TFA DAO: Ecosystem Grant Proposal

[TheOyster]

I can’t believe only days ago you were publicly accusing other teams on twitter of stealing their grant money, you were asked to provide evidence of this ( which you said you had ) but you never did…

and now you’re asking for 270K USD to build a game,
for your community of lets be honest maybe 1,000 people strong ?

I honestly just don’t have the patience for this, but I really hope this doesn’t pass. I will be voting against. The ecosystem money isn’t supposed to be just handed to community members just because they have a twitter /TG group.

[Lordglmr]

I understand your frustration and concerns regarding the recent accusations and the grant request. However, it is important to separate different individuals or teams’ actions on Twitter from the current ecosystem grant proposal. Each situation should be assessed independently based on the merits of the proposal itself.

Ultimately, the decision-making process should involve thorough evaluation, community input, and adherence to the principles of fairness and meritocracy.

[Moonshine]

I strongly disagree with this, TFA is more than just community members. From what i see, it a business which is profitable and is trying to grow, needs to grow. Funding is essential for growth.
The amount they have achieved without asking for anything is amazing. Everything achieved has all been been for community members and the Moonbeam eco, literally no greed at all. True words!

[TheOyster]

please find attached the back and forth I saw on twitter.

Call me old fashioned, but a quarter of million dollars TO MINT SOME NFTs !

is insane.

• There’s no way an actual investor would put money into this. It’s not infrastructure, will not have an ROI + it will be impossible to actually make sure the money isn’t “dipped into”.

• I strongly disagree that this will bring any new users into the eco at all. We already have really good moonbeam games / NFT projects ect ( as seen at decoded ) . All this will do is offer a few clicks to users we already have onboarded.

• I just can’t support someone who is posting negatively about other honest hard working projects, then turns around a few days later and ask for 1/4 of a million dollars at rock bottom prices.

I’ve been in this game long enough to know the story.
I’ve no doubt many “incentives” will be given away, but huge amounts of these incentives will just go into “lordGLMRs” pockets.

If you want someone to mint you some NFTs on moonbeam, I’ll do it for free.

Honestly, if this passes I’m going to have to review my life choices and the seriousness of the industry I love so much.

kind regards,

Oyster

[maximv88]

Thank you for your comment!

I do understand your frustration! It might be unusual for a project with “merely” 1000 active members to ask for a GLMR grant. But then again I would ask you to check which Moonbeam project has more than 1000 active members at this stage of the market? Are you saying that all GLMR grants should go to something more tangible like a dex that would emit these GLMR tokens on a daily basis? I think community, the games, the shop and all the other stuff that’s being built is as important as not only monetary incentives should lead people to the Moonbeam network.

Don’t forget that TFA has never asked for anything and was able to build and provide on the Moonbeam network and for its community FOR FREE for over 15 months. This grant will be used to amplify what TFA has always been doing. It will help to take a step up the ladder which was previously deemed impossible.

Regardless if this proposal wins or fails, TFA will remain! It would be a shame if there was no chance for it to show the full potential. I am unbiased, as I am no longer part of TFA, although my discord name would disagree ;). I would advise learning what TFA is all about and what is being built. If you just scratch the surface, you won’t find any diamonds!

[TheOyster]

If you guys were asking for 10K USD, or 20K USD then sure, i’m all for it.

You want to do some community stuff, sure why not!

But you’re not.

You want 270,000 united states dollars. <

That’s a huge amount of money for anyone, thats enough for a seed round to build a whole new Dapp. That’s more money than most parachain teams raised for the first raise ( I asked many teams at decoded )

I strongly doubt your abilities to build a really good game. no disrespect to you, I just think it’s a very hard thing to do even for a full time team.

I also have big doubts that this even will be around 5 years from now.

So yeah, I stand by it.

• I do not think that giving 270,000 USDs to a highly speculative NFT game is an investment that would have a positive ROI for either the community or the protocol as a whole.

[Altfather]

Hey guys,

I think the is a great proposal. I know several of the guys from this crew. They are in a multitude of projects I am in as well as chat rooms and twitter.

I think this is a great idea and I really like they are using some of the open source from Pirate Nation . Their parent company - Proof of Play is very respected in the gaming industry.

These guys are forward thinking and have a lot of connections with retail investors/players like myself. They could definitely bring a lot of exposure to Moonbeam.

[Limeydom]

I’ve been with TFA since it started and I’ve found there is a core team that are always building always looking for opportunities to progress the Moonbeam and Polkadot ecosystems.
The DAO work hard to engage the community through various projects that would only be enhanced and broadened with funding.
We should be supporting our builders and encouraging community games and challenges that would bring in outside users. There are many avenues to Moonbeam engagement and this proposal is one I can get behind.

[Lordglmr]

Thank you for your testimony, Rachit. It’s truly amazing how this sincere support gives us more strength to continue doing what we love the most, which is building the best community on Moonbeam.

[legendnodes]

I really don’t know where to start. Only ~2 months ago you were complaining and literally blaming with stealing (attached one example below) one of the biggest contributor to the Moonbeam network - stakebaby collator - for asking the treasury 50k GLMR to upgrade his stakeglmr.com & stakemovr.com websites which are used by EVERY moonbeam & Moonriver holder, and now you’re asking a grant of $270k to mint NFTs with a community of ~1000 members? Is that correct? Am I getting it straight?

You also said that if thr stakebaby proposal will pass - you’ll sell your tokens and move on, but it appears that you found out a better solution asking 20x more than him for minting NFTs…

If I were you, I’d first publish an apologize for your meaningless accusations, and then I would pull my grant request (or at least minimize it by 10 times)

[AlbertoV19]

I agree the community is crucial for a project, but I respectfully disagree that giving away 350,000 GLMR to fund community events for TFA, which has a relatively small (yet growing) size community, is a bit of a big ask.

In your budget for swag giveaways for example, you are quoting t-shirts at $25 which is quite a lot! In Barcelona, which is quite expensive already, you can get print T-shirts for roughly 15$. Same for the other items.

What is Management, Organization, and Customer Service? IMO the main problem for these sort of funding is that the milestones are very vague and there is no real way to measure success.

I don’t think this proposal is a good fit for the Ecosystem Grant

[Lordglmr]

Yes, while you may be able to buy a single t-shirt online for that amount, it’s important to consider the additional factors we have to deal with, such as working with different shipping countries and providing dedicated customer service 24/7. As previously demonstrated, we have been working closely with the Moonbeam Foundation and have recently obtained the official license to use the brand names Moonbeam and Moonriver. Regarding our size, it’s true that we haven’t received much support, so I’m not surprised by this. However, with our proven skills in community building and grants support, we have the potential to do better as mentioned in the proposal. Given that we have followed a developer-focused strategy since the inception of Moonbeam, I also believe it’s time to explore different strategies to see if we can achieve better results.
In terms of event management, we may need to eventually recruit additional administrators for each micro event. It’s important to collaborate with influencers from other chains to maximize our reach. As mentioned in the proposal, our goal is to organize various activities that will attract people from different blockchain communities. We have a proven track record of supporting MoonFit, as we successfully onboarded 800 new users to Moonbeam. We apologize for any shortcomings in our initial proposal and assure you that we will strive to provide clear and comprehensive answers to address any concerns. Please feel free to list any additional points you feel are necessary for us to explain in further detail.

[Lordglmr]

Hi, thank you for your feedback. As I mentioned clearly, I represent TFA, but I am also not the entire DAO. However, I believe my reasons are well explained in my personal Twitter post, and this proposal aims to assist the Moonbeam network. On the other hand, your proposal involves the use of the treasury.
It’s not solely about minting an NFT. I am introducing a new gaming concept and multiple giveaway events that will support projects on the Moonbeam network as a whole.
I would suggest keeping personal matters separate and focusing on the proposals themselves. TFA represents a group of people who have been actively working since day one, just like yourself. I don’t see a reason for apologies as we are all entitled to share our opinions, and forums exist for this purpose. Let’s avoid personal conflicts and focus on building.

[mekiep]

GM everyone,

I was the guy behind this event to celebrate Moonbeam launch in Vietnam

I was big fan of Derek and Moonbeam , I was also top of Moonbeam crowdloan supporter

I would love to support all guys in TFA DAO because in the past 2 years they had showed to me they had huge passion, they spent alot of time and effort to the Moonbeam community and now they have a plan to build on $GLMR ecosystem as well. It is just a beginning in my view

I respected LordGLMR, he is the best guy in town I know from the begining of this project, with his energy, his leadership skills and his belief in the success of this project is absolute thus I think he has a reason to request that amount $GLRM token for TFA DAO

[legendnodes]

It’s totally acceptable to be against proposals and respectfully share your opinion why you’re against it, but it’s not ok to accuse some proposers for trying to trick the treasury/foundation without any real evidence, especially when the proposer is a significant contributor to the Moonbeam/Moonriver ecosystem (and I’m not even talking about your threatening to dump your tokens if the proposal passes)

You made it personal from the first place and that’s why I said earlier I think you should apologize, so don’t be surprised when you receive the exact reaction as you did to others

Don’t get me wrong - I truly respect your contribution to the Moonbeam ecosystem from the 1st day, and obviously prefer you to be here to build (instead of leaving), but I also think you should be a bit more humble and respectful for other people proposals - first because it’s the right thing to do, and second, because one day you may find yourself in the same position (like today)

Anyhow I wish you good luck with your proposal

[Lordglmr]

I understand your perspective now, regarding the issue there was a the lack of communication between the committee and the community.
However, after realizing that there was a debate on the forum regarding this matter, I acknowledge that I should have conducted better research . I understand the importance of being well-informed and taking the time to thoroughly understand different perspectives before forming conclusions. Moving forward, I will improve my research skills and ensure I have a better understanding of all relevant discussions.
To provide further clarity, I want to emphasize that we purchased GLMR using our own funds and have been independently running our node. Unlike many early nodes, we have not received any support. Given these circumstances, it’s understandable that we feel emotionally attached to the project.
I appreciate your understanding in this matter, and I share your desire to resolve any issues that have arisen. It would be great have a drink one day together and find resolutions. I am more than happy to pay

Thank you for taking time to expressing your thoughts.

[mr.madara_666]

Thank you for your forthright feedback. We understand that the figure we’re requesting, $270,000, is significant, and we don’t take lightly the responsibility that comes with such an investment.

This figure is not a random number, but a carefully calculated amount that encompasses the various facets of developing a top-tier DApp. This includes design, development, testing, marketing, and maintenance. We are confident that this investment will allow us to deliver a product that not only meets, but surpasses the expectations of our community and the broader market.

Your skepticism about our ability to create a successful game is understood and respected. However, we’d like to assure you that our team is not a novice in this field. Our team members have extensive experience in software development, with many hailing from large multinational corporations. Several of our members have been technically acknowledged across multiple projects, which speaks volumes about their competence and expertise.

In addition, we have a history of contributing to the community by conducting security audits for numerous projects, both before and during their launch. We’ve done this without expecting anything in return, adhering to a fair usage policy for the average Moonbeam community member. This demonstrates our commitment to the community and the protocol.

As for the project’s longevity, we are not just here for the short term. We have a comprehensive roadmap that extends beyond the next five years. We are not merely building a game; we are creating a platform that we believe will significantly contribute to the growth and development of the blockchain ecosystem.

Investing in a project like ours does come with its risks, but we firmly believe that the potential rewards far outweigh these risks. We are not just creating an NFT game; we are working towards creating a new paradigm in the gaming industry, one that leverages the power of blockchain technology to provide a more equitable and immersive gaming experience.

We respect your stance and appreciate your skepticism as it pushes us to strive harder and ensure that we deliver on our promises. We hope to have the opportunity to prove our worth and demonstrate the value that our project can bring to the community and the protocol.

[legendnodes]

Hi again, I’m happy it’s all sorted and out and that you realized there was nothing personal against you. It’ll be my pleasure to meet you in person and have a drink together and sharing thoughts our we can imporve Moonbeam ecosystem

Regarding your GLMR purchase clarification - we’re on the same boat here. Our collator also purchased GLMR from our own funds and never got a single GLMR to run it (you can see also we have 100k self stake and not 10k like the early one). So it seems we have more in common:)

I wish you good luck again!

[turrizt]

Hey, LordGLMR and all the TFA DAO members who came to support this proposal!

My main suggestion is to consider sticking to your original plan if the initial 500k GLMR requested was appropriate to achieve your goals. In this case, it would be advisable to apply for Community Committee Grants to request support to fund the development of the game. furthermore, if you want to organize challenges, contests, and other activities to encourage activity, you can try to submit Treasury proposal. however, in this case, I would also suggest thinking about encouraging community members and other active users to create educational and other types of content that will benefit the entire community, not just a specific group of people. imo, this approach seems to be the best solution in this case.

I want to emphasize that the TFA DAO community is respected and highly appreciated for its valuable support. no one opposes you, and your contribution is highly appreciated. the only thing I would like to point out is that when you mention not receiving any support before, have you tried applying for a Community Committee Grants in the past? If you haven’t, then there’s no reason to say that no one provided any support because you didn’t request it yourself.

It appears that there is a gap in your plans, which changed dramatically after you were informed that the requested amount is not suitable for Ecosystem Grants. community members share the opinion that current market conditions make the requested funds for building an NFT game exceptionally high. It seems that you were one of those who started popularizing this opinion. sometimes our public thoughts and views can backfire.

have you considered applying for the Moonbeam Accelerator program during its first cohort recruitment? although the presence of a second cohort is uncertain, it may be worth exploring if the opportunity arises. additionally, have you explored the possibility of attracting investments from VCs to support your project?

[Asthenosphere]

I like what one of the gentlemen from Treasury Council or maybe all Guys from the Treasury Council raised, especially concerning the amount requested.

but I have also seen over the last 18 months, projects come and projects go… without community votes, dead social handles and groups, hacked, deserted or succumbed to the bear pressure. you and I can pick up the list of projects from the foundation website and the list dated 31 January 2023. and can scrape out a gallon of underperforming projects from different niches. in other words - The grant goal “leaked value out of its economy” through sell-offs.

i think these folks are doing the opposite… if You see virtually all pure community-funded collators are non-existent or they depend on VCs to sustain themselves. TFA retained 600+ RETAIL hodlers on their node alone. this is a huge task and shows their capabilities and responsibility towards moonbeam good.
pretty sure , them winning the grants will not pose as a “leaking bucket” to the grant motive and objective, infact they are the best bet to facilitate cross-project user engagement and driving real and organic growth in accelerated manner which is certainly lacking in the eco.

About the amount, I feel collaborating with A-rated projects like Pirate Nation with in-house Projects requires a calculated budget and push which generally falls to a little expensive side. the benefit harnessed from such collab exceeds greater than the requested amount.