aitbc/docs/ecosystem/grants/grant-program.md

AITBC Grant Program

Overview

The AITBC Grant Program provides funding to developers and teams building high-impact projects that strengthen the AITBC ecosystem. Our hybrid approach combines accessible micro-grants with strategic funding for major initiatives, ensuring both experimentation and execution.

Program Structure

Hybrid Grant Types

1. Rolling Micro-Grants

• Amount: $1,000 - $5,000
• Review: Lightweight (48-hour decision)
• Disbursement: 100% upfront
• Eligibility: Individuals and teams
• Application: Simple form (30 minutes)

2. Quarterly Standard Grants

• Amount: $10,000 - $50,000
• Review: Comprehensive (2-week process)
• Disbursement: 50% upfront, 50% on milestone completion
• Eligibility: Teams and organizations only
• Application: Detailed proposal (2-4 hours)

3. Strategic Grants

• Amount: $100,000+
• Review: Rigorous (4-week process)
• Disbursement: Milestone-based (3+ payments)
• Eligibility: Established organizations
• Application: Full business case (8+ hours)

4. Retroactive Grants

• Amount: $5,000 - $25,000
• Review: Adoption-based verification
• Disbursement: 100% upfront
• Eligibility: Shipped projects with proven usage
• Application: Impact report (1 hour)

Funding Categories

Marketplace Extensions (40% of budget)

• ERP Connectors: SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Workday
• Payment Processors: PayPal, Square, Adyen, Braintree
• Analytics Platforms: Tableau, Power BI, Looker
• Developer Tools: IDE plugins, testing frameworks
• Infrastructure: Monitoring, logging, deployment tools

Analytics Tools (30% of budget)

• Network Analytics: Transaction flows, user behavior
• DeFi Analytics: Yield tracking, risk assessment
• Cross-Chain Analytics: Bridge monitoring, arbitrage
• Real-time Dashboards: Custom metrics, alerts
• Data Visualization: Interactive charts, reports

Developer Experience (20% of budget)

• SDK Improvements: New language support, optimizations
• Documentation: Interactive tutorials, examples
• Testing Tools: Automated testing, testnets
• Development Environments: Docker images, cloud templates
• Educational Content: Courses, workshops, tutorials

Research & Innovation (10% of budget)

• Protocol Research: New consensus mechanisms, scaling
• Security Research: Audits, vulnerability research
• Economic Research: Tokenomics, mechanism design
• Academic Partnerships: University collaborations
• Thought Leadership: Whitepapers, presentations

Application Process

Micro-Grant Application (30 minutes)

1. Basic Information

   • Project name and description
   • Team member profiles
   • GitHub repository link

2. Project Details

   • Problem statement (100 words)
   • Solution overview (200 words)
   • Implementation plan (100 words)
   • Timeline (2 weeks)

3. Budget Justification

   • Cost breakdown
   • Resource requirements
   • Expected deliverables

Standard Grant Application (2-4 hours)

1. Executive Summary

   • Project vision and mission
   • Team qualifications
   • Success metrics

2. Technical Proposal

   • Architecture design
   • Implementation details
   • Technical risks
   • Security considerations

3. Ecosystem Impact

   • Target users
   • Adoption strategy
   • Network effects
   • Competitive analysis

4. Business Plan

   • Sustainability model
   • Revenue potential
   • Growth projections
   • Partnership strategy

5. Detailed Budget

   • Personnel costs
   • Infrastructure costs
   • Marketing expenses
   • Contingency planning

Strategic Grant Application (8+ hours)

All Standard Grant requirements plus:

• Financial projections (3 years)
• Legal structure documentation
• Advisory board information
• Detailed milestone definitions
• Risk mitigation strategies
• Exit strategy

Evaluation Criteria

Micro-Grant Evaluation (48-hour decision)

• Technical Feasibility (40%)

  • Clear implementation plan
  • Appropriate technology choices
  • Realistic timeline

• Ecosystem Value (35%)

  • Addresses real need
  • Potential user base
  • Community interest

• Team Capability (25%)

  • Relevant experience
  • Technical skills
  • Track record

Standard Grant Evaluation (2-week process)

• Ecosystem Impact (60%)

  • Network effects created
  • User adoption potential
  • Marketplace value
  • Strategic alignment

• Technical Excellence (40%)

  • Innovation level
  • Architecture quality
  • Security posture
  • Scalability design

Strategic Grant Evaluation (4-week process)

• Strategic Value (50%)

  • Long-term ecosystem impact
  • Market opportunity
  • Competitive advantage
  • Partnership potential

• Execution Capability (30%)

  • Team experience
  • Resource adequacy
  • Project management
  • Risk mitigation

• Financial Viability (20%)

  • Sustainability model
  • Revenue potential
  • Cost efficiency
  • Return on investment

Milestone Management

Standard Grant Milestones

• Milestone 1 (30%): Technical architecture complete
• Milestone 2 (30%): MVP functionality delivered
• Milestone 3 (40%): Production-ready with users

Strategic Grant Milestones

• Phase 1: Research and design (20%)
• Phase 2: Prototype development (20%)
• Phase 3: Beta testing (30%)
• Phase 4: Production launch (30%)

Milestone Review Process

1. Submission: Milestone report with evidence
2. Review: Technical and business evaluation
3. Decision: Approved/needs revision/rejected
4. Payment: Disbursement within 7 days

Retroactive Grants

Eligibility Criteria

• Project shipped > 3 months ago
• Active user base > 100 users
• Open source with permissive license
• Not previously funded by AITBC

Application Requirements

• Project metrics and analytics
• User testimonials
• Code quality assessment
• Community engagement data

Evaluation Factors

• User adoption rate
• Code quality
• Documentation completeness
• Community contributions
• Innovation level

Support Services

Technical Support

• Office Hours: Weekly 1-hour sessions
• Code Reviews: Monthly deep dives
• Architecture Guidance: On-demand consulting
• Security Audits: Discounted professional audits

Business Support

• Go-to-Market Strategy: Marketing guidance
• Partnership Introductions: Ecosystem connections
• Legal Support: Compliance guidance
• Financial Advisory: Sustainability planning

Community Support

• Promotion: Blog features, social media
• Showcases: Conference presentations
• Networking: Private Discord channel
• Alumni Program: Ongoing engagement

Compliance Requirements

Legal Requirements

• KYC/AML: Identity verification for $10k+
• Tax Forms: W-9/W-8BEN for US entities
• Reporting: Quarterly progress reports
• Audits: Right to audit financial records

Technical Requirements

• Open Source: MIT/Apache 2.0 license
• Documentation: Comprehensive user guides
• Testing: Minimum 80% test coverage
• Security: Security audit for $50k+

Community Requirements

• Communication: Regular updates
• Support: User support channels
• Contributions: Accept community PRs
• Recognition: AITBC branding

Funding Timeline

Micro-Grants

• Application: Anytime
• Review: 48 hours
• Decision: Immediate
• Payment: Within 7 days

Standard Grants

• Application: Quarterly deadlines (Mar 1, Jun 1, Sep 1, Dec 1)
• Review: 2 weeks
• Interview: Week 3
• Decision: Week 4
• Payment: Within 14 days

Strategic Grants

• Application: By invitation only
• Review: 4 weeks
• Due Diligence: Week 5
• Decision: Week 6
• Payment: Within 21 days

Success Metrics

Project Success Metrics

• Technical Delivery: On-time, on-budget completion
• User Adoption: Active users, transaction volume
• Ecosystem Impact: Network effects, integrations
• Sustainability: Ongoing maintenance, community

Program Success Metrics

• Application Quality: Improvement over time
• Success Rate: Projects achieving goals
• ROI: Ecosystem value per dollar
• Diversity: Geographic, demographic, technical

Risk Management

Common Risks

1. Project Failure

   • Mitigation: Milestone-based funding
   • Recovery: Partial repayment, IP rights

2. Scope Creep

   • Mitigation: Clear milestone definitions
   • Recovery: Scope adjustment, additional funding

3. Team Issues

   • Mitigation: Team vetting, backup plans
   • Recovery: Team replacement, project transfer

4. Market Changes

   • Mitigation: Regular market analysis
   • Recovery: Pivot support, strategy adjustment

Contingency Planning

• Reserve Fund: 20% of annual budget
• Emergency Grants: For critical ecosystem needs
• Project Rescue: For failing high-value projects
• Legal Support: For disputes and compliance

Governance

Grant Committee

• Composition: 5-7 members
  • 2 AITBC Foundation representatives
  • 2 technical experts
  • 2 community representatives
  • 1 independent advisor

Decision Process

• Micro-Grants: Committee chair approval
• Standard Grants: Majority vote
• Strategic Grants: Supermajority (75%)
• Conflicts: Recusal policy

Transparency

• Public Registry: All grants listed
• Progress Reports: Quarterly updates
• Financial Reports: Annual disclosure
• Decision Rationale: Published when appropriate

Application Templates

Micro-Grant Template

# Project Name
## Team
- Lead: [Name, GitHub, LinkedIn]
- Members: [List]

## Problem
[100 words describing the problem]

## Solution
[200 words describing your solution]

## Implementation
[100 words on how you'll build it]

## Timeline
- Week 1: [Tasks]
- Week 2: [Tasks]

## Budget
- Development: $X
- Infrastructure: $Y
- Total: $Z

Standard Grant Template

[Full template available in grants repository]

Contact Information

• Applications: grants@aitbc.io
• Questions: info@aitbc.io
• Technical Support: support@aitbc.io
• Media: media@aitbc.io

FAQ

Q: Can I apply for multiple grants?

A: Yes, but only one active grant per team at a time.

Q: Do I need to be a US entity?

A: No, we fund globally. KYC required for $10k+.

Q: Can grants be renewed?

A: Yes, based on milestone completion and impact.

Q: What happens to IP?

A: Grantee retains IP, AITBC gets usage rights.

Q: How is success measured?

A: Through milestone completion and ecosystem metrics.

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Last updated: 2024-01-15