*** Please note that this guide is a work in progress. If you are taking it for a spin on testnet and have questions or suggestions, please visit this discussion link.***
xGov is a decentralized, on-chain platform built with upgradable smart-contracts that enables Algorand Consensus participants to fund open-source builders across the ecosystem, fostering the development of useful community tools.
Testnet https://testnet.xgov.algorand.co
Mainnet https://xgov.algorand.co
Voting power is required to vote on proposals, and it is accumulated by wallets securing the network by participating in consensus, where one block produced equals one vote.
Algorand Forum account
To participate in the proposals discussion or, if you are a proposer, to create the proposal discussion thread, you need an account on this forum. When creating your account you can use your name or a pseudonym. Once you have an account you can contribute to all discussions. You don’t need an account to read the discussions.
Using the xGov Platform
Once your forum account is created, navigate to the xGov platform linked at the start of this thread to start browsing proposals.
Browsing Proposals
You don’t need your wallet to be connected to browse proposals. You can click on any proposal displayed on the homepage. Proposals have tags declaring their status: Discussing, Voting, Approved, Rejected, Withdrawn, or Deleted.
The sections below cover how to Become an xGov, Submit Proposals and Manage Your Profile in detail.
First, click on the “Get Started” button and connect your wallet, or if your wallet is already connected, you will see the dialogue box below, in this box you have the basic info you need to get started. You can choose from the different options on the left-hand side menu:
- Browse Proposals (see above)
- Become an xGov
- Submit Proposals
- Manage your profile
Becoming an xGov
An xGov is an Algorand address that has:
- Acquired voting power derived from consensus participation; and
- Enrolled as an xGov in this platform by paying the one-time enrollment fee of 50* Algo.
*The admin can change this amount to account for Algo price fluctuation.
Voting power is calculated by looking at all blocks produced during an observation window of 3,000,000 blocks. For the first xGov cohort the observation window is the three million blocks leading up to block 51,000,000. The cohort list will be updated every millionth block thereafter.
The voter account creation fee is a one-time, non-refundable fee that serves two purposes:
- Paying for the network and smart contract costs associated with the xGov profile; and
- Discouraging addresses that do not participate in consensus from creating multiple accounts that cannot be used to vote.
Once you formally enroll and pay the account creation fee, the address is cross-checked with the latest cohort list. The cohort list described above is updated at every millionth block. If the address enrolled is part of the latest list, it will be added to the next voting committee. If the account joined, for example, after block 51,000,000 and before block 52,000,000, the address will only be added to the cohort list once the new version is available.
The voting cohort is updated periodically (ie, weekly), which also means it can take a few days between paying to create your account and being able to vote on your first proposal.
To enroll, click on the “Become an xGov” button:
The sign-up window will be displayed:
Once you click on the “Submit” button, confirm the transaction with your wallet. The text at the bottom of the window will change to “Already an xGov.”
You can vote on proposals once the voting committee has been updated.
You can participate in the proposal discussions at any time.
Become a Proposer and Submit Proposals
Submitting your first proposal is a four-step process:
- Creating your proposer profile by reading and agreeing to the program terms and conditions
Once you click on the “Get Started” button, the Terms & Conditions window will pop up:
Read the terms and conditions carefully before creating your account. If you do not agree with the terms, do not proceed. If your proposal does not meet these terms, even if it is approved by the xGovs, you will not get paid, and your proposal’s anti-spam deposit will be slashed.
When you reach the end of the text, you can click the “Accept Terms” button.
- Paying the account creation fee
Like enrolling as an xGov, becoming a proposer incurs a one-time, non-refundable fee of 100 Algo.
The proposer account creation fee is a one-time, non-refundable fee that serves two purposes:
- Paying for the network and smart contract costs associated with the proposer profile; and
- Discouraging addresses that do not intend to submit proposals from creating accounts.
After accepting the Terms, the sign-up window will be displayed:
Once you click on the “Submit” button and confirm the transaction with your wallet, the text at the bottom of the window will change to “Already a Proposer.”
- Completing the know-your-customer (KYC) process
This process is not live for the testnet. Use this testnet feedback thread to get this step approved when trying out on testnet.
We are currently onboarding a new KYC provider. Relevant instructions will be added here before proposals are accepted on mainnet.
The next step is managed from within your profile.
When you land on your profile page, if you haven’t done any of the above, you will see:
If you have enrolled as an xGov, you’ll see a green checkmark next to the xGov tag and your xGov address.
If you have enrolled as a proposer, and you either have not started KYC, or you are waiting for it to be processed, you’ll see the processing checkmark next to the Proposer tag:
Once your KYC has been approved, you will see a green checkmark next to the Proposer tag, as well as the button to create a proposal.
- Creating your first proposal and paying the refundable anti-spam fee
When you are ready to create your first proposal, click on the “Create Proposal” button to start. A window to pay the proposal fee will pop up:
You will be prompted to confirm the transaction in your wallet and pay the one-time, non-refundable proposal creation fee:
Once the transaction goes through, you will see the “New Proposal” form:
Add as much relevant information as possible. Think about what will help xGovs understand what you have built and help them decide whether or not to approve your request.
New proposal
Title
Add a short title for your proposal
Forum Link
Leave the sample link at first.
Once you submit the proposal, you’ll have access to your proposal number.
Visit the forum to create your official discussion link using your proposal number. Then, update the proposal with the new link.
Description
Add a good description of what you developed and how the community benefits by using it.
About the Team
Add information about you (and your team, if applicable).
Include information that will help the xGovs evaluate your proposal. For example, if you build a code library to be used specifically with a particular product type, like decentralized IDs, explain how projects in the ecosystem can use it.
License
The only license type accepted is open-source.
Focus
Choose a focus area.
Funding Type
xGov retroactively funds the development of public good for the Algorand ecosystem.
Adoption Metrics
Add metrics that will help xGovs understand how what you built is being used, i.e. number of downloads.
Amount requested
The minimum amount is 10,000 A and the maximum amount is 500,000.
As you submit your application, you will be required to pay the anti-spam deposit fee.
This fee is:
- Slashed if the proposal does not meet the Terms and Conditions agreed upon by the proposer at the start of the process, regardless of whether it has been approved by the xGovs.
- Returned to the wallet upon conclusion of the voting phase, whether the proposal has been approved or rejected, or if the proposal meet the Terms an Conditions but is withdrawn at the end of the discussion phase.
The wallet must have sufficient funds to pay for the fee at the time the proposal is submitted.
Discussing the Proposal
Once the proposal is submitted and the transaction is approved, you will be able to Edit or Delete the proposal.
At this time, copy the proposal number, on the top left side of the screen (or from the address bar) and create the discussion link within the Governance xGov Proposals category at the Algorand Forum.
Voting on Proposals
Coming soon!