Proposal Guidelines

How to create and submit governance proposals for Orca.

This guide explains how to create, submit, and advance governance proposals for Orca. Whether you have an idea to improve the protocol or want to address an issue, this is your pathway to making it happen.

Proposal Process Overview

Every proposal follows this journey:

Idea → Discussion → Draft → Review → Vote → Implementation

Phase	Where	Duration
1. Idea	Discord #governance	Ongoing
2. Discussion	Governance Forum	1-2 weeks
3. Draft	Forum post	3-7 days
4. Review	Community feedback	5-7 days
5. Vote	Realms	3-7 days
6. Implementation	DAO Council/Team	Varies

Before You Propose

Do Your Research

Before submitting a proposal:

1. Search existing proposals - Your idea may already be discussed
2. Understand the protocol - Know how Orca works and its current state
3. Consider implications - Think about technical, economic, and community impact
4. Gather feedback - Test your idea informally in Discord first

Types of Proposals

Type	Examples	Typical Complexity
Protocol Changes	New pool types, fee adjustments	High
Treasury Allocation	Grants, partnerships, marketing	Medium
Governance Updates	Voting rules, Council changes	Medium
Community Initiatives	Events, educational content	Low

Proposal Template

Use this structure for your proposal:

Required Sections

# [Title of Your Proposal]

## Summary
A 50-250 word overview of what you're proposing and why.
This should be understandable without reading further.

## Motivation
- What problem does this solve?
- Why should Orca implement this?
- What happens if we don't do this?

## Description
Detailed explanation of the proposal:
- What changes would be made?
- How would it work technically?
- What resources are needed?

## Implementation
- Who would implement this?
- What's the timeline?
- What are the milestones?

## Risks and Considerations
- What could go wrong?
- How do we mitigate risks?
- What are the trade-offs?

Optional Sections

## Cost Analysis
- Financial costs
- Development resources
- Ongoing maintenance

## Success Metrics
- How do we measure success?
- What KPIs apply?

## Appendices
- Technical specifications
- Supporting data
- External references

Writing Your Proposal

Summary Section Tips

Your summary should:

• State the proposal clearly in the first sentence
• Explain the key benefit in 2-3 sentences
• Mention implementation complexity
• Be understandable by non-technical readers

Good example:

“This proposal introduces a 0.01% fee tier for stablecoin pairs to capture more trading volume from aggregators. Lower fees would make Orca more competitive for stablecoin swaps, potentially increasing volume by 30-50%. Implementation requires a single governance transaction.”

Motivation Section Tips

Answer these questions:

1. What problem exists? - Describe the current situation
2. Why does it matter? - Explain the impact
3. Why now? - Address timing if relevant

Description Section Tips

Be specific:

• Avoid vague language (“improve things”)
• Include concrete parameters
• Reference existing documentation where relevant
• Use diagrams or tables for complex concepts

Implementation Section Tips

Address:

• Who will do the work
• How it will be executed (technical steps)
• When milestones will be reached
• What success looks like

Submitting Your Proposal

Step 1: Start a Discussion

1. Post in the Governance Forum
2. Use the tag [Discussion] in your title
3. Share in Discord #governance channel
4. Gather community feedback for 1-2 weeks

Step 2: Refine Your Draft

Based on feedback:

• Address concerns raised
• Incorporate good suggestions
• Clarify confusing sections
• Update your forum post

Step 3: Request Formal Review

When ready for voting:

1. Update your post title to [Proposal]
2. Notify in Discord that you’re ready for formal review
3. The DAO Council will review feasibility
4. Address any final questions

Step 4: Move to Vote

If approved for voting:

1. The proposal is posted to Realms
2. Voting period begins (typically 3-7 days)
3. Promote your proposal to encourage participation
4. Answer questions during voting

Step 5: After the Vote

If approved:

• DAO Council schedules implementation
• You may be asked to assist with execution
• Progress updates posted to forum

If rejected:

• Review feedback on why it failed
• Consider revising and resubmitting
• Learn for future proposals

Proposal Requirements

Minimum Thresholds

To submit a proposal for vote, you typically need:

• Minimum ORCA/xORCA holdings (check current threshold)
• OR sponsorship from a Council member
• OR sufficient community support

Quorum Requirements

For a vote to be valid:

• Minimum participation threshold must be met
• Check current quorum requirements on Realms

Getting Help

From the Community

• Discord #governance - Discuss ideas, get feedback
• Forum - Longer discussions and formal proposals
• Community members - Tag experienced governance participants

From the Council

The DAO Council can:

• Help refine proposal language
• Sponsor proposals from smaller holders
• Clarify feasibility questions
• Guide you through the process

Example Proposals

Learn from successful proposals:

• Bug Bounty Program - Security initiative proposal
• Governance Council - Structural governance change
• Treasury Conversion - Financial management proposal

Links to these proposals are available in the Governance Forum archives.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Too vague - Be specific about what you’re proposing
2. No research - Check if similar proposals exist
3. Ignoring feedback - Address community concerns
4. Unrealistic scope - Start small if you’re new
5. Poor timing - Don’t rush to vote without discussion
6. Missing implementation plan - Explain how it would work

Proposal Checklist

Before submitting for vote, ensure:

• Clear, specific title
• Summary understandable without context
• Problem/motivation well-explained
• Detailed implementation plan
• Risks acknowledged and addressed
• Community feedback incorporated
• Spelling and grammar checked
• Links and references working

Related Resources

• Governance Overview - How governance works
• How to Participate - Voting and engagement
• DAO Council - Council role and contact
• xORCA Staking - Increase your voting power