Applicant:

Monty Merlin Bryant

Co-Founder of ReFi DAO

I've dedicated significant efforts to advancing the Gitcoin Community through the initiation of a ReFi Local Node Network and the development of Gitcoin CoordiNATION Games. Both of these projects aim to leverage Gitcoin's technology and community to help steer people, talent and capital into regen web3 and public goods projects.

Key Contributions:

1. ReFi Local Nodes - Gitcoin Featured Rounds:

I've played a pivotal role in establishing, managing, and overseeing the ReFi DAO Local Nodes Gitcoin Featured Rounds.

Core Idea:

Local Nodes are assemblies of local startup communities working collaboratively to drive a regenerative economy. While building a unique community of leaders from public, private, and third-sector organizations, these nodes hold events and activations to implement ReFi solutions on the ground and infuse capital and talent into the regenerative economy utilising Web3 technologies.

What We've Accomplished:

• Last quarter we supported the formation of 14 local nodes on the Gitcoin Beta Round (85% in emerging markets) with over $25k of grant funding via Gitcoin.
• This quarter for Gitcoin GG18 we supported over 31 local nodes with a $30k matching fund raised from Celo Foundation, Celo Europe DAO, and KNKT DAO.
• Some key metrics from our most recent GG18 round included:
  • Over 1,551 community contributions.
  • Total donations amounting to $6,794.
  • Gitcoin receiving a 10% fee for operational support.

Our Next Steps:

• I am committed to continuously sourcing funding for Local Nodes, leveraging the robust capabilities of Gitcoin's technology, ecosystem & community, and building on our valuable partnership with Celo.

2. Gitcoin CoordiNATION Games:

The Gitcoin CoordiNATION Games have launched to onboard new donors, match funders and projects into the Gitcoin ecosystem & immerse local communities in the world of Web3. The aim is to make the Gitcoin experience accessible, educating communities about its benefits, and encouraging the promotion of public good projects.

Activation stations form the crux of this outreach. They're designed to be accessible hubs---both online and offline---for users to familiarize themselves with Gitcoin with support from a local Web3-enabled community to help guide the journey. Attendees can recive support in getting set up on Gitcoin, contributing to projects, or initiating their own endeavours.

My involvement has been instrumental in:

• Successfully carrying out two iterations of the CoordiNATION Initiatives during both the Gitcoin Beta Round and GG18 resulting in over 30 Gitcoin coordination events - 17 online and 13 in-real-life events across the globe.
• Generated significant online engagement, most notably a thriving Twitter discourse with prominent communities like Bankless DAO, which brought in over 240 participants in our most recent space.
• Catalyzed over $1000 in pledges where people commit to making an extra contribution towards Gitcoin Grant projects.
• Constructing a user-friendly Gitcoin CoordiNATION Initiatives dashboard (link).
• Designing comprehensive guides to enhance participant engagement and contribution (link).

Looking Ahead:

• We are setting our sights on hosting these initiatives quarterly, aligning with the regular Gitcoin cycles.
• We are also invested in refining our tools, enhancing the quality of resources, and establishing deeper connections within the community.

Future Ambitions:

I'm committed to consistently enhance and refine these projects by:

• Continuing to raise funding for Local Nodes powered by Gitcoin's incredible technology and community, and in continued partnership with Celo and other leading Web3 projects.
• Continuing to organise quarterly coordination games in sync with Gitcoin's quarterly rounds, while augmenting the resources, web dashboard, and guides to simplify user navigation and enhance their experience.
• Expanding our collaborations with leading community networks such as Bankless DAO, GreenPill Network, Regens Unite and others.

Conclusion:

Through the initiatives mentioned above, I aim to continually support the growth and development of a regenerative Gitcoin ecosystem and your support in this Gitcoin Citizens Round #2 will not only recognize the efforts so far but also catalyze the future endeavours outlined. Together, let's fortify the regenerative economy and foster an inclusive web3 community.