The GMC has concluded discussions and scoring for the Round 27 (July 7 - August 7) Grants/Bounties/RA Award Round.
This post also begins the fourteen-day clock during which, according to RPIP-15, “[a]nyone MAY file an RPIP disputing a grant, bounty, or retrospective award within two weeks of the announcement of recipients. Such an RPIP SHALL be subject to a snapshot vote.” Any awards not subject to such a challenge will become official on September 10, 2025 at 23:59 UTC.
Current GMC Roster
- Ken
- Waq
- Dr Doofus
- Destroyaaa
- Steely
- Kevster.eth
- sckuzzle
- LenofTawa
- ramana
General Updates
- Stablecoin Conversion - The GMC is continuing to work through the operational details of reserving funds in the stablecoin BOLD. While they have agreed to use a TWAP (Time-Weighted Average Price) strategy instead of a limit order, implementation remains under discussion—particularly due to the need for coordination among five multisig signers within a short time window.
- GMC Administrator Renewal - ShfRyn (myself) was rehired for another 1-year term. The compensation was adjusted from $5,375 to $3,500 to more accurately reflect recent demands in the positions responsibilities.
- rETH Advertisement Video - The GMC has recently produced an rETH 30-second advertisement video with the help of Token Motion. The video is expected to received 600k monthly views for an undisclosed amount of time. You can check out the video in the GMC Discord.
- Advertising - The GMC reviewed an advertising with Etherscan, but did not see much value compared to previous campaigns. The committee will continue to collaborate with the team for future opportunities.
- Merchandise Store - The long-awaited merchandise store is expected to go live soon. If you have any questions or would like to help, reach out to @drdoofus.
- Token Motion - The committee’s grant with Token Motion has expired recently. Based on the usage over the past six months, the committee discussed potentially increasing the budget to produce more materials faster.
Application Breakdown
- Total Grant Applications: 2
- Total Bounty Applications: 0
- Total Retro Applications: 0
- Total Applications Transferred From Last Round: 0
- Total Amount Grants / Bounties / Retros Requested: $27,999
- Total Amount Incoming Funds This Period: $44,560
- Value of Treasury: $313,000
- Total Amount Reserved: $257,000
USD values calculated at the time GMC began deliberating on applications.
Awards, Average Overall Scores
| Number | Applicant | Title | Decision | Amount (USD) | Avg Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GA272501 | Samus | rETH Improvements | Approve | $25,000 | 5 |
| GA272502 | Build Union | Grant Progress Tracking | Decline | 1.71 |
Detailed Award Results
Name: rETH Improvements
Proposer: Samus
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 27 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is August 7 - #2 by samus
Decision: Approve
Awarded Funding: $25,000
Requested Funding: $25,000
Score: 5
Comments: The GMC approves a 100% award of $25,000 for the rETH Improvements application, recognizing the critical importance of this work to the Rocket Pool protocol and the high-caliber team assembled to deliver it. Six members approved the proposal, while sckuzzle, Steely, and ramana abstained due to conflicts of interest or intent to collaborate on the project.
-
Strategic Priority for the Protocol:
Improving rETH’s performance and maintaining peg stability are among the highest priorities for Rocket Pool. The committee unanimously agreed that the ability to redeem rETH at or near peg is essential to the health of the protocol, particularly as the ecosystem prepares for increased demand with Saturn and institutional integrations. -
APR Optimization and Market Confidence:
Beyond redemption mechanics, the research aims to improve rETH’s APR and strengthen its competitive positioning among LSTs. Members highlighted the urgency of this work given rETH’s persistent discount in secondary markets. Solving this would not only restore user confidence but also unlock greater adoption and utility for rETH. -
Ideal Team and Clear Alignment:
The applicant team was broadly viewed as well-qualified and well-positioned to tackle these challenges. Their familiarity with the Rocket Pool architecture and collaborative posture made it easy for the committee to support the proposal in full. -
Momentum and Readiness:
The sentiment across the GMC was enthusiastic, with multiple members emphasizing a desire to “get this moving” without further delay. With the right timing, this effort can amplify the impact of Saturn and other ongoing protocol improvements.
The application team will faciliate the contributor compensation breakdown at the conclusion of the project. However, the GMC retains final oversight on how compensation is distributed.
Name: Grant Progress Tracking
Proposer: Build Union
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 27 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is August 7 - #3 by BuildUnion
Decision: Decline
Requested Funding: $2,999
Score: 1.71
Comments: "The GMC declines the Grant Progress Tracking application from Build Union, citing limited current need, lack of community engagement, and misalignment with timing and priorities.
-
Limited Practical Need at Current Scale:
While members acknowledged that a clean visual dashboard could be aesthetically appealing, the prevailing consensus was that Rocket Pool’s current grant volume does not necessitate a separate progress tracking platform. Existing processes using Google Docs were viewed as sufficient and low-overhead, with some members referring to the application as “not something we really need” or “not the best timing for a pretty dashboard.” -
Concerns About Timing and Scope:
Several members felt that the proposal was not timely, given other budget priorities and the current simplicity of grant administration. Even those who saw potential utility in the tool agreed that this was not the right moment to pursue it, especially when treasury caution is top-of-mind. -
Limited Engagement and Contextual Fit:
The applicant did not provide working examples or engage directly with the community, which made it difficult to assess alignment with GMC workflows. The committee felt the application lacked the context-specific understanding that typically strengthens grant proposals. -
Potential Relevance in the Future:
While the committee declined this application, some members left the door open for future exploration of grant tracking tools. As Rocket Pool’s grant activity scales, there may be a need for more advanced coordination or transparency solutions—but for now, the current system remains sufficient."
Member Participation
All members participated in the decision process. Steely, ramana, and sckuzzle abstained from voting on the rETH Improvements application.
Final Voting Stages
No members chose to reject the entire slate.
–
To learn more about the decision-making process or to engage with the committee, reach out to ShfRyn (myself) for an invite to the GMC server.