ReFi DAO v3 – Steward Council Election 
The next chapter of ReFi DAO is starting now. We’re inviting the network to step into shared leadership — a Steward Council, elected by the people who’ve built ReFi DAO with us.
What this is
The first actual stewards election in ReFi DAO’s history. Take part in leading ReFi DAO into its next phase as a network-led organization.
For years, ReFi DAO has been led by its practitioners — Local Node Leads across bioregions, core contributors, the broader network — coordinated through shared values (the Community Covenant) and shared infrastructure. The Council formalizes that.
- Steward Council — sets strategic direction, approves treasury moves, stewards partnerships. Holds and governs the ReFi DAO Commons — the network’s accumulated assets (brand · distribution · knowledge · treasury · governance) — in service of the network.
- Network Members — the standing membership of ReFi DAO. Members elect the Council, ratify major decisions, hold the Council accountable.
By electing the Council first, every subsequent strategic decision — compensation, multi-sig handover, legal structure, token strategy — carries the legitimacy of a community-chosen body.
Read first
→ Election one-pager — full process + timeline at a glance
→ ReFi DAO v3 Proposal — the full governance design (Council · Network Members · Network Initiatives · decision matrix)
→ 
ReFi DAO Commons v1 — what the Council stewards: brand · website · media · distribution · knowledge · treasury · governance
Take action
→ Apply to be a Steward — Steward Council Interest Form
→ Become a Network Member to vote — Network Member Application · fast-track for past contributors / Local Node Leads / ReFi DAO Global members
→ Vote — Snapshot ballot opens Tue May 19 at snapshot.box/#/refidao.eth
→ Join us — Wed May 13 · 14:00 UTC community call (Luma + Zoom) · election walkthrough + Network Member onboarding launch + Q&A
Timeline
Fri May 1 · 14:00 UTC — Office Hour kickoff(done · recap)- May 1 → 18 — Applications open (Steward Council + Network Member)
- Wed May 13 · 14:00 UTC — Community call (Luma + Zoom)
- Mon May 18 EOD — Applications close · slate hard-lock
- May 19 → Jun 3 — Voting on Snapshot (15-day window)
- Jun 3 → Jun 11 — Ratification + objection
- Early-mid June — Council seated · onboarding · first meetings
Steward Council
| Size | 7 stewards to start — Council can expand toward 10 in its first 60 days (v3 range: 5–10) |
| Term | Minimum 6 months, up to 12 max — with Council discretion to call a new election within the window if needed |
| Mandate | Strategy · treasury approvals · partnerships · governance evolution |
| Working style | Autonomous project work; shared decisions per the governance matrix |
| Time commitment | Variable per seat — by design (mixing higher and lighter involvement) |
| Compensation | None guaranteed today · first decision the Council takes. Recommended starting point: project-based allocation (steward time flows into specific projects with their own funding). |
Why join — the opportunity
- Shape what comes next. First-Council decisions set precedent; the people in this seat define how distributed stewardship actually runs in practice.
- Steward the Commons. Brand · distribution · knowledge · treasury · governance tools — stewarded together with the wider network.
- A channel for your own project or initiative. Distribution to the network · treasury allocations · Gardens pools · brand surface · partnership relationships for what you’re building.
- Co-lead, not run alone. A team designed for varied contribution — some seats more involved, some lighter.
Who can run
Anyone with meaningful contribution history to ReFi DAO — Local Node Leads, Network Initiative Leads, ReFi DAO Global contributors, or community members who’ve shipped real work alongside us.
Self-nominate via the candidate form or by replying to this thread. Not sure if you’d be a fit? DM Luiz or Monty, or ask in this thread.
Voting
| Where | Snapshot at refidao.eth — allowlist (1 wallet = 1 vote) |
| Ballot | Approval voting — pick up to 7 candidates |
| When | May 19 → Jun 3 (15 days; change your vote anytime until close) |
| Result | Top 7 by approval seat; cutoff tie seats both (up to 8); Council can flex to 10 in its first 60 days, drawing from the same ranking |
| Validity | No floor · no quorum · slate vetted manually pre-vote · ≤7 candidates → vote runs as a confidence ballot |
| Transparency | Live tallies throughout · full results at close |
Who votes
Verified ReFi DAO Network Members. Voter list locks Tue May 19 morning UTC at Snapshot proposal creation. See Network Members below for qualification + how to apply.
Network Members
The standing membership of ReFi DAO — the entry point for participating at the base layer. Voting eligibility in this election is one of the perks, not the framing — Network Membership outlives this election as the basic membership of the network.
Two qualification paths:
- Fast-track — past contributors / contribution-points history · Local Node Leads · ReFi DAO Global members are auto Network Members. Approved within 48h.
- Vouching — new applicants vouched in by existing Network Members. Light-touch by design — Council refines mechanics post-Election 1.
Apply to become a Network Member — public profile on the registry · wallet · agreement to the Community Covenant.
For Election 1: approved by Tue May 19 morning UTC = on the voter list. Late applications still land you in the registry — they just won’t make Election 1’s voter list.
Questions? Reply in this thread, ping in Telegram, or DM either of us.
Stewards in transition: Luiz Fernando (Transition Lead) · Monty (Source Lead)