Additional Guidance

This page provides additional guidance for proposers in submitting their proposals

Is your project considering open source licensing? Here's how to go about it:

If you declare that the project will be open-source in the application form, it must remain open-source throughout the entire lifecycle of the project, with a publicly accessible repository.

Open-source software is software whose source code is publicly accessible and licensed in a way that allows anyone to use, modify, and share it freely, typically under licenses approved by the Open Source Initiative.

Proprietary software source code is not publicly available and the rights to use, modify, or redistribute proprietary software are restricted and typically reserved by the software's owner.

https://opensource.org/licenses

Cardano Open: Developers is the most relevant track in Fund14 to open source solutions.

Areas of interest:

• Standardizing, developing, or supporting full-stack solutions and integrated development environments e.g. new language and code extension support for Plutus debugging.

• Creating libraries, SDKs, APIs, toolchains, or frameworks e.g., new SDKs for Cardano privacy preserving smart contracts.

• Developing governance and blockchain interoperability tooling e.g. a CLI tool for cross-chain transaction validation

What we do not fund:

The following are examples of proposals that will not be funded in the Cardano Open: Developers (technical) category:

• Proposals not primarily developing new technology or contributing to existing open source technology e.g. learning guides for Plutus or Aiken, these would belong in the Cardano Open: Ecosystem category.

• Proposals producing proprietary software/hardware or open sourcing only a portion of the codebase.

• Proposals lacking an OSI-approved open source license, public repository, or high-quality documentation from day one.

• Proposals not directly enhancing the Cardano developer experience e.g. general blockchain tools without Cardano-specific integration.

Submitting Milestones for your F14 proposal

What is a Milestone?

A milestone is a specific point in a project’s timeline used to measure progress toward finishing the project successfully. It acts like a signpost marking major deliverables and important events or decision points within the project.

Why are milestones important?

• They show the big steps you need to complete your project.

• They provide clear, measurable points to prove your progress.

• They help Reviewers understand that you know how to manage your project effectively.

What you need to do:

• List your key milestones - Identify the main steps or events that you need to complete to finish your project. At this stage, just provide a list of these milestones.

• Show how you will prove completion - Think about how you will demonstrate that each milestone is done. This could be through reports, deliverables, tests, or other evidence.

How this helps your proposal:

Including clear milestones in your proposal shows Milestone Reviewers that you understand your project’s important phases and can track your progress clearly.

What happens after funding approval?

If your proposal gets funded, you will need to provide a detailed Statement of Milestones during onboarding. This will include:

• Specific acceptance criteria for each milestone (what counts as “done”)

• Expected delivery dates

• Costs associated with each milestone

• Evidence you will submit to prove completion

Tips for defining milestones:

• Treat milestones as a simple project delivery plan.

• Remember, milestones are flexible and can be refined later during onboarding if your proposal is approved.

By clearly identifying your milestones now, you set a strong foundation for managing and successfully completing your project!