If you’re passionate about helping shape the future of ApeCoin and ApeChain, and ready to roll up your sleeves to grow the ecosystem, this is your chance. The following post is the Nomination Announcement for the APE Foundation Special Council positions for the term beginning in July 2025. This announcement marks the start of the Special Council nomination process. Per AIP-137, AIP-138, & AIP-582, this post will cover everything you need to know about:
-
Special Council responsibilities
-
General elections housekeeping (e.g. where things live on Discourse)
-
Details and timeline regarding the nomination and election process
-
The application process and how to apply to become a Special Council member
-
Nomination profile, to be posted publicly on Discourse Forum
What You’ll Be Doing
As a Special Council member, your focus will be to support the expansion and real-world adoption of both ApeCoin (APE) and ApeChain, while keeping the Foundation’s strategic priorities front and center. Top candidates will understand our community, web3 more broadly and why people should care about culture on the blockchain.
Special Council is more than a title—it’s about driving meaningful growth, creating bridges between communities and ecosystems, and being a visible, responsive builder in the ApeCoin ecosystem.
Growing ApeCoin & ApeChain:
- Partnering with projects, DAOs, platforms, and companies to expand utility and presence.
- Identifying great opportunities in DeFi, NFTs, gaming, infrastructure, and beyond.
- Building relationships with communities and organizations aligned with Ape culture.
Engaging with the Community:
- Actively showing up in DAO conversations and channels.
- Helping the community stay informed, involved, and heard.
- Bringing visibility to community feedback and surfacing real-time insights.
- Representing ApeCoin DAO in relevant spaces—events, calls, online panels—to build awareness and inspire participation.
Preferred Experience:
We know there’s no one-size-fits-all, but here are some things that would help you thrive in this role:
- Experience (5+ years preferred) in business development, partnerships, or strategic roles—especially if you’ve worked in Web3, crypto, or fintech.
- Familiarity with blockchain ecosystems like L1s/L2s/L3s, NFTs, DAOs, DeFi, and token-based economies.
- A strong background in relationship-building, deal-making, or ecosystem development.
- Comfortable working in a fast-moving, decentralized environment.
- Bonus if you’ve worked with or are familiar with the ApeCoin DAO, Yuga Labs, or other culturally rich Web3 communities.
- Understanding of smart contracts and dApp ecosystems is a big plus, but not mandatory.
Housekeeping
There is a category on Discourse called Special Council Elections. This is where election resources will live. Within this category, there are four sub-categories:
- Announcements
- This contains high-level nomination and election announcements for the election cycle.
- Special Council Nominees
- During phase 2 (timeline below) this sub-category is where the community will be able to engage with, ask questions of, and seek clarification from nominees on their nomination profile pages. Nominees are applicants who have submitted an application and completed the KYC and background verification process.
- Election Candidates
- Applicants’ profiles move from “Special Council Nominees” to “Election Candidates” if:
- There are 5 or fewer nominees in total or;
- There are greater than 5 nominees and the applicant is one of the top 5 nominees as decided by a community vote on Snapshot.
- Applicants’ profiles move from “Special Council Nominees” to “Election Candidates” if:
- Rejected/Withdrawn Nominations
- Any application that is withdrawn by the applicant, rejected by a community vote (at either the nomination or election stage) or withdrawn for any other reason will be moved here.
The Nomination and Elections Process
- Phase 1: Starting Monday, May 12th, applicants are invited to put themselves forward for the Special Council. The Nomination Announcement (this post) facilitates the submission of applications via a Google Form. Applicants should submit their KYC information, relevant documents, and nomination profile drafts.
- Phase 2: The community discusses the nomination profile of those who pass the KYC and background verification process. AIP-137 provides for ApeCoin DAO members to have a deliberation period to discuss and interact with the nominees.
- Phase 3: If there are more than 5 nominees, there will be a 6-day vote on Snapshot (consistent with the usual Thursday to Wednesday cadence for AIP votes). The top 5 nominees from the community vote (or all nominees if there are 5 or fewer) advance to the election process.
The election will run on Snapshot, consistent with the usual Thursday to Wednesday life cycle for AIP votes. This cycle will ultimately elect 3 candidates to the Special Council.
Nomination and Elections Timeline - 2025
- May 12-21: Applications are open, and KYC begins as needed. (Phase 1)
- May 22-June 4: Continuing KYC and verification process for all received applications; applications close at 9pm EST on Wednesday, June 4. (Phase 1)
- June 4-June 11: Nomination profiles are posted on Discourse and open for community discussion and interaction. (Phase 2)
- June 12-18: Community vote for nominees via Snapshot to select election candidates. (Phase 2)
- June 19-25: Election period via Snapshot to select the next 3 Special Council members. (Phase 3)
- July 1st: New Special Council members start their term.
The Application Process - How to Apply
We are currently in Phase 1 – Applications and applicant verification (applications will be in the Google Form linked below).
If you would like to be a Special Council member for the ApeCoin DAO (term beginning in July 2025), you must submit your application to the Google Form that will be shared on Monday, May 12th, 2025. Applications will close on Wednesday, June 4th, 2025, at 9PM Eastern Time.
ApeCoin DAO Special Council Nomination Form
At the Google Form linked above, you will be asked to submit the following information (All information denoted as private will be treated as confidential):
- Applicant Information: The APE Foundation is a legal entity that must collect information and documents for KYC purposes. The information provided shall remain confidential or be made public on the nomination profile at the discretion of the Applicant.
| Information Provided | Required? | Share Publicly? |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Yes | Optional |
| Discourse @username (must have Discourse profile on forum.apecoin.com & at least 1 ApeCoin in a connected wallet) | Yes | Yes |
| Twitter @profile | Yes | Yes |
| Email Address (the same one used in your Discourse account) | Yes | Optional |
| Educational Background (subject to verification) | No | Optional |
| Professional Background (subject to verification) | No | Optional |
- Documents: In order to verify the above information, the APE Foundation must also collect supporting or verification documents. All documents will remain secure and private with the APE Foundation.
- Valid passport, government-issued ID, or Driver’s License
- Proof of address: A utility bill or bank statement in the name of the Applicant within the last 3 months.
Nomination Profile
The Applicant completes the nomination profile to build their case to the community on why they are the best suited for the Special Council. This nomination profile will be published on the Discourse and will include the following sections:
-
Professional Summary: (Brief description of your background, experience, and skills relevant to this role)
-
Relevant Experience: (Highlight roles in business development, partnerships, strategy, Web3, DAOs, NFTs, etc.)
-
Familiarity with Web3 Ecosystems:
-
Have you participated in ApeCoin DAO activities before?
-
Why are you applying for the Special Council position? (Max 300 words)
-
What specific value or perspective will you bring to the Council and the ApeCoin ecosystem?
-
What’s one initiative or partnership you would prioritize during your term?
Once an Applicant submits their information and nomination profile, a KYC and background verification process will take place to verify the information submitted. The APE Foundation may engage an independent, third-party service provider to complete this process. This process may take up to 14 days. Presiding Special Council members whose seats are up for election must also go through the nomination and election process to be considered. Applicants may, at any time, request to withdraw their application by emailing nominations@apecoin.com.
