The Validator Commons is a coalition of validators and allies. We believe that governance matters. Read our platform and join the movement.
The monthly open call occurs at 4pm ET on the third Wednesday of every month. (public calendar link with Zoom information). We encourage you to first join the Discord.
Members of the Commons meet weekly. If you would like to join the Commons as a member, submit a registration and sign the declaration.
Validator Commons Grant Proposal
What is the future of validator governance? via Pol.is
The Validator Commons (a.k.a. the Commons), began as an effort by folks at Stakefish, Figment, Chorus One, Chainflow, and Metagov to define technical standards and best-practices in proof-of-stake governance. We started in March 2022, and at some point over the next four months, we realized that the best way to improve proof-of-stake governance was to agree on some values, put together some proposals, and then actually vote for the change we want. Over the course of 2022, we launched town halls on major proposals like ATOM 2.0 on Cosmos Hub, a pilot of a validator jury system, and hosted in-persons workshops at Nebular, Cosmosverse, and the Staking Summit. And we learned how “values”, rather than economic incentives or governance process, are an essential but largely unfilled niche in many chains today.
<aside> 🎉 What is a cryptopolitical party? Like traditional political parties, we share a set of common beliefs, goals, and policies. We support certain representatives (validators) in a well-defined electoral system (proof-of-stake governance). We coordinate voting on proposals, research on new proposals, and community outreach. And we provide organizational, technical, and monetary support for the representatives and activists in our organizations.
But unlike traditional electoral systems, proof-of-stake blockchains require a high level of economic and technological engagement. Therefore, unlike traditional political parties, we work directly to change the economic incentives of governance and participation. We build technical standards and infrastructure for governance across chains. We conduct governance assessments of validators and chains when requested. We make strategic investments in tooling and public goods that will benefit all validators, including those that disagree with our positions. And, one day, we may automate ourselves into a composable, interoperable piece of the protocols we support.
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If you are interested in joining the Commons, or just in learning more, drop your email in this form and join the Discord.
<aside> 🐋 “We are validators committed to the longevity and prosperity of the blockchains we operate. We believe governance and infrastructure are equally important.” - the Commons Declaration
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Here are some reasons you may want to join the Commons: