Round 37 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is June 7

Grants / Bounties
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This thread is for applications for Rocket Pool’s May 7, 2026 - June 7, 2026 grants. Please only post grant applications in this thread. If you would like to discuss and/or ask questions about any applications you see in this thread, we ask that you do so in this Round 37 - GMC Community Discussion of Submitted Applications which has been established for all community discussions related to this round of applications. Only those grant applications that are posted in this thread and timestamped by June 7, 2026 at 23:59 (11:59 PM) UTC will be considered. Any grants posted after that deadline will be carried over to the next award period.

This is the expected schedule for round 37:

  • Application Period (May 7 - June 7)
  • Scoring Deadline (June 23)
  • Final Voting Amendments, Discussion and Finalization (June 24 - June 27)
  • Award Announcement (June 28)
Differences Between Grants and Bounties Grants are intended to be applied for by those who are wishing to carry out the work themselves. Bounties are open-ended goals that could be met by anyone, including those other than the proposing party. In other words, if I believed that Rocket Pool needed a fifty-foot paper mache orange rocket for publicity purposes and I wanted to be the one to built it, I would apply for a grant. If I instead thought Rocket Pool needed a fifty-foot paper mache orange rocket for publicity purposes but I wanted it to be open to whoever built it first to claim the reward (similar to a prize), then I’d apply for a bounty.

To guide you in your application, the GMC has established the following goals and the following scoring rubric:

GMC Goals

Grants, bounties, and retrospective awards should make it easier and/or more attractive to do one or more of the following:

  • become a node operator

  • operate a node, mint rETH

  • hold or use rETH

  • improve the quality of life for the protocol and its community.

Grants Rubric

When evaluating grant applications, the GMC takes into account the following goals:

  • If the application is successful, to what extent does it further the GMC goals?

  • To what extent can the application be feasibly carried out by the person(s) proposed to complete it?

  • If the application is successful, how large is the benefit to the protocol relative to the size of the proposed costs

Grant Application Template

Please copy paste the template below into a reply. Answer the questions there, feel free to remove or add sections based on relevance.

## Name of Grant

### What is the work being proposed?

### Is there any related work this builds off of?

### Will the results of this project be entirely open source ([MIT](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT), [GPL](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html), [Apache](https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0), [CC BY](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) license or similar)? If not, which parts will not be, why, and under what license will they be published?



## Benefit

<please enter N/A where appropriate>

| Group | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Potential rETH holders | If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help people looking to stake ETH for rETH? |
| rETH holders | If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help rETH holders? |
| Potential NOs |  If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help people looking to run a Rocket Pool node for the first time? |
| NOs | If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help people already running a Rocket Pool node? |
| Community |  If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help the Rocket Pool community? |
| RPL holders |  If the grant is successfully completed, how does this help RPL holders? |

### Which other non-RPL protocols, DAOs, projects, or individuals, would stand to benefit from this grant?



## Work

### Who is doing the work?

### What is the background of the person(s) doing the work? What experience do they have with such projects in the past?

### What is the breakdown of the proposed work, in terms of milestones and/or deadlines?

### How is the work being tested? Is testing included in the schedule?

### How will the work be maintained after delivery?



## Costs

### What is the acceptance criteria?

### What is the proposed payment schedule for the grant? How much USD $ and over what period of time is the applicant requesting?

### Who will directly receive the payment? (Required — the GMC can only send grants directly to a recipient address and cannot accept invoices.)

### How will the GMC verify that the work delivered matches the proposed cadence?

### What alternatives or options have been considered in order to save costs for the proposed project?

### Have you already been compensated by the RP protocol in any way for this work?



## Conflict of Interest

### Does the person or persons proposing the grant have any conflicts of interest to disclose? (Please disclose here if you are a member of the GMC or if any member of the GMC would benefit directly financially from the grant).

### Will the recipient of the grant, or any protocol or project in which the recipient has a vested interest (other than Rocket Pool), benefit financially if the grant is successful?

NEW - IMPORTANT!
The GMC is introducing a microgrant system. Read more about it Introducing Microgrants.

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Snapshot Voting

What is the work being proposed?

The Rocket Pool community has exercised governance power through two voting platforms:

  • Snapshot - for meta governance proposals
  • Onchain Protocol - for proposals to change settings and direct treasury funds, these are raised/executed on the Rocket Pool protocol

Both voting systems use the same underlying strategy to determine vote power so they are equivalent. A critical feature required for Rocket Pool voting to occur is the use of Snapshot custom vote strategies.

The custom vote strategy feature requires a Snapshot Pro subscription.

Is there any related work this builds off of?

This application follows from the successful Round 30 grant application.

In the medium term, we are scoping using the current onchain protocol to support meta governance votes.

In the meantime, we do not want to halt DAO activity so propose to use Snapshot for now until we can develop and release amendments to the onchain process.

Will the results of this project be entirely open source (MIT, GPL, Apache, CC BY license or similar)? If not, which parts will not be, why, and under what license will they be published?

Snapshot is a paid for service so I don’t believe this is applicable.

Benefit

Pretty much all Rocket Pool stakeholders benefit from this proposal.

Group Benefits
Community If the grant is successful the community benefits from ongoing governance expression.

Which other non-RPL protocols, DAOs, projects, or individuals, would stand to benefit from this grant?

Snapshot would benefit.

Costs

What is the proposed payment schedule for the grant? How much USD $ and over what period of time is the applicant requesting?

A Snapshot Pro account costs US$6,000 / year (1 year commitment) or US$600 / month (1 month commitment).

We suggest a commitment of 3 - 6 months. However we leave it up to the GMC to decide the commitment.

Payment Method

Previously we have used: Payment by Core Team and reimbursement

Payment by the Core Team is not straight-forward, because the reimbursement would be counted as income and it would actually cost us 22.5% because of the tax liability. If we choose this option then it would need to be +22.5% to help cover the tax liability.

Conflict of Interest

Does the person or persons proposing the grant have any conflicts of interest to disclose? (Please disclose here if you are a member of the GMC or if any member of the GMC would benefit directly financially from the grant).

No conflict of interest.

Will the recipient of the grant, or any protocol or project in which the recipient has a vested interest (other than Rocket Pool), benefit financially if the grant is successful?

No.

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# What grant is being renewed?

GA032316. Renewal for RP Community Call Hosting — Host Ken Smith

### What work from the previous proposal was completed?

This renewal application covers the period from late October 2025 through June 2026.

I already hosted 10 Rocket Pool Community Calls over this window. The other 2 will be scheduled at the end of June and early July. The calls are sustaining a regular cadence of sessions (with occasional additional calls around major events). These calls functioned as the core real-time communication channel between the Rocket Pool development team (most frequently featuring Langers), node operators (NOs), rETH holders, pDAO participants, and DeFi/ecosystem partners during the protocol’s landmark Saturn 1 upgrade cycle.

Major themes and activities covered:

Saturn 1 preparation, launch, and post-mortem support (Nov 2025 – Apr 2026 calls): Walkthroughs of the upgrade timeline, pre- and post-Fusaka status, devnet testing (Devnet-5/6 ephemeral chains and validator queue observations), audit results from Bail Security, Spearbit/Cantinaxyz, and SigP, Wen code deployment and oDAO voting, POAP campaigns, and extensive NO guidance on the migration process (differences in exit/entry queues, Megapool transitions, and use of the latest smartnode delegate per RPIP-77). Post-launch calls included hotfix recaps, first Megapools coming online, dashboard usage, and forward-looking Saturn 2 priorities such as forced exits for liquidity/underperforming validators and governance refinements.

Governance and protocol operations: In-depth community discussions of key RPIPs (RPIP-74 Minipool Queue Closure pre-Saturn, RPIP-75 Express Ticket Allocation at 4:1, RPIP-76 GMC size reduction from 9 to 7, and ongoing Sediment/RPIP-77 delegate mechanics). Queue status, pool balance, and validator churn were regularly reviewed with live beaconcha.in data.

Special guest deep-dive sessions

  • 2026-01-29 with Karpatkey (kpk): Focused on their DeFi Kit’s Rocket Pool-specific tooling (DepositPool, rETH burn, SwapRouter), enabling non-custodial DAO treasury strategies. Covered composability for DAOs, safety/audits, and rETH’s advantages for treasuries (yield on idle assets, decentralization vs. alternatives, liquidity on Balancer/Uniswap/Curve).

  • 2026-02-09 with Alto: Full session on Alto’s rETH collateral integration for isolated DUSD mint markets at a fixed 2.5% borrow rate ($200k initial debt ceiling). Detailed mechanics included 70%/75% LTV thresholds, ERC4626Ratio oracle with 7% yearly growth cap, Dynamic Close Factor partial liquidations, Dynamic Liquidator Bonus, risk isolation (independent per-asset parameters), and practical holder use cases (maintain rETH exposure + borrow power without selling).

Ecosystem, market, and integrations updates (May 2026 call hosted by Mav): Broader context on bear market effects on restaking/vaults, industry shift from aggregated to isolated/siloed lending (Morpho-style), new rETH/ETH lending markets (e.g., Karpatkey launching on Morpho), liquidity provider integrations (Kyberswap, Velodrome), institutional demand signals (Fidelity, Bitmine, Greyscale), and risk management contributors (Chaos Labs, Gauntlet, Blockworks). Also covered node operator tooling, such as commit boost and smartnode enhancements.

Recordings are available on the Rocket Pool YouTube channel (re-uploaded by @maverick) and automatically on X for Spaces-based calls. These provide both synchronous community engagement and long-term reference material.

Here is the listing of the Community calls hosted since the grant’s last renewal:

1. 2025-11-05 ft Langers (pre-Fusaka, Saturn 1 devnet/audit progress, Supernode plans)

2. 2025-12-03 ft Langers (post-Fusaka, Saturn 1 launch prep, RPIPs 74/75/76, NO process guidance)

3. 2026-01-14 ft Langers (Saturn 1 timeline deep dive, audits, POAP campaign, settings/queue review)

4. 2026-01-29 Karpatkey (kpk DeFi Kit integration for DAO treasuries and rETH utility)

5. 2026-02-09 ft Alto (rETH as collateral for DUSD minting on Alto – deep dive on mechanics, risks, use cases)

6. 2026-02-09 ft Langers (Saturn 1 final prep, Wen deployment, governance, ETH Denver preview)

7. 2026-03-06 Post Saturn ft Langers (launch recap, hotfixes, Megapools onboarding, RPIP-77, Claw Skills)

8. 2026-04-16 ft Langers (first Megapools live, governance/RPIP-77, ETH Denver follow-up)

9. 2026-05-26 ft Mav (market/ecosystem overview, risk entities, institutional interest, liquidity integrations, node tooling)

10. 2026-06-04 ft Langers (Saturn2 design)

### What work from the previous proposal is ongoing or pending?

The proposed work is to continue hosting periodic Rocket Pool Community calls. The Community calls are routine calls that typically feature either members of the RP development team or a business or marketing partner, known as a “special guest.” The calls are usually 1-1.25 hours in length and are intended to inform the community about significant news topics, with weigh-ins from the core Rocket Pool team. This includes ongoing coverage of Saturn 2 development priorities, new integrations, governance proposals, and ecosystem/market updates.

### What work was not planned initially but completed, if any?

Since the last renewal application, a total of 10 community calls have been held, with 2 more scheduled in the next 5 weeks. In addition to the core development update format, this period included two dedicated special-guest deep-dive sessions (Karpatkey on DAO treasury tooling and Alto on rETH collateral lending integration) plus a comprehensive ecosystem/market overview hosted by Mav. These expanded the format’s value by directly showcasing new rETH utility and adoption pathways.

### What work is newly slated since the previous proposal?

This grant renewal request seeks authorization for an additional 12 calls (~5-6 months) to support the ongoing hosting of the RP Community Calls.

I am very aware of the GMC’s current financial constraints and remain fully committed to the Community Call series. I am happy to defer any payment entirely until the GMC has the resources to support it.

### Are the results of this project entirely open source (MIT, GPL, Apache, CC BY license or similar)? If not, which parts are not, and why not?

Live Community calls are recorded and posted on the Rocket Pool YouTube channel for asynchronous listening after the event. Agendas and discussion topics are shared openly with the community in advance via Discord and X.

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## Benefits

### What metrics can you share on the success of the project?

Detailed view counts for individual recordings are available on the [Rocket Pool YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@RocketPool/videos). Calls hosted on the X platform are maintained there. Live participation typically includes a core group of dedicated community members (around a dozen), while recordings serve a broader, asynchronous audience of NOs, rETH holders, and ecosystem participants.

### In less specific terms, how has this project improved the Rocket Pool ecosystem or benefited the Ethereum ecosystem?

The Community Calls served as a critical real-time channel for information and feedback during the Saturn 1 upgrade — the largest protocol milestone in recent years. They equipped NOs with actionable guidance on complex migration steps (queue management, Megapool transitions, RPIP-77 delegate changes), enabled transparent discussion of audits and hotfixes, and supported governance participation on high-impact RPIPs (74, 75, 76, 77).

Special sessions with Alto and Karpatkey directly expanded awareness and understanding of new rETH use cases in isolated lending markets and non-custodial DAO treasury management, strengthening rETH’s composability and adoption in DeFi. The Mav-hosted market overview provided timely context on institutional interest, risk management developments, and liquidity integrations, helping holders and operators make informed decisions in a shifting market environment.

The Community Call remains a foundational communication platform for three key stakeholders: the development team, the RP Community (particularly the pDAO and NOs), and the DeFi Ecosystem, incorporating Rocket Pool into protocols and services.

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## Team

### Who has done the work, and have there been any changes to the team?

I have primarily hosted the calls throughout this grant period. For qualifications, I have been a long-term community member of RP, serving as a Rocket Scientist and now in my third year as a Community Call host. I hosted through the full Saturn 1 preparation, launch, and stabilization window, as well as multiple special-guest integration sessions.

### How have the individual constituents of the team been compensated?

I have previously received GMC grant funding for this work.

### How has maintenance been performed since the project was delivered?

Most community calls hosted in the chit-chat are re-uploaded on YouTube by [@maverick](Profile - maverick - Rocket Pool Governance) and are publicly accessible via the YouTube platform ([https://www.youtube.com/@RocketPool/videos\](https://www.youtube.com/@RocketPool/videos)). All the X space calls are automatically recorded and available immediately after the call on the X platform.

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## Payment and Verification

### Have the acceptance criteria been met?

Yes.

### What is the proposed payment schedule for the grant? How much RPL is the applicant requesting, and over what period is it requesting? Does this differ from the original approved amount?

I am seeking continuation of the established media production rate of $200 per call (as applied in recent rounds such as Round 31), to support an additional 12 calls over the next ~5-6 month grant window. Payments can continue to be made routinely in the periodic (~monthly) reward cycles.

I am very aware of the current financial challenges facing the GMC. I am happy to defer any payment entirely until the GMC has the resources available to fund the grant. I remain committed to continuing the Community Call series regardless of the near-term funding outcome.

### Is there a measurable Return on Investment for the project?

n/a

### What is the breakdown of spending on development for the original grant vs. maintenance?

n/a

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## Conflict of Interest

### Do the person or persons proposing the grant have any conflicts of interest that need to be disclosed? (Please disclose here if you are a member of the GMC or if any member of the GMC would benefit directly financially from the grant.)

Yes. I am a member of the GMC, and under the current RPIP-18, I will be required to recuse myself from deliberations on this application.

### Will the recipient of the grant, or any protocol or project in which the recipient has a vested interest (other than Rocket Pool), benefit financially if the grant is successful?

Possibly. We routinely invite special guests from other DeFi and Ethereum-based protocols to the Community Calls. Mav or Grant usually selects them and is generally tied to the Rocket Pool ecosystem. Their DeFi protocol may benefit from being included on the call. I will disclose if I am an investor or hold any tokens of the guest protocols.

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Notice: This message marks the closing of the thirty-seventh (37) round of Rocket Pool grant applications. Any applications submitted after this will not be considered for this round.