🏗️ Beyond the Money

**Core developer undercompensation** has moved beyond anecdotal concerns to become a **measurable crisis** affecting blockchain infrastructure. Trent Van Epps presented compelling data at Schelling Point, highlighting how inadequate funding threatens the sustainability of critical development work across the ecosystem. Key findings reveal: - Systematic underfunding of essential infrastructure work - Growing gap between developer value creation and compensation - Need for coordinated community response The research provides concrete evidence for what many developers have experienced firsthand - that current funding models fail to adequately support the builders maintaining blockchain networks. **This isn't just a developer problem** - it's an ecosystem sustainability issue that affects everyone relying on these networks. Watch the full presentation: [Schelling Point Talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5qPYZLGD3U) *Understanding this data is crucial for anyone invested in long-term blockchain infrastructure health.*

**Gitcoin conducted its first community-run grants program** with GG24, marking a significant shift from centralized control. The experiment involved **handing operational keys directly to community members**, allowing them to manage domains independently. This represents a major governance evolution for the platform. **Key insights from the debrief panel:** - Community-run domains delivered clearer focus - Improved signal-to-noise ratio in grant selection - Better capital allocation decisions - Stronger alignment between funders and projects The panel featured prominent community members including MontyMerlin, Paul Glavin, and others sharing **candid lessons learned** from this decentralization experiment. **What's next:** The team discussed how this community-first approach will shape future Gitcoin Grants rounds, potentially making decentralized governance the new standard. Watch the full debrief: [YouTube Panel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKtTnlDX0HQ)

Gitcoin is transforming from a single funding model into an **evolutionary arena** where different funding mechanisms compete against each other. The platform now rewards the most effective funding approaches, creating a natural selection process for capital allocation. This competitive system aims to make funding decisions smarter across the entire web3 ecosystem by: - Testing multiple funding mechanisms simultaneously - Rewarding successful approaches - Eliminating less effective methods The shift represents a move away from centralized funding decisions toward a more adaptive, market-driven approach to supporting projects that matter.

**Gitcoin founders discuss the future of sustainable public goods funding** in a key conversation from Shelling Point conference. @owocki and @juanbenet explore: - Sustainable revenue models for public goods projects - How projects can "give back" to their communities - **Gitcoin 3.3's evolutionary arena** - a new approach that has Juan particularly excited The discussion focuses on building **regenerative systems** that can sustain themselves long-term rather than relying solely on grants or donations. [Watch the full conversation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFWfZnzmBg8)