“Web3 is a vision for a better, fairer internet. The movement behind Web3 represents a shift toward a world where power is not concentrated in the hands of so few.”

- Matt Weatherall, Incubation Lead at RADAR, and freelance strategist

Context

As Web3 technologies continue to mature they offer disruptive applications across multiple sectors. From transparent funding and decentralised decision-making, to community ownership and tokens that incentivise a different form of value exchange, it seems like there is potential for Web3 to impact the nonprofit sector; how it operates and the value it creates. However, Web3 is a complex area, encompassing many different values and technologies. With limited resources, nonprofits often struggle to invest the time and attention needed to properly assess and act on the potential that Web3 offers. 

Approach

I worked with Huddlecraft and Catalyst to design and facilitate the ‘Web3 Futures - Unearthing the potential for nonprofits’ project.

Our approach invited 5 nonprofits into a 3-day learning immersion to explore the potential of Web3 for them. In the process we wanted to harvest learnings that can inform the wider sector, and test a model of learning that might be useful in assessing the value of other emerging technologies.

Our aims were to: 

● Discover: Better understand the evolving Web3 landscape and the potential it holds for nonprofits 

● Connect: Build relationships to support continued learning about Web3 

● Apply: Take steps to apply the learnings in different contexts 

● Disseminate: Share practical learnings with the wider nonprofit sector 

In the lead up to the 3 days, we recruited two Web3 mentors and some Huddlecraft Collective expert support to curate introductory content on Web3 - definitions, innovative case studies and provocations of potential opportunity areas. The five nonprofits were then hosted through the three day immersion, which we designed around Bill Sharpe and The International Futures Forum Three Horizons model. We spent roughly a day dedicated to each Horizon.  The first day was all about the case for change: what are the pressures that mean the way we’re doing things currently aren’t fit for the future? The second focused on our visions for the future, both collective and organisational. And the third day was about creatively exploring the areas of potential we sensed in the transition from where we are now and where we want to get to. 

We invited each organisation to imagine and co-write a story about what their organisation might look like in that beautiful and fair Web3 future.  Each non-profit also created a Design Fictions of a web3 future. These ideas are the creative transitions, responding to visions and collective imagination

You can read these stories, design fictions, as well as more about our design process, the impact, and our learnings in the ‘Web3 Futures. Unearthing the potential for nonprofits’ showcase booklet. 

My role

Learning designer and facilitator