Over this year, we have seen a new blockchain spun up every week or so with new seed round raises. Rollups are now also commodified and deploying one can be done with RaaS projects like Caldera and Altlayer. In this sea of chains, how does a blockchain attract dapps? Most have gone to giving out money, setting up grants programs.
Today I’m here to provide my internal research, having spoke with fellow blockchain BDs, ecosystem leads and founders who received grants, I would like to share my findings.
Link: https://arbitrum.foundation/grants
Submission Guidelines: https://arbitrumfoundation.notion.site/Submission-Guidelines-5250083006c942d1a371ef0a85cd1b24
Grant Structure
Milestone based
Focuses on TVL & UAW growth
Grant Overview:
The total grant of $50,000 will be allocated across distinct phases, each tied to concrete deliverables and timelines.
Milestone 1: Initial Funding and Preparation
Amount: $10,000 upfront payment.
Objective: Lay the groundwork for transitioning to Arbitrum. This includes initial planning, resource allocation, and setting up necessary technical frameworks.
Timeline: Immediate.
Milestone 2: Integration and Expansion
Amount: $15,000.
Deliverables:
Mint existing user IDs on Arbitrum to ensure seamless user transition.
Onboard 5,000 new users under the new system.
Timeline: Projected completion within 2 weeks from the upfront payment.
Milestone 3: Growth and Partnerships
Amount: $25,000.
Deliverables:
Expand user base to 20,000 new users on Arbitrum.
Establish at least 3 strategic partnerships within the Arbitrum community to bolster our presence and utility on the platform.
Timeline: Expected to be achieved within 2 months following the completion of the first milestone.
Link: https://base.mirror.xyz/lt3JR-mZ51q9eIOtGO36L3ZVzCTXmZVnbIiXz6crqzQ
Project categories which Base wants:
Flatcoins
On-chain reputation
CLOBs
DeFi safety tools
Submission Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiSAod4PAbXlvvDGtHWu-GqzGpvHYfaTQR2f77AawD7GYc4Q/viewform
Partnership Proposal
between
xxx and Base
xxx seeks a strong strategic partnership with the Coinbase ecosystem to make Base the #1 chain globally.
About xxx: Having raised USD xxx
In pursuit of growing together with a primary chain, xxx proposes the following:
Brand Discovery and Engagement Campaign:
Base Announcements: xxx will announce – via a joint PR campaign – the move from existing chains (Polygon, Binance, Ethereum, Avalanche) to Base network. We are happy to discuss network exclusivity should Coinbase be open to a strategic investment in xxx.
Base Development: Building on the momentum of a joint PR campaign, xxxx will prioritise Base as the primary protocol (instead of BNB) for on-chain transactions within xxxx This move will generate an expected 70,000 – 100,000 monthly active wallets to the Base protocol based on our on-chain contributions and activity over the past weeks, which is verifiable on DappRadar.
Security Protection: xxx is happy to commit its proprietary security solution, xxxx
Integration in xxxx
Seeding of DEX Pool on Base: Launch xxx’ first DEX pool for its (wrapped) governance token xxx
Coinbase Wallet: xxx will allow for the expansion of the flow for transfer in and out / non-custodial for Coinbase Wallet
Always-On Marketing Support: Use xxxx’ official accounts, including its main X/Twitter profile (x, 60K+ followers), to act as a supporter and advocate of the Base ecosystem. This ranges from regular posts and retweets to joint AMA/Spaces, which will encourage xxxx’ user base and project partners to explore the benefits of Base.
Extras:
Base Hackathon: https://base.mirror.xyz/iYQH5yxgH976gUmrYfoeyVpe5SJtiR8r2t10Psr1_-U
Base Builds
https://x.com/base/status/1829880421808816373
Link: https://archwayhq.notion.site/Archway-Ecosystem-Grants-443a33697237467e9872f9fe763f7760
Focuses & Priorities:
On-Chain Impact
ready to launch and generate material on-chain activity *within the next 2-3 months*.
Community Growth and Awareness
innovative ways to boost awareness, onboard new communities, and amplify our collective voice
Projects which Archway want: (Interesting ones)
https://archwayhq.notion.site/Request-For-Proposals-aa64aab53bb9482f86c281fa3ce98d31
Prediction markets
X-to-earn
Evaluation Criteria: https://archwayhq.notion.site/Evaluation-Criteria-55265dd1f3004b03a8966c4daa69af05
Application Form:
https://airtable.com/appDPGYKgw7JyfkWW/shrA2rWn9h9eYRfJQ
First Round of Grants: https://blog.archway.io/the-archway-grants-program-a-look-at-the-first-round-of-grants-recipients-8b67babb8681
Project that won the grant: Demex
Link: https://dem.exchange/
Grant link: https://gov.archway.io/t/arch-incentives-for-arch-sarch-collateral-on-demex/571
The Proposal
In collaboration with the Archway team, we propose to distribute $10,000 worth of ARCH tokens to incentivize the ARCH and sARCH lending pools. The incentives will be distributed thoughtfully over time to maximize their impact.
Distribution
This proposal, if well received by the community, will proceed to an on-chain governance proposal. This will be initiated as a community spend proposal and if passes, it will distribute the authorized amount of tokens to the Switcheo Labs’s dev team address at archway1t8lz3zjv9cyd8x4h060w3hhdnzagm5cusj6wx7.
The Switcheo Labs Team will work alongside the Archway Team to ensure that the incentive funds are used efficiently, in a timely and strategic manner to maximize the reach and awareness around this launch. Any unutilized incentives will be transferred back to the community pool fund.
Long-Term Partnership Vision
This collaboration is the first step towards a lasting partnership between Demex and Archway. We envision a future with even more exciting opportunities. Soon we’ll be proposing to launch an ARCH-PERP market on Demex, potentially even with a trading competition to boost engagement. Additionally, we plan to expand into the Carbon Network by proposing a protocol liquidity match deal. This deal would establish a SWTH-ARCH or SWTH-USD liquidity pool on Astrovault, further strengthening our DeFi offerings within the Cosmos ecosystem.
Link: https://polygon.technology/grants
PR announcement: https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2024/06/11/polygon-creates-new-grants-program-1b-pol-unlocked-over-10-years/
$1B $POL set aside for 10 years for incentivising developers
Started with 35 million tokens, worth $23 million at current prices, eligible for distribution
Project categories which Polygon wants: Consumer Apps
Consumer-led use cases may include gaming, gamified commerce, decentralized social, AI/blockchain intersection, NFT innovations, content co-creation, digital/physical intersections, and distributed communities (also known as scenecoins
Key Details:
Applications for S01 open June 11, 2024 and close Aug 15, 2024
Grant range: 5,000 - 50,000+ MATIC
Total S01 allocation: Up to 35,000,000 MATIC
Every month: Community Treasury Board reviews and selects projects
Grant payouts begin the first of each month
From speaking with their APAC BD Associate:
Early ideas: 5 - 10K USD
MVP: 20 - 50K USD
His recommendation: be specific about the type of projects we want instead of just listing broad categories.
Example: Instead of Consumer Crypto Apps, be specific like “Mobile gaming” “Demonstrate cross-chain application across consumer use cases”.
Milestone-based: Funds are disbursed incrementally upon achieving predefined milestones.
Focus: TVL and UAW growth (e.g., incentivizing user onboarding and community partnerships).
Structure: Phased with specific deliverables, ensuring measurable progress.
Emphasis on Partnerships & Growth: Focuses on deep ecosystem integration, marketing support, and active user acquisition.
Project Categories: Flatcoins, DeFi safety tools, CLOBs, etc.
Support beyond funding: Includes marketing efforts and building developer partnerships.
On-chain Impact & Community Growth: Grants are awarded to projects that can generate activity within 2-3 months.
Evaluation: Emphasizes both technical milestones and community awareness.
Large-Scale, Long-Term Support: $1B POL set aside for grants over 10 years, with S01 focusing on consumer apps.
Phased Review Process: Regular selection and payout cycles.
Insight: Specific use-case targeting is encouraged to align closely with strategic goals.
Milestone-Based Funding:
Incremental disbursement tied to specific goals ensures accountability and measurable progress.Example: Arbitrum's approach of rewarding each phase fosters focus and alignment with platform priorities.
Clear Focus on Outcomes:
Define specific project types and measurable KPIs (e.g., TVL, UAW) rather than broad categories.Recommendation: Follow Base’s advice to target specific applications like "cross-chain gaming" rather than generic categories.
Incorporate Ecosystem Engagement:
Offer grants that foster partnerships, co-marketing, and integrations.
Example: Base's grants drive active participation through network exclusivity and joint PR efforts.
Provide Holistic Support Beyond Capital:
Include non-monetary support like mentorship, legal services, and VC introductions to increase project sustainability.
Performance and Impact Metrics:
Require rapid implementation (2-3 months) and alignment with community growth, as Archway does.
Example: Reward high-impact projects with bonuses based on real-time performance metrics.
Phased Funding with Flexibility for Long-Term Partnerships:
Projects should show progress early but also receive follow-up grants to incentivize continued development.Recommendation: Like Archway, promote a pathway to deeper collaboration beyond initial grants (e.g., future liquidity incentives).