Latest changes in the Milestone Module

On this page are described all changes to the Milestone Module

Community feedback plays a critical role in the Project Catalyst roadmap.

In this November 2025 release, key insights from the community and ecosystem partners were integrated to deliver targeted enhancements across core functionality and governance processes.

Specifically, this update introduces improvements to the Milestone Module for both Reviewers and Funded Projects, reflecting priorities identified through open discussions and continuous feedback. These enhancements reinforce our commitment to transparency, accountability, and iterative development within a decentralized ecosystem.

General

1. Milestone Module Homepage

The Milestone Module homepage has been updated with refreshed content and an improved footer featuring up-to-date sources of information. These enhancements make it easier for users to:

• Access the latest guidance, documentation, and resources

• Quickly locate the materials they need to complete milestone-related activities

Note: Catalyst Team sign off has been changed to Admin team sign off across all Milestone module platform.

2. Project Status

A Project Status feature was introduced in the project dashboard to help users quickly understand the current state of a project. The status indicates which of the following categories the project falls into:

• Active

• Paused

• Did not finish

• Completed

• Onboarding

Description of each status can be found here

3. Search/Filter/Sort Feature

Navigation within the Projects tab has been improved with the addition of Search, Filter, and Sort functionalities. This will allow Reviewers, Proposers, and non-logged-in users to efficiently locate the information they need.

Users can now:

• Search by Project ID and title

• Filter by Fund and by statuses relevant to their role

• Sort by Project ID, alphabetically, or by latest submission

4. Message notifications

When a Reviewer, Proposer, or Admin adds a comment in the Discussion panel, a visual notification will appear to indicate a new incoming message. Once the message has been viewed, the “New incoming message” label will automatically disappear.

Loom video - here

5. Milestone and Proof of Achievement (PoA) Template

A standardized template has been introduced for both Milestone and Proof of Achievement (PoA) submission.

Submission forms In the Milestone submission form, Funded Proposer (FP) should provide a list of outputs in ABC formats and list corresponding Acceptance criteria in A1, B1, C1 and evidence in A2. B2, C2 format.

PoA form is structured in the same way to easily track the progress.

This update ensures that all Funded Proposers submit milestones in a consistent, unified format, with PoA submissions directly linked to their corresponding milestone and allow Reviewers to easily perform reviews. Milestone template

PoA template

6. Milestone module: Title, Pagination & Dates and times

Milestone Title Limitation Milestone titles now have a maximum length of 80 characters. This encourages Funded Proposers to create concise, clear, and topic-specific titles for each milestone

Pagination in URLs Pagination for lists, such as projects or users, is now reflected in the Milestone Module URL. As a result, when users navigate back or refresh the page, they remain on the same page rather than being redirected to the first page.

UTC Timestamps Dates and times displayed in the Milestone Module now include the UTC time zone. This ensures clarity and consistency across regions, making it easier to track deadlines and review activities.

7. Milestone Reviewer: Archive Review

The Admin Team can now archive reviews submitted by Milestone Reviewers that are assessed as low quality. When a review is archived, it will be moved to the archived section along with the reason for that. It will be publicly visible to ensure transparency. Reviewers whose review was archived, will be required to resubmit their review for the project.

8. Placeholder for Milestones in Project Dashboard

The Project Dashboard now displays placeholders for all required milestones. This gives Funded Proposers and Milestone Reviewers immediate visibility into the total number of milestones that must be submitted during the onboarding period.

This enhancement increases transparency and ensures that milestone expectations are clearly understood from the outset.

Milestone Reviewers: Updates

1. Mantaining Reviewer Independence

To ensure independent and unbiased reviews, feedback from Reviewers assigned to the same project will remain hidden from one another until all reviews are completed.

Once a Reviewer submits their review, a notification will appear for the Proposer and other assigned Reviewer(s) indicating that a review has been submitted, without showing its content.

This feature helps maintain objectivity by preventing one Reviewer’s feedback from influencing another’s.

Loom video - here

2. Review Form update

The Milestone and Proof of Achievement (PoA) review forms now include two mandatory checkboxes: Approved and Not Approved. Reviewers must select one of these options and provide written rationale in every review.

• If Approved

  • For Milestone: explain how each part of the milestone fits within the project.

  • For PoA: explain how the submitted evidence demonstrates that deliverables have been achieved

• If Not Approved

  • Identify gaps, missing deliverables, or reasons why the milestone/PoA does not meet expectations.

Milestone review template

PoA review template

3. Unified Formatting Capabilities

The Milestone and Proof of Achievement (PoA) review forms now use a unified formatting standard.

This ensures all reviews are presented in a consistent and professional structure, improving readability and delivering a more cohesive user experience across the platform.

4. Tracking Changes in Resubmissions

Reviewers can now easily track updates in Milestone and Proof of Achievement (PoA) resubmissions. By clicking the “View changes” button, Reviewers can see a clear comparison highlighting exactly what has been modified since the previous submission.

This improvement enhances review efficiency and ensures greater transparency throughout the resubmission process.

Loom video - here

5. Timeline for Milestone Reviewers

Reviewers can now easily see when each milestone was submitted by a Funded Proposer and how long it has been awaiting review. If a milestone is reassigned, the waiting time for the newly assigned Reviewer is recalculated from the reassignment date.

This helps Reviewers manage their workload more efficiently by prioritizing milestones that have been waiting the longest.

The list is visible in To-do list/updates tab.

Changes for Funded Proposers

1. Confirmation of Addressed Reviewer Feedback

When re-submitting a Milestone or Proof of Achievement (PoA), Funded Proposers must now tick a confirmation checkbox to acknowledge that they have addressed the Reviewer’s feedback. This acknowledgment is required before the resubmission can be completed. Once the Proposer presses the Resubmit Milestone/Proof of Achievement button, a notification confirms that the acknowledgment has been recorded.

This update ensures all resubmissions explicitly consider Reviewer feedback, enhancing transparency and accountability throughout the review process.

Milestone resubmission confirmation

Proof of Achievement resubmission confirmation

2. Proof of Achievement (PoA) Submission Checklist

A new checklist has been added to the Proof of Achievement (PoA) submission form for Funded Proposers.

A new checklist has been added to the Proof of Achievement (PoA) submission form for Funded Proposers. Before submitting milestone evidence, Proposers must complete the checklist, marking each requirement as addressed.

This feature guides Proposers through all milestone criteria, ensuring nothing is missed and enabling confident, complete submissions.