Few would dispute the fact that Ethereum is blessed with one of the most diverse and thoughtful communities ever assembled around an open source project. With what can only be described as passionate determination, developers from all walks of life have risked their time and trust to pioneer this radical and little-known area of innovation. In fact, even before its birth, Ethereum already boasts hundreds of projects covering everything from self-stable currencies to potential replacements for government services. Today we are launching a new program to support and thank those who continue to make this journey with us.
Introducing ÐΞVgrants.
ÐΞVgrants is a program that provides funds to contribute to both the Ethereum platform and Ethereum-based projects. The goals are threefold:
We offer developers interested in contributing to the Ethereum ecosystem the opportunity to commit significant time to complete their projects.
Although it is not the main focus of ΞTHDEV, it extends the code base with useful components that are very valuable to Ethereum users in general.
Expand outreach to other communities and the general public.
ÐΞVgrants will focus solely on facilitating efforts already underway. This means that if you haven’t started working on the project yet, you should do so before attempting to apply.
ΞTHDEV has no bias against applications from businesses or developers seeking to benefit from the performance of ÐΞVgrant-supported projects, but ÐΞVgrants should not be considered a funding platform for new business endeavors. Applicable only to applicants who create open source public goods for the public goodis taken into consideration.
What ÐΞVgrants are not
- that no Venture Capital Program. We do not “invest” or “allow” funds to be invested in projects that do not lead to sustained development.
- that no Bounty Program. We do not try to outline specific goals in advance, nor do we try to assign values to them.
- that no ÐApp Seed Funding Program. At this point in the development process, most app scores are near the low end of critical value to the development process.
To qualify, you must:
- The project is already underway.
- Must provide reasonable value to a critical component of Ethereum’s core software, development process, or core part of the ecosystem (common services, APIs, ABI).
Grants can be used to convey or maximize the value of individual contributions. yes:
- Payment for professional services or equipment;
- Pay for costs incurred as part of a collaborative workflow
- Payments to help project members with their living expenses (usually when they spend time at work)
Application Process.
Parties interested in funding should contact the ÐΞVgrants manager (grants@ethereum.org), submit three items: a proposal outlining the intended work, a project plan detailing the schedule and expected work times, and a proposed methodology for progressing the project and reporting results.
Please also include at least one real-time contact method, such as your XMPP/Telegram/Skype ID, IRC nickname, phone number, and time zone.
ΞTHDEV will make its best efforts to evaluate new proposals within two weeks of receipt. Approved applicants will be asked to enter into a contract with ΞTHDEV and accelerate development as quickly as possible. As this is a legal agreement between the successful applicant and ΞTHDEV, all applicants are encouraged to review the terms and conditions carefully before submitting their application.
How is the evaluation done?
initial evaluation
The initial evaluation is conducted by an ÐΞVgrants manager and consists of a review of the application, a high-level survey of the status of the project, and an online interview with one or more project developers. This evaluation will be concerned with the social and technical merits of the project, including its broad applicability and benefits to the Ethereum ecosystem, the general nature of the developers, and the progress made to date.
Final evaluation
The final evaluation will be conducted by the ÐΞVgrants Board of Directors, a team comprised of Ethereum founding members and ÐΞVgrants administrators. This assessment summarizes and reviews initial assessment results from the past two weeks. Applicants may or may not be invited to participate in some of these discussions for the purpose of further review and investigation.
What should the proposal explain?
We understand that each project has unique properties that need to be underlined and emphasized, but every application can benefit from clearly addressing the following:
- Project goals and scope.
- This is the targeted outcome during the work period.
- Timeline and expected work hours.
- The amount of funds requested.
- How the project benefits the Ethereum ecosystem.
- A methodology for reporting progress and achievements.
How much funds can I request and how will payment be made?
Although there may be exceptions in certain cases, ÐΞVgrants are in USD. 10,000 per project, or enough to cover the living expenses of one or more developers for several months.
ΞTHDEV can provide payment in two ways, depending on the amount requested, the proposed project development period and the work performed in advance.
Option 1:
Half of the total amount will be approved at the start of the project and half will be approved at completion.
Option 2:
Various payments are possible depending on milestone achievement.
The preferred method can and should be requested in the application, but ΞTHDEV ultimately reserves the right to choose.
What about transparency?
All projects approved by ÐΞVgrants will be featured on the ÐΞVgrants website and in the future. @DEVgrants Twitter account. In most cases, all funded projects already have publicly accessible repositories and in all cases must comply with one or more specified open source licenses.
as a result
Thank you again for all your development efforts, critiques, and encouragement. We hope this program will give you a small but helpful hand in your amazing work. We look forward to reading your entire application.
For comments, questions and applications, please contact the ÐΞVgrants administrator. grants@ethereum.org. Stakeholders can also follow. @DEVgrants Follow us on Twitter for updates on funded projects, changes to assessment policies, and more.