Grant Application:
Name of Project
Denver Lift-Off: This is a pDAO funding request for financial underwriting (sponsorship) of Denver Lift-Off: a Rocket Pool Learning Forum
What is the work being proposed?
The Denver Lift-Off is a 1.5-day educational forum paralleling the ETH Denver Main Festival. It focuses on the Rocket Pool protocol and is aimed at both new and existing participants in the Rocket Pool ecosystem. The event includes workshops for new node operators, presentations by Rocket Pool specialists, and strategic planning sessions for community development.
Please read the complete Prospectus [ link here ] for a complete event description.
Is there any related work this builds off of?
This project builds off the existing community and educational initiatives within the Rocket Pool ecosystem, including previous events, online forums, and educational resources aimed at node operators and general participants.
Will the results of this project be entirely open source (MIT, GPL, Apache, CC BY license or similar)? If not, which parts will not be, why, and under what license will they be published?
Yes. CC BY. The content (presentations and course material/handouts) will be available.
Benefits - enter N/A where appropriate
| Group | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Potential rETH holders | If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help people looking to stake ETH for rETH? |
| The event provides education on ETH staking and using rETH, helping potential holders understand the benefits and processes involved. | |
| rETH holders | If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help rETH holders? |
| Current holders gain insights into the protocol’s advancements and community-led initiatives, enhancing their knowledge and confidence in rETH. | |
| Potential NOs | If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help people looking to run a Rocket Pool node for the first time? |
| Aspiring node operators receive hands-on training and knowledge, easing their entry into the Rocket Pool network. | |
| NOs | If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help people already running a Rocket Pool node? |
| Existing node operators can learn advanced techniques, network with peers, and contribute to strategic discussions. | |
| Community | If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help the Rocket Pool community? |
| The forum strengthens the community, fosters collaboration, and encourages shared learning and growth. | |
| RPL holders | If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help RPL holders? |
| Increased awareness and education about Rocket Pool can lead to more engagement and potentially enhance the value and utility of RPL. |
What other non-RPL protocols, DAOs, projects, or individuals, would stand to benefit from this grant?
The event’s discussions on decentralized, permissionless liquid staking protocols and Ethereum staking will be relevant to similar projects and DAOs in the DeFi space, especially those involved in staking, liquidity provision, and yield optimization.
The technical presentations and workshops on topics like Smart Node 2.0, Ethereum staking, and smart contract design will offer valuable insights and learning opportunities for developers, both within and outside the Rocket Pool ecosystem.
The event’s focus on community building, strategic planning, and ecosystem development can provide valuable case studies and learning opportunities for community leaders and educators looking to foster similar engagement in their projects or platforms.
Team
Who is doing the work?
Ken Smith is performing the role of the Event Coordinator. Various prominent
members of the RP community and the development team will be invited to speak at the forum. An open call for presenters and topics of interest will also be made.
What is the background of the person(s) doing the work? What experience do they have with such projects in the past?
Ken Smith, an engaged community member, Rocket Scientist, and GMC member, will coordinate the event. Ken’s extensive experience in the community and past roles in similar initiatives ensure the event’s success. Ken has organized several similar (non-crypto) large seminar attendance events in his career.
What is the proposed work breakdown in terms of milestones and/or deadlines?
Jan 28th - Open and invited call for presenters and volunteers.
Feb 8 - Complete deposits and funding for venue and catering.
Feb 8 - Launch registration website with a preliminary lineup of presenters.
Feb 15 - Finalize speaker lineup and volunteer list.
Feb 26 - Complete headcount for catering.
Mar 2-3 - Event Date. On-site activities with volunteers, presenters, and attendees.
March 8 - Complete any post-production edits of videos.
March 15 - Submit to the GMC a post-event accounting of expenses.
How is the work being tested? Is testing included in the schedule?
We will hold 5 weekly planning calls in February for all interested persons (e.g., volunteers, moderators, etc.) to join. We will review current logistics on these planning calls and discuss any challenges encountered in coordinating the event.
How will the work be maintained after delivery?
Video recordings of the main auditorium presentations will be made available to the development team for uploading to the RP YouTube channel. We intended to livestream the presentations at the Learning Formun track for those in the RP Community who can not attend the event in person.
Payment and Verification
What is the acceptance criteria?
The successful hosting of the Denver Lift-off event on Mar 2-3, 2024.
What is the proposed payment schedule for the grant? How much USD $ and over what period of time is the applicant requesting?
$31,929
A detailed budget estimate is found here Denver Lift-Off Budget - Google Sheets
Options for the GMC consideration: If the GMC decides to approve the grant at a value less than the requested amount, we will augment the budget by increasing the attendee RSVP cost for both the Strategic Planning Sessions and the Learning Form attendees to make up any of the difference. This may make the event less accessible to everyone in the community who wants to attend.
Upon full or partial grant approval, we request a payment of 75% of the funded amount. The funds are needed to provide deposits for both the venue and catering. In addition, we would like to offer travel assistance (up to the amount specified in the detailed budget) to any invited presenter who needs financial sponsorship to attend.
Is the applicant requesting RPL or LUSD?
RPL
How will the GMC verify that the work delivered matches the proposed cadence?
Payment for this grant is anticipated to be in two parts.
Initial payment: 75% of the requested amount so the award recipient can make payments and deposits for the events.
Final payment: The remainder, up to the approved award amount, would be made following submitting a “true-up” expense report asking for the balance due up to the actual costs incurred. A detailed cost account will be submitted to document the costs incurred for hosting the event. The final payment would cover only actual incurred expenses up to the awarded approved amount. We will not request payment for any unspent budgeted amount.
What alternatives or options have been considered in order to save costs for the proposed project?
Options for the GMC consideration: If the GMC decides to approve the grant at a value less than the requested amount, we will augment the budget by increasing the attendee RSVP cost for both the Strategic Planning Sessions and the Learning Form attendees to make up any of the difference. This may make the event less accessible to everyone in the community who wants to attend.
Conflict of Interest
Does the person or persons proposing the grant have any conflicts of interest to disclose? (Please disclose here if you are a member of the GMC or if any member of the GMC would benefit directly financially from the grant).
Yes. The grant is partially a monetary remuneration (stipend) to Ken Smith, who is acting as the event coordinator. Ken serves as a member of the GMC, and per the current RPIP-18, I will have to recuse myself from deliberations on this application.
Will the recipient of the grant, or any protocol or project in which the recipient has a vested interest (other than Rocket Pool), benefit financially if the grant is successful?
No.