Decentralized Voices — Cohort 4. Marking a milestone year since its… | by Web3 Foundation Team | Web3 Foundation | Feb, 2025

Marking a milestone year since its launch in February 2024, the Web3 Foundation’s Decentralized Voices program has empowered community-driven stewardship of Polkadot and Kusama through strategic delegation of DOT and KSM. Following Cohort 3’s structural refinements, we now turn toward Cohort 4. We announce the start of Decentralized Voices Cohort 4 applications phase.

Applications for Cohort 4 will open February 26, 2025, with a submission deadline of March 5, 2025 at 23:59 CET. Selected delegates will begin their four-month term in early April. Cohort 4 will retain the same optimizations introduced in Cohort 3, as highlighted below.

The Third Cohort

Web3 Foundation expresses its gratitude to all Cohort 3 participants for their time and effort in shaping the future of Polkadot and Kusama.

As of February 24, 2025, Cohort 3 has voted in 171 Referenda, organized several advocacy campaigns, and participated in discussions on Attempts At Governance, and other outlets.

For more information on how the delegates voted and the effect they had on the outcome of the Referenda, you can view Colorful Notion’s Dune Decentralized Voices dashboard.

How Does DV Work?

The Web3 Foundation will entrust its DOT and KSM to individuals who demonstrate consistent, principled engagement in Polkadot and Kusama governance through both on-chain voting and off-chain discourse. Delegations apply to all Spender tracks (32, 33, 34), Tipper tracks (30, 31), Treasurer track (11), and Wish-for-Change track (2). Candidates must publish a public governance manifesto detailing their decision-making philosophy and provide evidence of sustained participation in ecosystem governance processes.

Delegates are expected to vote regularly and transparently justify their choices and rationale on platforms such as Polkassembly, Subsquare, and/or other communication media (e.g. Grillapp, X/Twitter, Polkadot Forum). They must abstain from voting on proposals that involve direct personal/team compensation, competitive interests, or quid pro quo arrangements, and instead choose to abstain or refrain from voting altogether. In the case of a member of a collective voting group, any member of that group who has a conflict of interest should recuse themselves from voting. It is generally not necessary for the entire collective to recuse themselves from voting as long as the individual members with conflict of interest recuse themselves. However, if a majority of the members of a collective voting group, or the group itself, has a conflict of interest, they must recuse themselves from voting (or vote Abstain). Delegates may continue to promote and discuss Referenda from which they have recused themselves.

Conflicts of interest must be self-identified, although delegates may seek guidance from W3F through Matrix channels, with final determinations resting solely with the Foundation. Violations will result in warnings, mandatory vote adjustments, or for severe/repeated breaches, immediate delegation revocation and forfeiture of compensation. Delegates must report any unethical attempts to influence their votes (e.g., threats, bribes) directly to W3F.

Community feedback is welcomed and can be submitted via dv@web3.foundation, and/or through the comments sections in forums, final delegate selection remains at W3F’s discretion.

Delegations may be withdrawn at any time to uphold governance integrity, and participants found accepting external compensation for specific votes will face immediate removal at W3F’s discretion. Current delegates are encouraged to reapply for future cohorts or attract independent ecosystem delegations, provided they maintain compliance with program standards.

Building on the refinements introduced in Cohort 3, Cohort 4 continues to combine DOT and KSM delegation under a single governance framework, reiterating the aligned futures of both Polkadot and Kusama. The program retains its structure of six delegates (adjustable by W3F) to prioritize quality participation, extended four-month terms for sustained strategic impact, and 3,500 DOT compensation (vesting linearly over one year) rewarding OpenGov proactive engagement. Delegates from prior cohorts are encouraged to reapply, with continued delegation contingent on performance.

Compensation:

In return for their work voting with delegated DOT, at the end of the four-month delegation period, each delegate will be rewarded with 3500 DOT, vesting linearly over a one-year period from the time of transfer. Please note that this amount is per delegation; in the case of a delegation to a collective entity such as a DAO, this will count as a single delegation and thus the same amount of DOT will be transferred as if it were an individual.

Identity Verification:

All delegates must verify their identity before being accepted into the program (although it is not necessary to do so before applying, you should be aware that this will have to take place before delegation). In the case of DAOs or other collectives, one representative member can be selected for identity verification and receiving the DOT.

What Makes a Good DV Candidate?

A strong DV candidate demonstrates proven, sustained engagement within the Polkadot ecosystem, particularly through active on-chain voting, discourse on platforms like Polkassembly or Subsquare, and participation in governance-focused initiatives such as Attempts at Governance or community forums.

The ideal delegate possesses deep technical and strategic fluency in Polkadot’s governance mechanics, including Treasury management, referendum workflows, and multisig/proxy operations. Familiarity with conflict-of-interest disclosures is also important, as is the ability to adapt to emerging OpenGov updates while balancing technical rigor with community impact.

Independent critical thinking remains paramount: candidates must navigate complex trade-offs and polarized debates with maturity, resisting external pressures while remaining open to evolving perspectives. Delegates should demonstrate a history of synthesizing diverse viewpoints into ecosystem-aligned decisions, particularly in high-stakes scenarios involving treasury allocations or protocol upgrades.

Structured collectives (e.g., DAOs, working groups) with transparent governance processes are prioritized, as their collaborative frameworks inherently amplify diverse community voices and mitigate centralized influence. These entities must showcase robust internal systems for delegating responsibilities, documenting rationale, and maintaining continuity during Cohort 4’s four-month term.

Above all, DV candidates must unconditionally prioritize Polkadot’s long-term health, even when ecosystem interests conflict with personal or organizational incentives. While community input informs decisions, delegates are entrusted to act as stewards not representatives of the network’s decentralized future.

How Do I Apply?

To apply for the Decentralized Voices program, you must complete the application form no later than 23:59:59 on 5 March 2025 (Central European Time). The application process requires specific details to ensure your eligibility and alignment with the program’s goals.

• First, you will need to provide the Polkadot and Kusama addresses where you wish to receive DOT and KSM delegations. These addresses can differ for each network and do not need to share a public key. At least one of the accounts must include verified identity information, such as a Twitter handle, Matrix username, or email address. While not mandatory, it is strongly recommended that applicants are reachable via Matrix for ongoing discussions and communications throughout the program.
• In addition to your addresses, you must submit a publicly accessible declaration of your Polkadot “political philosophy” or agenda. This should ideally be posted on the Polkadot Forum but can also be hosted on other platforms, such as Github or your personal website, as long as it remains public. This declaration should consist of at least one paragraph and may include a philosophical statement, analogies to established political theories, opinions on past Referenda or governance decisions, or any other explanation of how you intend to vote in the future. The purpose of this submission is to provide transparency and insight into your governance approach.
• Optionally, you may also include a private explanation detailing why you believe you are a strong candidate for the program. This might involve evidence of previous voting activity (including votes cast with other accounts if ownership can be verified), commentary or blog posts about Polkadot OpenGov or specific Referenda, or any other contributions that highlight your engagement with governance. Additionally, you can share relevant experience, such as involvement in other political organizations or legislative bodies. While this information is not required, it can strengthen your application by offering further context about your qualifications.
• Please note that all applicants must submit a new form for this cohort. Applying in previous cohorts does not automatically carry over your interest for future participation. However, if you have previously submitted a political philosophy or other supporting materials, you are welcome to reuse them in your current application.
• By completing these steps and submitting the required information, you will be considered for participation in this exciting initiative aimed at shaping the future of Polkadot governance.