Welcome to the Zcash Grants Hub! The programs listed are all administered by the Zcash Foundation. Through this portal, you can connect with the following programs: 

• Zcash Community Grants (active, apply below)
• Zcash Community Grants RFP Program + RFP Idea Submission Form/Bounty (active, apply below)
• Zcash Foundation Minor Grants Program (inactive, 2nd Round Closed)

Overview: Zcash Community Grants Program

• Zcash Community Grants exists to fund projects that advance the usability, security, privacy, and adoption of Zcash, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency.
• Zcash Community Grants was created by community members of the Zcash cryptocurrency in ZIP 1014, working within the Zcash governance process. Zcash Community Grants is a technology advisory board that constitutes a committee of the Zcash Foundation.
• Funding for Zcash Community Grants comes from a slice of the Zcash protocol Dev Fund as put forth by ZIP 1014, which allocates a portion of the block subsidy of each block.

Zcash Community Grant Proposals

• To view all submitted Zcash Community Grants proposals March 2022 to present, click here. 
• To view completed and in progress grants submitted prior to March 2022 on the old grants platform, click here. (external link)
• If you have an idea for a major grant that you’re not sure is within the scope of ZCG funding, please email a summary proposal to grants@zfnd.org.  A summary proposal will allow the committee to assess whether your project is aligned with ZCG’s interests before you take the time to submit a formal application with a full grant proposal.  A summary proposal should not exceed 500 words, and should include a short description of the project, technical approach/methodology, estimated time required for development, and amount of funding requested. Please allow two weeks for a response.
• Please direct any questions to grants@zfnd.org. Thank you!

Zcash Community Grants RFP Program

A Request For Proposal (RFP) is an outline from the ZCG of a specific project that has already been identified as beneficial for the Zcash community, but for which no one has yet submitted an approved grant. RFPs act as suggestions for project proposals we would like to see and would be inclined to accept, subject to evaluation of the methodology, timeline, team, and budget.

The process for RFP submissions and fulfillment works as described in this community update:

1. Community member has an idea and fills out the RFP Idea Submission Form
2. If ZCG is interested in funding the idea, ZCG works with community member to draft and publish an RFP around the idea.
3. A developer submits a proposal in response to the RFP.
4. ZCG accepts the proposal for the RFP.
5. Community member receives the bounty reward of $500 (in ZEC).

ZCG is now collecting RFP responses for the following projects: 

• Zcash Ecosystem Security Lead (added 9/28/2023)
• Unified Address Support and Implementation by Exchanges (added 2/22/2023)

Contact grants@zfnd.org with proposals to fulfill existing RFPs or questions regarding RFP submissions. 

ZCG is also collecting Ideas for RFPs that we might wish to publish. 

• If you have an idea for a project that you do not wish to work on yourself, but would like to see the community prioritize, please submit an idea through this form.
• Through RFP idea submissions, members of the Zcash community can help shape the future development of Zcash and contribute to the ongoing growth and success of the community. The Zcash Community Grants committee (ZCG), with support from the Zcash Foundation (ZF), will collect and evaluate these inputs, solicit additional context from the submitter, obtain community comment if necessary, and solicit for RFP submissions if the idea is of funding interest to the current grant committee.
• The purpose of this RFP Idea Form is to allow community members to submit RFP ideas and thereby identify gaps in available development tooling, resources, or documentation that create roadblocks or limitations for building on top of Zcash. This form is intended to inform the grant committee (ZCG) of development needs of the community. The goal is to gather proposals that can be prioritized and developed into RFPs for projects that will help to improve the overall development and usability of Zcash.

Bounty Reward for RFP Idea submissions

• $500 USD in ZEC will be awarded to the idea originator upon ZCG acceptance of an RFP proposal for the idea (this means ZCG has accepted a proposal for the RFP that’s been generated, and someone is now building it).
• The purpose of RFP bounties is to reward community members for their time documenting the challenges that need to be overcome in a format that enables us to find solutions and provides added incentive if their idea is actually built.

*There is no deadline for RFP Idea submissions; ZCG will review submissions on an ongoing basis.

Is my submission a Grant Proposal, and idea for a Grant Proposal, an RFP Submission, or an RFP Idea?