates via your Discord. This includes our first alpha testers, their results, when we introduce this tested framework to our FIXX participants in beta, their outcomes, and when the framework is released fully publicly.

Our Ask We are requesting 5 ETH.