Hello everyone, we’ve opened this thread to share all relevant progress and update highlights from the Contribution Efficiency System (CES) moving forward! Should you want to contextualize yourself with the CES again, please check out our OBRA initiative proposal here.
Introduction: Efficiency Mapping
As part of our work to set up the Contribution Efficiency System, we’re excited to share a synthesized version of the learnings that came from our efficiency mapping exercise of DAO grant programs.
As part of our Phase 1 validation outlined in our proposal, this efficiency mapping exercise represents our initial scoping of grant programs across the leading DAOs seeking to gather insights into the industry’s best practices, key design elements, and opportunities for improvement. We used the learnings gathered from conversations with grant managers and recipients, canvassing public materials on grant programs, and to inform the design of the Contributor Efficiency System (CES). Ideally these learnings will provide a resource by which all future changes to OBRA can take inspiration.
Process
In our approach to this exercise, we parsed grant programs - as they pertain to CES’s mandate - into their four component parts: Onboarding, Milestone-setting, Tracking, and Reporting. For each of these phases, we drew a handful of guiding questions to help focus our exploration in tangible outcomes (see below). We’ll look through the most tangible learnings from each of the four core phases in turn.
A. Onboarding
A critical phase in the grant lifecycle, onboarding determines how effectively new grantees are integrated into the program. We discovered that common challenges, such as bottlenecks in the operational process and long wait times often occur when multiple grants are processed simultaneously. The CES addresses this by using a standardized onboarding flow utilizing familiar tools like Notion and Telegram, which enhances efficiency and consistency across the onboarding experience.
B. Recipient Milestone Setting
Milestone setting is a critical juncture in the grant lifecycle, defining how clearly grantees understand their objectives and expectations. From our efficiency mapping excercise, the CES recognizes that inconsistent milestone structuring across various grantees can lead to misaligned expectations and deliverables which don’t serve the overaching grant programs strategic objectives. To address this, the CES has standardized the milestone-setting process, ensuring that each grant’s objectives are well-defined, measurable, and aligned with the pre-defined strategic goals of OBRA.
C. Tracking
Tracking is one of the more varied components of DAO grant programs. In our design for the CES, we wanted to implement tracking that not only simplifies the process for grantees but also enhances the accuracy and reliability of the data collected, enabling more informed decision-making and timely interventions if necessary.
D. Reporting
We found that delegate and community fatigue was a meaningful issue with the inundation of reporting surfacing on forums. Concious of this and the pitfalls of other grant programs, the CES has streamlined the reporting process by implementing a standardized template that reduces complexity and ensures consistency across initiatives. This approach is succinct and effective, aiming to minimize administrative burdens on delegates and allow for more straightforward comparisons of progress across projects.
While the learnings of our efficiency mapping were pivotal in helping us lay out the foundational design of the CES, we are committed to continuous improvement and are eager to see how these adjustments will enhance the overall efficacy and impact of OBRA. We encourage the Safe community to engage with these changes and provide further feedback, which will be crucial in our ongoing efforts to refine our processes.
CES Resources
For this months reporting: Reporting
For all CES Updates: Notion