Cross-Ecosystem Grant Programs

Overview

This article, the first in a series from Areta's strategic governance team, explores the Uniswap Arbitrum Grant Program (UAGP) and how it proposed a unique and meaningful way for DAOs to utilize their airdropped tokens. Specifically, the article looks at how the implementation of a cross-ecosystem grant program funded by Uniswap’s $ARB token allocation has worked to strengthen the ties between the two ecosystems by incentivizing building at their intersection.

Through our experience as the UAGP’s program manager, we’ve encountered many challenges, opportunities, and learnings that we hope, by documenting in this article, will inspire and guide other similar grant programs to strengthen ties across the industry.

Our Work

Beyond core governance service offerings, Areta has created thought leadership research pieces. This article on cross-ecosystem grant programs represents the first governance research item in a deep catalog of Areta’s blockchain industry content.

About Arbitrum

Arbitrum is one of the leading venues of Ethereum's scalability, commanding a substantial 40% of the Layer 2 market share. With 1.13 million active wallets, $14.09 billion in total value locked (TVL), and over 1.25 billion total transactions, Arbitrum is one of the leading venues driving Ethereum's scalability. Built as an Optimistic Rollup, Arbitrum reduces gas fees and increases transaction speed while maintaining Ethereum's security and decentralization. Additionally, Arbitrum plays host to many top DeFi protocols and boasts an ecosystem of orbit chains, all building on top of the Arbitrum tech stack, further expanding its influence in the Layer 2 space.

About Uniswap

Uniswap is a cornerstone of decentralized finance, facilitating over $489 billion in trade volume and 71 million trades, revolutionizing how users interact with liquidity in a decentralized manner. With over 300 integrations, Uniswap’s reach spans across numerous networks and platforms, enabling seamless decentralized trading. Further, one of the foremost DAOs in web3, Uniswap’s governance is powered by more than 4,400 community delegates, ensuring a decentralized and community-driven approach to protocol development and decision-making.