Grant Program

OAX Foundation was created with the belief that decentralization holds the key to the future of the digital asset world. Nothing has pleased us more than to see the strong drive towards DeFi over the last two years, and the progress that so many teams have made within this space. Advancements large and small make a difference in developing this space and in the true nature of decentralization we believe that we must make progress as a collective group.

Areas of
Evaluation Grant FAQ

Welcome to the OAX Foundation

Grant Program!

The OAX Foundation Grant is one of the many ways we want to give back to this community, by supporting and developing teams large and small. Whether it’s through research, DApps, platforms and portals or more, we look forward to hearing your ideas.

While the grant is provided only upon the sole discretion of OAX Foundation, there are certain parameters that the team focuses on generally when evaluating proposals.

The team is looking for well-thought out projects that demonstrate research, insight to the industry and the potential of being the first step to a bigger picture. We go into a bit more detail about some of the considerations for each of the categories below as well as frequently asked questions and the proposal form below.

Areas of Evaluation

1. Track Record

2. Project Details:
DeFi Focus

3. Terms of Funding

4. Open Source

5. Strengthens OAX Community

6. Execution Proposal

Grant Recipients

Learn more about some of our past grantees and the work they’ve done in supporting the various areas of the digital asset ecosystem.

Community-driven open source DeFi swap platform

Professor Syren Johnstone,

University of Hong Kong

Three-part Research Paper focused on Crypto Regulation

Application Process

The official application is a written English proposal submission, however, if the applicant would like to supplement with a video to support their application we’ll take the additional material into consideration.

1.  Track Record

Does the applicant have any history in the crypto / digital asset / blockchain space? Depending on the proposal, we’ll be looking for a demonstration of relevant experience and technical expertise.

I.e. if requesting a research grant, what previous research projects have been done, what were the deliverables and outcomes, the reach or influence? If requesting an application grant, does the applicant have prior experience in this space? Coding examples or links to GitHub will help to support the application.

This is our getting to know you portion– show us how you or your team will be able to complete this job! Show us how your expertise makes you the best candidate for the job.

Please include contact information, bios, and relevant github/twitter/linkedin profiles that are relevant to the team and proposal.

2.  Project Details: DeFi Focus

Are you considering the implications of DeFi from an academic perspective and exploring how it can affect the larger digital asset environment? Does your project focus on the security concerns of DeFi development? Explain how your project will help to move the needle and strengthen the decentralized finance space. What do you envision your project accomplishing and how will that make a difference?

Describe the problem you see, your hypothesis, how your project will address the issues, the current status of your project, the roadmap, and how you plan to leverage your resources. Identify challenges that you see and how you plan to address these areas.

You should be able to identify your project within one of the categories below:

A. Academic Study and Growth
B. Security
C. Infrastructure
D. Usability
E. DevEx
F. If others, please explain.

3.  Terms of Funding

Financial considerations for the grant request should be provided. What is the total amount, and/or how will the payment be distributed? For larger grant requests, the team will likely use staggered distribution of funds tagged to key milestones and deliverables.

While the OAX Foundation Grant primarily focuses on monetary grant support, the Foundation will work with the individuals/companies that are recipients of the grant to monitor the progress. On an informal basis, we will do our best to provide support and connect recipients to industry resources as and when necessary.

4.  Open Source

This is a non-negotiable for the team. The idea of open sourcing code has long been a cornerstone to OAX Foundation’s beliefs and focus.

5.  Strengthens OAX Community

While the grant is our way to support the larger industry, the grant and the opportunities would not be possible without the support of our own OAX Community. We hope that the projects we support can help to give back to our community in a little way, from participation in a conversation, to integration and/or utility of our resources.

We leave it to the applicants to consider how this may be done in a way that doesn’t compromise the integrity of their project and/or will support their project in a beneficial way.

6.  Execution Proposal

A detailed plan and execution roadmap outlining methodology and key milestones.

The more information that you and/or your team can provide, the easier it will be for the team to give the proposal due consideration.

OAX Foundation Grant FAQ:

• What are the stages of the grant process?
  Stage 1: Submission of Grant Proposal
  
  Stage 2: Review Process
  Proposals of interest to OAX Foundation will get follow up interview(s), where the team will be asked for clarifications and/or finetuning of deliverables etc. There is no set timeframe for the review stage, however, prompt and responsive communications will ensure a speedier process.
  
  Stage 3: Confirmation and Approval Process
  Once successful applicants receive a grant offer from OAX Foundation, the team/company will undergo an onboarding stage which will require KYC/AML checks. Applicants must successfully complete the Onboarding stage before agreements are signed for the Grant.
• What is the maximum grant amount that I can receive from OAX Foundation?
  The scope and complexity of the project will be deciding factors to the amount of funding your project can potentially receive.
• What happens if I need to change the grant after submission?
  Any amendments to the submission will require full evaluation from the OAX team. If changes are made after the grant has been awarded, and fundamental changes to the project direction is required, the Foundation reserves the right to work with the project team and reevaluate the payment terms.
• Can individuals apply?
  Yes individuals can apply. The Foundation evaluates the project based on project potential and the ability to execute the project.
• How long is the project delivery?
  Project delivery and timeline depends on each project and the roadmap set by the applicants. The Foundation does ask for progress updates to ensure deadlines are being met for successful applications.
  
  Details of key milestones, demo checks and official review status will be discussed and signed off by both parties during the Onboarding Stage.
• How are the projects funded?
  Terms of project funding depend on each individual project and their respective requirements. The Foundation reserves the right to work with successful applicants to finetune their details of the agreement.
  
  The preferred method of payment will be through smart contracts.
• How are IP issues addressed?
  OAX Foundation does not seek to own any of the intellectual property created by successful applicants, however, successful projects must be developed and licensed on an open source basis.