The GMC has concluded discussions and scoring for the Round 29 (September 7 - October 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 November 7, 2025 at 23:59 UTC.
Current GMC Roster
- Ken
- Waq
- Dr Doofus
- Destroyaaa
- Steely
- Kevster.eth
- sckuzzle
- LenofTawa
- ramana
General Updates
- GMC Election Begins - The GMC is currently collection nominee statements for the year 4 election. (2025 GMC Nomination Thread (Year 4))
- STAR - The latest STAR update can be found here.
- Stablecoin Conversion - The GMC hesitated to perform a TWAP for the recent $87k in awards due to the large amount of RPL that would need to be sold. During two discussion calls, committee members provided compelling arguments both for proceeding with the swap and for deferring the decision to the pDAO, accompanied by a list of options.
The majority of the GMC voted to proceed with the swap immediately, but only swapping half of the required amount. - State of Treasury - Based on the current value of the treasury, the committee will be extremely selective with the applications they approve in the near future. The GMC recommends only submitting applications that are of highest priority or could be considered an “emergency”.
Application Breakdown
- Total Grant Applications: 3
- Total Bounty Applications: 0
- Total Retro Applications: 0
- Total Applications Transferred From Last Round: 0
- Total Amount Grants / Bounties / Retros Requested: $53,500
- Total Amount Incoming Funds This Period: $27,850
- Value of Treasury: $215,000
- Total Amount Reserved: $361,000
USD values calculated at the time GMC began deliberating on applications.
Awards, Average Overall Scores
| Number | Applicant | Title | Decision | Amount (USD) | Avg Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GA292503 | haloooloolo | RocketWatch x RockSolid | Approve | $500.00 | 3.6 |
| GA292501 | enti | Staking Forum Sponsorship | Decline | 4 | |
| GA292502 | RockSolid | Vault Rewards | Decline | 3.33 |
Detailed Award Results
Name: RocketWatch x RockSolid
Proposer: haloooloolo
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 29 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is October 7 - #4 by haloooloolo
Decision: Approve
Awarded Funding: $500
Requested Funding: $500
Score: 3.6
Comments: The committee supports haloooloolo’s RocketWatch x RockSolid proposal. While recognizing ongoing treasury limitations, members agreed that the small funding request represents good value and provides meaningful visibility into RockSolid’s progress—an initiative aligned with Rocket Pool’s broader goals.
The project offers a low-cost way to maintain community engagement around RockSolid’s developments, stimulate activity in community channels such as #events, and collect data that could inform future integrations between Rocket Pool and DeFi platforms. Although some members noted the limited immediate impact and current budget pressures, the overall consensus was that the modest expense is justified given the transparency, awareness, and momentum it helps sustain.
Name: enti
Proposer: Staking Forum Sponsorship
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 29 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is October 7 - #2 by enti
Decision: Decline
Requested Funding: $3,000
Score: 4
Comments: The committee appreciates enti’s proposal and agrees that the application presents a strong alignment with Ethereum’s broader ecosystem and could have been a valuable venue for Rocket Pool exposure. However, the event’s short notice (less than 30 days) and lack of available Rocket Pool team members to attend or present make it impractical to proceed at this time. The sponsorship benefits, such as tickets and a presentation slot, would go unused without on-site representation.
The GMC encourages enti to reach out earlier for future events so that participation and representation can be properly coordinated.
Name: Vault Rewards
Proposer: RockSolid
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 29 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is October 7 - #3 by paladin147
Decision: Decline
Requested Funding: $50,000
Score: 3.33
Comments: The committee recognizes RockSolid as strong advocates for Rocket Pool and appreciates their continued efforts to grow rETH adoption. However, the requested Vault Rewards funding is not feasible at this time due to the GMC’s current treasury constraints and the need to prioritize essential marketing expenditures with clearer impact. While several members expressed that they would support the proposal under different financial circumstances, the committee cannot commit funds it does not presently have.
The GMC encourages RockSolid to revisit this proposal in the future—particularly if treasury conditions improve or if funding through alternative sources such as the IMC becomes available.
The GMC also encourages and welcomes RockSolid to use the active Token Motion grant to develop RPL-aligned marketing materials for themselves.
Member Participation
All members participated in the decision process. There were no conflicts of interest.
Final Voting Stages
No members chose to reject the entire slate.
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IMPORTANT
Based on the current value of the treasury, the committee will be extremely selective with the applications they approve in the near future. The GMC recommends only submitting applications that are of highest priority or could be considered an “emergency”.
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.