The Gitcoin Beta Round of quadratic funding for public goods is happening from April 25 to May 9th. The DEI Round will be a featured funding round, rather than a core funding round. “Projects eligible for the DEI Bonus Round are those with 50% of their team reflecting the diversity of the community their project serves—with a particular emphasis on including women, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC), individuals with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.”
In order to review projects that are applying for funding under the DEI category, the Gitcoin team has nominated a team of diverse volunteers to ensure projects are genuinely serving underrepresented communities and project teams are diverse and inclusive. You can read more info on the volunteer grant reviewers below.
Daphne is a senior software engineer and strong advocate for women in tech, especially for Black women. Daphne has over 7 years of experience working in the tech industry. In addition, Daphne has been a technical and professional mentor to underrepresented builders of several different communities such as Out in Tech, Springboard, and Blu3 Global. Daphne also co-founded her own diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm called Smith & Charles. You can learn more about Daphne here.
Catalyst is a community organizer and nonprofit consultant focused on the intersection of culture and crypto. He brings nearly a decade of experience across multiple disciplines including corporate finance, legislative advocacy and movement building for social causes. His involvement in Web3 started when he was in high school and has evolved to now encompass roles of leadership across various DAOs and blockchains most notably by founding 40acres DAO which focuses on educating, engaging & empowering historically excluded communities using blockchain technology. For more information on Catalyst check out his spotlight by NFT Now here.
Susie is the creator and host of #Web3Thursdays. In the tech industry, including the emerging web3 space, there is a concerning lack of diversity in voices and perspectives that are prioritized and resourced. In response to this issue, #Web3Thursdays was created as an initiative rooted in equity and accessibility, with the primary goal of amplifying the diverse range of voices and perspectives that exist within web3.
As an educator and community-centered designer, Susie has dedicated her career to making a positive impact. To learn more about Susie, you can visit her LinkedIn profile or website.
Jade Katz is a tech professional with over 10 years of experience building human-centered digital experiences that are secure and accessible. She's a self-taught developer turned management expert, currently serving as an Engineering Manager at a mental health startup. Jade is a diversity and mental health advocate who founded Tech by Choice, a non-profit DAO dedicated to helping underserved communities enter, stay, and thrive in tech, and has taught at UCLA. Her dedication to using technology for good is matched by her commitment to education and mentorship.
Mec Dot is a Multi-Disciplinary Artist/Design Director/Strategist with over 15 years of corporate client experience. She’s designed and developed campaigns for brands such as Disney, Marvel, UMG, Verizon, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Vice Media, Afro-Punk, and the like, for over 15 years.
Entering the Web3 space in late 2020 she is currently a Web3 educator and DE&I advocate who has consulted for POAP, Converse, Jordan, Nike, Nike Virtual Studio, DotSWOOSH, AfroTech, Explorest, Springhill/ROBOT, Deadfellaz, Superchief Gallery, Steve Aoki's A0K1VERSE, Snoop Dogg, Gary Vaynerchuk, Spike Lee and many more.
<aside> 💡 These are the Gitcoin DEI grantees that have been approved by the review team to be eligible in the round and who are making a real difference in creating a more inclusive and diverse blockchain ecosystem. Gitcoin created this pool to show our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It aims to provide additional bonus funds to projects who have diverse teams and backgrounds, and who are addressing the needs of underrepresented communities.
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