Welcome back to the State of People newsletter, where we cover community topics with actionable insights for building impact. This month, we’re exploring the often overlooked yet powerful world of grants. Grants fuel innovation, amplify community projects and bring ideas to life. But how does one navigate the grant process or cast informed votes on proposals? In this month's livestream, we're bringing together Web3 experts and community strategists to break down the essentials of funding, from the purpose of grants to practical steps for securing them. Join us as we explore how grants can be a game-changer for your vision!
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, Oct 31 👻
Time: 12PM PT / 3 PM ET
Location: Livestreamed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheStateofPeople and also X
Recap of Last Month:
🧭 Onchain questing, event design and international event organizing
The session was centered around onchain questing, event design, and international event organizing. We heard from Bunny, the CEO of Dora and afterwards, a panel of International Farcaster Friday event organizers.
💖 Some Takeways from the Panel:
Fun as a KPI! Building Social Roles and Identity Through Questing: Remember to make experiences fun! Riley and Bunny lamented about the quests that can take too long and make the experience uninspiring to return (like downloading an app that takes 5 minutes at in-person events). Some effective quest designs tap into the social aspect of questing, where users are “rewarded for being in the know” or for helping others. Crafting quests that align with different personalities—whether “healers” or “information sharers”—gives people a role within the community, reinforcing their value in the ecosystem through recognition and connection. Riley shared a recent fun IRL quest: the scavenger hunt during FWB Fest.
Bringing Online Connections Into Real-World Depth: In real life (IRL) events add layers to online relationships, creating opportunities for honest conversations and connections beyond chat channels. Events like those in Boston, Chicago, London, Toronto and Las Vegas for monthly Farcaster Fridays show that real-world gatherings help “cultivate a place where people can share information” and build a shared identity that feels local and meaningful. This continuity between online and offline spaces is helpful for a community’s long-term depth and trust. IRL events are also helpful for onboarding folks live to Web3 products, and many crypto folks have invited their non-crypto friends who are curious about learning something new.
Creating Feedback Loops from IRL Events to Strengthen Engagement: Casual feedback—like asking, “Are you coming to the next one?” or encouraging people to share “what they learned”—is an easy way to capture insights and keep events user-centered. Real-time questions capture the energy and takeaways while fresh, helping build a sense of collaboration between organizers and the community. This feedback creates a loop that improves future experiences and keeps people engaged. Folks have experimented with POAPS and physical items like pins and swag as fun keepsakes for attending events.
Watch the full stream here on YouTube
💸 Grants
This month, we’re excited to welcome inspiring leaders in Web3 and community building: Awkquarian, Natalie, Mashal and Xandra. Each brings a unique perspective on funding and community in the Web3 space, from illustrating digital comics funded by grants to driving social impact projects and supporting creators through grant programs. Together, they embody the values of inclusivity, cultural impact, and the power of collective support in Web3.
During the 2nd half, our Community Strategy friends will dive into grants for builders and muse on the latest topics in the community on our minds.
✨Meet Some of our Speakers and Topics:
Awkquarian
@rakshitaphilip
A freelance designer and content marketer for Web3 brands, Awkquarian also creates and sells digital comics as NFTs through her series Coven Classics. She’ll share insights on how grants can open doors for underrepresented creators in Web3 and enable innovative projects without traditional VC funding. She received a grant earlier this year, enabling her to pursue her series seriously. Now, she wants to see young founders, women, LGBTQ+ founders, and artists get their big ideas funded to make crypto more inclusive. Give: Guidance on leveraging grants; Ask: Support for funding opportunities for diverse creators.
Natalie Crue
@NatalieCrue
A cultural producer with 10+ years in crypto, Natalie is building the future of arts and impact funding on-chain. With a community, nonprofit, and arts and culture background, she’s an OG at PizzaDAO, where she leads social impact and supports events in over 81 countries, and is co-founder of Corner Store Co-op. Natalie is eager to highlight cool funding experiments and explore how we can collectively push forward new grant models in Web3. Give: PizzaDAO event support, general grant insights, and help finding funds; Ask: In search of developers and UX/UI folks for cultural experiments. Community: Building belonging, holding space, and wayfinding—accountable to ourselves and the cultural underpinnings of crypto as a web of care.
Mashal Waqar
@arlery
Head of Marketing at Octant, Mashal co-authored the State of Web3 Grants and Retroactive Grants reports. With governance roles across the Octant Community Fund, Gitcoin Grants Council, RARI Foundation, and ThankARB, she has reviewed over 130 grants across Web3 ecosystems. Formerly co-founder of a global media company, (The Tempest), a revenue-focused accelerator program for early-stage founders, a femtech startup, and a community-building consultancy. Mashal holds a B.S. in Computing Security with a minor in International Business from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). She’s a Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30 winner of the 19th WIL Economic Forum Young Leader of the Year award. Give: Insights to raise awareness and improve grant programs; Ask: Engaging conversations on community and current trends. Community in their words: Community is everything and has been at the heart of much of my work. In our space, it makes or breaks projects, but it’s also become a bit of a “dirty word” as it’s used for everything. At a time when people feel isolated and helpless given global events, having and feeling a sense of community is more important than ever.
Xandra
@XandraDozet
As the Grants Program Manager at CharmVerse, Xandra helps programs connect with the proper grants to launch and scale Web3 projects. She’ll talk about the impact of grants as a way for builders to get projects off the ground without needing investors. Give: Support and guidance on grants; Ask: Engagement with CharmVerse for community and funding needs. Community, in their words: a network of mutual support where people can turn to each other for advice, opportunities, and knowledge-sharing.
Vision and Essence of 'The State of People':
Our digital rave at 'The State of People' is where the neon glow of web3 meets the warmth of community spirit. With a mission to educate and empower, we celebrate the unconventional, turning the internet into a cozy, beautifully diverse space.
This series is not just about sharing ideas; it's about fostering a movement that champions diversity, genuine connections, and the transformative power of a digitally-enhanced world.
Subscribe for Exclusive Perks:
Embrace the full experience of 'The State of People' with a subscription. Gain access to event recaps, monthly flyers, speaker clip airdrops, and more. Subscribe today at https://hypersub.withfabric.xyz/collection/the-state-of-people-kzhokln9y1a8 and join a community that rewards curiosity and creative expression.
Stay tuned, stay engaged, and let’s make the digital space a communal, impactful experience together!
💖Your /community hosts
@rileybeans - https://warpcast.com/rileybeans
@awkquairan.eth - https://warpcast.com/awkquarian.eth
@poymeetsworld - https://warpcast.com/poymeetsworld
