Governance

Governance Overview

GitForge uses GitHub Discussions as the foundation for transparent, community-driven governance. Every decision is documented, voted on, and executed openly.

The Governance Process

Phase 1: Discussion (3-7 days)

Anyone can start a discussion to propose an idea:

1. Create a new discussion in the "Proposals" category
2. Clearly describe the proposal and rationale
3. Community members comment with feedback
4. Proposer refines the idea based on input

Phase 2: Formal Proposal (1-2 days)

Once discussion reaches consensus, create a formal proposal:

1. Use the "Proposal" issue template
2. Include refined details and implementation plan
3. Link to the original discussion
4. Set the voting period (usually 7 days)

Phase 3: Voting (7 days)

Community votes using GitHub reactions:

• 👍 = Yes, I support this proposal
• 👎 = No, I oppose this proposal
• 🎉 = Abstain (counted for quorum only)

Proposal: Increase beginner bounty minimum to $100

👍 25 votes (62.5%)
👎 8 votes (20%)
🎉 7 abstentions (17.5%)

Total participation: 40 votes
Quorum met: Yes (40 > 10% of 200 members)
Approval threshold: 62.5% > 60% ✓
Result: APPROVED

Phase 4: Execution (14 days)

After approval:

1. Core team has 14 days to implement
2. Progress updates posted to the proposal
3. Community can track implementation
4. Proposal marked as "Completed" when done

Types of Proposals

Creating a Proposal

Step 1: Start with Discussion

Before creating a formal proposal, start a discussion:

1. Go to Discussions tab in your repository
2. Click "New discussion"
3. Choose "Proposals" category
4. Title: "[DRAFT] Your proposal title"
5. Include: Problem, Solution, Benefits, Tradeoffs

Step 2: Gather Feedback

Give the community time to respond:

• Answer questions in comments
• Address concerns raised
• Refine the proposal based on feedback
• Look for signs of consensus

Step 3: Create Formal Proposal

## 🗳️ Proposal: [Title]

**Type:** Protocol Change / Treasury / Role Assignment / Feature
**Discussion:** [Link to discussion]
**Voting Period:** 7 days (ends YYYY-MM-DD)

### Summary
One paragraph summary of the proposal.

### Problem
What problem does this solve? Why is it important?

### Proposed Solution
Detailed explanation of what you want to do.

### Benefits
- Benefit 1
- Benefit 2
- Benefit 3

### Tradeoffs
- Tradeoff 1
- Tradeoff 2

### Implementation Plan
1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3

### Success Metrics
How will we know if this is successful?

### Budget (if applicable)
Cost breakdown and funding source.

---

## Voting
👍 = Yes, approve this proposal
👎 = No, reject this proposal
🎉 = Abstain

**Approval Threshold:** 60%
**Quorum:** 10%

Step 4: Announce the Voting

Share the proposal widely:

• Post in Discord/Slack channels
• Announce on social media
• Tag relevant stakeholders
• Set a clear voting deadline

Voting Rules

Who Can Vote?

Voting rights typically depend on your project's configuration:

• Token-based: 1 token = 1 vote
• Reputation-based: Votes weighted by reputation score
• Equal-vote: Every contributor gets 1 vote
• Hybrid: Combination of the above

Calculating Results

Total Votes = 👍 Yes + 👎 No
Quorum = (Total Votes + 🎉 Abstain) / Total Eligible Voters
Approval = 👍 Yes / Total Votes

Proposal passes if:
- Quorum >= Required Quorum (e.g., 10%)
- Approval >= Required Approval (e.g., 60%)

Vote Weight

Configure vote weight in .github/BOUNTY_CONFIG.json:

{
  "governance": {
    "vote_weight": "equal",  // or "reputation", "token"
    "min_reputation_to_vote": 50,
    "core_team_veto": false,
    "voting_duration_days": 7,
    "proposal_types": {
      "protocol": {
        "approval_threshold": 0.60,
        "quorum": 0.10
      },
      "treasury": {
        "approval_threshold": 0.70,
        "quorum": 0.15
      },
      "roles": {
        "approval_threshold": 0.75,
        "quorum": 0.20
      }
    }
  }
}

Governance Best Practices

For Proposal Authors

• ✅ Start with informal discussion first
• ✅ Be clear and specific about what you're proposing
• ✅ Provide implementation details
• ✅ Address potential concerns upfront
• ✅ Be open to feedback and iteration
• ✅ Give adequate voting time

For Voters

• ✅ Read the full proposal before voting
• ✅ Ask questions if anything is unclear
• ✅ Consider long-term implications
• ✅ Vote based on merit, not popularity
• ✅ Explain your vote if you strongly oppose

For Executors

• ✅ Implement exactly what was approved
• ✅ Provide regular progress updates
• ✅ Ask for clarification if needed
• ✅ Complete within the agreed timeline
• ✅ Document the implementation

Special Cases

Emergency Proposals

For critical issues (security, legal, etc.):

• Shorter voting period (24-48 hours)
• Higher quorum requirement (25%)
• Immediate implementation upon approval
• Core team can execute before vote completes if necessary

Amendment Proposals

To modify an existing proposal:

• Link to original proposal
• Clearly state what changes
• Explain why the amendment is needed
• Same voting requirements as original

Veto Power

Depending on your configuration, core team may have veto power:

• Must be exercised within 48 hours of vote ending
• Requires written justification
• Can be overridden by 80% super-majority revote

Example Proposals

Example 1: Increasing Bounty Minimums

## 🗳️ Proposal: Increase Beginner Bounty Minimum

**Type:** Protocol Change
**Voting Period:** 7 days

### Summary
Increase minimum beginner bounty from $50 to $100 to attract 
higher quality contributions.

### Problem
Current $50 minimum is below market rates, resulting in:
- Fewer qualified applicants
- Lower quality submissions
- More time spent on reviews

### Proposed Solution
Update BOUNTY_CONFIG.json:
- Beginner: $100-$300 (currently $50-$200)
- Keep other levels unchanged

### Benefits
- Attract more qualified contributors
- Higher quality work
- Competitive with other projects

### Budget Impact
Requires additional $5,000/month in bounty budget

### Voting
👍 = Yes  |  👎 = No  |  🎉 = Abstain
Approval: 60% | Quorum: 10%

Example 2: Adding Core Team Member

## 🗳️ Proposal: Add @alice as Core Team Member

**Type:** Role Assignment
**Voting Period:** 7 days

### Summary
Promote @alice to core team for her exceptional 
contributions and leadership.

### Rationale
@alice has:
- Completed 25 bounties ($15,000 earned)
- Reviewed 50+ PRs
- Mentored 10+ new contributors
- Created documentation improvements
- Active in governance discussions

### Responsibilities
As core team member, @alice will:
- Review and merge PRs
- Manage bounties
- Mentor contributors
- Participate in governance

### Compensation
Monthly stipend: $2,000 USDC

### Voting
👍 = Yes  |  👎 = No  |  🎉 = Abstain
Approval: 75% | Quorum: 20%

Governance Tools

GitHub Discussions

Primary platform for proposals and voting

• Built into GitHub
• Threaded conversations
• Reaction-based voting
• Email notifications

GitHub Actions

Automate governance workflows:

• Tally votes automatically
• Close voting after deadline
• Update proposal status
• Notify relevant parties

External Tools (Optional)

For more advanced governance:

• Snapshot: Off-chain voting with proof
• Tally: On-chain governance
• Discord/Telegram: Discussion channels
• Notion: Proposal tracking

Governance FAQ

Can proposals be rejected?

Yes, if they don't meet quorum or approval thresholds. Authors can revise and resubmit.

What if a proposal is controversial?

Extended discussion period, town hall meetings, or splitting into smaller proposals can help.

How do we handle low voter turnout?

Strategies:

• Better communication and reminders
• Incentivize voting (small rewards)
• Lower quorum requirements
• Delegate voting rights

Can core team override votes?

Only if configured with veto power, and only for critical issues. Should be rare.