Hello,
I am submitting my application for the Grants Council per the template that was provided. My details are below and I welcome any comments, questions or concerns.
Council sub-committee:
I would be open to exploring a role as an Optimism Mission Reviewer
If you are a delegate, please provide the link to your delegate profile:
I am set to become the delegate for Gitcoin’s ~164K OP tokens. As Gitcoin receives more OP tokens via RPGF, we intend to delegate those for governance or strategic allocations with partner-aligned ecosystems (examples here for Aave and libp2p).
Once allocated tokens are delegated, I will actively participate in Optimism governance.
If you are a delegate, please indicate what % of votable supply is delegated to you:
N/A: This will be updated once the delegation is formalized.
If you are a delegate, please indicate your voting participation rate in OP governance to date:
N/A
Please link to your voting history and any voting rationale you’ve shared:
Although I don’t have a voting history on Optimism yet, I am active in the Gitcoin Governance and Octant Governance forums, where I regularly contribute to discussions and share my perspectives.
Additionally, Gitcoin has allocated our ENS holdings (approximately 46K ENS Tokens), and we will do the same with our Radicle holdings.
Do you have a technical background?
While I don’t have a developer background, I have been actively involved in crypto since 2017 and deeply understand the technical frameworks and infrastructure. I have managed technical teams working on infrastructure and application layers.
Please demonstrate any non-Optimism experience you believe is relevant to this role and/or your sub-committee:
As the Head of Grants at Gitcoin, I lead our efforts to design, implement, and manage grant programs, both for Gitcoin and our partners. Gitcoin Grants is one of crypto’s longest-running and most recognized grant programs, allocating millions of dollars annually to hundreds of projects. In 2024 alone, across all our Gitcoin rounds and the rounds we run for partner ecosystems, we expect to allocate over $20M+ in grants.
My proven track record in the Web3 grants space, dating back to 2021, positions me as a strong candidate for the Optimism Grants Council. With this, I bring a unique perspective and a deep network to the program, ensuring we can effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities. Outside of my current role at Gitcoin, my experience in Web3 Grants includes:
- Researching various grant programs and writing extensively on the topic (you can find all of my work at sov.mirror.xyz).
- Creating curated lists of grant programs (The Common Good, LlamaoGrants, Granfarm)
- Being a grantee (Uniswap, Aave, Polygon)
- Assisting Projects with Grantmatching Support
- Working with Questbook (BD, Content Creation, Program Management)
Have you previously served in a representative (appointed or elected) role in the Collective?
I have not previously served in a representative role within the Optimism Collective.
Please outline your contributions and their impact to the Optimism ecosystem to date:
I have led internal initiatives at Gitcoin to strategically allocate our OP distributions to work with value-aligned partners like Aave and libp2p. Additionally, I have supported internal initiatives at Gitcoin related to the OP ecosystem and am actively working on projects with OP through my role at Gitcoin.
As an incoming delegate for Gitcoin’s OP tokens, I am committed to actively contributing to the Optimism ecosystem through governance participation and strategic initiatives.
Please describe your philosophy on what makes a good Mission Application:
A strong Mission Application should clearly articulate the project’s alignment with the Optimism Collective’s vision and goals, demonstrate the team’s ability to execute, and present a compelling case for how the funding will be leveraged to create sustainable value for the ecosystem. It should include well-defined milestones, measurable outcomes, and a plan for long-term viability beyond the initial grant support.
What types of Mission Requests do you think will help achieve the Season 6 Intents?:
Mission requests that focus on building critical infrastructure, fostering community engagement, and driving adoption of the Optimism ecosystem will be crucial for achieving the Season 6 Intents. This could include initiatives around developer tooling, user onboarding, liquidity provisioning, and cross-chain interoperability. Missions that promote collaboration and knowledge sharing across different projects and networks will also be valuable in creating a more resilient and interconnected ecosystem.
Please disclose any anticipated conflicts of interest:
I am currently the Head of Grants at Gitcoin, a delegate for ENS, and will soon be a delegate for Optimism and Radicle. I also contribute to Karma and build an onchain registry of grant programs along with the Cartographer Syndicate, a group supporting its development and maintenance.
I am committed to transparency and will recuse myself from any decisions that present a direct conflict of interest.
Please verify that you understand you may be removed from this role via the Representative Removal proposal type in the Operating Manual:
I understand and acknowledge that I may be removed from this role via the Representative Removal proposal type in the Operating Manual.
Please verify that you understand KYC will be required to receive Council rewards at the end of Season 6:
I understand and acknowledge that KYC will be required to receive Council rewards at the end of Season 6.
Please verify that you are able to commit ~20 hours / week to reviewing grant applications and other Council operations:
I am confident that I can commit the necessary time, at least 20 hours per week, to diligently review grant applications and actively participate in other Council operations.
The Optimism Collective’s vision of creating a sustainable ecosystem that funds and supports public goods aligns perfectly with my mission and values. As someone deeply involved in the Web3 grants space, I believe in the power of strategic funding to drive innovation, foster community growth, and ultimately create a more open, transparent, and equitable world.
I see the Grants Council as a crucial component in realizing this vision. By carefully stewarding the Collective’s resources and allocating funding to high-impact projects, the Council can catalyze the development of key infrastructure, tools, and applications to form the foundation of a thriving Optimism ecosystem.
Drawing from my experience at Gitcoin, where we’ve successfully funded and nurtured hundreds of projects across the Web3 landscape, I can bring valuable insights and best practices to the Council. This includes leveraging my network to attract top talent, collaborating with the community to identify strategic priorities, and implementing robust processes for evaluating and supporting grantees.
Moreover, my work on the onchain grant registry and the Cartographer Syndicate aligns with Optimism’s goals of promoting transparency, accountability, and collaboration within the ecosystem. By contributing to these initiatives and sharing knowledge across different networks, we can create a rising tide that lifts all boats and accelerates the growth of the Web3 economy.
Ultimately, I’m excited about the opportunity to work with the talented individuals on the Grants Council and the broader Optimism community to shape the future of this transformative ecosystem. Thanks for your consideration.
Best,
Sov