This is unbelievably wasteful. We shouldn’t even consider this as a community. Requesting $50,000 to sponsor an event just to slap a Polkadot logo on a barely-known website with a tiny email list and an audience of maybe 50-100 people for each meeting/presentation is absurd. Can anyone point to one concrete benefit this brings to Polkadot that justifies such an inflated cost? I’ll wait.

**Final Report: Florida Blockchain Business Association (FBBA) Enterprise Sponsorship (Nov 2024 - Oct 2025)**
Referendum #1223 - 50,000 USDT
Submitted by: James Slusser

**(1) Introduction**

Referendum #1223 funded Polkadot’s Enterprise-level sponsorship of the **Florida Blockchain Business Association (FBBA)** with the goal of improving Polkadot’s visibility, regulatory engagement, and business development pipelines in the United States. This initiative followed the strategic direction laid out in the original proposal: leveraging state-level advocacy organizations to improve Polkadot’s standing with policymakers, regulators, enterprises, and industry leaders.

The membership aligned closely with the learnings from **OpenGov Referendum [#1553](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/referenda/1553) + [#675](https://polkadot.subsquare.io/referenda/675)** (Texas Blockchain Council) and built on the leadership of **Ecosystem Agent James Slusser**, Senior Ambassador, who is based in Florida and served as the primary representative for this initiative.  **Ecosystem Agent Ryan "Phunky" Haczynski**, who is also based in Florida,  participated in many FBBA events and is active (through another blockchain protocol) with the [Blockchain Association](https://theblockchainassociation.org/) in Washington, DC.

The following report summarizes the impact of the 12-month period from **November 2024 through October 2025**.

**(2) Strategic Value of the FBBA Relationship**

FBBA President **Samuel Armes** is a highly respected and well-connected operator in both Florida and national blockchain policy circles. In addition to his role in Florida, he serves on the board of the **[North American Blockchain Association (NABA)](https://nablock.org/)**, giving Polkadot indirect access to additional state-level ecosystems.

The FBBA has a proven track record of:

- Drafting and advocating blockchain legislation
- Connecting industry leaders with regulators and elected officials
- Educating policymakers on emerging technologies
- Coordinating with state agencies, including the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR)
- Supporting enterprise innovation through committees and advocacy groups

Polkadot’s Enterprise sponsorship provided direct visibility, inclusion in high-level conversations, credibility in government settings, and consistent opportunities for business development and regulatory engagement.

**(3) Impact & Key Outcomes (Nov 2024 – Oct 2025)**

**(3.1) Industry Conferences and Speaking Engagements**

**[North American Blockchain Summit](https://www.northamericanblockchainsummit.com/) – Dallas, TX (Nov 2024)**

- Participation supported through Polkadot’s Texas membership (Ref #675), but closely aligned with the objectives of this proposal.
- James Slusser worked the Polkadot booth; Chrissy Hill (former CLO/COO, Parity Technologies) spoke on stage.
- Multiple U.S.-based policy and industry contacts were generated.

**[BitBasel](https://www.bitbasel.miami/) – Future of the Arts (Dec 2024)**

- Both Sam Armes and James Slusser were speakers.
- Positioned Polkadot early in the Miami Art Basel week conversation, reaching creators, investors, and founders.
- Several long-term business relationships originated from this event.

**[Synapse Summit](https://synapsefl.com/) – Tampa, FL (Jan 2025)**

- Participation enabled through FBBA membership.
- James delivered “Blockchain, Crypto, and Regulation: Navigating the Evolving Landscape.”
- Invitations extended for 2026 and multiple BD prospects were generated.

**[Mining Disrupt](https://miningdisrupt.com/) – Fort Lauderdale (Mar 2025)**

- Attendance via FBBA.
- Determined to be a Bitcoin-focused event with low value for Polkadot — a useful insight to avoid future misallocation of time.

**[ETHDenver](https://ethdenver.com/) (Feb 2025)**

Not funded by FBBA, but included strategic value through meetings with state-level association leaders introduced by FBBA leadership.

**(3.2) Government Relations & Regulatory Engagement**

Blockchain Day at the Capitol – Tallahassee (Jan 2025)

This was the strongest policy outcome of the year.
Engagements included meetings with:

- Rep. Richard Gentry
- Rep. Berny Jacques
- Rep. Webster Barnaby
- Sen. Erin Grall
- Florida Chief Financial Officer’s Office
- Office of Financial Regulation (OFR)

**Notably, Polkadot was recognized by name in both the Florida House and Senate chambers** - the first such recognition and a meaningful milestone in raising Polkadot’s profile among state officials.
Policy themes discussed with legislators and regulators included:

- Polkadot OpenGov governance technology
- Interest in the Mandala Project in Indonesia as a model for digital governance
- Potential sandbox testing of Polkadot tech
- State-level stablecoin exploration for 2025/2026
- DAO frameworks and the history of the Florida DAO bill
- Openness to a **Polkadot Blockchain Academy “[Blockchain for Policymakers](https://coinpaper.com/7550/polkadot-blockchain-academy-launches-course-for-policymakers)”** session in Tallahassee

These outcomes directly support the strategic objective of improving Polkadot’s regulatory relevance in the U.S.

**(3.3) Membership Benefits Activation**

Across the year, Polkadot consistently utilized the following FBBA benefits:

**Monthly Membership Calls**

- 50–100+ attendees per call
- Polkadot presented three Polkadot educational/marketing webinars, each generating follow-up BD conversations
- Sessions covered OpenGov, ecosystem use cases, and technology fundamentals

**FBBA Newsletter**

- Regular Polkadot content contributions
- Exposure to a curated industry audience (2,000+ subscribers with 33% open rate)

**Strategic Introductions**
Sam Armes facilitated numerous high-quality introductions, including:

- Policy staff
- Founders
- Lobbyists
- State-level blockchain groups
- Florida universities
- Business development prospects

These introductions frequently accelerated existing BD pipelines - especially at Inter Miami CF events, where Sam was a guest in the Polkadot suite.

**(3.4) Academic Engagement**

**University of Miami - [The Business of Blockchain Technology](https://www.herbert.miami.edu/faculty-research/business-conferences/blockchain-technology-conference/index.html) (May 2025)**

- Sponsored by Polkadot; Sam joined as a speaker at Polkadot’s request.
- Positive feedback from the university; interest in hosting Polkadot again in 2026.
- Helped solidify Polkadot’s early presence in Florida higher education (aligned with PBA & EasyA efforts).

**(4) Assessment of Value vs. Proposal Objectives**

The original proposal identified three core objectives:

**(A) Policy & Legislative Impact**

**Delivered.**

- Direct recognition in House & Senate
- Multi-office meetings with legislators and OFR leadership
- Interest in PBA Policymaker curriculum
- Early exploration of Polkadot use cases in possible state sandbox
- Continued DAO regulatory conversations

**(B) Ecosystem Growth**

**Delivered.**

- Multiple BD prospects from Synapse, BitBasel, Inter Miami suite, ETHDenver, and FBBA introductions
- Refined pipeline of contacts for parachains (Energy Web, Origin Trail, etc.)
- Increased awareness within state and national policy groups

**(C) Integrations & Partnerships**

**Partially delivered, but strongly progressed.**

- Polkadot made substantial relational progress
- Foundations laid for future integration work
- Clearer opportunities identified through repeated exposure and relationship-building
- Regulatory clarity work is ongoing and will likely unlock integration potential later

**Overall Assessment**

Within the constraints of a membership-only funding model (no travel/operational budget), the impact was significant. With full travel support (as seen in Texas), additional monthly Tallahassee trips would have strengthened ongoing legislative engagement.

**(5) Learnings & Recommendations**

- Consistency and in-person presence are essential for maximizing the value of state-level policy organizations.
- FBBA is a uniquely strong fit for Polkadot due to Florida’s industry concentration, pro-innovation stance, and direct access to regulators.
- Government interest in OpenGov and Mandala-style digital governance is meaningful and should be nurtured.
- Academic partnerships (University of Miami, University of Florida) proved strategically valuable.
- Cross-state collaboration (TBC, NABA, other associations) increased Polkadot’s national policy visibility.

**(6) Funding Considerations Going Forward**

Following the Nov '25 sub0 announcements, updated ecosystem strategy, and internal realignment at W3F and Parity, conversations were held with **Bill Laboon** prior to any renewal consideration.

- W3F’s current position is **not to join blockchain associations unless a clear and compelling ROI is demonstrated.**
- At Bill’s request, a separate ROI case will be sent directly to him and Karam.
- Based on this guidance, no OpenGov renewal will be pursued at this time.

**(7) Conclusion**

The FBBA Enterprise Sponsorship successfully advanced the objectives outlined in Referendum #1223 and delivered measurable improvements to Polkadot’s:

- Regulatory relationships
- State-level visibility
- Industry credibility
- Academic presence
- Business development pipelines

The experience reinforced the value of state-level blockchain associations as strategic partners, while also highlighting the need for dedicated operational/travel funding to fully maximize returns in the future.
Polkadot now has a far stronger presence in Florida than it did one year ago. These gains can serve as a foundation for future government, enterprise, and educational initiatives across the U.S.



![](https://i.ibb.co/DwhdZNq/FBBA-Logo-BANNER-GREEN.png)

**Proponent**:  FBBA account: [131S1zdnMfhF1hB4sWornxLvX5SY3c8GhtFPPePUTvhphQRM](../user/FBBA)

**Date**: September 30, 2024

**Requested USDT**: 50,000 USDT

**Summary**: This proposal requests 50,000 USDT to sponsor Polkadot’s involvement with the [Florida Blockchain Business Association](https://www.fbba.io/) (FBBA) at the Enterprise level. The sponsorship aims to enhance Polkadot’s presence in the U.S., leveraging connections with blockchain policy advocates, businesses, and government officials to foster growth, improve regulatory engagement, and explore new integrations.

This proposal will leverage the **leadership** of Angela Dalton, Head Ambassador, expand upon the **learnings** from Ecosystem Agent Yung Beef (Zach Edwards) and his OpenGov Referendum #675 [Improving Polkadot’s Presence In the U.S. With The Texas Blockchain Council](675#y2hsWjUPDHNYSeqrUJO5), and support Ecosystem Agent James Slusser to **improve Polkadot’s presence in the U.S.**

Florida currently has the third-largest population in the United States, with an estimated 22.95 million people in 2024. Its economy is the fourth largest in the country, boasting a real GDP of $1.6 trillion as of the third quarter of 2023. In terms of global economic standings, Florida ranks as the 13th largest economy in the world. In the third quarter of 2023, Florida's economy experienced a growth rate of 6.1%, significantly outpacing the overall U.S. economy. The state's economic contributions account for approximately 5.7% of the entire U.S. economy, highlighting its significant influence both nationally and globally​.

Following OpenGov protocol I will leave the Pre-Proposal Discussion open for two weeks, followed by the referendum submission. I welcome and appreciate all community feedback, questions and comments, and will request to appear on AAG to discuss further.

Link to the [draft Proposal](https://docs.google.com/document/d/10bMakPMoenEk4iYwSaFMgLYrf9BeAxh5aRV0j8J8flM/edit?usp=sharing)

- A proposal is asking for 50,000 USDT to help Polkadot work with the Florida Blockchain Business Association (FBBA) at a big level.
- The goal is to make Polkadot better known in the U.S. and connect with important people in business and government.
- Florida has a large population of about 22.95 million people and a strong economy.
- Florida is the third-largest state by population and the fourth largest economy in the U.S.
- The proposal is led by Angela Dalton and aims to learn from previous efforts to improve Polkadot's presence.
- There will be a discussion for two weeks where the community can give feedback before the final submission.
- A link to the draft proposal is available for everyone to read and review.

AssetSpendApproved

Paid

medium_spender

WHO: FBBA account 131S1zdnMfhF1hB4sWornxLvX5SY3c8GhtFPPePUTvhphQRM on behalf of Polkadot
WHAT: Requesting 50,000 USDT to sponsor Polkadot's involvement with the Florida Blockchain Business Association at the Enterprise level to enhance Polkadot's presence in the US, leveraging connections with blockchain policy advocates, businesses, and government officials to foster growth, improve regulatory engagement, and explore new integrations.
PRICE/TIMEFRAME/RESOURCES: 50,000 USDT, referendum submission after two weeks of pre-proposal discussion.

#67·Florida Blockchain Business Association (FBBA) Sponsorship to Improve Polkadot’s Presence In the U.S.