The GMC has concluded discussions and scoring for the Round 9 (Jan 14 - Feb 12) Grants/Bounties/RA Award Round. For those who did not receive an award, please note that applicants are welcome to re-apply.
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 Mar 10, 2024 at 23:59 UTC.
Subcommittees
Development: dondo, rocknet
(jcrtp is on paternity leave)
Research: Ken, Looking For Owls, epineph
Marketing: Waq, rplmaxi,eth, Dr Doofus
Awarded Amounts
Awards were denominated in USD for the purposes of committee discussions and voting on finalized award amounts. Awards were then converted to RPL at the current ratio ($29/RPL) as of shortly before this posting (and then rounded up to the nearest RPL).
Modifications from Last Round
Dr Doofus Joins The GMC
Dr Doofus replaces KentPhilly on the marketing subcommittee.
Upcoming Modifications / In Development
Defer to PDAO option
GMC will be creating a ‘Defer to PDAO option’. It’s intended for use on applications similar to the Eigenlayer application in round 8.
DeFi Subcommittee / Process
GMC is discussing formalizing a more efficient way to handle DeFi applications.
Updating GMC RPIP
GMC is proposing an update to the GMC RPIP that will modify the conflicts of interest, and award schedule sections.
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To explore additional initiatives that the GMC is pursuing beyond the awards process, you can find them listed in the to-do channel on the GMC server.
Application Breakdown
Total Applications: 16
Total Applications Transferred From Last Round: 3
Total Grant Applications: 9
Total Bounty Applications: 3
Total Retro Applications: 4
Total Amount Grants Requested: $122,300
Total Amount Bounties Requested: $33,300
Total Amount Retros Requested: $41,250
Total Amount Grants / Bounties / Retros Requested: $197,600
Awards, Average Overall Scores
| Number | Proposer | Title | Decision | Amount (RPL - RPL at $29/RPL) | Amount (USD) | Average score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GA0902405 | ShfRyn | ShfRyn’s POAPs | Approve | 103.45 | $3,000.00 | 3.6 |
| RA0902404 | ShfRyn | Rapid Research Reviewer Compensation | Approve | 230 | $6,665.00 | 4.43 |
| GA0902404 | Dr Doofus | Merchandise Store | Approve | 293.1 | $8,500.00 | 3.7 |
| GA0902406 | Pat | The Weekly Orbit | Approve | 269 | $7,800.00 | 2.7 |
| GA0902403 | beaconcha.in | Beaconcha.in Advertising | Approve | 206.9 | $6,000.00 | 4 |
| BA0902402 | Patches | Patches Delegated Work | Approve | 62.07 | $1,800.00 | 5 |
| RA092301 | eth2353 | ethstaker.tax | Approve | 344.83 | $10,000.00 | 4 |
| GA0902404 | regexbuster | RPL DeFi | Approve | 8.62 | $250.00 | 3.67 |
| BA0902401 | Ben Affleck | Rocket Pool SSV Integration | Defer w/ Future Consideration | 2.5 | ||
| GA0902401 | halborn | Infrastructure Security Assessment | Defer w/ Future Consideration | 2 | ||
| BA0902403 | epineph | Slashing Mitigator | Defer w/ Future Consideration | 2.75 | ||
| GA082301 | hashquark | Asian Market Staking User Education | Defer w/ Future Consideration | 2.3 | ||
| GA0802409 | sckuzzle | UVC Research | Decline | 3.25 | ||
| GA0802406 | SigmaPrime | Rocket Split Audit | Decline | 2.9 | ||
| RA092303 | signalxu | Node Operator Research | Decline | 1.25 | ||
| GA092402 | woh | Pizza DAO Sponsorship | Withdrawn |
Detailed Award Results
Name: ShfRyn’s POAPs
Proposer: ShfRyn
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #6 by ShfRyn
Decision: Approve
Requested Funding: $3,000
Awarded Funding: $3,000
Score: 3.6
Comments: The GMC approves this application deeming it a valuable tool for community building and marketing. The GMC will continue allocating funds for these initiatives while exploring complementary ideas such as running raffles to further enhance its marketing value.
Acceptance Criteria: 24 POAPs need to be delivered with an average of 4 per month.
Payment Structure: 17.24 RPL per month for six months
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Name: Rapid Research Reviewer Compensation
Proposer: ShfRyn
Type: Retrospective Award
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Retrospective Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #5 by ShfRyn
Decision: Approve
Requested Funding: $5,000
Awarded Funding: $6,665
Score: 4.43
Comments: The GMC approves the compensation for rapid research reviewers. This decision reflects their appreciation for their valuable service to the protocol. Reviewers were chosen for their expertise and dedicated significant time to the task, warranting funding. The GMC acknowledges the importance of the reviewer role in advancing research initiatives such as this one, and the GMC would like to fund future reviewers.
Payment Structure: 43 RPL per reviewer
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Name: Merchandise Store
Proposer: Dr Doofus
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #5 by drdoofus
Decision: Approve
Requested Funding: $8,500
Awarded Funding: $8,500
Score: 3.7
Comments: After thorough consideration and enthusiastic support from the community, the GMC approves the establishment of Dr. Doofus’ merchandise store. This initiative is long overdue and represents an exciting opportunity to provide RP-themed merchandise to our community. The positive reception from members highlights the demand for such products, which can serve as effective marketing tools and potentially self-sustain over time. While there are uncertainties regarding cost recovery, the commitment shown by Dr. Doofus and the potential for growth with RP make this endeavor promising. The GMC looks forward to seeing the store thrive and contribute to the RP ecosystem.
Acceptance Criteria: Milestone 1: $6500 - setup work ($5000) + first year store manager ($1000) + coordination of milestone 2 ($500)
a. Setup bank business account to accept credit card payments
b. Setup crypto commerce account to accept crypto payments
c. Create Wordpress with Woocommerce website including branding and integrating both payment types above
d. Integrate a Print on Demand and dropshipping service with store
e. Create dropshipper payment account (usually via a seperate PayPal account)
Milestone 2: $2000 - Art and Swag
a. Create art for Website - $500
b. Create designs for merchandise - $1000 (perhaps a contest, 10 prizes of $100 or something like that)
c. Design/Assemble/Compose items for sale - $500
Payment Structure: $6500 for milestone 1, $2000 goes to the party that completes milestone 2
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Name: The Weekly Orbit
Proposer: Pat
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #7 by Pat_The_Weekly_Orbit
Decision: Approve
Requested Funding: $7,800
Awarded Funding: $7,800
Score: 2.7
Comments: The Weekly Orbit’s video format is appreciated, but there’s a need to improve reach and other key performance indicators (KPIs). We acknowledge the importance of evaluating its success within six months if KPIs do not improve. The low view count raises questions about maintaining both Rocket Fuel and the Orbit as recap venues. While we support funding at 100%, caution is warranted regarding cost-effectiveness given the current viewership. There’s agreement on the need for a comprehensive marketing strategy, and we may reconsider renewal if viewership does not increase. Additionally, we will explore unifying the marketing budget and potentially integrating the Orbit into Rocket Fuel.
Acceptance Criteria: Regularly published episodes
Payment Structure: 44.67 RPL per month for six months
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Name: beaconcha.in advertising
Proposer: beaconcha.in (via ShfRyn)
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #4 by ShfRyn
Decision: Approve
Requested Funding: $2,500 - $6,000
Awarded Funding: $6,000
Score: 4
Comments: The GMC will be funding three months for $6,000. Acknowledging the calculated expected CPC and CPM, the GMC recognizes the potential of this targeted approach to reach new Node Operators. Proper banner material, tracking, and the correct URL are crucial for maximizing impact. It’s noted that the marketing targets existing solo stakers on beaconcha.in rather than DeFi users interested in becoming NOs.
Payment Structure: paid directly to beaconcha.in upfront
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Name: Patches Delegated Work
Proposer: Patches
Type: Bounty
Subcommittee: Dev
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Bounty Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #3 by Patches
Decision: Approve
Requested Funding: $1,800
Awarded Funding: $1,800
Score: 5
Comments: The GMC has decided to approve this grant given each piece of work seems useful and fairly priced.
Payment Structure: $300 for Correct rocketpool_node approximate rpl reward panel for RPIP-30 changes, $1000 for Networks should not be hard-coded, $200 for [bug] Watchtower fails to fall back to archive EC in generateRewardsTree when primary ec isn’t useful, $300 for Feature Request: rocketpool service prune and rocketpool service reset
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Name: ethstaker.tax
Proposer: eth2353
Type: Retrospective Award
Subcommittee: Research
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Retrospective Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #2 by eth2353
Decision: Approve
Requested Funding: $30,000
Awarded Funding: $10,000
Score: 4
Comments: The GMC acknowledges the fair pricing of the ethstaker.tax application, considering the estimated amount of work involved. However, there are concerns about the level of interest within the RP community to justify the investment. While the cost is slightly higher compared to similar projects, it’s noted that ethstaker.tax does not have a direct source of income. Considering these factors, the GMC approves funding for 33% of the requested amount initially. If uptake proves significant and no major issues arise, the remaining 67% may be considered for funding in approximately 3-6 months. Additionally, the effort put into adding RP validators is appreciated. It’s suggested that the applicant follows up with a retrospective application after tax season for another funding round.
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Name: RPL DeFi
Proposer: regexbuster
Type: Retrospective Award
Subcommittee: Marketing
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Retrospective Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #3 by regexbuster
Decision: Approve
Requested Funding: $250
Awarded Funding: $250
Score: 3.67
Comments: The GMC acknowledges the positive feedback and value provided by the RPL DeFi application from regexbuster. Community members recognize the effort and value for money in this initiative. The ongoing nature of the project is appreciated, and there’s a consensus to fund it further. There’s also a suggestion to encourage community members to reach out to regexbuster for additional DeFi integrations, with potential for increased compensation if more tasks are assigned.
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Name: SSV Integration
Proposer: Ben Affleck
Type: Bounty
Subcommittee: Dev
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Bounty Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #2 by BenAffleck
Decision: Defer with Future Consideration
Requested Funding: $30,000
Score: 2.5
Comments: The GMC notes the concerns regarding the SSV Integration application. There is skepticism about the clarity of Phase 2 and whether it will address everyone’s needs as promised. Additionally, there is a strong desire for the first deliverable to include the ability for NO minipools to increase performance by sharing operations with others, ideally with the option to specifically share with RP NOs. Without this feature, there is reluctance to support the application. While the application has scored low as written, there is potential for higher support if it aligns with the desired functionality. Given these considerations, the GMC votes to defer the decision on this application to the following round.
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Name: Infrastructure Security Assessment
Proposer: halborn
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #2 by glory.eth
Decision: Defer with Future Consideration
Score: 2
Comments: The GMC has chosen to defer to the following round. If this were to work, it would be essential for Halborn to work closely with the core team, as they own many of the systems under test. Before proceeding, it’s crucial to gauge the team’s interest in collaboration. Some members suggest that this matter might fall outside the domain of the pDAO, as operational issues are typically entrusted to the team rather than the protocol’s direction. Further discussion and clarification are needed before making a final decision.
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Name: Slashing Mitigator
Proposer: epineph
Type: Bounty
Subcommittee: Dev
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Bounty Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #4 by epineph
Decision: Defer with Future Consideration
Requested Funding: $1,500
Score: 2.75
Comments: There was not a consensus among the subcommittee for this proposal. It will be discussed by the entire committee during round 10.
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Name: Asian Market Staking User Education
Proposer: hashquark
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 8 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is January 14 - #2 by HashQuark
Decision: Defer with Future Consideration
Requested Funding: $30,000
Score: 2.3
Comments: The GMC acknowledges the need for increased marketing but raises concerns about intellectual property ownership and calls for upfront definition of KPIs. Suggestions include redirecting the focus towards providing exposure to Node Operators in the Asian market and seeking input from Maverick regarding campaign design. However, there’s a shift towards favoring targeted advertising in untapped markets like China, Japan, Korea, and potentially India, with the belief that this could attract more Network Operators and rETH-stakers. The decision is deferred to potentially renegotiate a deal tailored to Node Operators.
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Name: UVC Research
Proposer: sckuzzle
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 8 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is January 14 - #13 by sckuzzle
Decision: Decline
Requested Funding: $38,000
Score: 3.25
Comments: The GMC has decided to decline sckuzzle’s UVC Research proposal due to concerns regarding the scope and cost-effectiveness of the project. While acknowledging the value of the research idea, there are reservations about the extensive time and resources required, especially given the limited impact of the proposed changes. Additionally, there is a preference for focusing on tokenomic considerations presented by Val and Samus at the Lift Off event, as well as the ongoing rapid research round. Furthermore, it’s noted that UVC is just one aspect of many tokenomic changes, and there are doubts about the feasibility of independently interpreting the results. The GMC invites sckuzzle to direct his efforts towards the Rapid Research Next Steps thread. Alternatively, the GMC is open to UVC grants of a smaller budget and scope, that can be expanded upon their completion.
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Name: Rocket Split Audit
Proposer: Sigma Prime (via Rudes.eth)
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 8 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is January 14 - #8 by LIBlockchain
Decision: Decline
Requested Funding: $24,750
Score: 2.9
Comments: The GMC has decided to decline the Rocket Split proposal due to uncertainties regarding its relevance post-Houston and mixed feedback from the community. Despite deferring to the pDAO and considering forum input, there’s a suggestion to revisit the proposal after the mainnet launch to assess interest and potential use cases. It’s noted that the Rocket Split team seems capable of completing the rest of the original grant independently, albeit not integrating it into the official Rocket Pool. Therefore, the decision is made to withhold further funding at this time, with the possibility of reconsideration based on future developments.
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Name: Node Operator Research
Proposer: signalxu
Type: Retrospective Award
Subcommittee: Research
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Retrospective Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #4 by signalxu
Decision: Decline
Requested Funding: $6,000
Score: 1.25
Comments: The GMC has decided to decline the grant request for the research submission on known issues with the deposit pool. Feedback from the community indicates minimal impact, and the research lacks depth to justify the requested funding of 6k. Further community input and refinement of the proposal are recommended before reapplying for funding.
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Name: Pizza DAO Sponsorship
Proposer: woh
Type: Grant
Subcommittee: All
Link to Application: Round 9 - GMC Call for Grant Applications - Deadline is February 11 - #3 by woh
Decision: Withdrawn
Requested Funding: $5,000
Comments: This application has been withdrawn by the applicant due to timing issues with reserving the sponsorship. The GMC is open to sponsoring events in the future but recommends applicants submitting well ahead of time.
Member Participation
jctrp gave us notice before round 9 that he would be unable to participate due to paternity leave. Dr Doofus, Waq, and Ken were unable to participate in the discussion or scoring of grants due to their conflicts of interests on the following applications:
- Denver Lift-Off (Ken)
- Rapid Research Reviewer Compensation (Ken)
- The Weekly Orbit (Waq)
- Merchandise Store (Dr Doofus)
Members were asked to deliberate on far more proposals due to the shifting of applications caused by the conflicts of interest.
Final Voting Stages
An amendment was declared to “Fund RA0902404 at custom amount of $6,665”. It passed with 4 “Yes”, 2 “No”, and 1 “Abstain” votes. (Ken was unable to vote given the conflict of interest.)