Hi, I am Anon_Researcher and I am in the process of learning about Nouns DAO. I have an idea for a Small Grants proposal, but prior to submitting I wanted to ask a few questions and get some initial feedback.
First of all, I love the ethos of the project and am amazed at what you all have accomplished (in spite of the challenges the DAO has faced in recent months, with the fork and etc).
I am primarily curious about DAO funding for research initiatives, in particular as relates to meme (Noun) proliferation. I am an academic researcher, and when I first read about Nouns DAO I immediately wondered: are they funding academic research into meme proliferation? Are they leveraging research initiatives to inform their funding rounds? How are they determining the value of individual proposals as relates to the meta-goals of the organization?
Research is not nearly as sexy as, for example, a triple backflip in a wheelchair. However, research into meme proliferation might inform whether the DAO should continue to fund a triple backflip in a wheelchair, and help determine if this (example) proposal pushes forward the broader goals of the DAO.
In my opinion, serious research could help ground the DAO’s funding, and give token holders information that would inform their votes beyond simply their gut response and opinions. Research could, for example, look retrospectively at funded proposals and examine their varied impacts. A research team could produce case studies on widely proliferated brands or memes, and explore how they managed to grow. These are broad and general examples, but I hope I don’t need to convince people that research can inform decision making, and is often a worthwhile investment.
I am interested in proposing a small grant to fund a research team to prepare a survey of current academic research on meme proliferation, and to author a report connecting this survey directly to the present and future goals of Nouns DAO.
Before submitting a proposal for funding, I wanted to ask a few questions I have not been able to find answers:
- Has Nouns DAO funded any research into meme proliferation, or marketing, in the past?
- Are there any on-going, funded research efforts as relates to Nouns DAOs mission?
- If yes to either of the questions above, how has Nouns DAO incorporated learnings from member research in funding decisions, or proposal voting?
Any reactions, insights, or comments you might have would be appreciated!