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  • Zcash Dev Fund and Leadership Survey, V1

    Zcash Dev Fund and Leadership Survey, V1

    by ZURE (Zcash User Research & Engagement)

  • The purpose of this 6-minute survey is to gather community sentiment regarding Zcash leadership and the upcoming Dev Fund decisions. Its findings will help improve future polls used in decision-making.

     

    Context for questions about funding models.

    Currently, all Dev Fund proposals fall into one of the two categories:

    • Direct Funding model proposals
    • Non-Direct Funding model proposals

    What is a Direct Funding model?

    Under the Direct Funding model, a number of specific wallet addresses get written directly into the protocol, enabling select recipients to recive guaranteed funding for a set period of time. This is how the current Dev Fund model works. If the Zcash community wants to continue with this funding model, these are some of the key decicions it needs to make:

    • What percentage of block rewards should be allocated to the Dev Fund after November 2024?
    • Which recipients should be added to the protocol? How long should the guaranteed funding last for each recipient?

    What is a Non-Direct Funding model?

    Under the Non-Direct Funding model, individual wallet addresses are removed from the protocol. A percentage of block rewards is allocated to a multi-sig wallet, from which the funds are released to Zcash builders and contributors by consensus among designated groups of Zcashers and, possibly, coin holders. This is a grants-based model where Dev Fund recipients, regardless of their size and status, have to submit concrete proposals and compete for funding. If the Zcash community wants to go with this new approach, these are some of the key decicions it needs to make:

    • What percentage of block rewards should be allocated to the Dev Fund after November 2024?
    • Which individuals or groups should be able to vote on fund allocation? How can new individuals and groups be added or removed from the group of decision-makers?

    *Note that the Non-Direct Funding model could take longer to define, get consensus on, and implement. 

    Thank you for participating!

  • Do you agree or disagree with the following statements:

  • Q1: 100% of Zcash block rewards should always go to miners.
  • Q2: A percentage of Zcash block rewards should be allocated to the development of Zcash.
  • Q3: I support a Dev Fund proposal in the Direct Funding model category, which, similarly to the current Dev Fund, would continue the practice of adding specific wallet addresses to the protocol, enabling select recipients to receive guaranteed funding for a set period of time.
  • Q4: I support a Dev Fund proposal in the Non-Direct Funding model category, which is a new grants-based approach that would remove individual recipients from the protocol and allocate a percentage of mining rewards to a multi-sig wallet instead. The funds can then be released to Zcash builders and contributors upon consensus reached among designated groups of Zcashers and, possibly, coin holders.
  • Q5: Letting the Dev Fund expire in November 2024 and allowing 100% of block rewards to go to miners will result in additional selling pressure on the price of ZEC because miners are less likely to hold ZEC than Dev Fund recipients.
  • Q6: Letting the Dev Fund expire in November 2024 will disproportionally affect ZCG grant recipients because unlike ECC, ZF, and ZCG, they don't have the runway to sustain operations through Dev Fund disruptions.
  • Q7: Changes to the protocol take time. In order to implement a new Non-Direct Funding model by November, community consensus must be reached by July, so the engineering work can begin. If there is no clear community consensus by July, the Dev Fund will most likely be allowed to expire. Therefore, the current Dev Fund should be extended by up to 1 year to avoid disruptions to important work and ensure a smooth transition to a new Non-Direct Funding model.

  • Rate your support for the following Dev Fund options:

  •

  • Context for questions about Zcash organizations' effectiveness (Q14-Q16):

    Assessing an organization's effectiveness involves evaluating how well it achieves its goals and fulfills its mission. Here are just some of the points to consider.

    Goal Achievement: Compare the organization's stated goals against actual outcomes. This involves setting clear, measurable targets and checking progress against these benchmarks.

    Stakeholder Engagement: Effective communication ensures that stakeholders, including users, employees, partners, and community members are well-informed, engaged, and supportive of the organization’s goals and activities.

    Brand Reputation: Good communication helps in building and maintaining a positive brand image. It ensures transparency, builds trust, and helps manage public perception and crisis situations more effectively.

  •
  • Q17: Zcash Community Grants (ZCG) is a committee under the Zcash Foundation, and not a separate organization. Do you support ZCG becoming a fully independent entity, capable of managing its own operations and organizational structure?
  • Q18: The Zcash Trademark Agreement is a bilateral agreement between ECC and ZF that ultimately determines what is called “Zcash”. Among other things, the Agreement requires both entities to sign off on any network upgrade before it can be implemented. In addition, neither party is permitted to take actions that violate “the clear consensus of the Zcash community.” Earlier this year, ECC announced its intention to terminate the Agreement (https://rb.gy/4wimfx). If ECC unilaterally terminates the Agreement without concession from ZF, then ZF will gain sole ownership of the trademark. Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on the trademark?
  • Q20: What is your role in the Zcash ecosystem and the industry in general? Please check all that apply.

  • Q21-24: How often do you follow and/or participate in discussions about Zcash on the following platforms:

  • Q21: Zcash Community Forum
  • Q22: Twitter/X
  • Q23: Discord
  • Q24: Telegram
  • Q25: How often do you use ZEC to send or receive payments?
  • Should be Empty: