MetaGov is excited to share this overview of our facilitation plan for the ENS DAO’s Service Provider Program Season 2 (SPP2). Our goal is to clarify and coordinate the program, ensuring its smooth execution and ongoing success. This post summarizes the program’s key details, outlines how MetaGov intends to structure and support the application process and describes how we will assist in continued communication and compliance throughout the program.
Key Dates
- Application Period Opens: March 11, 2025
- Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
- Snapshot for 50k ENS Threshold: April 1, 2025
- DAO Vote on Final SPP Selections:
April 8, 2025
Post the conclusion of the current temp check to amend the voting method. - Onboarding & First Reporting: After the vote is concluded and streams are initiated
**Note dates are subject to change based on standard DAO operations
1. Introduction & Overview
All information on the SPP2 is aggregated from a forum discussion. For original background and a high-level overview of the SSP2, including its goals and eligibility requirements, please see:
- A Brain Dump on Service Provider Program Season 2
- temp-check-renew-service-providers-program-for-season-2.
- Snapshot [EP 6.3] [Social] Renew Service Provider Budget
In summary:
1.1 Program Overview
1.2 Who can apply?
Any company that:
- Is offering services they believe will add value to the ENS ecosystem; and
- Meets all Eligibility requirements as described
*Note The definition of services is left open for broad interpretation by the program designer.
Please see here for examples of interpretation throughout the SPP discussion.
1.3 Eligibility Requirements
- The applicant must be an existing company, over one year old, with an established team and reputation.
- The company or its team members must have significant prior experience with ENS, blockchain, or internet domain-related projects.
- The company must secure endorsement of at least 50k delegated ENS tokens, either via public backing by a delegate or through a Snapshot demonstrating support.
- Neither the company nor its team members may reside in OFAC-sanctioned countries.
Note: Successful Applicants will be required to accept a SPP Terms of Service before becoming eligible to receive a stream
1.4 Application Requirements
Applications must include, at minimum:
- Past achievements
- Proposed scope of work (basic and extended), each with associated budgets
- A written summary and short introductory video (≤ 5 minutes)
- Measurable KPIs for both basic and extended scopes
- Budgets in integer multiples of $100K/year (min $300K/year, max $1.3M/year)
2. MetaGov’s Facilitation Scope
MetaGov will facilitate the program by:
- Creating and managing a dedicated subcategory in the ENS governance forum for SPP applications, updates, and discussions.
- Providing and maintaining an SPP application template, ensuring consistent submission standards.
- Reviewing and confirming basic program eligibility requirements (e.g., company age, team experience, 50k ENS endorsement).
- Coordinating Snapshot or delegate endorsement for applicants needing to secure their 50k ENS token threshold.
- Tracking and publicly documenting compliance, progress reporting, and any potential flags that could lead to a service assessment or termination vote.
- Appointing an independent reviewer (if required) to investigate potential violations or underperformance and to make recommendations to the DAO.
3. Detailed Facilitation Flow
Below is the step-by-step breakdown of how Season 2 of the SPP will proceed. We encourage all prospective applicants, delegates, and community members to reference this guide throughout the application and review phases.
3.1 New Catagory, Subcategory & Tagging
A new catagory for Service Provider Program is created in the forum, with subcategories created specifically for SPP2. these subcategories will include:
- SPP Application – For new applicants.
- SPP Service Providers – For providers accepted into the program to post regular updates.
Note: Initially, only the applicant and MetaGov will be able to post in the new application threads until the applicant’s eligibility is confirmed - this is to ensure clarity and organization. After MetaGov confirms the application’s eligibility, the thread will be opened for broader public commentary.
Please see the template linked here for in depth details on the application & eligibility
3.2 Application Submission
- Submit a new topic under in the SPP Application subcategory.
- Each applicant will post a new thread for the application, using the SPP Application Template to maintain consistency across submissions. This template will prompt applicants to provide:
- Past achievements and relevant track record
- Proposed scope of work (basic and extended)
- Video introduction (≤ 5 mins)
- Measurable KPIs for the basic and extended scope
- Budget request (in integer multiples of $100K/year, minimum $300K/year, maximum $1.3M/year)
- In the post, applicants must explicitly confirm how they meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Confirmation the company is >1 year old and reputable
- Demonstration of prior ENS, blockchain, or domain-related project experience
- Affirmation of 50k ENS endorsement (secured either through a known delegate’s public backing or via Snapshot)
- Confirmation the company and team members do not reside in OFAC-sanctioned countries
3.3 Eligibility Confirmation & Public Commentary
- Upon application submission, MetaGov will verify eligibility with a target review within 1 business day (subject to application volumes & EST times).
- MetaGov will post a short comment confirming eligibility once Eligibility is verified. At that point, community members may comment, ask questions, and discuss the proposal directly in the forum thread.
- Applicants needing to secure the 50k ENS token threshold via Snapshot can proceed with the application, but final acceptance will require reaching that threshold through an organized snapshot vote that MetaGov will facilitate at the end of the application window deadline & before the selection vote.
The goal of this process is to maintain organization while confirming eligibility.
3.4 Application Window & Snapshot
- Application Deadline: Applications will remain open until March 31.
- If you do not have a direct endorsement of 50k ENS by a delegate or self-sponsorship, an open Snapshot vote for endorsement will begin immediately after the application window closes in a newly created snapshot space.
- After the endorsement Snapshot finalizes, only those applicants meeting the 50k ENS threshold (by delegate backing or Snapshot) are eligible to advance to the official DAO vote for selection.
3.5 Selection Vote & Onboarding
- The final selection of service providers will take place via a DAO-wide vote, consistent with ENS governance procedures.
- Applicants who are successful in the selection vote will be moved into a new section under the SPP subcategory.
- Each successful applicant (now an official service provider) will create a Service Provider Updates thread to post ongoing progress updates and quarterly reports.
Recommended template to be worked on by MetaGov
4. Ongoing Program Compliance
4.1 Regular Reporting
- Accepted service providers must publish quarterly reports on their progress, addressing KPIs, budget spend, and key updates in the Service Provider → Selected Service Providers → Season 2
- Providers must also join at least one meeting per quarter to present their status to DAO stakeholders. (to be discussed with the ecosystem stewards)
4.2 Brand Usage & Representation
Selected service providers will be permitted to use the ENS brand name and affiliation in their communications and promotional materials, in accordance with established ENS brand guidelines. By representing ENS to the broader public, providers carry an added responsibility to uphold the DAO’s values and reputation.
4.3 Open Source Requirement
All work directly funded by this program must be open source and freely licensed (MIT). Service providers are free to maintain proprietary codebases for any unrelated work, but all items explicitly outlined in the approved proposal (and included in the quarterly reports) must be made publicly available on GitHub or another recognized repository.
4.4 Stream Management & Security Concerns
- Managed by MetaGovernance Stewards: The streams will be managed by the MetaGovernance Stewards, who are expected to faithfully represent the DAO’s intent.
- Pausing or Moving Streams: The Stewards have the ability to pause or relocate streams if critical security issues arise or at the service provider’s request.
- Termination Authority: Stewards can only terminate a stream if there has been a successful DAO vote requesting termination (the DAO can choose to terminate a stream at any time and for any reason).
4.5 Increased Funding Requests
Service providers may ask for specific, one-time grants through the usual ENS governance process at any time. However, requests to increase the ongoing stream budget must meet these conditions:
- The provider must have been in the program for at least one year.
- At least six months must have passed since their most recent stream-related request (successful or not).
4.6 Self-Termination of a Stream
A service provider may choose to terminate its own stream at any time without notice. Doing so relieves them of any future obligations to the DAO going forward (although it does not release them from responsibility for any previous misconduct or unresolved issues).
4.7 Facilitation & Reminders
- MetaGov will maintain open communication channels (forum tagging, Telegram, or other direct messaging) to remind providers of upcoming quarterly reports or appearances, providing ample time to comply.
- If a provider misses a quarterly update or does not respond to communications, MetaGov will publicly note this and attempt to reach the provider before considering an official warning.
5. Conditions for Service Assessment or Termination
The ENS DAO can terminate a service provider’s funding stream for any reason, following proper governance procedure and a DAO vote. In addition, MetaGov or Ecosystem Stewards can trigger a service assessment if:
- Any of the below conditions are met, and
- All instances of these considerations being met are publically documented in the forum, with facilitators of the program communicating this with the Service Provider through reasonable means.
Conditions:
- A service provider fails to publish their quarterly report twice.
- A service provider falls short of the KPIs two consecutive times.
- A service provider is unresponsive to attempts at public contact.
- A service provider is believed to be actively engaging in behavior or projects harmful to the ENS ecosystem or brand.
If any of these conditions are met and a service assessment is triggered, MetaGov will appoint an independent party to investigate the situation and publish a recommendation. The recommendation could include but is not limited to:
- Renegotiation or adjustment of KPIs
- Termination from the program
A DAO-wide vote will be conducted after the independent review and recommendation to decide the outcome.
6. Tracking & Transparency
- MetaGov will coordinate with community projects (e.g., other tracking dashboards) to provide real-time or near real-time insights into each service provider’s progress and budget.
- A pinned forum post will index all ongoing service provider threads for quick reference, including direct links to the most recent progress reports.
- We encourage all DAO members, delegates, and participants to stay informed by reviewing these dashboards and reports, and by sharing feedback directly in each provider’s thread.
Final Thoughts
MetaGov is committed to ensuring the ENS DAO SPP2 runs efficiently, transparently, and fairly. We appreciate the community’s input and look forward to collaborating with all applicants and stakeholders. This program is designed to encourage the further development of the ENS ecosystem, and we encourage diverse contributors to apply.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to us via the forum or through our designated contact channels.
Onward to a productive Season 2!
—
MetaGov Team