All applications submitted to the Interchain Foundation Funding Program undergo a multi-stakeholder evaluation process to ensure ICF support aligns with its mission. This document summarizes the sequence in which proposals are processed. Review may be discontinued or Applicants asked to revise their proposal at any point until a contract has been finalized.
Upon submission, the Granting Entities, Interchain GmbH and Informal, will assess whether the application is complete and meets the criteria for eligibility.
Granting Entities will then perform an initial review considering the following evaluation criteria, soliciting additional peer review where appropriate: alignment with the ICF's mission, team, user & ecosystem impact, prior efforts, budget, financial need, sustainability, legal eligibility, conflict of interest.
Granting Entities may then choose to sponsor applications for further consideration, matching them with a Steward who will serve as the Applicant's primary point of contact.
Once assigned, Stewards will setup an initial call with the Applicant to clarify outstanding questions about their submission and revise the proposed scope, timeline, and budget as needed. Together they will draft a prospective Financing Agreement, which will used as the basis for subsequent evaluation.
The draft Financing Agreement, together with Granting Entity reviews and the original application, are delivered to the Board of Management, a supervisory body employed by the Interchain Foundation.
The Board of Management will administer the assembly of a Technical Advisory Board, composed of domain experts with a proven record of community contribution. This committee will provide feedback on each proposal's technical soundness and benefit to the wider ecosystem.
The Board of Management will then incorporate feedback from the Technical Advisory Board with all previous materials to create a final package which will be unanimously endorsed by the Board of Managment or otherwise returned to Stewards with revising comments.
Endorsed application packages are then sent to the Foundation Council, who will either give final approval or exercise their veto. Given the extent of prior due diligence, the Foundation Council should provide a strong justification to deny final approval.
- Incomplete Scope, Budget, or Timeline
- Asking amount is too high
- Timing (too early for Interchain Foundation consideration)
- Previously supported redundant efforts
- Not relevant to Interchain Foundation mandate