By Alex, Peter

Joining a DAO is often an overwhelming experience. Let’s walk step by step through how you might contribute to a DAO.

Decide if the DAO is right for you

1. ‍Get onboarded: After you join a DAO’s Discord server, you typically have to pass a verification check to access all of the DAO’s channels. Introduce yourself in the #intros channel and check out the #announcements channel to get a sense of what the DAO is working on.
2. ‍Check the vibe: Explore a few different channels to get a sense of the vibe. Do you like how community members are interacting with each other? Who are the core contributors? You probably only have time to contribute to a few DAOs, so make sure the vibe is right before proceeding.

Understand how to contribute

1. Start socializing: If the vibe feels right, join the conversation! Be genuine and make building friendships your first priority. 
2. Join the DAO’s live events: DAOs usually have a live community meetup every week. Make time to join these events to talk to members live.
3. Talk to a core contributor: If you notice someone who’s really active in the DAO, chances are they are a core contributor. Try to DM them or set up a 1:1 to ask how you can best contribute.

Start contributing

How much you can contribute depends on your skillset and how much time you have:

1. If you have 0-5 hours a week: Participate in community conversations, share useful links and memes, and promote the DAO on social media.
2. If you have 5-10 hours a week: Join one of the DAO’s core teams or projects. For example, a DAO might have teams for creating content, growing the DAO, or engaging the community. Usually, there’s a team lead that you can talk to about how to get started.
3. If you have 10+ hours a week: Consider becoming a core contributor or team lead for the DAO. The reality with most DAOs is that a small group of core contributors do most of the work. Some DAOs have an application process to become a core contributor while others just want you to start contributing first.
   

Everyone has different numbers of hours to contribute to DAOs, so once you find one you love, determine a level of responsibility that feels right for you.

Up next: Coming soon

Learn more

• Determining your own DAO responsibilities (Index Coop)