The NEAR Foundation (NF) is entering a pivotal phase in its development, dedicated to reimagining its governance structure to steer the NEAR ecosystem into a new era of growth. To support this mission, NF has partnered with Gauntlet, a leader in ecosystem optimization, incentive modeling, and community engagement. This collaboration aims to introduce a new governance framework and implement initiatives that foster significant on-chain economic activity.

The future is NEAR!We are thrilled to partner with the @NEARFoundation to help develop a new governance framework and drive the growth of the @NEARProtocol ecosystem.We are dedicated to NEAR’s mission of building a resilient and transparent blockchain ecosystem shaped and…

— Gauntlet (@gauntlet_xyz) June 4, 2024

Redefining Governance for Sustainable Growth

Designing a Stake-Weighted Governance Framework

One of the primary objectives of this partnership is to design a new stake-weighted governance framework. Gauntlet will provide guidance and expertise to ensure the governance structure promotes transparency, accountability, and efficiency. The framework will focus on:

  • New Governance Structure: Creating a governance system that efficiently manages funding streams, ecosystem budgets, and strategic upgrades to drive sustainable growth.

  • Grant Analysis: Evaluating past capital deployments and governance efforts to optimize future initiatives and learn from previous experiences.

  • Community Engagement: Collaborating with delegates and other stakeholders to foster an active and robust governance process. This involves generating interest from major crypto governance actors, gathering feedback on community proposals, and analyzing the effectiveness of ongoing programs.

By researching NEAR’s infrastructure and the existing Near Digital Collective (NDC) model, Gauntlet will identify patterns and areas for improvement. This research will inform the development of a new, optimized governance model.

Boosting Ecosystem Growth and Onchain Activity

Driving Onchain Economic Activity

The second pillar of the partnership focuses on assessing and implementing initiatives that promote meaningful onchain economic activity. Gauntlet will:

  • Contribute to Ecosystem Governance: Actively participate in developing and implementing dynamic incentive programs that drive ecosystem growth.

  • Evaluate and Improve Liquidity Programs: Continuously assess the effectiveness of liquidity mining and incentive programs, providing recommendations to enhance liquidity and encourage economic activity.

Wrap Up

The collaboration between the NEAR Foundation and Gauntlet marks a significant step toward redefining governance and driving long-term ecosystem growth. By introducing a new stake-weighted governance framework and fostering meaningful onchain economic activity, this partnership aims to ensure the sustainable development of the NEAR ecosystem.