Impact attestations change the game. 

Those who trust their work can issue on-chain attestations—verifying its usability, trustworthiness, and ecosystem value. These attestations add context and credibility that raw data alone cannot capture, increasing funding potential. Many projects rely on grants, but these funding streams fragmate funding resources and communities.

Using attestations for a fragmated industry of Public Goods Funding, with different criteria and metrics focuses, begs the question:

How do we measure impact effectively?

Current funding models struggle with inconsistent metrics, ambiguous self-reported data, and a lack of standardized evaluation frameworks. By combining qualitative attestations with quantitative data, impact attestations create a transparent, verifiable data points that encourages resources go to projects with real contributions, not just hype.

In this article, we’re going to be diving into why impact attestations are becoming such a critical part of the granting and public goods funding landscape. We’ll also be highlighting some of our favorite tools and communities that are having a big impact in this area.

Impact attestations are standardized, on-chain records that capture insights about the outcomes and contributions of Web3 projects. Unlike traditional metrics that focus heavily on quantitative data (like GitHub stars or wallet activity), impact attestations add qualitative context - helping funders understand not just the “what” but the “why” and “how” behind a project’s performance.

By leveraging tools like the Ethereum Attestation Service (EAS), these attestations allow projects to:

• Standardize data collection: Ensuring all projects report outcomes in a consistent format.

• Leverage reputation: Validating the credibility of data based on who submitted it.

• Enable interoperability: Creating neutral datasets that can be shared across ecosystems.

The need for impact attestations stems from three core challenges in Web3 funding:

1. Limited and Biased Data
   Github contributions and transaction volume are great quantitative metrics. But, these metrics don't include the lots of types of impact which enrich the ecosystem –– giving an incomplete picture.

“When I asked developers what a GitHub star means, each had a different answer,” says LauNaMu, founder of Metrics Garden Labs. “It’s clear we need more nuanced metrics that capture context.”

2. Lack of Visibility on Value Creation
   Repos and fees fail to capture intangible outcomes, such as user satisfaction or community benefits. Impact attestation addresses this by allowing stakeholders to highlight impactful metrics about what's happening to the ecosystem.

3. Inconsistent Evaluation Frameworks
   Without a standardized approach, ecosystems struggle to assess whether their funding strategies align with their goals. Community can shape impact attestations to enhance relevant grant programs.

A new wave of tools is transforming how impact is measured and rewarded in Web3, making funding allocation more transparent and reliable. These platforms are helping ecosystems verify contributions, build reputation systems, and ensure that resources go to projects with real, demonstrable impact.

Metrics Garden helps you understand the impact of your contributions by showing who benefits from your work and how. The platform allows you to claim your contributions onchain, providing transparency and insights into the effects of your efforts. 

Impact Reef is a platform transforming impact evaluation for public goods in Web3. It utilizes the Ethereum Attestation Service (EAS) to capture qualitative attestations and endorsements, making funding decisions more transparent and community-driven.

Hypercerts are a new token standard designed to track and reward positive impact. Each hypercert represents a claim of impact, including details like the scope of work, its impact, the contributors behind it, and any rights that come with owning the hypercert. 

Ethereum Attestation Service (EAS) is an open-source tool for making on-chain or off-chain attestations, providing a standard for verifying trust and authenticity. It enables decentralized reputation systems, governance processes, voting tools, social media integrations, and more. 

Praise is a community tool for governance used to foster a culture of appreciation and contributions traceability through attestations.

DeVouch is a reputation-based attestation platform that helps funders identify trustworthy projects in the Ethereum ecosystem. By allowing members of reputable organizations to vouch for or flag projects, DeVouch leverages on-chain attestations to provide transparent, community-driven validation. 

Several leading Web3 ecosystems are already experimenting with impact attestations to enhance their funding strategies:

Optimism recently partnered with Metrics Garden to pilot an attestation-based evaluation for its governance tooling. Delegates and badge holders were asked simple yet powerful questions, such as:

• How likely are you to recommend this tool?

• How would you feel if this tool ceased to exist?

This experiment, which ran for just two weeks, yielded over 700 high-context data points and informed funding decisions.

“We saw three different platforms leveraging this data to display insights for their users. It’s amazing what just two weeks of data collection can achieve,” said LauNaMo.

Known for its quadratic funding model, Gitcoin has started exploring attestations to validate the impact of funded projects. By integrating qualitative data from users and builders, Gitcoin can ensure grants are supporting projects that truly benefit the community.

Giveth

Giveth has integrated DeVouch into its project verification system, enabling a decentralized, community-driven approach to verifying public goods projects. By using on-chain attestations, reputable members of the Ethereum ecosystem can now vouch for or flag projects.

Focusing on environmental impact, Regen Network uses attestations to verify on-the-ground data for its regenerative projects. Collaborations with organizations like GainForest allow them to store qualitative data on-chain, such as field observations and satellite imagery, adding a layer of credibility to their evaluations.

Lens leverages attestations to create rich social graphs, enabling ecosystem participants to build reputations based on peer-to-peer validations. These reputations play a crucial role in identifying key contributors and fostering trust in the ecosystem.

The potential for impact attestations extends far beyond simply improving funding allocation. They open the door to new opportunities for ecosystem growth and sustainability. One of these opportunities is reputation-based funding, where social and skill-based attestations are used to assign weight to evaluations, ensuring that input from trusted and knowledgeable contributors carries more significance.

Another exciting development is the use of data-driven simulations. By leveraging neutral datasets generated through attestations, ecosystems can test various funding scenarios and refine strategies to optimize their outcomes.

Finally, impact attestations enable seamless integration by embedding attestation mechanisms directly into project websites and platforms. This allows for continuous data collection, ensuring that ecosystems have access to real-time, actionable insights without adding friction to users or contributors.

What do you think?

Are you bullish on impact attestations as a tool to improve our industry's funding mechanisms? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so let us know in the comments!

Also, don’t forget to follow us on X and Farcaster for more deep dives like this and to stay up to date on the latest grant and funding opportunities in web3.

Now that we’re in 2025, it’s exciting to see this momentum continue. RetroPGF programs are still going strong, with several ecosystems kicking off new funding rounds. If you’re a builder or part of a project, this could be the perfect opportunity to get rewarded for the value you’ve created.

In this blog, we’ll take a deep dive into the latest retro grant programs across Avalanche, Optimism, Gitcoin, Metis and Celo ecosystems and explore how you can get involved. Let’s dive in! 🚀

Avalanche has launched the first round of Retro9000, coinciding with the Avalanche9000 (Etna) upgrade on the Testnet. The funding focuses on teams building Avalanche Layer 1 (L1) chains and tools. Retroactive funding will be awarded after mainnet deployment, with testnet performance influencing the amount of funding allocated.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Layer 1 Blockchain: Projects developing new L1 solutions that leverage Avalanche’s enhanced capabilities, particularly those that focus on composability and interoperability.

• Developer Tooling: Building and improving tools that help developers deploy and manage Avalanche-based Layer 1 blockchains.

Key Dates:

• The round is open for the duration of the Avalanche 9000 incentivized Testnet (since Nov 25th) and may remain open longer.

Learn More: Retro 9000

Optimism is enhancing its Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RPGF) program to support impactful contributions to the Superchain in 2025. A total of 16M OP tokens will be distributed through retro grants in two phases: H1 and H2 of 2025.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Dev Tooling: Rewarding tools that enhance on-chain development and interoperability across the Superchain.

• On-chain Builders: Projects that contribute to the growth of the Superchain economy and facilitate cross-chain asset transfers within OP Chains.

Key Dates:

• H1 2025: Launch of Dev Tooling and On-chain Builder programs.

• H2 2025: Continuation of the programs and introduction of the OP Stack program for Ethereum Core Development.

Learn More: Retro Funding 2025 Blog  OP Grants Docs

Grant Overview

Gitcoin remains dedicated to supporting open-source software and community-driven initiatives through retroactive funding. The focus for 2025 includes empowering builders, innovating funding models such as Quadratic Funding, and scaling decentralization.

Key Dates:

• The retro funding rounds for GG23 and GG25 will take place in March and October, respectively. Exact dates are TBA.

Learn More: Gitcoin Grants 2025

The Celo Citizen Retro is a key retroactive funding program designed to reward individuals contributing to the Celo ecosystem as it prepares for the launch of CEL2 in January 2025. The program will distribute 250,000 CELO in two phases. The inscription phase for the Celo Citizen Retro program has now closed. For those who applied, results will be announced soon. Stay tuned for updates!

Eligibility Criteria:

• Research & Development: Open-source tools, research, on-chain solutions, and technical contributions that further Celo’s mission of building a regenerative digital economy.

• Governance: Active participation in governance, including forum discussions and on-chain votes.

• Community & Adoption: Efforts to promote Celo’s growth through education, marketing, community building, and onboarding initiatives.

Key Dates:

• Registration: Dec 19, 2024, 18:00 UTC

• Review & Approval: Jan 14, 2025, 18:00 UTC

• Voting: Jan 14, 2025, 18:00 UTC

• Tallying: Jan 20, 2025, 18:00 UTC

• Distribution: Jan 21, 2025, 18:00 UTC

Learn More: Celo Citizen Retro

The Metis Community is introducing its Retroactive Grant Program, aimed at rewarding projects based on verifiable metrics of their contributions to the Metis ecosystem. A pilot allocation of $100,000 in Metis tokens is available for distribution. The inscriptions for this grant are now closed. In case your project participated, we’ve tracked the upcoming important dates and info for this grant to help you stay informed.

Eligibility Criteria:

• On-chain Projects: Projects operating directly on the Metis Layer 2 network, improving user or developer experience via smart contracts, DeFi protocols, infrastructure, or dApps.

• Off-chain Support Services: Tools, documentation, or resources that boost developer activity or user engagement on Metis L2.

• Verifiable Impact: Submission of data on transaction volume, Daily Active Users (DAU), Total Value Locked (TVL), and other reputable metrics.

• Community Endorsement: Projects can be nominated by the Metis community or apply directly, with proof of their impact.

Key Dates:

• Dec 23 - Jan 10: Registration phase; applications accepted until Jan 10, 23:59 UTC.

• Jan 11 - Jan 15: Review phase; verification of metrics and eligibility.

• Jan 15 - Jan 24: Community voting and project evaluation.

• Jan 25 - Jan 30: Announcement of funded projects and distribution of funds.

Learn More: Metis Retroactive Grant

As we kick off 2025, the retroactive grant initiatives across various ecosystems are offering an unparalleled opportunity for developers, projects, and communities to receive recognition and financial support for their previous efforts. Whether you're building on Metis, Celo, Avalanche, Optimism, or Gitcoin, these programs are designed to reward impactful contributions and stimulate further innovation.

Getting involved in these programs can be a stepping stone to expanding your network, gaining visibility, and securing resources for your next big project. Take action, register, and contribute—2025 is the year of retro rewards, and it’s time for your hard work to shine!

So how do we fix this? How can funding focus on true value instead of promotional hype?

That’s where Deep Funding comes in. Backed by Vitalik Buterin and key Web3 partners like VoiceDeck, Gitcoin’s Allo Protocol, Open Source Observer, Drips, Pairwise, and Eval Science, this new initiative uses advanced AI to measure real impact—not marketing buzz.

By prioritizing data-driven decisions over subjective judgments, Deep Funding aims to ensure that the projects driving the Ethereum ecosystem forward get the resources they deserve.

This could revolutionize public goods funding, not just for Ethereum but for Web3 as a whole. 

Let’s explore how it works and why it matters.

👇

The Visibility Trap

In web3 public goods funding systems, well-promoted projects often overshadow essential ones. This creates a trap where critical infrastructure—like cryptographic libraries or dependency management tools—is ignored. These projects, which form the backbone of Ethereum’s ecosystem, struggle to get the funding they deserve.

The Resource Drain for Builders

Builders often face a tough choice: focus on their work or spend time on marketing. Instead of creating value, they’re forced to run costly campaigns to secure resources. This divide wastes time and energy, often rewarding projects with better marketing rather than greater impact.

The Problem: Marketing Over Merit

Current public goods funding systems rely heavily on human decision-making, which is susceptible to biases, time constraints, and knowledge gaps. Evaluators often lack the capacity to fully analyze a project's impact across interconnected ecosystems. As a result, they lean on surface-level indicators like popularity or branding. This approach often rewards projects with strong promotional efforts over those providing essential yet less noticeable contributions, leading to inefficient use of resources.

Deep Funding leverages two core technologies—Deep Graph and Deep Learning—to reimagine how impact is measured:

1. Deep Graph: Mapping Interconnected Contributions

Instead of evaluating projects in isolation, Deep Graph analyzes their relationships within the ecosystem. By mapping Ethereum’s 40,000+ open-source dependencies, it uncovers how foundational infrastructure and collaborative synergies drive value. This "networked impact" approach ensures that even low-visibility projects receive the recognition they deserve for their vital roles.

2. Deep Learning: Precision and Scalability

Deep Learning uses advanced AI models to assess the graph's data and allocate funding effectively. The AI engine works alongside a jury of human experts who validate its outputs through spot-checking. This hybrid approach ensures fairness while eliminating the inefficiencies of manual evaluation.

Mapping Dependencies

Deep Funding begins by creating a detailed graph of Ethereum’s open-source dependencies. Nodes represent individual projects, while edges show their connections.

Weighting Contributions

AI allocators assign weights to each dependency, determining their relative importance. Questions like "How critical is dependency A compared to dependency B?" guide this process.

Human Validation

A jury of experts reviews random sections of the graph to validate the AI's assessments, ensuring alignment with human judgment.

Fund Distribution

The AI model that aligns most closely with human validation determines the final funding allocations, distributing $250,000 to impactful projects.

Eliminating Bias

AI removes subjective preferences, ensuring that funding decisions are based purely on measurable impact rather than marketing or personal relationships.

Highlighting Foundational Work

Projects like cryptographic protocols or developer tools, often overlooked by traditional methods, gain recognition for their essential contributions.

Efficiency and Scale

By automating data analysis, AI handles large-scale evaluations quickly and accurately, freeing up human evaluators to focus on strategic oversight.

The success of Deep Funding relies on collaboration among leading Web3 organizations:

• Gitcoin - ops and data science

• Pairwise - app for the comparisons between dependencies

• Open Source Observer - the unweighted graph, preparing data in the competition, providing the github dependency data to pairwise

• Drips - sending out the funding to repos once weights are decided

• Voicedeck - program manager, communication, etc

• Eval science - hosting a weekly seminar series for the community

• Pond - competition platform for the contest

• Vitalik Buterin – Leading the mission

Deep Funding demonstrates the transformative potential of AI in creating a fairer, more efficient funding ecosystem. By eliminating the need for marketing and focusing on measurable impact, it paves the way for a more inclusive Web3 future.

Be part of this revolution - explore deepfunding.org and see how you can contribute to reshaping public goods funding for the better.

GovXS, a team under Token Engineering Academy, is tackling one of the biggest challenges in Retro Funding: securing fair, strategyproof voting that supports  “Impact=Profit”. In our post, we’ll unpack the key threats GovXS identified in current voting designs and explore the powerful solutions they’re proposing to make Retro Funding more robust and impactful.

In June 2024, the Optimism Collective selected GovXS, a research initiative under Token Engineering Academy, to analyze the voting designs used in Optimism Retro Funding Rounds 1-4 and to identify tradeoffs and improvements for Optimism governance accessibility.

What they found may surprise you: none of the voting rules applied so far are strategyproof! In other words, voters can gain an advantage by not voting according to their true preferences! GovXS also identified control attacks that are difficult to detect and prevent. The vulnerability stakes are exceptionally high for Optimism, with over 60 million OP tokens already distributed and 850M OP dedicated in total ($1.36B by the time of writing) since Retro Funding Round 1 in 2021.

Optimism Retro Funding is built on the core philosophy that “Impact=Profit” so that positive ecosystem contributions (impact) are aligned with financial rewards (profit). “Impact=Profit” aims to find the objective truth in funding allocation. There are no instruments or algorithms yet to measure positive impact and the profit it deserves. That’s why Optimism Citizens are asked to assess projects and vote in Retro Funding.

GovXS’ evaluation revealed that none of the voting designs used in Optimism Retro Funding Round 1–4 are strategyproof. This is a major threat as if the voting rule provides voters with wrong incentives, the results are distorted, and Optimism Retro Funding cannot get closer to finding the objective truth in “Impact=Profit”. 

Voter participation is key to establishing a successful, trusted Retro Funding system. Simplicity for voters plays a crucial role in securing participation. Poorly designed voting systems harm the effectiveness of a Retro Funding system, as highly engaged, reputable expert badgeholders and high-quality projects may lose confidence in the system. GovXS established three metrics to measure simplicity and how well a voting design reflects an “expected outcome”: Monotonicity, Reinforcement and Pareto Efficiency – learn more here. 

GovXS’ Voting Design Evaluation Framework provides Optimism with metrics to assess voter extractable value. Now, it is possible toWe can determine if and under what circumstances an attacker could control the voting and extract funding. More experiments explored the Cost of Bribery, or Robustness. The team found special forms of attacks that are hard to identify, such as the control attack: Could an attacker extract funding just by convincing voters to abstain? Learn more about whether such attacks can be successful and how much funding is at risk here.

Yes, there’s room for improvement in today’s Retro Funding voting. The good news: There are great solutions to address the issues found!

Learn more about GovXS improvement proposals, such as alternative voting roles, along with clear, actionable recommendations for their implementation in Optimism Retro Funding going forward here.

"GovXS has offered valuable insights into the voting mechanisms used in Optimism's Retro Funding, which will help guide the design of voting processes for future rounds." – Jonas Seifert, Retro Funding Lead, Optimism Foundation

GovXS's voting design evaluation is a rich source of insights with major implications for Optimism and Retro Funding programs across ecosystems. Explore the findings in full detail below:

1. A Social Choice Analysis of Retroactive Funding (Download PDF)

2. Voting Design Evaluation Framework / Open-source Simulator

3. Report: Making Optimism Retro Funding Strategyproof (Part 1) 

4. GovXS Workshop on Strategyproofness for Optimism Badgeholders 

5. Report: Measuring Simplicity for Voters at Retro Funding

6. Report: Securing Retro Funding Against Malicious Behavior

GovXS’s unprecedented governance analytics and findings strengthen the Optimism Retro Funding Program, benefiting badgeholders, experts, guest voters, projects, and the entire Superchain ecosystem. Support the team’s work by voting for their Optimism Round 6 application.

GovXS is a research initiative under Token Engineering Academy. Team members include Nimrod Talmon, PhD, Angela Kreitenweis, Eyal Briman, and Muhammad Idrees.

With fresh rounds kicking off across Avalanche, Optimism, Filecoin, there are plenty of opportunities for projects and contributors to get recognized for the work they’re doing to drive the Web3 space forward.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the latest on Avalanche’s Retro9000 program, Optimism’s governance-focused Round 6, and Filecoin’s RetroPGF Round 2.

Let’s dive into what’s happening across these ecosystems and how you can get involved.

The Avalanche community has launched Round 1: Avalanche9000 Testnet, part of the Retro9000 program! This initiative gives builders the opportunity to deploy a Layer 1 blockchain (permissioned or permissionless) or develop related developer tools.

• Open Duration: The round will stay open at least until the mainnet activation of Avalanche9000, with the possibility of remaining open longer.

• Community Voting: Avalanche community members can vote for projects, which will be ranked on a public leaderboard. Voting power is determined by Chill Factor, encouraging active community engagement.

• Ongoing Applications: Builders can submit applications at any time, fostering continuous participation and innovation.

• Milestone-Based Rewards: Rewards are distributed as projects meet specific milestones, recognizing progress and contributions to the ecosystem.

For more info, check out these resources:

• Retro9000 Overview

• CoinMarketcap Article

• Avalanche Resources

Retro Funding Round 6 is focused on recognizing contributions that have strengthened Optimism Governance between October 2023 and September 18th, 2024. This round highlights projects in three main areas:

• Governance Infrastructure & Tooling

• Governance Analytics

• Governance Leadership

Where Are We Now?

Currently, all projects that applied for the Governance Round are in the review stage. From October 14th to October 28th, applications are being thoroughly evaluated. The voting period will start on October 28th and run until November 7th.

Key Dates:

• Sign up: Oct 1st - Oct 14th

• Application Review Process: Oct 14th - Oct 28th

• Voting: Oct 28th - Nov 7th

• Results: Nov 19th

For more detailed information:

• Retro Funding Round 6 is Now Live: Optimism's Focus on Governance Impact

• Retro Funding 6: Governance - Round details

The Filecoin community has kicked off FIL-RetroPGF Round 2, a grant initiative aimed at recognizing and rewarding impactful contributions to the Filecoin ecosystem made between April and September 2024. This round gives projects the opportunity to gain visibility, receive feedback, and secure funding for their efforts.

Currently, as of October 17, the round is in Stage 2: Application Intake, where projects are submitting detailed intake forms to help badgeholders evaluate their impact. This stage will run until November 4, 2024.

Key dates:

• Badgeholder Evaluation & Voting: Nov 11 - Nov 25, 2024

• Funding Allocation: December 2024

Resources: 

• FIL-RetroPGF-2Round-2 Timeline

• Announcement

That brings us up to speed on the latest in the multiple rounds of RetroPGF funding happening in Web3! It’s been great catching up on all these updates with you!

Now is the perfect time to dive in, get involved, and support the projects shaping the future of decentralized public goods.

Let’s keep building together! 💛 💜

This latest round, organized by Optimism, is part of their ongoing commitment to rewarding impactful contributions that drive the success of the Optimism Governance ecosystem. It’s all part of Optimism’s more focused approach for 2024, with each Retro Funding round zeroing in on a specific area of impact.

And the excitement doesn’t stop here, there’s still one more round on the way later this year, which will spotlight Dev Tooling. But for now, let’s dive into what Round 6 has in store!

This time around, the spotlight is on contributions to Optimism Governance that have been made between October 2023 and September 18th, 2024. Optimism is rewarding efforts that have strengthened the governance infrastructure, enhanced decision-making through analytics, and demonstrated exceptional governance leadership. Projects and individuals who have gone above and beyond to support the governance process are encouraged to apply!

Optimism has broken down the eligible contributions into three core categories for this round:

1. Governance Infrastructure & Tooling
   This includes technical infrastructure that powers governance processes or tools that make governance participation more accessible for Delegates and Citizens.
   Examples:

   • Optimism Governor contracts

   • Governance voting clients and interfaces

   • Tools for the Grants Council or Retro Funding sign-ups

2. Governance Analytics
   Analytics that provide transparency into governance operations, enable better decision-making, or promote accountability. These contributions help the community stay informed and keep governance processes in check.
   Examples:

   • Governance performance reports

   • Finance and grant-related analytics

   • Delegate/Citizen activity analysis

3. Governance Leadership
   Recognizing individuals or groups that have gone above and beyond in governance roles, councils, commissions, and boards. These leaders help facilitate critical governance processes, contribute to decision-making, and drive initiatives that shape the future of Optimism Governance.
   Examples:

   • Leadership roles in councils like the Security Council or Grants Council

   • Hosting governance calls, proposal review sessions, and deliberations

   • Leadership within newly established commissions and advisory boards

🔍 Who’s Eligible?

To be considered for this round, your contributions must have taken place between October 2023 and September 18th, 2024 and fall within the scope of the categories listed above. Note that contributions already rewarded in previous rounds, like Governance Season 4, are not eligible for Round 6.

Projects that are not directly related to Optimism Governance, as well as general governance onboarding resources, are also ineligible.

• Sign-up Period: October 1st - October 14th

• Application Review: October 14th - October 28th

• Voting Period: October 28th - November 7th

• Results Announced: November 19th

💰 Funding Allocation and Voting Design

The Optimism Foundation has set a minimum allocation of 1.1M OP and a maximum of 3.5M OP for this round. Citizens will decide on the final allocation through a community-led median voting model, based on the perceived impact of the contributions.

This voting design is part of an ongoing experiment in community-driven budgeting and will help shape the evolution of future Retro Funding rounds.

Voting will follow the structure used in Round 5, where voters are grouped to evaluate specific applications. New guest voters will also be introduced to test how different voter selection methods impact funding decisions.

🚀 Ready to Participate? Sign Up Today!

If you believe your project has made a meaningful impact on Optimism Governance, now’s the time to step up and showcase your contributions. The sign-up window is open until October 14th, so be sure to submit your application before the deadline.

For more details and to sign up, visit the Retro Funding Round 6 Page.

Good luck to all the applicants - let’s keep building a brighter, more decentralized future together! 🌟

In this post, we’ll showcase the tools featured on our RetroPGF Community Website and highlight the benefits they offer for anyone involved in running or participating in RetroPGF rounds.

Let’s dive in and explore these powerful tools! 👇

Easy RetroPGF

Easy RetroPGF is a user-friendly tool designed to simplify the process of running Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RetroPGF) rounds. Inspired by Optimism's RetroPGF model, it streamlines everything from organizing funding rounds to distributing grants, making it easier for projects to reward positive impact and contributions in a transparent and efficient way.

Potlock

Potlock Protocol (Open Funding Stack) is an open-source tool that lets anyone create and deploy funding mechanisms on new-generation blockchains. It's fully customizable, allowing users to move value and evaluate impact, and can be freely forked under the MIT License.

Pairwise

Pairwise is designed for the Optimism ecosystem to make Retro Funding more transparent, engaging, and inclusive. The app employs pseudo-anonymous signaling, meaning users can voice their opinions without revealing their identities, which encourages more participation. It also uses algorithmic ranking to organize these signals and provide a clearer picture of community preferences for project funding.

Karma (GAP)

Karma (GAP) is the Grantee Accountability Protocol designed to help grantees post on-chain progress updates and milestones. It enhances transparency, builds verifiable reputations for grantees across ecosystems, and provides grant managers with better visibility into project performance.

Open Source Observer 

Open Source Observer is a free analytics suite that helps funders assess the impact of open-source software contributions on ecosystem health. It offers metrics based on data from four key areas: funding, developer activity, software supply chain, and user analytics. All datasets are live, publicly available, and free to download.

Superfluid

Superfluid is an innovative asset streaming protocol that enables DAOs and crypto-native businesses to manage subscriptions, salaries, vesting, and rewards. It uses a smart contract framework built around the Super Token, an ERC-20 extension that allows for seamless and continuous value transfers in entirely new ways.

Ethereum Attestation Service (EAS)

The Ethereum Attestation Service (EAS) is an open-source tool for making on-chain or off-chain attestations, providing a standard for verifying trust and authenticity. It enables decentralized reputation systems, governance processes, voting tools, social media integrations, and more. 

Hypercerts

Hypercerts are a new token standard designed to track and reward positive impact. Each hypercert represents a claim of impact, including details like the scope of work, its impact, the contributors behind it, and any rights that come with owning the hypercert. Essentially, hypercerts offer a way to document and reward contributions in a transparent, blockchain-based format.

DeVouch

DeVouch lets communities vouch for projects they trust, creating a transparent, on-chain record of credibility. By using Ethereum Attestations, it helps refine funding decisions, making sure only reliable projects get backed. The tool provides an easy way for communities to lend their reputation and support the projects they believe in.

Grow the Pie

Grow the Pie is dedicated to providing clear and reliable analytics on Ethereum scaling solutions. Using trusted data from sources like L2Beat and DefiLlama, alongside their own developed metrics, they aim to boost transparency and education around Layer 2 technologies.

Charmverse

Charmverse is a governance platform that simplifies decision-making for DAOs, token communities, and web3 grants. It offers customizable workflows for proposals, grant applications, and hackathons, enabling easy feedback collection, reviews, and community voting. With features like milestone tracking and reward management, Charmverse ensures a transparent, organized process for managing key decisions and keeping your community engaged.

OP GovGraph

GovGraph is a tool for visualizing relationships within governance ecosystems. It maps interactions between Delegates, Developers, and Citizens through an interactive graph, revealing alliances, influence clusters, and voting patterns.

Metrics Garden

Metrics Garden helps you understand the impact of your contributions by showing who benefits from your work and how. The platform allows you to claim your contributions onchain, providing transparency and insights into the effects of your efforts. 

With these powerful tools at your fingertips, you’re ready to take your projects and funding initiatives to the next level. It’s time to explore these tools, get involved, and play your part in building a more collaborative, transparent future for public goods funding.

And if you think we’ve missed a tool that’s been valuable for your RetroPGF experience, we’d love to hear from you! 

Feel free to reach out to us via DMs on X and let us know. 🌍✨

In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at one of the upcoming rounds of Optimism Retro Funding—Round 5, which focuses on the OP Stack.

But before we dive into the details of Round 5, we'll also give you an overview of what Optimism is doing with Retro Funding throughout the rest of 2024, highlighting the key rounds and how they aim to build a better, more collaborative digital future.

The fourth round of Retro Funding, which has already taken place, focused on rewarding onchain builders who contribute to the success of Optimism. This round aimed to expand the network's reach and impact by incentivizing builders who increase blockspace demand and drive value to the Collective. Key areas of impact included bringing new users to the Superchain, enhancing network effects, and boosting protocol usage.

If you're interested in the results of Retro Funding Round 4, you can check them out here.

The fifth round centers on contributions to the OP Stack, the core of Optimism and the Superchain. This round will reward efforts that strengthen the foundational elements of Optimism's infrastructure, including protocol enhancements and optimization initiatives. Recent impactful contributions include EIP-4844, Span Batches, fault proof alpha, and the development of client implementations like op-reth, op-nethermind, and op-erigon.

Key Dates:

• Sign up: Aug 22nd - Sept 5th

• Application Review Process: Sept 6th - Sept 20th

• Voting: September 21st - Oct 4th

• Results & Grant delivery: October 10th

Round six focuses on improving the capture resistance and resource allocation of Optimism Governance. By rewarding contributions that enhance governance tools, mechanisms, and processes, this round aims to foster a more robust and resilient governance framework. Eligible projects include those improving governance infrastructure, conducting research, and developing analytics tools that provide valuable insights.

Application Submission Period: September 2024

The seventh round targets developer tooling, supporting Optimism builders with the necessary resources to streamline development. Contributions such as SDKs, testing frameworks, and other tools that enhance the development process will be rewarded. This round aims to create a more efficient and productive environment for developers working on the Optimism platform.

Application Submission Period: October 2024

**Please note that the dates mentioned may be subject to change. We encourage you to follow Optimism closely to stay updated with the latest information and announcements.

Retro Funding is open to a diverse range of projects and contributors across various categories, including protocol and infrastructure development, end-user experiences, adoption, governance improvements, and enhancements to the OP Stack. Eligible projects span the entire Superchain, including Base, Mode, Zora, Farcaster, sound.xyz, and all OP Chains. Contributions from these projects are encouraged and rewarded, helping to grow the network of contributors.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes Round 5 so special. The OP Stack is the backbone of Optimism, and this round is all about strengthening it. 

Here’s everything you need to know:

The OP Stack is the set of protocols, tools, and infrastructure that powers Optimism. It’s what allows developers to build on Optimism with confidence, knowing that they have a solid foundation to support their innovations.

Round 5 will reward contributions in three main areas:

1. Ethereum Core Contributions: These are fundamental enhancements to the Ethereum infrastructure that support the OP Stack. This includes improvements to smart contract languages, execution clients, and other core technologies.

2. OP Stack Research & Development: This includes work on the OP Stack itself, such as protocol upgrades, client implementations, and any other research or development efforts that make the OP Stack better.

3. OP Stack Tooling: Finally, this round will reward tools and resources that make the OP Stack more accessible and easier to use. Whether it’s load testing tools, node management scripts, or comprehensive documentation, these contributions are vital to the ecosystem.

Round 5 has 8 million OP tokens allocated to it, reflecting the significant impact that contributions to the OP Stack can have on the entire Optimism ecosystem.

This round introduces some exciting changes to the voting process. Badgeholders will be grouped into smaller teams to focus on specific applications, and guest voters with expertise in the OP Stack will help ensure that the most impactful contributions are recognized.

If you’ve been contributing to the OP Stack, now is your chance to be recognized and rewarded for your hard work. Retro Funding Round 5 is dedicated to supporting those who are building and improving the core infrastructure that powers Optimism. Don’t miss out, submit your application starting from August 22 and showcase the value you’ve brought to the OP Stack. 

Let’s build the future of Optimism together! 🔴✨

It's been a while since we last connected, and wow, have we got some exciting updates to share with you! 🚀

Since our last newsletter, a lot has happened. Not only have we undergone a rebranding journey, but the RetroPGF movement has also expanded making waves across various ecosystems. 

Consider this your official welcome to our overview of what's been happening in the RetroPGF community ecosystem since we last talked! 

🟡Celo RetroPGF0

Celo announced the launch of its inaugural Retroactive Public Goods Funding program, #CeloRPGF0, in collaboration with EasyRPGF. This initiative, inspired by projects like Optimism Retroactive Public Goods Funding, aims to reward past contributions to the Celo ecosystem.

Up to 250,000 CELO will be distributed to active projects and individuals who have contributed to Celo since its Mainnet launch in 2020. Projects falling under three key Celo Public Goods verticals: ReFi, dApps and Infra, and Celo Community and Adoption are eligible to apply.

Key Program Dates:

• Register Interest: Live now

• Application Submissions: April 8th - May 8th

• Application Review: April 30th - May 13th

• Voting Period: May 13th - May 20th

• Results Presentation: May 24th at Celo Gather

For more detailed information on how to apply for #CeloRPGF0, check out this article.

🔴 Optimism Retro Funding

Optimism has allocated 850M OP tokens to Retro Funding, signaling a strategic shift towards more targeted rounds. This year, they're rolling out four specific rounds, starting with the Onchain Builders round. 

This round focuses on rewarding those who have deployed contracts to the Superchain and contributed to Optimism's success. It aims to expand network impact by rewarding builders who increase demand for blockspace and drive value to the Collective.

Deadlines for the first round, Onchain Builders:

• Sign up: May 23rd - June 6th

• Application Review Process: June 6th - June 18th

• Voting: June 23rd - July 8th

• Results & Grant delivery: July 15th

Resources: Mirror article, OP forum

⚪⚫️POKT Network - Retro POKT Goods Funding

Last week, the POKT Network made a groundbreaking announcement: the launch of their Retroactive POKT Goods Funding program! They are allocating 750,000 POKT, 60,000 OP, and 70,000 ARB to reward contributions across three categories: Protocol, Ecosystem, and Adoption.

Submissions open on May 10th, with details on the application process to follow. 

Key dates:

• Submissions open: May 10th

• Submissions close: May 31st

• Results announced: June 21st

• Rewards distributed: June 28th

To learn more read the article announcement and also listen to X Space.

🔷Filecoin FIL-RetroPGF-1

Right now, Filecoin is in the voting stage for their first Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RetroPGF) program, FIL-RetroPGF-1. This process was inspired by Optimism's RetroPGF initiative.

Important dates:

• Badgeholder Evaluation & Voting (Apr 22, 2024 - May 6, 2024): Badgeholder are assessing the impact of nominated projects within the Filecoin ecosystem. Their evaluations will determine the allocation of funding to each project, reflecting the democratic essence of RetroPGF.

• Vote Aggregation & Funding (TBD): Votes are aggregated, and funding is allocated to deserving projects, continuing the ethos of recognizing past contributions.

• Funds Distribution (TBD): Successful projects receive disbursements, furthering the goal of incentivizing impactful contributions within the Filecoin community.

Check out the full details in the Notion document here.

🟧 libp2p-RetroPGF-1 

libp2p also announced the launch of its first-ever Retroactive Public Goods Funding round, libp2p-rPGF-1! In collaboration with Gitcoin, this initiative aims to retroactively award $125,000 USD worth of OP tokens to recognize impact and empower contributors to libp2p. This Easy RPGF round will run on the Optimism chain and focuses on rewarding projects and organizations that have made significant contributions across the libp2p ecosystem.

Here's a snapshot of the timeline:

• Nominations: April 8th - April 30th

• Review/Opt-in: May 1st - May 8th

• Voting: May 8th - May 25th

• Results & Rewards: June

Give this article a read to learn more!

🟢 EasyRetroPGF 

EasyRetroPGF is a versatile tool that we'll be seeing a lot in various RetroPGF rounds in the coming months. It's designed to simplify the process of running RetroPGF rounds, making it user-friendly and efficient. 

Essentially, EasyRetroPGF streamlines the setup and management of RetroPGF initiatives, facilitating the distribution of rewards to contributors.

Explore it here:

Demo: https://easy-retro-pgf.vercel.app

Code: https://github.com/gitcoinco/easy-retro-pgf/

And with that, we come to the end of our newsletter!  It's been a pleasure sharing all these exciting updates and initiatives with you.  

Until next time, keep building, keep contributing, and keep making an impact! 🌟

We're thrilled to have you on board as we embark on a mission to revolutionize the way we support and celebrate public goods.

Time and time again, we've seen how critical public goods are to the growth and development of any thriving community. That's why RetroPGF was born - a forward-thinking funding mechanism designed to reward and amplify the impact of contributors to the Optimism ecosystem and beyond.

Why is it crucial to know about RetroPGF now? 

Because we believe that awareness is the first step towards meaningful change. The more people know about RetroPGF, the stronger our collective impact will be.

On the Ground: EthBarcelona, Funding the Commons, and EthCC 🇪🇺

Over the past months, we've been on the move, spreading the RetroPGF spirit at some of the most influential Ethereum events – EthBarcelona, Funding the Commons, and EthCC. Our booths weren't just spaces; they were dynamic hubs of activity where we connected, shared valuable insights, and engaged with projects eager to dive headfirst into the Optimism ecosystem. 

And let's not forget the awesome swag we had on hand to share the RetroPGF love!

For those who couldn't join us in person, no worries. You can catch Griff's interview where he dives deep into our collective efforts and illuminates what RetroPGF means for our community.

RetroPGF

@retropgf

This summer, @Generalmagicio and @Giveth hit two major crypto conferences to promote RetroPGF!

Want to know why?

@thegrifft breaks it all down in this video, passionately sharing why he loves @optimismFND

Check it out!

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5:37 PM • Sep 25, 2023

Tweeting for Impact

To further amplify RetroPGF, we opened a dedicated Twitter account that will serve us as a go-to place for community insights, spotlight for previously funded RetroPGF recipients, educational gems and a lot more fun content yet to be shared.

Don't miss out, be sure to hit that follow button and join us in the RetroPGF conversation! 

Website Launch

We're thrilled to introduce the brand new RetroPGF Community website! 

Here, you'll find a comprehensive list of previously funded projects, each a testament to the impact RetroPGF has had on the Optimism ecosystem. Additionally, the website serves as a platform for sharing educational content, allowing us to delve deeper into the intricacies and benefits of RetroPGF.

Embark on your RetroPGF journey now at: https://www.retropgf.com/

RetroPGF Round 3 Application Deadline: This Monday! 📢

Don't miss out on your chance to be a part of RetroPGF Round 3. The deadline for applications is fast approaching. To submit yours head over to the official Optimism website. Make sure to review the detailed guidelines and application instructions to ensure a successful application. 

Empower Our Mission

If you're eager to support our mission, consider minting the "Ether’s Phoenix" NFT, a unique representation of our collective dedication to public goods. 

Follow us for real-time insights, exciting announcements, and a closer look at the impactful work happening within the RetroPGF community. 

Together, we're revolutionizing the way we support and celebrate public goods!