# Grant Track for Strengthening the Collective: Operators & Community Growth

The following guide will provide you with all the info you need to apply for a grant related to Strengthening the Collective: Operators & Community Growth. [You can apply directly on Questbook, here](https://questbook.app/proposal_form/?grantId=6808e08e9ccae779614e2cfe\&chainId=10\&utm_source=questbook\&utm_medium=grant_details\&utm_campaign=share).

## Is My Proposal In-Scope for This Grant Track?

This Grant Track funds work that builds **capabilities and coordination** within the Obol ecosystem — especially among distributed validator operators and active Collective members.

You’re likely in-scope if your proposal:

* Trains, certifies, or supports DV operators in joining Obol clusters
* Improves the Silver Techne onboarding experience, curriculum, or support
* Builds infrastructure, guides, or dashboards to track operator activity or status

Whether you’re focused on operator growth, or ecosystem education — we want to hear from you.

## Grant Track Priorities & **Goal**s

#### **Category A – Operator Development (Silver Techne)**

* Details: Train and certify a professional class of operators who can scale networks reliably by running Obol DVs. Currently there is [about 600 Silver Techne credentials](https://etherscan.io/token/0xfdb3986f0c97c3c92af3c318d7d2742d8f7ed8cc).
* Success Metrics: Grow the number of Silver Techne Credentials by 30%.
* Exemples: 
  * Design or improve training content for Silver Techne
    * Docs, videos, interactive workshops, validator testnets
  * Build or enhance certification workflows and dashboards
    * UX to issue/review credentials, operator leaderboards, cluster-readiness tools
  * Regionalize operator onboarding programs
    * Language localization, timezone-based support, squad coordination templates

> These proposals should prioritize transparency, inclusion, and fair access for contributors.

## Milestone Articulation

Grants are paid out in **staged milestones** that reflect real-world progress and value delivered to the operator ecosystem or community.

Examples of strong milestones:

* Training curriculum published, piloted with 20 new operators
* 50+ new Silver Techne credentials issued (with wallet verification)
* Launch of open project board with real-time community activity

## Security & Credibility Notes

Grant Requests that touch credentialing, access controls, or public dashboards must:

* Respect contributor privacy and security
* Be reviewed by at least one Collective contributor for community fit
* Prioritize open-source and reproducible tooling wherever possible

## What Makes a Strong Grant Request?

* **Community Fit**: Proposal aligns with Obol’s mission of decentralization and collective stewardship
* **Operator Support**: Drives real growth in the Silver Techne operator pool or quality of operator experiences
* **Transparency**: Proposes open processes, accessible documentation, and easy participation
* **Sustainability**: Suggests systems that can scale or run with community ownership
* **Clear Value**: Tied to quantifiable growth in contributions, certifications, or community activity

## Evaluation Rubric (0–5 points per category)

| **Category**              | **Description**                                                                  |
| ------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Team Experience**       | Is the team familiar with validator ops, contributor tools, or community design? |
| **Impact Potential**      | Will this grow or support long-term contributor or operator engagement?          |
| **Technical Feasibility** | Is the proposal scoped realistically and implementable with the given resources? |
| **Milestone Clarity**     | Are there measurable indicators of success and clear timelines for each phase?   |

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