The grant application process is divided into two levels corresponding to the amount requested and the size of the work outlined in the application. Community members participate in determining who receives a grant. The Community Grants Committee, consisting of five individuals, reviews incoming grant applications and evaluates their merit, contributions to the ecosystem, and overall value to the network.

The program also includes Ecosystem Grants, which are grant amounts up to 2M GLMR and require direct community approval via an on-chain vote. Unlike the previous process, Ecosystem Grants will not be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Instead, there will be an application deadline, followed by a community vote via snapshot where the community can submit a weighted vote on how the budget for the first tranche of the Ecosystem Grants should be distributed between the eligible applicants.

Community members play a key role in the review and approval of Ecosystem Grants, which can include sizable fund amounts and can have a significant impact on the direction of the network. Discussions start on the Moonbeam Forum before moving to the voting stage. On either platform, community members will need GLMR to vote on referenda. Comments can be submitted for discussion without GLMR.

The Community Grants Committee is a group of five individuals who are charged with reviewing incoming grant applications and evaluating their merit, contributions to the ecosystem, and overall value to the network. The committee consists of two members from the Moonbeam Foundation and three community members who are not serving a role at the Moonbeam Foundation, but understand the priorities of the program and serve to help facilitate the growth of the ecosystem.

The Grant Application Process for the Moonbeam Foundation’s Grants Program is divided into two levels: Community Committee Grants and Ecosystem Grants.

Community Committee Grants:

1. Application: Complete and submit a grant application with accuracy and detail.
2. Initial Screening: The Community Grants Committee or designated service provider will reach out to the grant applicant to schedule a call to review the information provided. The reviewer will decide whether the project moves forward based on the community-approved Grant Guidelines.
3. Committee Review & Diligence: The Community Grants Committee and designated service providers will explore the project, concept, and grant request and assess the project according to the community-approved grant guidelines.
4. Voting: After the diligence phase, the Community Grants Committee will vote on whether the application should be accepted or rejected. A grant application is approved if at least three Community Grants Committee Members vote “Aye” with at least one of the Foundation Community Grants Committee Members voting “Aye”. A grant application will not be accepted if there are more Nay Community Grants Committee votes than Aye votes.
5. Implementation & Follow-Up: Teams with approved grants can start working toward the milestones outlined in the grant.
   

Ecosystem Grants:

1. Initial Grant Proposal: Complete and submit a draft grant proposal for discussion to the Moonbeam Forum for community feedback by a specified deadline.
2. Community Discussion & Revise Draft Proposal: The Community Grants Committee members will publicly comment to help ensure the draft proposals adhere to the criteria. The grant author will need to revise the draft proposal to incorporate community feedback.
3. Snapshot Voting for Allocation of Funds: A weighted vote on Snapshot will be opened for the community, which includes each eligible draft proposal as an option as well as an option to not use a portion of the tranche funds. Community members will then vote with their GLMR on how to allocate Tranche 1 funds across the eligible draft proposals.
4. Allocation of Tranche 1 Funds and On-Chain Ecosystem Grant Proposals: The Community Grants Committee will then publish the finalized GLMR grant requests for each eligible draft proposal. The eligible draft proposals will be updated with the revised GLMR grant size based on the Snapshot vote and submitted for an on-chain vote.
5. Implementation: For Ecosystem Grant referenda that pass, implementation will begin based on the steps and milestones outlined in the approved referendum, including the execution of a grant agreement or other documentation dictating the conditions for the grant.