Proposal systems determine airdrop allocations through a mix of **governance votes, metrics, and strategic goals**:  

1. **Community Voting** – DAOs (e.g., *Uniswap*, *Optimism*) use snapshot polls to approve/reject distribution size and criteria.  
2. **Retroactive Funding** – Proposals may reward past contributors (e.g., *Gitcoin* grantees) based on verifiable activity.  
3. **Sybil Resistance** – Tools like *Gitcoin Passport* or *PoH* filter bots, shaping eligibility.  
4. **Ecosystem Growth** – Allocations often target underserved sectors (e.g., *Arbitrum*’s gaming fund).  

**Key Tools:**  
- **Tally** or **Boardroom** to track proposal outcomes.  
- **Dune Analytics** to audit distribution fairness.  

**Pro Tip:** Engage early in **RFCs** (Request for Comments)—many proposals start as forum discussions.