Favor Score represents the total amount of Favor a user has earned by helping others — a reflection of their contributions to the community.
Favor Balance, on the other hand, reflects how much Favor a user currently holds, and can spend to request help.
The two are tracked separately to distinguish between a user's reputation and their available credit.
Favor is generated only when a need is fulfilled. When someone requests help, and another user fulfills that need, the requester confirms the task is complete. At that moment, the agreed-upon amount of Favor is awarded to the helper. This is how new Favor enters the system.
No one can give themselves Favor, and Favor cannot be traded or sold. It can only be earned through meaningful contribution.
Ultimately, the receiver of the favor sets the value — ideally in agreement with the giver before the need is fulfilled. If a disagreement arises after the task is completed, the circle moderator(s) may be asked to help mediate.
Eventually, a community-curated database of suggested tasks and their average Favor valuations will help guide these decisions, especially for newcomers unsure how to price their needs or contributions.
Disputes about value or fulfillment are rare but important. Favor moderators should approach these situations transparently and in good faith. In most cases, discussion between parties resolves misunderstandings. In extreme cases, moderators can suspend a user’s participation or remove them from a circle, with their Favor Score preserved but their balance frozen or reassigned based on circle consensus.
In smaller circles (like neighborhood groups or close-knit communities), members tend to know each other and trust is high. Favor transactions are more personal, and moderation is light. In larger or more open circles, the need for agreed-upon standards and moderation increases.
We're still exploring how Favor might flow between circles. One possible model: if a small circle can’t fulfill a member’s need, that request could be elevated to a larger, regional circle — potentially with additional Favor incentives attached by the smaller group. However, this must be balanced to avoid creating Favor inflation or systemic inequality. More discussion is needed on this point.
If a user earns more Favor than they need, they can donate some or all of their Favor to others — either individuals or to community grant pools. These pools can be used to boost difficult or high-impact needs that might not otherwise get fulfilled. Moderators or democratic processes within circles can determine how these are allocated.
Favor is not about profit — it’s about service, community, and accountability. The balance and score system is meant to encourage fairness, reciprocity, and growth, both personal and collective. As this project evolves, these rules will too — but they will always aim to reflect those same values.