# META-036: Fund Futarchy Applications Research

**Status:** Active (50% likelihood as of 2026-03-21)
**Amount:** $80,007 USDC
**Duration:** 6 months
**Institution:** George Mason University
**Principal Investigator:** Dr. Robin Hanson (futarchy inventor)
**Co-Investigator:** Dr. Daniel Houser

## Scope

First rigorous experimental validation of futarchy decision-market governance mechanisms:

- 500 student participants ($50 compensation each)
- IRB-reviewed experimental protocols
- Graduate research assistant (full academic year + summer)
- Controlled decision-making experiments measuring information-aggregation efficiency

## Budget Breakdown

- Hanson summer salary: ~$30,000
- Houser co-investigator: ~$6,000
- Graduate Research Assistant: ~$19,000
- Participant payments: $25,000
- **Total:** $80,007

## Disbursement Structure

50/50 split:
1. 50% on execution
2. 50% on interim report delivery

## Market Data (2026-03-21)

- **Likelihood:** 50%
- **Volume:** $42,160
- **Pass token:** $3.4590 (+0.52%)
- **Fail token:** $3.3242 (-3.40%)
- **Time remaining:** ~2 days

## Significance

First academic research engagement to experimentally validate futarchy mechanisms that MetaDAO has already deployed in production. Represents MetaDAO's commitment to rigorous validation even while iterating rapidly on implementation.

## Proposers

- m3taversal
- metanallok