Governance Manual [v0.2]
RadicleGovernance Manual [v0.2]
This document describes the current governance processes of the RadicleDAO. It is version-controlled and can only updated via off-chain approval. It’s currently maintained here on Radicle.
For more on how this document is maintained please refer to contributing.md
Overview
The RadicleDAO is governed by on-chain and off-chain governance processes. These together make up Radicle’s governance system. It’s on-chain governance can be referred to as the DAO’s governance module.
On-chain
The RadicleDAO’s Treasury is controlled by a tokenized governance mechanism (Compound-Governor) via the project’s native governance token ($RAD). As members of the RadicleDAO, $RAD holders participate in the decision-making around the treasury by voting and creating on-chain governance proposals composed of executable actions.
Currently, these actions include:
- Treasury distributions of assets (e.g. RAD, ETH, and USDC)
- Upgrades to the on-chain governance system (Compound Governor)
- Changes to parameters of Treasury-governed contracts (e.g. Drips)
To learn more about token governance and how the RadicleDAO’s on-chain governance system works, see here.
Off-chain
In addition to the on-chain governance system, the RadicleDAO manages a set of off-chain processes and resources that define the rules for participating in the DAO. These processes and resources are maintained off-chain, but updates to these documents still require formal community approval via Snapshot vote.
See Proposal Process for more info.
Governance Toolkit
The primary tools for The RadicleDAO governance are:
- Snapshot: Where all Formal Reviews are submitted for vote.
- radicle.community: A community forum for discussion about governance proposals and topics.
- Discord: For governance announcements and informal governance discussion.
Additional tools for voting and proposal making can be found here.
Proposal Process
A Radicle Governance Proposal (RGP) can be proposed on-chain by anyone who has an amount of $RAD greater than or equal to 1% of total total supply delegated to their address. RGPs must be formally labeled in the following format: e.g. RGP-1
To submit an EGP on-chain, it must first complete an off-chain review process. Having a public off-chain review process allows for proposals to be reviewed, discussed, and improved by the Radicle community before reaching an on-chain vote. It also provides on-chain voters with more context on community sentiment and proposal development which ideally leads to more informed and less contentious decisions. Ultimately, involving the community in the public review and development of the proposal is also a way to protect the RadicleDAO, ensuring that what makes its way to an on-chain vote has already been vetted and reviewed in a transparent manner.
See Proposal Cycles for a timeline of governance processes.
Proposal Types
All proposals are considered a RGP. There are three main categories of RGPs:
| Type | Description | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Executable | On-chain actions such as treasury distributions, updates to contract parameters, and upgrades to governance system. | Discussion → Formal Review → Submission |
| Social | Changes that can not be enforced by the DAO on-chain (e.g. updates to Governance Manual) | Discussion → Formal Review |
| Consensus | Ad-hoc changes that “should” have community approval, but aren’t classified by an Executable or Social proposal | Discussion → Formal Review |
Each proposal type has a designated template.
Proposal Cycles
The RadicleDAO manages proposals in monthly cycles to sync voting periods and establish a manageable cadence for governance participants.
| Monthly Schedule | Stage | Weekly Schedule | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Discussion | First Monday | Post proposal to forum for Discussion* |
| Week 2 | Discussion | Second Wednesday | Join monthly Governance Call to present and discuss proposal with community |
| Week 3 | Formal Review | Third Monday | Open proposal for Formal Review |
| Week 4 | Submission | Fourth Monday | Submit proposal on-chain |
*Proposals can be posted to the forum for Discussion at anytime throughout the monthly cycle, but requires at least 7 days on the forum to be considered for that month’s voting cycle
Voting Thresholds
Once proposed, participants can vote for/against the proposal on-chain with their RAD. An RGP is approved if it satisfies the following minimum vote thresholds:
-
Quorum: The minimum number of total RAD votes required to be cast in connection with a proposal. Quorum is currently measured as a % of the total RAD supply. The required quorum to pass a proposal is 4% (4M RAD) of total supply (100M RAD)
Formal Reviews and Submissions are required to meet quorum requirements.
-
Approval Threshold: If quorum is met, the proposal passes if a majority of the votes are “in-favor”.
*Proposals can be posted to the forum for Discussion at anytime throughout the monthly cycle, but requires at least 7 days on the forum to be considered for that month’s voting cycle
**Submission triggers a 3-day voting period. If passed, the proposal is queued for 48hrs, then it can be executed.
Voting
Voting requires Radicle (RAD) tokens, which you can obtain here. One RAD token is equal to one vote. Voting takes place both on- and off-chain:
- Formal Reviews: Off-chain consensus checks done with Snapshot polls.
- Submissions: On-chain voting for RGPs take place on gov.radicle.network.
You can keep track of all open proposals and vote directly on the Radicle Governance Portal 🌱
Voting Thresholds
Once proposed, participants can vote for/against the proposal on-chain with their RAD. An RGP is approved if it satisfies the following minimum vote thresholds:
-
Quorum: The minimum number of total RAD votes required to be cast in connection with a proposal. Quorum is currently measured as a % of the total RAD supply. The required quorum to pass a proposal is 4% (4M RAD) of total supply (100M RAD)
Formal Reviews and Submissions are required to meet quorum requirements.
-
Approval Threshold: If quorum is met, the proposal passes if a majority of the votes are “in-favor”.
Delegating
On-chain voting is enabled by delegating voting rights to the address (or addresses) of the token holder's choice:
- The owner’s own wallet, if they would like to vote on their own.
- Another user's wallet, if they would like the other user to vote on their behalf.
- No wallet, if they don't want to vote.
Delegation takes place on-chain on various governance management platforms (e.g. via Boardroom or Tally). After connecting a wallet holding RAD, you are then able to delegate to either yourself or others. If you are delegating to yourself, after the delegation process is complete you are able to participate in on-chain voting. If you are delegating to others, they will received the amount you delegate as voting power to participate in on-chain voting.
Any delegation made on-chain will be mirrored to Snapshot for off-chain votes - i.e. any $RAD that is delegated to your wallet on-chain will be able to be able to be used to vote in off-chain Snapshot polls.
In addition to the Code of Conduct, Radicle Delegates are expected to adhere to our Delegate Standards, a set of requirements for ensuring healthy & safe community governance. Please review the standards before announcing yourself as a delegate 👇
Never miss a vote!
The best way to get live governance updates is by following the Radicle Governance Twitter (@rad_gov) or follow the 🏛️governance-updates channel on Discord. These accounts act as governance “ticker” accounts and include all of the information and links needed to participate in voting. You can also set up email notifications directly from the the calendar on our Boardroom governance portal.
The Radicle Governance Updates newsletter is a bi-weekly newsletter that provides updates on recent proposals, what the governance team is focusing on, as well as event and other reminders. You can subscribe here.
