Before delving into the details of the DAO charter, here are some pointers to bear in mind:
- Take Your Time: Drafting a comprehensive and effective charter is not a task to be rushed. It's a vital foundation for your DAO, so it's worth investing the time to get it right.
- Divide and Conquer: You don't have to tackle the whole charter at once. Break it down into sections, and assign each one to a different team member. This not only makes the task more manageable but also leverages the diverse skills and perspectives within your team.
- Breathe: This might seem like a huge task, and it is, but remember to breathe. Taking regular breaks will help maintain your focus and productivity.
- Keep It Short: While it's important to cover all key aspects, try to keep your charter concise and straightforward. Avoid unnecessary jargon or detail, and remember you can always refine and expand it later.
- Grow with the Charter: Your charter isn't set in stone. As your DAO evolves, so should your charter. Make sure to periodically review and update it to reflect changes in your DAO's context, objectives, or operations.
1. Purpose and Objectives
- Clearly defined purpose of the DAO, ensuring it is a Decentralized & Sustainable Constellation (Vertical).
- Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives.
- Creation of decentralization and sustainability engines unlike any the world has ever seen.
- Mission Statement: A succinct explanation of the DAO's purpose, core objectives, and desired impact. This should be periodically revisited and revised as necessary.
- Vision Statement: A clear and inspiring statement of the DAO's long-term goals, painting a picture of the ideal future it seeks to create.
- Values and Guiding Principles: Shared values and beliefs that define the DAO's identity, guide its decision-making, and underpin its culture.
2. Scope
- A detailed description of the DAO's scope, including activities and responsibilities.
- Clarification of what's out of scope to manage expectations and avoid mission creep.
3. Governance and Decision-Making
- Governance Structure: Clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authority of various members and committees. Include processes for electing or appointing individuals to these roles, and mechanisms for holding them accountable.
- Voting Mechanisms: Consideration of the most appropriate voting mechanism, such as simple majority, supermajority, quadratic voting, ranked-choice voting, or delegative democracy.
- Decision-Making Processes: Establishment of clear, transparent, and inclusive processes for proposing, discussing, and deciding on key issues and initiatives.