Crypto Altruism Podcast Episode 129 - Gitcoin - Elevating public goods with decentralization, quadratic funding, and community coordination
In episode 129, we’re excited to welcome Ben West, Grants Program Lead at Gitcoin, an incredible catalyst for public goods that has distributed over $50M through their grants program to early-stage builders championing projects across DeFi, climate, open source, and beyond. We discuss the exciting potential of quadratic funding, why Web3 is a powerful tool for community coordination and advancing public goods, advice for first time Gitcoin grantees, and much more.
Three Key Takeaways
Ben has diverse experience across activism, community organizing, and politics, all of which have been applicable to Web3, especially when it comes to coordinating the community in support of public goods. For those who have experience building community in traditional impact spaces, there is an incredible opportunity to bring this experience to Web3 to support the advancement of public goods.
Web3 isn’t just technology, it’s a social movement. The social and memetic layer that is helping enshrine the ethos of decentralization and public goods into the public consciousness is vital in advancing public goods around the world.
For those who are new to Gitcoin and considering becoming a grantee for the first time, there is a place for you to participate regardless of your project’s size and whether or not you have an established community. Gitcoin grants is a great opportunity to connect with new people and build a strong community.
Support our Gitcoin Grants Proposal!
Crypto Altruism is live on Gitcoin Grants Round 19! We would be honored to earn your support with a small contribution! Check out our project at cryptoaltruism.org/gg19
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Episode Time Stamps
03:15 - What was your “Ah hah” moment that got you excited about cryptocurrency and web3 in the beginning?
08:10 - You have quite the background – including working as a climate activist in Canada for 20 years and were even in politics for a while. How have you been able to apply this experience to the Web3 community?
10:55 - Currently, you are the Grant Programs Lead at Gitcoin - for those who aren’t as familiar, can you please give a quick introduction to Gitcoin’s mission?
16:25 - What is a public good? How can Web3 facilitate the building of public goods, and ensure public goods get the funding they deserve?
23:30 - Why is Web3 such a powerful tool for community coordination?
27:35 - About six months back, we had the pleasure of chatting with Connor O’Day and highlighting the work of Gitcoin on the podcast. A lot has changed since then, including the introduction of the Gitcoin Grants Stack, which allows anyone to offer a Quadratic Funding round. Tell me more about this.
36:25 - Over 50M in funding has been allocated to grantees through Gitcoin’s grant program, which has been a catalyst for hundreds of early stage Web3 projects. For those listening that are interested in becoming a grantee for the first time, but are maybe a bit nervous, what advice would you give to them?
42:55 - Web3 can be stressful and extremely fast paced, especially during Gitcoin Grant season! I notice that one way you disconnect is by getting outside and juggling! Tell me more about how you stay grounded in the busy world of Web3!
49:15 - What’s the best way for listeners to follow you, get in touch, and learn more about Gitcoin’s work?
50:30 - To wrap things up, if you could name one thing that excites you most about the social impact potential of web3, what would it be and why?
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DISCLAIMER
While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More available HERE.
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