This AMA (Ask Me Anything) features Emmaline Theobald from the XRPL Grants Program! ICYMI, we answered FAQs from the community on best practices for submitting an application, key dates and timelines, and more.
Check out the full recap below, and head to xrpldevs.com to join the community and tune in for the next AMA!
BiasGoose: Hello everyone! Join me in welcoming Emmaline Theobald, Program Manager from the XRPL Grants team.
Emmaline to start, tell us the important dates we should know from Wave 5.
Emmaline: Applications are open until March 26, 2023 (11:59 PM PT)! More generally, the awarding process can take 4-5 months, so we appreciate your patience during the review process!
BiasGoose: Is there a theme for this wave?
Emmaline: There isn't a specific theme for Wave 5. We are looking for any innovative project/ use case that benefits the XRPL! We do have some guidance to help get you started (if needed), i.e. projects that around:
- Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
- Developer Tooling/Usability
- Infrastructure & Security
- Sustainability/Social Impact
- Tokenization
- Women- and Nonbinary-led projects
Consider this list as a starting point, not a limitation.
BiasGoose: Perfect! What is the process that an application goes through from beginning to end?
Emmaline: There are a couple different steps to the review process:
- Review Stage 1: Qualifying and technical screenings are completed to ensure the project meets general eligibility requirements and is in the spirit of the XRPL Grants program.
- Review Stage 2: In-depth review by the XRPL Grants Judging Committee to determine finalists.
And finally, finalists will be invited to an interview with the team and judging committee that includes a presentation, code walkthrough/demo, and a Q&A.
BiasGoose: Are you looking for very specific technical details about the project roadmap, or a more general approach like labor/overhead per month with a general goal for that month?
Emmaline: We are looking for more specific technical details under each key milestone (month). For example, what are the steps you are taking to achieve each milestone? Labor should be factored in for each step.
BiasGoose: Are the requirements for grants to have an MVP?
Emmaline: You don't need an MVP but all projects must have a prototype or proof-of-concept that we can review on GitHub. The minimum is at least a few days of work (e.g. a proof of concept created over the course of a weekend or during a hackathon). We will not fund projects that are just an idea or do not show sufficient initial work.
BiasGoose: Have you had any NFT projects get the grant?
Emmaline: We have funded some NFT focused projects for the technical aspects of those projects specifically.
BiasGoose: Can a fairly new/learning dev pitch a project by themselves with the idea of growing it with another seasoned XRPL dev?
Emmaline: Yes! While XRPL-specific experience is not required, we do expect a basic understanding of the XRPL concepts and fundamentals from all of the technical staff on a team. If you want to learn more, we recommend taking the courses on the XRPL Learning Portal.
BiasGoose: Here is a question from the community - we are developing a prototype unified communications system that integrates with Xumm Wallet. This is a big development so what would you be expecting for a prototype for this on GitHub?
Emmaline: The minimum is at least a few days of work (e.g. a proof of concept created over the course of a weekend or during a hackathon). The judges are looking for overall effort (including commits). They are looking for effort and excitement for building on the XRPL!
BiasGoose: Great! Another question from the community - if we already have a project on XRPL, do we need a separate proof of concept when applying for a grant?
Emmaline: Nope! We fund projects that are also at more advanced stages of XRPL development, and teams that already have a history of building on the XRPL.
BiasGoose: Can folks submit multiple applications with different ideas?
Emmaline: Interesting question! You can only submit one application per Wave, but you can apply for secondary funding, or new projects, in subsequent Waves.
BiasGoose: What are the most common reasons why applications are rejected?
Emmaline: Often, the most common reason is that applications are not complete or are missing requested information, e.g. a Github repo with insufficient code. Make sure to carefully read all the instruction notes on each application question. Information is there to help you provide the best possible application!
You will be able to save your application and update before submitting anytime between now and March 24th. Just make sure to submit before the deadline!
BiasGoose: In the Additional Documents category, are you looking for a sort of value proposition? Or technical explanations of the project?
Emmaline: This can be either! We are looking for any additional information that will help explain the benefit of your project. Previous applicants have submitted pitch decks, additional technical documentation, additional market/budget research. It all depends on the stage/type of project you are applying for.
BiasGoose: Another question - since we can share github directly with the grants team, should we do that ahead of time when submitting rather than waiting for contact? For example, if there is proprietary info that will be open sourced if awarded a grant, but not open source if we don’t receive a grant, how can we ensure the github stays private until ready?
Emmaline: Github repos should be shared when you apply. The repos will not be shared outside of the grants team and reviewers. However, we may reach out to you to add additional folks as the review process proceeds. All reviewers have signed NDAs and will never share your info/code. Repos are required for every single submission.
BiasGoose: Thank you Emmaline for answering all the questions! 🙂
Emmaline: Thanks BiasGoose! If you have more questions later, feel free to post in this channel!
To learn more about the XRPL Grants program or to submit your application for Wave 5, please visit https://xrplgrants.org/.
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