Request for Proposals (RFP): Educational Marketing Initiatives for Shutter DAO 0x36

Background

As decentralized technologies evolve, it’s crucial to emphasize the significance of accessibility for both developers and end users. However, the conventional approaches to marketing, such as public relations (PR) and token shilling, need to be more sustainable for DAOs like Shutter DAO 0x36. Recognizing this challenge, 0x36 should explore alternative avenues to achieve its mission and vision of making technology more accessible within the Ethereum and DeFi space. While the Shutter DAO 0x36 has successfully built strong partnerships for technical integration and development, it recognizes the need to increase its educational content and marketing efforts. This shift in focus towards educational initiatives and community engagement will complement its existing technical work and contribute to a more holistic and sustainable approach towards achieving its goals.

The primary goal of this RFP is to identify and engage with service providers who can assist Shutter DAO 0x36 in realizing its objectives. Specifically, 0x36 should seek partners specializing in educational marketing and content creation. By leveraging their expertise, the DAO could develop sustainable strategies that enhance the projects’ visibility and foster meaningful engagement with a target audience.

Furthermore, this RFP presents an opportunity for Shutter DAO 0x36 to establish and nurture relationships with professionals in the field. Successful collaborations require trust, communication, and shared values. Therefore, this initiative is more than just a one-time engagement but a foundation for future and ongoing cooperation.

In summary, this RFP represents a crucial step for Shutter DAO 0x36 in advancing its mission of promoting accessibility within the Ethereum and DeFi ecosystem. Shutter DAO 0x36 should invite qualified service providers to submit their proposals and join this journey towards a more inclusive and innovative decentralized future.

Budget and Grant Request

Grant for Marketing Facilitator

35,000 USDC and 140,000 SHU for scouting, facilitating, and monitoring the entire marketing grant governance process for six months to nhan.eth (freelance consultant and long-time supporter of Shutter since 2021 and active Shutter DAO 0x36 member, executed six on-chain proposals and active voter on Snapshot and Fractal) to push marketing and educational initiatives forward aligned with Shutter’s vision and mission. nhan.eth is committed to work 15 - 20 hours per week for the DAO to spearhead this initiative and role.

Grant for Marketing and Educational Content Providers

Up to 80,000 USDC and 240,000 SHU for onboarding, planning, implementation, and distribution efforts within four to six months.

The grant can be distributed to one or more grantees, depending on their focus area, expertise, and proposals.

1. Introduction

Shutter DAO 0x36, a community part of the Shutter ecosystem, an open-source project dedicated to combating front-running on Ethereum, seeks proposals from specialized service providers capable of engaging marketing and/or creating educational content. The DAO aims to educate the broader community about the significance of preventing front-running, censorship, and other use cases, as well as topics like base layer neutrality, information symmetry, accessibility, and better voting while showcasing our technology, especially in relation to Shutter.

2. Objectives

Shutter DAO 0x36 seeks to commission marketing or educational initiatives to create content that effectively communicates:

  • Explanation of Shutter’s technology application use cases within the Ethereum ecosystem for variations of target audience and user segments.
  • Overview of Shutter’s technology and its role in addressing front-running and censorship issues.
  • Importance of decentralized solutions in maintaining fairness and integrity within blockchain networks.

3. Scope of Work

The scope of work is split into two main parts and roles.

Part 1: Marketing Grant Facilitator role and work

As a Marketing Grant Facilitator for Shutter DAO 0x36, the primary responsibility is coordinating and managing the relationships between the DAO and grantees (service providers). The role will be pivotal in ensuring the smooth execution of grant projects and initiatives to achieve the DAO’s mission and vision. The role encompasses various tasks and responsibilities, including but not limited to:

  • Contributor Management and Scouting: Serve as the main point of contact for all external service providers engaged by the DAO. This involves establishing and maintaining productive working relationships, clarifying expectations, and facilitating effective communication between parties.
  • Proposal Evaluation: Assist the DAO in evaluating proposals submitted by potential grant receivers. This includes reviewing proposals against predefined criteria, conducting due diligence, and providing recommendations to the DAO for final decision-making.
  • Project Coordination: Oversee the implementation of initiatives by grant receivers. This includes defining project scope, setting timelines and milestones, allocating resources, and monitoring progress to ensure the timely delivery of outcomes.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Foster collaboration and alignment between the DAO and external stakeholders, including service providers, community members, and other relevant entities. Facilitate discussions, solicit feedback, and promote transparency to enhance the effectiveness of partnership initiatives.
  • Reporting and Accountability: Prepare bi-weekly reports detailing the status of ongoing projects, key performance metrics, and any issues or challenges encountered. Present these reports to the DAO to facilitate informed decision-making and ensure service providers’ accountability.

In addition to the core responsibilities outlined above, another crucial goal of the Facilitator for Shutter DAO 0x36 is to facilitate the transition of their role into a sub-DAO or sub-working group within the Shutter DAO 0x36. This transition aims to mitigate the risks of nepotism and ensure greater decentralization and transparency in the DAO’s governance processes.

Part 2: Service provider’s role and work

The scope of work for the selected service provider(s) must be completed within a designated four-month period from the commencement of the engagement. During this timeframe, the service provider will execute the agreed-upon strategies and milestones outlined in their proposal. These strategies should focus on educational marketing and content creation initiatives to enhance the accessibility of Shutter’s technologies within the Ethereum and DeFi ecosystem.

The selected service provider(s) will be responsible for:

  • Developing comprehensive educational content, including but not limited to articles, blog posts, infographics, videos, webinars, and social media campaigns.
  • Distribute the content via effective channels.
  • Ensuring that the content is accurate, accessible, and tailored to various levels of technical expertise within the Ethereum and blockchain communities.
  • Collaborating with the Shutter DAO 0x36 to ensure alignment with project goals, roadmap and messaging.
  • Implementing metrics to measure the effectiveness of the marketing and educational initiatives in increasing awareness and understanding of front-running, censorship, base layer neutrality, information symmetry, accessibility, and better voting with Shutter’s technology.
  • Ensuring mindful communication to avoid legal issues or misrepresentations in created content.
  • Collaborating and coordinating closely with the marketing grant facilitator and Shutter DAO 0x36

The Shutter DAO 0x36 is NOT currently seeking branding or consulting services. Its focus is on deliverable content that comprehensively explains Shutter technologies.

It’s essential to note that any new engagements or additional work beyond the initial scope outlined in the proposal must be defined and approved by the Shutter DAO 0x36 through a separate proposal process. This ensures transparency, accountability, and alignment with the DAO’s goals and objectives. All proposed engagements will be subject to a governance process within the 0x36 community, where members will have the opportunity to evaluate and decide on the merit of each proposal.

By adhering to this structured approach, Shutter DAO 0x36 aims to foster a collaborative environment where all stakeholders have a voice in shaping the direction of the initiatives. This decentralized decision-making process will promote inclusivity and facilitate the emergence of innovative solutions that advance the mission of making technology more accessible within the Ethereum and DeFi ecosystem.

4. Proposal Requirements

Interested parties are requested to submit proposals that include:

  • Overview of the proposed marketing or educational initiatives, including content formats, delivery methods, and target audience.
  • Demonstrated understanding of front-running, censorship, and decentralized technologies, particularly within the context of Ethereum.
  • Portfolio showcasing previous experience creating educational content related to blockchain, cryptocurrency, or similar technical subjects.
  • Proposed timeline and milestones for content creation and delivery.
  • Budget breakdown detailing costs associated with producing and promoting the educational content.

5. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Relevance and clarity of the proposed marketing or educational initiatives in addressing the objectives outlined in this RFP.
  • Demonstrated expertise in blockchain technology, particularly in explaining complex concepts to diverse audiences.
  • Creativity and innovation in content creation and delivery methods.
  • Track record of delivering high-quality educational content within specified timelines and budgets.
  • Cost-effectiveness of the proposed budget in relation to the scope of work.

6. Submission Guidelines

Proposals must be submitted at the Shutter Forum within six months of the RFP’s release. Late submissions will not be considered. A template for proposal submission will be provided. All proposals related to the RFP must use the rfp-proposal tag.

7. Timeline

  • RFP Release Date: End of April 2024 after successful Snapshot vote
  • Reach-out period: 2-4 weeks proactively contacting the Shutter DAO 0x36 community and scouting for potential service providers. This is a continuous effort, but for the initial phase, a push is required to create awareness that the DAO is actively seeking service providers and promoting the RFP.
  • Submission Deadline: The DAO expects at least three service providers to be confirmed as participating in the RFP. All proposals must be submitted within six months of the RFP’s release
  • Proposal Evaluation Period(s): A 3-day Snapshot vote period with short-listed service providers. Several proposal evaluations might be required depending on the service provider’s expertise.
  • Notification of Award: Right after the successful Proposal Evaluation Snapshot vote
  • Project Commencement: Right after the official announcement

Roadmap for Service Provider(s) Engagement: Educational Marketing, Content Development, and Distribution

Duration: 4 Months

Month 1:

Week 1-2: Onboarding and Orientation

  • Introduce service provider(s) to Shutter DAO 0x36’s mission, vision, and goals.
  • Provide access to relevant documents, resources, and collaboration tools.
  • Conduct orientation sessions to familiarize the service provider(s) with the DAO’s culture, values, and community dynamics.

Week 3-4: Project Kickoff and Planning

  • Define project scope, objectives, and deliverables in collaboration with the service provider.
  • Conduct a thorough needs assessment to identify the target audience, key messaging, and content requirements.
  • Develop a detailed project plan outlining timelines, milestones, and allocated resources for content development and educational marketing initiatives.
  • Identify and reach out to Key Opinion Leaders (KOL)

Month 2:

Week 1-4: Content Creation and Development

  • Commence content creation activities based on the agreed-upon project plan.
  • Generate educational materials such as articles, blog posts, tutorials, videos, infographics, and other resources tailored to the needs and preferences of the target audience.
  • Ensure content is accurate, engaging, and aligned with Shutter DAO 0x36’s branding guidelines and messaging framework.
  • Conduct regular review meetings with the service provider(s) to evaluate progress and provide feedback on content drafts.
  • Solicit input and insights from relevant stakeholders within the DAO community to ensure content resonates with their interests and preferences.
  • Iterate on content based on feedback received and finalize materials for publication and distribution.

Month 3-4:

Week 1-8: Implementation and Distribution

  • Launch educational marketing campaigns to promote the newly developed content across various channels and platforms.
  • Deploy targeted outreach strategies to reach key stakeholders and amplify the reach and impact of the content.
  • Distribute content via Key Opinion Leaders (KOL)
  • Monitor engagement metrics and user feedback to gauge the effectiveness of the content and make necessary adjustments as needed.
  • Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the educational marketing initiatives and content development efforts undertaken during the engagement period.
  • Analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, engagement metrics, social media interactions, and community feedback to assess the impact and effectiveness of the content.
  • Continuously share a detailed report highlighting achievements, lessons learned, and future content development and marketing strategy recommendations.

Throughout the engagement period:

  • Shutter DAO 0x36 and the service provider(s) should maintain open communication and collaboration to ensure alignment with project objectives and expectations.
  • Address any challenges or issues promptly and proactively to minimize project timelines and deliverables disruptions.
  • To maximize the partnership’s success, foster a collaborative and supportive working relationship based on mutual respect, transparency, and trust.

8. Additional Information

Please ask in the respective forum post for inquiries or further information regarding this RFP.

Shutter DAO 0x36 encourages its members to suggest marketing service providers and educational content creators aligned with Shutter’s vision and mission.

9. Helpful resources and examples of content to learn more about the problem Shutter is solving

Voting Platform

  • Snapshot

Vote

Members of Shutter DAO 0x36 are invited to vote on this proposal using the following options:

  • Vote “YES”: To approve the launch of RFPs for Educational Marketing Initiatives for Shutter DAO 0x36 with the proposed budget
  • Vote “NO”: To reject the launch of RFPs for Educational Marketing Initiatives for Shutter DAO 0x36
  • Vote “Abstain”
5 Likes

I strongly support this proposal. Increasing the amount of educational content will undoubtedly benefit Shutter DAO 0x36.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of any organizations or employers with which the author may be affiliated. This post’s content is the author’s property and not any organization or its employees.

Any content in this post is the author’s opinion and should not be considered investment advice.

The information in this post is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a source of advice. The author is not responsible for any errors or omissions in the content of this post.

1 Like

Strongly support this as well, ideally I’d love to see creative ideas in terms of marketing as well, not just a mirror/medium post.

1 Like