# Funding Basics
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[Category Brief](/open-funding/funding-basics/category-brief)
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[Integration Guides](/open-funding/funding-basics/integration-guides)
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[Technology Readiness Levels](/open-funding/funding-basics/technology-readiness-levels)
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[Proof of Adoption & Standard](/open-funding/funding-basics/proof-of-adoption-and-standard)
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[Fund Rules](/open-funding/funding-basics/fund-rules)
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[Pre-Submission Checklist](/open-funding/funding-basics/pre-submission-checklist)
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# Category Brief
### Overview
Catalyst Pilot pays teams in ADA for real, verified usage on Cardano. Grants run from **50,000 to 200,000 ADA**, paid **40% to build** your integration, up to **40% on the adoption it earns**, and **20% for holding that usage** afterwards. Top performers also share a **separate bonus pool**. Adoption is measured in real network fees from real users, not self-reported metrics, so the money follows genuine usage, not vanity numbers.
It is a fast, focused round with one job: get a new Cardano integration live on mainnet and earning real fees. The grant is an enabler to kickstart that, not to cover end-to-end costs. Marketing-only proposals cannot be funded, the first milestone is a working integration, but marketing matters enormously afterwards, because it drives the usage that earns the adoption payment.
Teams that show real mainnet adoption are well positioned for what comes next, including potential support from the Cardano Foundation's [Venture Hub](https://cardanofoundation.org/venture-hub) and other specialised tracks in the wider ecosystem such as the [Draper Dragon](https://www.draperdragon.com/)-managed [Orion Fund](https://orion.draperdragon.com/) and associated instruments (e.g. [Cometa Labs](https://www.cometalabs.com/), [Draper U](https://draperuniversity.com/)).
***
### Who can apply
This pilot is for **teams with a mature product** who want to add a Cardano area of interest to it.
* **You have a real, working product**, validated on a public testnet or already live, on Cardano or another chain (roughly **TRL 5 or above**; [the TRL Guide](/open-funding/funding-basics/technology-readiness-levels) explains the concept of Technology Readiness Levels).
* **The integration is new work**. The grant funds you to build it, from the ground up to mainnet, and drive real usage. It must be live with real transactions by pilot end.
* It must be **genuine, incremental development**, not retroactive funding or research alone. Open source is preferred, not required.
**Submission limits**. One proposal per applicant, whether an individual, organisation, or consortium, and you cannot split into multiple entities to get around it. No individual may be named on more than one proposal in any delivery role, so a shared contributor cannot be spread across teams. This counts your project team, not the providers you integrate: many teams can build on the same oracle or stablecoin. Submit more than one and only the first counts; every participant's role must be disclosed. Read [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/fund-rules) to learn more.
**Good standing**. Newcomers from other ecosystems are unaffected by this. But if you already deliver Catalyst-funded work, you cannot apply if any active project is more than 90 days behind, or over 12 months old and still incomplete (unless the Fund Operator has accepted a valid reason), or if you run more than three active Catalyst projects. Applicants must be 18 or over and complete identity verification (KYC/KYB). Read [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/fund-rules) to learn more.
***
### Areas of Interest
Your proposal must leverage **at least one**:
* **Oracles**: real-time price feeds (for example, Pyth).
* **Stablecoins**: building with or accepting verified stablecoin policies (for example, USDM, USDCx), especially paths that move stablecoins from centralised exchanges onto Cardano.
* **Programmable tokens (CIP-0113)**: tokens with embedded logic, for example real-world-asset tokenisation with compliance rules.
* **On-chain identity (CIP-0170)**: wallet and stake-key-based identity.
[The Integration Guides](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/integration-guides) cover each one, with docs and starting points. Every project must clear its category's **program floor**, a minimum level of counted network fees; floors and target guidance are in [the Proof of Adoption & Standard](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/proof-of-adoption-and-standard).
**Dune Analytics** is a mandatory tracking add-on, not an integration in itself: every funded project tags its transactions with a standardised label, so its activity feeds a central "Catalyst Impact" dashboard and the [public leaderboard](https://cardano.org/apps/leaderboard/).
***
### Funding and milestones
Your grant (50,000 to 200,000 ADA) is paid in three parts, and top performers earn a bonus on top:
| Part | Share | Paid when |
| -------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| Build | 40% | At onboarding |
| Adoption | up to 40% | After your measurement window, on the usage you earned |
| Kicker | 20% | About two months later, if your usage holds |
| Bonus | up to 50% of your grant | Top adoption performers only, from a separate pool |
* **Total pool: 2,500,000 ADA**, 2,000,000 in base grants, a 400,000 bonus pool for top performers, and 100,000 for ecosystem-supporting activities (separate from the bonus).
* **Cohort: about 10 to 15 teams, subject to proposal quality**.
* Your requested amount sets your **adoption floor** and your **external-wallet minimum**, both shown to you when you declare your target.
The three steps:
1. **Onboarding (KYC/KYB)** unlocks the 40% build payment. Complete it, with an approved Statement of Milestones, within **two weeks** of award, or the grant may be withdrawn, so come ready to move.
2. **Milestone 1, technical delivery (within 3 months)**. Your integration is live on Cardano mainnet, proven by a real on-chain transaction. No payment attaches; this is your Demo Day, where you lock your adoption target and declare what counts ([Standard §4](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/pages/X5jb8zrivKjmdlbCethM#id-4.-the-milestone-1-checkpoint)). Mainnet by this point is required whatever readiness you started from.
3. **Milestone 2, adoption.** Your measurement period runs from Milestone 1 to the program's end at **month 4**, the same for everyone, so delivering early gives you a longer window against the same target. Reach your target and the full 40% adoption payment pays; land between the floor and your target and it pays proportionally; finish below the floor and it doesn't pay. The full mechanics, floors, pace, and timing, are in the Standard ([§7](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/pages/X5jb8zrivKjmdlbCethM#id-7.-the-rhythm), [§8](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/pages/X5jb8zrivKjmdlbCethM#id-8.-the-adoption-payment), [§10](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/pages/X5jb8zrivKjmdlbCethM#id-10.-the-kicker)).
***
### What your proposal must include
1. **Product and problem:** what you're building and why it matters.
2. **Market and business case:** the landscape, and why now.
3. **Team and traction:** why you're positioned to deliver, with verifiable profiles and roles.
4. **Build plan:** a concrete route to Milestone 1 within three months.
5. **Integration selection:** which area(s), and how you'll use them.
6. **Fee target and usage model:** your self-declared target per area (above the floor, final at submission), your expected transaction count, and where the usage comes from, named channels, existing users, and partner commitments, with rough volumes.
7. **Pace awareness:** that you understand usage has to hold a steady rhythm through the window ([Standard §7](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/pages/X5jb8zrivKjmdlbCethM#id-7.-the-rhythm)), and your plan for the first two weeks after going live.
8. **Recommended:** a three-minute pitch video.
***
### How proposals are selected
Every proposal passes an eligibility check during curation, then a scoring pass on two fronts: a **technical review** (is the integration sound and buildable to mainnet?) and a **business review** (is there real demand, a credible route to users, and usage that lasts?). Funding decisions are made by a **decision panel** of institutional and community members, whose assessments are merged into a single outcome; the top-ranked eligible proposals that fit the budget and cohort are then selected. Targets are scored both ways: too timid loses points, and too aggressive without evidence loses points too. The funding pool is a ceiling, not a quota: if too few proposals meet the bar, the program funds fewer teams than the target cohort and may reallocate the remainder to future rounds. Applying does not guarantee funding. Learn more about [Curation](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/curation) and [Decision](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/decision) stages.
***
### Playing it straight
This pilot pays for authentic utility, not vanity metrics. **The golden rule: if a simple script across a handful of your own wallets could reproduce your volume, it doesn't count.** Anyone can confidentially flag suspected misconduct; unproven flags are never published, and confirmed reports earn a reward. A confirmed case removes the activity and recalculates payments; a confirmed case of paying for or faking transactions forfeits every unpaid amount, with consequences that attach to the named individuals. Full detail is in [the Proof of Adoption & Standard](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/proof-of-adoption-and-standard).
***
### Anything else?
Your proposal, progress reports, and proofs of achievement are published publicly. Before applying, read the [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/fund-rules) and [Terms and Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/fine-print/terms-and-conditions), which govern funding, payment, and termination and prevail in any conflict. For this round, the payment and milestone structure set out in this Brief and the [Proof of Adoption & Standard](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/proof-of-adoption-and-standard) is what applies.
Go deeper:
* [Integration Guides](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/integration-guides): what to build in each area, with docs and the [TRL guide](/open-funding/funding-basics/technology-readiness-levels).
* [Proof of Adoption & Standard](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/proof-of-adoption-and-standard): the floors, targets, and every counting rule.
* [Pre-Submission Checklist](/open-funding/funding-basics/pre-submission-checklist): run it before you submit.
\
\
# Integration Guides
### How to use these guides
The Category Brief lists Areas of Interest. Your proposal must leverage **at least one of them**. Each guide below gives you enough context to decide which fits your product, plus the first-hand resources to start building today: docs, repos, sandbox access, support channels. Examples of what you could build are just that - something to inspire you; but lists are non-exhaustive and the program looks forward to your innovative approaches beyond the examples listed.
1. [Oracles: real-time data feeds](/open-funding/funding-basics/integration-guides/oracles-real-time-data-feeds)
2. [Stablecoins: building with verified stablecoin asset policies](/open-funding/funding-basics/integration-guides/stablecoins-building-with-verified-stablecoin-asset-policies)
3. [Programmable tokens (CIP-0113)](/open-funding/funding-basics/integration-guides/programmable-tokens-cip-0113)
4. [On-chain identity (CIP-0170)](/open-funding/funding-basics/integration-guides/on-chain-identity-cip-0170)
5. [Analytics: Dune and Cardano leaderboard](/open-funding/funding-basics/integration-guides/analytics-dune-and-cardano-leaderboard)
One rule to keep in mind while you read, because it shapes architecture: your fee target is measured in Cardano network fees paid by wallets that are not yours. Fees from your own declared wallets never count (Standard §5.2), and fees your team sponsors on users' behalf don't count either (Standard §12.3). Design flows where your users, not your operations, generate the transactions.
Three things to know before you write your target down. It must sit above your category's published floor. It is scored both ways at selection: a timid target loses points, and an aggressive target without strong evidence loses points too. And it is final at submission, published next to what you actually deliver, permanently; how well you call your own shot becomes part of your public track record and carries into future rounds (Standard §3, §13.5).
Notes throughout the documentation referring to “Standard §XY” are distinct parts of the [Proof of Adoption & Standard](/open-funding/funding-basics/proof-of-adoption-and-standard) guidelines.
# Oracles: real-time data feeds
#### What it is
Oracles bring real-world data, prices above all, onto the chain. If your product needs to know what an asset is worth right now, for lending, trading, synthetic assets, or liquidations, an oracle is the data layer that tells it. Any verified oracle integration qualifies if your case holds up.
#### What you could build
* A lending protocol using live price feeds for collateral valuation and liquidation triggers
* Synthetic assets tracking real-world prices; prediction markets integrations
* An integration with DEX or trading product with accurate, manipulation-resistant pricing
* Bringing real-world events on chain like weather in certain areas or events
* Combining oracles with identity verification to enable smart contract validation
#### What the pilot expects
Leveraging an oracle means mainnet transactions where your contract actually **consumes your declared feed**. Only fees paid by wallets other than your own count toward your target (Standard §5.2), so your users, not your team, must be the ones transacting. Floors and target guidance for the Oracles category are in the Transaction Integrity Standard (§3.1, §3.3). Whichever provider you choose, name the feed and its on-chain consumption pattern in your proposal.
#### Get building
* [Oracles on Cardano; developers.cardano.org](https://developers.cardano.org/docs/build/integrate/oracles/overview/)
* **Pyth Pro** (in production on Cardano since May 2026): [Cardano developer portal reference](https://developers.cardano.org/docs/developers/curriculum/dapps/oracles/pyth/) · [Cardano x Pyth integration guide](https://docs.pyth.network/price-feeds/pro/integrate-as-consumer/cardano) ·[ Pyth GitHub ](https://github.com/pyth-network/pyth-crosschain/tree/main/lazer/contracts/cardano)· [Free Pyth Pro API keys for Cardano developers](https://intersectmbo.org/news/pyth-pro-on-cardano-subscription-offer)
#### Readiness & constraints
Pyth runs in production on Cardano. The integration pattern: subscribe to the Pyth Pro websocket, include the signed price update in your transaction via a zero-withdrawal from the Pyth withdraw script. For any other oracle provider, readiness varies and the diligence is yours: verify current feed coverage and the on-chain consumption pattern against your use case before you commit your build plan.
# Stablecoins: building with verified stablecoin asset policies
#### What it is
Building with or accepting existing verified stablecoins on Cardano. USDCx and USDM are the obvious examples, but the list is **illustrative, not exhaustive**: you can work with other verified stablecoin integrations if your case holds up. Of particular interest: integrations that make it easy to **withdraw stablecoins from centralized exchanges onto Cardano**. This area is about building with existing stablecoins; launching your own stablecoin is not part of this pilot.
#### What you could build
* EUTXO-optimized liquidity routing for stablecoin swaps and payments
* Multi-fiat or MiCA-compliant payment infrastructure
* Programmable real-world-asset (RWA) products settled in stablecoins
* Cross-chain interoperability and bridges, especially CEX-to-Cardano withdrawal paths
#### What the pilot expects
Leveraging stablecoins means your product moves or accepts a verified stablecoin asset policy on mainnet. Fees count only when someone other than your team pays them (Standard §5.2). Floors and target guidance for this category are in the Transaction Integrity Standard (§3.1, §3.3).
One heads-up for CEX-withdrawal products: your users' wallets will often be freshly funded from exchange hot wallets, which superficially resembles the common-funding-source pattern the integrity checks watch for (Standard §6, §11.3). That is expected and fine. Document your architecture with the program early, so your usage reads as what it is.
#### Get building
* [Stablecoins on Cardano; cardano.org](https://cardano.org/stablecoins/)
* [USDM home page](https://moneta.global/) ·[ USDM (Moneta) official policy-ID page](https://moneta.global/policy-id/) ·[ USDM on Cardanoscan](https://cardanoscan.io/token/c48cbb3d5e57ed56e276bc45f99ab39abe94e6cd7ac39fb402da47ad0014df105553444d)
* [USDCx announcement](https://www.circle.com/blog/usdcx-on-cardano-now-available-via-circle-xreserve) ·[ xReserve documentation](https://developers.circle.com/xreserve)
#### Readiness & constraints
The verified stablecoins listed on cardano.org are active on mainnet today, and USDCx is currently the largest by market cap. This is the most build-ready Area of Interest. Integration effort varies by issuer.
# Programmable tokens (CIP-0113)
#### What it is
CIP-0113 is a token standard with embedded logic: tokens that carry rules which can change after issuance. Think RWA tokenization with compliance logic (whitelist and blacklist rules an issuer can update), sanctions screening, or regulatory reporting built into the token itself. The design has two layers: a core standard (custody model, on-chain registry, global validation coordinator, issuance) plus pluggable "substandards" for token-specific rules.
#### What you could build
* Compliant RWA or tokenized-securities products with updatable transfer rules
* Sanctions-screened transfer rails for regulated markets
* Regulated stablecoin logic on top of a programmable-token base
#### What the pilot expects
Leveraging CIP-0113 means real compliance-governed token actions on mainnet: mints, transfers, and rule updates under your declared policy. Actions initiated from your own declared wallets never count (Standard §5.2), so design flows where third parties, not the issuer alone, generate the activity. Floors and target guidance for this category are in the Transaction Integrity Standard (§3.1, §3.3).
#### Get building
* [Programmable tokens; developers.cardano.org](https://developers.cardano.org/docs/developers/curriculum/native-tokens/programmable-tokens/#why-it-matters)
* [CIP-0113 spec (CIPs PR #444)](https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/pull/444)
* [cardano-foundation/cip113-programmable-tokens](https://github.com/cardano-foundation/cip113-programmable-tokens): reference on-chain validators (Aiken) with docs:[ introduction](https://github.com/cardano-foundation/cip113-programmable-tokens/blob/main/documentation/01-INTRODUCTION.md) ·[ developing substandards](https://github.com/cardano-foundation/cip113-programmable-tokens/blob/main/documentation/09-DEVELOPING-SUBSTANDARDS.md)
* [cip113-programmable-tokens-platform](https://github.com/cardano-foundation/cip113-programmable-tokens-platform): end-to-end testnet environment
* Community implementation:[ FluidTokens ft-cip-113](https://github.com/FluidTokens/ft-cip-113)
* Background:[ CF blog explainer](https://cardanofoundation.org/blog/programmable-tokens-cardano)
* [On-Chain Compliance: CIP-0113 KYC Standard & Implementation with Thomas Kammerlocher](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVkPj7CSqzc)
#### Readiness & constraints
**You'd be building on a moving standard, so go in with open eyes**. The spec is still an open pull request (close to merge, but it may change before finalization). The reference implementation has been tested on the Preview testnet only, is not professionally audited, and describes itself as not production-ready. You can start development and adoption work on pre-production environments now; plan for the standard to evolve under you. The pilot's mainnet requirement still applies: your M1 plan should show how you get from pre-production to real mainnet transactions within the window, including how you handle the audit and risk gap. There are already a few substandards, if one of them fits your needs use them over writing a new one. Example of a substandard (in progress): .
**A note on adoption and standard-level risk.** The adoption leg of this grant depends on CIP-0113 being viable on mainnet. If the standard itself proves not feasible to run on mainnet within the program window, through no fault of your team, the adoption part of the grant may be delayed or, where delivery is impossible, cancelled; the build payment is not affected. Raise any standard-level blocker with the program as soon as you see it, not at the deadline.
**And an opportunity alongside the risk:** building on CIP-0113 now makes you an alpha user of the standard. You'll be exercising it against real requirements before most of the ecosystem touches it, which means you're better placed than anyone to find where it breaks. Separately from this pilot, a bug bounty program for CIP-0113 may be active during your build, run by the workstream that maintains the standard. Real bugs uncovered in the course of your own integration work may qualify for rewards there, under that program's own terms and on top of your grant. Watch the relevant channels for announcements, and report what you find either way.\
# On-chain identity (CIP-0170)
#### What it is
CIP-0170 brings verifiable, tamper-resistant identity to Cardano through KERI-backed metadata attestations (KERI is a decentralized key-management protocol; it lets an identity prove itself cryptographically without depending on any single blockchain or registry). Organizations and individuals can anchor signed, decentralized-identity attestations on-chain, and increase trust by proving their real-world identity. The Cardano Foundation's Reeve is the reference implementation: think verifiable organizational identity and audit-grade reporting.
#### What you could build
* Verifiable organizational identity for businesses transacting on Cardano
* Tamper-resistant reporting and attestations (Reeve-style audit trails)
* Identity-anchored credentials for access, compliance, or reputation systems
#### What the pilot expects
Leveraging CIP-0170 means valid signed attestations carrying your declared identifier, anchored on mainnet. The fee counts only when it isn't paid from your own wallets (Standard §5.2). If your architecture has your operator submit attestations on users' behalf, those fees will not count, so plan for users or independent parties to anchor their own. Floors and target guidance for this category are in the Transaction Integrity Standard (§3.1, §3.3).
#### Get building
* [CIP-0170 proposal (CIPs PR #1113)](https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/pull/1113) ·[ CIP-0170 in the CIPs repo](https://github.com/cardano-foundation/CIPs/tree/master/CIP-0170)
* [CIP-0170 explained, Developer Office Hours, Jan 2026](https://developers.cardano.org/blog/2026-01-16-media-cardano-developer-office-hours/)
* Tooling:[ signify-ts](https://github.com/WebOfTrust/signify-ts) ·[ cf-signify-java](https://github.com/cardano-foundation/cf-signify-java)
#### Readiness & constraints
**The earliest-stage of the areas, so set your expectations accordingly**. CIP-0170 pairs well with the other areas of interest in this pilot - for example, combining identity with a stablecoin or programmable-token integration in the same proposal. CIP-0170 is a proposed standard, ready to be adopted but not yet formally finalized. Reference tooling exists and works; some supporting components are still maturing. If you build here, you're an early adopter, with the visibility and the rough edges that implies.
# Analytics: Dune and Cardano leaderboard
#### What it is
Dune is the pilot's public tracking layer. Every funded project tags its on-chain transactions with a standardized metadata label: a fixed identifier plus your project name. Tagged activity flows into a central **Catalyst Impact dashboard** maintained by the Cardano Foundation and also feeds the[ public leaderboard](https://cardano.org/apps/leaderboard/). Cardano data went live on Dune in April 2026; transactions, fees, staking, and smart-contract activity are all queryable.
#### What the pilot expects
* Correct metadata tagging on your transactions **from M1 onward**. This label is the registered **message tag** the Transaction Integrity Standard requires you to declare at Milestone 1 (Standard §4.1). It is not just a convenience: where your product has no smart contract, the tag is your primary identifier, and a persistent, unexplained mismatch between your tag activity and your declared identifiers is itself grounds for a flag (Standard §11.1).
* You do not build your own dashboard; the program provides it.
* Dune produces no transactions and does **not** count toward the one-integration requirement.
* Dashboards and the leaderboard surface your gross tagged activity. Your official number is your counted fees: what remains after the Transaction Integrity Standard's rules are applied (own wallets out, discounts and caps applied). It will normally be lower than what the public surfaces show, and that's expected. Where any dashboard or leaderboard and the counting tool disagree, the tool is the rule (Standard §6).
#### Get building
* [Dune docs](https://docs.dune.com/) ·[ Dune](https://dune.com/home)
* The metadata label specification and a tagging how-to (with an example transaction) will be published before onboarding; you don't need them to submit a proposal.
# Technology Readiness Levels
## Technology Readiness Levels (TRL): what we ask, and why
### What TRL is
Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is a 1-to-9 scale for how mature a technology is, from a bare idea (1) to a proven, in-production system (9). It was created by[ NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/space-communications-navigation-program/technology-readiness-levels/) and is used widely in innovation funding, notably[ EU Horizon Europe](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2023-2024/wp-13-general-annexes_horizon-2023-2024_en.pdf), as a common yardstick so everyone means the same thing by "early-stage" or "ready." We use it here to set a clear entry bar and to help you place your own work honestly.
Sources: the formal level definitions come from[ NASA's TRL definitions](https://esto.nasa.gov/files/trl_definitions.pdf) and the[ Horizon Europe General Annexes](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2023-2024/wp-13-general-annexes_horizon-2023-2024_en.pdf). The Cardano interpretations below are ours, adapted for on-chain software.
The one translation that makes TRL concrete for Cardano: the scale talks about a "relevant environment" and an "operational environment." Read **relevant environment as a public testnet (Preview or Preprod)** and **operational environment as mainnet**. Hold those two anchors and the levels are easy to place.
### What we ask, and what we gate on
This pilot is for **teams with a mature product** who want to add a Cardano area of interest (an oracle, a stablecoin, CIP-0113 programmable tokens, or CIP-0170 identity) to it. So we ask two readiness questions, and only one of them is a bar:
* **Your existing product's TRL, this is the gate**. Your product must already be real: validated on a public testnet or live, in the Cardano ecosystem or another. In TRL terms, **TRL 5 or above**. This is how the pilot funds established teams rather than idea-stage ones. Your product does not need to be on mainnet, and it does not need to be on Cardano; a testnet-validated product or a product live in another ecosystem both qualify.
* **Your proposed integration's status, this is context, not a bar**. The integration is the new work this grant funds, and when the grant is announced it usually doesn't exist yet. That is expected. We ask where it stands so we understand how much ground the grant covers, but we do not gate on it. Its feasibility is judged by your architecture and your milestone plan, not by a readiness number.
In one line: **you qualify on your product's maturity; the grant funds your new integration**.
### What the grant pays for
A mature team (product TRL 5+) is funded to build a new Cardano integration **from the ground up to mainnet**, and then rewarded on the real usage it earns. Mapped to the three payments:
* The **build payment** funds carrying the integration from wherever it starts, often nothing, to **mainnet (TRL 7)**. Reaching mainnet is Milestone 1.
* The **adoption payment and kicker** reward it climbing from mainnet-live to **real, sustained usage (TRL 8-9)**, measured as network fees from real users.
The grant buys the climb, not the starting point. Mainnet is not an entry requirement; it is the finish line for the integration.
### The nine levels, and where you sit on them - readiness of your product
TRL
Standard meaning
What it looks like on Cardano
1
Basic principles observed
You've spotted that a Cardano primitive could solve a real problem. Idea and research only, no code.
2
Technology concept formulated
You've designed the approach: the architecture, which primitive, how transactions flow. A spec or design doc; no working code yet.
3
Experimental proof of concept
A core mechanism actually runs in isolation, a validator, script, or key function does the thing in a test harness or local devnet.
4
Validated in the lab
The pieces work together end-to-end in a controlled development environment (a local node or private devnet).
5
Validated in a relevant environment
Deployed and working on a public Cardano testnet (Preview or Preprod), or live in another ecosystem, under realistic conditions. ◀ Your existing product must be here or above.
6
Demonstrated in a relevant environment
A full working prototype or MVP on public testnet: realistic flows, test wallets, perhaps first outside testers.
7
System prototype in an operational environment
Live on Cardano mainnet, real transactions. ◀ Where your integration reaches at Milestone 1.
8
System complete and qualified
The product is complete, security-reviewed or audited, deployed on mainnet, ready for general use.
9
Proven in an operational environment
Live on mainnet with real users at real volume, proven in production. ◀ Where sustained adoption points, and your fee target with it.
Product vs integration, at a glance.
Your **existing product** sits somewhere at TRL 5 or above, that's what qualifies you. Your **integration** usually starts low (an idea or a design, TRL 1-2) and the grant is what carries it up the ladder: to mainnet (7) by Milestone 1, and toward real usage (8-9) across the measurement window.
### How to place your product honestly
Judge your existing product by the strongest thing you can **demonstrate today**, not by what you plan to build. The test for each level is evidence: can you show the testnet deployment, the live product, the real users? If your product only exists as a design, it is TRL 2 and not yet eligible; if it runs and is validated on a public testnet, or is live somewhere, it is TRL 5+ and through the door. Pick the level whose evidence you could put in front of a reviewer, and link that evidence, curators verify claims from what you link.
A note on building with a maturing standard: CIP-0113 and CIP-0170 are themselves still evolving, but that does not affect your product's TRL, which is about your product's maturity, not the reference standard's. The standard's status is a build-plan risk you address separately (see each area's "Readiness & constraints").
# Proof of Adoption & Standard
The Catalyst Pilot's plain-words card and Transaction Integrity Standard. Part I is the guide; Part II is the rulebook. Where the wording differs, Part II wins.
## PART I. Proof of Adoption, in plain words
**How the money follows the usage. A guide for proposers, and for everyone checking the logic.**
### The deal
*Note: Values shown in \[brackets] are the pilot's operating parameters: set for this cohort and frozen before the first measurement window opens (§13.2).*
Every grant is paid in three parts: **\[40%] to build, up to \[40%] on adoption, and \[20%] for holding the pace afterwards** (§2).
The build payment funds a working integration. It has to be live on Cardano mainnet within three months, and you prove it with a live demo (§4). The adoption payment is earned only if real people use what you built. We measure usage in **network fees**, the small payment every Cardano transaction makes to the chain, counted from your declared and verified on-chain footprint, from your live demo to the program end date (§1.1, §7). Finish below the floor and nothing is paid (§8). The kicker goes to teams still transacting at pace two months after their window closes (§10).
### Teams set their own target. Here's why that's not a loophole.
Each team declares its own fee target. Several rules make gaming it a losing move.
**There's a floor** (§3.1). Your target can't sit below the published program minimum for your category and grant size.
**Ambition is priced at the door, in both directions** (§3.2 and §3.3). Every target is published and scored during selection, relative to the grant requested and against reference ranges measured from what's already live on Cardano. A timid target loses points. An aggressive target without strong evidence also loses points.
**You declare at submission and the number is final**. Raising or lowering after submission is not permitted. The target you put in the proposal is the target you are held to.
**Bonus rewards top performers above the floor** (§9). Only teams that reach their target are eligible. Among them, ranking is based on how much adoption they generated above the program floor, relative to the size of their grant measured against its category's yardstick (§9.2).
**Your forecast follows you** (§11.1, §13.5). Declared versus delivered is published for every team as a calibration meter, and future rounds weigh ambition and calibration alongside results.
Your target is your forecast, and we treat it like one. It is published next to what you actually delivered, published for everyone, and it carries into future rounds. Access to future rounds weighs both how much adoption you generated and how well you called your own shot. Declaring low to play it safe is allowed. It is also visible, permanently.
### How the adoption payment is earned
Hit your target and you get the full adoption payment (§8). Land between the floor and your target and you get a share that grows with how far you climbed. Finish below the floor and you don’t qualify for this payment.
Adoption also has to keep a rhythm: minimum fee levels across every floored 5-day epoch, with a small allowance for missed beats (§7). Breaking the rhythm beyond the allowance doesn't zero your payment, but it shrinks it, and it costs you the bonus and the kicker. A strong finish never rescues a project that went silent for most of its window.
The strongest teams that both reach their target and generate the most adoption above the program floor share a published bonus pool (§9).
Note: The bonus and the kicker serve different purposes. The bonus is a competitive reward for the strongest performers during the measured period - only teams that reach their target are eligible, and ranking is based on how much adoption they generated above the program floor relative to their grant size, measured against its category's yardstick (§9.2). The kicker is different: it is a fixed % of your own grant that only pays if you are still transacting at a meaningful pace two months after your window closes. One rewards peak performance; the other rewards whether the activity continues once the main incentive ends.
### Nobody self-reports anything
Every counted fee comes from public chain data, computed by an open-source tool. Anyone who runs the tool gets the same result (§6.4). Dashboards are live from the day each integration ships (§11.1).
Before your window opens, you publicly declare your footprint: exactly which contracts and addresses count. The footprint can grow. New pieces are publicly marked and count only from the day you add them. Nothing can ever be swapped out or redefined mid-window (§4.1). Every target is scored against published guidance ranges calibrated from live chain data (§3.3). True benchmarks for adoption on Cardano are hard to come by; building one is part of this pilot's job, and the pilot's own published results become the yardstick the next round inherits (§13.4).
### What doesn't count
**Your own wallets. Ever** (§5.2).
**Paying for transactions** (§12). No rewards, rebates, or compensation tied to transacting. One confirmed case is treated as manufactured volume, whatever the totals say: payment forfeited, findings published. Marketing your product is fine. Paying for its transactions is not. The rulebook draws the line, with examples.
**Spikes** (§6.3). No single day may contribute more than **\[20%]** of your total, and the epoch rhythm applies throughout. A one-day surge cannot fake a month of adoption.
**Two whales in a trench coat** (§6.1 and §6.2). At least **\[N]** distinct external wallets must show up during the measurement period - one per **\[10]** ADA of your program floor - and fees from any single wallet beyond **\[35%]** of your total count at half. Splitting one whale into many wallets to dodge this is exactly the pattern the challenge process and funding-trail checks are built to catch.
Before any confirmation of adoption occurs, final numbers sit in public for at least **\[10]** days. Anyone can challenge them with evidence, and confirmed reports earn a reward (§11). Flags go through a confidential form and are reviewed internally by the Catalyst team. Unproven flags are never published, so an accusation alone can't hurt anyone. Confirmed cases are published with the evidence, the consequences follow, and the first reporter is rewarded. Decisions are final and there are no appeals. A payment under review waits for the ruling.
### How to read the numbers
Cardano fees are deliberately tiny. A typical transaction pays roughly 0.2 to 0.6 ADA. Over the past 30 days (as of mid July 2026) the whole network collected about **\[7,500]** ADA in fees per day, against a full-year average of about **\[9,600]** ADA, so current activity sits at the cool end of the cycle. The 30-day figure is the official denominator for every share-of-network number we publish, and it is republished daily next to every project chart (§11.1). So targets are measured in hundreds of ADA, and hundreds of ADA is not a small achievement:
| **A target of…** | **that's roughly…** | **which means…** |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 500 ADA per window | 40 to 50 real transactions a day, every day, for a month | \~1 in every 450 ADA of fees the entire chain collects; the fee footprint of a mid-tier live dApp |
| 1,500 ADA | 125 to 150 a day | \~1 in 150; an established top-20 dApp |
| 5,000 ADA | 400 to 500 a day | \~1 in 45; a top-10 dApp by fee footprint |
Transaction counts assume 0.33 to 0.4 ADA per transaction; 0.33 is the measured network average over the past year, and script-heavy integrations typically run higher. Shares divide the target by the official 30-day denominator (§11.1), about **\[225,000]** ADA per **\[30]**-day window today (July 2026). The dApp comparisons are indicative, drawn from the same public leaderboard data used to calibrate the guidance ranges (§3.3).
A brand-new integration reaching even a single digit % of all current Cardano fee traffic within weeks of launch is a breakout, not a rounding error. Judge targets as a share of the network, not against the size of the grant. For scale: the largest comparable incentive program in crypto recovered about seven cents of network revenue per dollar spent.\*
None of this means a project is expected to pay back the ecosystem's investment inside its measurement period, or even by the time the kicker settles. Four months measures ignition, not payback. The bet is longer: that an integration which earns real usage now has a good chance, over its useful lifetime, of returning more to the network than the grant that started it, in fees from what it enables directly, and in the products, teams, and capital it makes possible around it.
The program counts only the fees, because fees are the part anyone can verify: the floor of what a working integration returns, not the ceiling. What the window proves is the simpler thing, that real people showed up. The years after are what the rest is for (Standard §1.3).
References:
*
*
*
* \* Arbitrum's LTIPP (\~45M ARB), per Blockworks Research's program meta-analysis: roughly $0.07 of sequencer revenue per $1 of incentives.
### What success looks like
This is a pilot, and the results will be a spread. Some projects will break out, some will land their target, and some will miss. Every result is published, including the misses. That's the point of a pilot (§13.3).
Two things make it worth doing. The first is integrations that keep transacting after the money stops. That's what the kicker pays for, and it's the number we'll be judged on. The second is a public, reproducible benchmark dataset for what adoption on Cardano actually costs, so the next program starts smarter than this one could (§13.4).
The long-run compass is simple: an integration that returns more to the network than the grant that funded it, in the products, teams, and usage it makes possible, with fees as the verifiable floor of that return. Nobody is asked to get there in a month. Everybody is asked to point in that direction.
### The TLDR version (for anyone with ten seconds)
1. Grants pay **\[40%]** to build, up to **\[40%]** only if real people use what got built, and **\[20%]** if they still use it two months later.
2. Usage means network fees from a project's verified footprint. Public data, open-source counter. Run it yourself, get the same number.
3. Teams declare their own targets: floored by the program, scored against real reference ranges at selection. The number declared at submission is final.
4. Timid targets lose points. Aggressive targets without strong evidence also lose points.
5. Bonus goes only to teams that reach their target. Among them, ranking is based on adoption above the program floor relative to grant size measured against its category's yardstick (§9.2).
6. Cardano fees are tiny by design. The whole chain makes about **\[7,500]** ADA a day on a 30-day average, so hundreds of ADA means dozens of real transactions daily. Judge share of network, not size of number.
7. Team wallets never count. Paying or rebating anyone to transact means manufactured volume: payment forfeited, findings published.
8. No spikes, no silence: daily caps plus a minimum rhythm every 5-day epoch, and breaking it shrinks the payment. No two-whale stories: **\[N]** distinct wallets minimum (one per **\[10]** ADA of floor), and any single wallet's fees beyond **\[35%]** count at half.
9. Final numbers sit in public for at least **\[10]** days before confirmation. Challenges are welcome, and confirmed ones are rewarded.
10. Holding your pace for two months after finishing is worth **\[20%]** of the grant. Every result gets published, hit or miss. The compass: genuine Cardano usage that keeps growing after the program ends, counted in fees because they can't be quietly faked. Direction required now, destination expected over years.
***
## PART II. The Transaction Integrity Standard (*the rulebook*)
### §1. Definitions and the direction
1.1 A few terms this document uses precisely. The **epoch** is Cardano's native five-day period, and its boundaries can be verified on-chain. Every schedule in this Standard runs on epochs.
Because epochs have fixed on-chain boundaries, your schedule snaps to them. Your **measurement period** is everything from your Milestone 1 delivery to the program's fixed end date, the same end date for every project, and it has two parts. Your **entry epoch** runs from delivery to the end of the first full epoch after delivery: your dashboard is live and no floor applies while your integration ramps, and it gives every team at least one complete epoch to ramp, whenever in an epoch it delivers.
Your **window** is the floored part that follows: it opens when your entry epoch ends and runs to the end date. At the M1 deadline the window is the minimum **\[6]** epochs (about 30 days). Deliver earlier and it runs longer, all the way to the program end date; how much longer depends only on how early you go live. In practice that is up to about **\[15]** epochs, an expected maximum set by the earliest a team can realistically deliver, not a hard cap; the schedule in §7.3 stretches to whatever length results. The window's floors, rhythm, and close are in §7.
Your **counted fees** are the network fees credited to you after every rule in §5 and §6 has been applied, across your whole measurement period from Milestone 1 delivery onward, **your entry epoch included**. Floors apply only inside your window, but fees count from the moment you deliver: a team that arrives ready and converts from day one is credited for every one of those fees. Wherever this Standard refers to your **measurement period total**, it means this full total from delivery; "your window" means the floored epochs only.
**Common funding source** means direct control or funding linkage between wallets; funds routed through a shared custodial or exchange intermediary do not by themselves constitute a common source.
**1.2** Your **submitted target** is the fee target you declared in your proposal (§3.2). Your **floor** is the program minimum for your category and award size (§3.1).
**1.3 Why this Standard measures in fees, and what that does not mean**
This Standard measures adoption in Cardano network fees. That is a measurement choice for grant accountability, not a claim about L1 revenue, fee levels, or long-term protocol economics. Sustainable value comes from a thriving application layer; seeding that layer is what this pilot is for.
This pilot is not measuring whether a product has achieved economic self-sustainability or generated its own protocol revenue. Those are later-stage outcomes. The pilot measures an earlier and narrower question: whether the funded integration attracted real external usage on Cardano during the measurement period.
Fees are used because they are the hardest number to fake quietly and the easiest for anyone to re-verify from public chain data with the open-source tool. They work as a single unit across all four areas (oracles, stablecoins, programmable tokens, identity) where volume, TVL, or a dApp's own protocol revenue do not. Faking them may cost little, but it cannot be done quietly: every attempt leaves a permanent public trail for the checks this Standard runs (§6), and a caught team forfeits unpaid amounts and carries a published record (§11.5). Fees are proof of usage, not its price. What is priced is the difficulty of forging that proof under open challenge.
Volume, TVL, and the dApp's own protocol revenue remain useful measures of mature product value. Where relevant, they appear on every dashboard as context (§11.1.3) and in the permanent calibration record. In a grant setting they are simply easier to inflate and do not span the areas cleanly.
Counted fees therefore answer one question only: how much real, external activity did the funded integration bring to Cardano?
### §2. The three payments
**2.1** Your grant is paid in three parts:
Part
Share
Pays when
Governed by
Build
[40%]
At grant start, to fund the work
Milestone 1 delivery obligation (§4)
Adoption
up to [40%]
After your window closes and the publication period ends
§8
Kicker
[20%]
[12] epochs after the window closes, after its own publication period
§10
All amounts are denominated and paid in ADA. Fiat-equivalent values move with the market; the ADA amounts do not.
**2.2** The bonus (§9) is a separate published pool on top of the grant, for the top-performing teams that reach their target and generate the most adoption above the program floor.
### §3. At selection
**3.1 The floor.**
Before applications open, the program publishes a floor for each integration category and award size. Your target may never sit below your floor. Floors listed below are calibrated against the network’s trailing **90-day** fee average (as of mid July 2026) so a one-week lull or spike cannot distort them, and they are frozen per §13.2. Floors are recalibrated between cohorts only, from published data.
**Program Floors**
Every proposal must declare a fee target that sits above a published program floor. The floor is the minimum adoption level the program will accept for a given integration type and award size. It cannot be negotiated downward.
Floors scale sub-linearly with award size:
**Required floor = base floor (@ 50,000 ADA) × √(award ÷ 50,000)**
This reflects that grant size primarily funds build capacity (team, scope, runway), not market adoption. Adoption is bounded by product-market fit, so the minimum rises more slowly than the grant itself.
**Program floors** (counted network fees in ADA over the measurement period)
Integration
@50k
@75k
@100k
@150k
@200k
Oracles
150
184
212
260
300
Stablecoins
180
220
255
312
360
Programmable tokens (CIP-0113)
100
122
141
173
200
On-chain identity (CIP-0170)
50
61
71
87
100
Using the official window denominator (§11.1), the trailing 30-day network fee total, about **\[225,000]** ADA at the time of writing, these floors represent roughly 0.02% to 0.16% of all Cardano fees collected during a typical measurement period. Larger grants carry proportionally larger absolute stakes: a 200,000 ADA award has four times the ADA riding on adoption and retention as a 50,000 ADA award. The floor defines minimum viability, the level below which adoption is judged to have failed regardless of grant size; proportional accountability is carried by the at-risk share of the grant and by selection expectations that rise with the ask (§3.3).
**3.2 Your declaration.**
Your proposal declares three things: your fee target (the target) for each integration you use, your expected transaction count (published as context), and a short breakdown of where the usage will come from. Name your channels, your existing users, your partner commitments, with rough volumes. If your team operates an existing product, name it, and state what share of your projected usage you expect from existing users.
The target you declare at submission is final. It cannot be changed later.
**3.3 Two-way scoring.**
Your submitted target, relative to the award you request, is published and scored against the guidance ranges below, calibrated per §13.4.
A target below the Credible range loses points for timidity. A target in the Aggressive range loses points unless supported by strong evidence. Your breakdown is scored for credibility, separately from the number itself.
**Stretch Targets & How Ambition Is Scored**
Your self-declared target must sit above the applicable floor. This is the number you are held to for the adoption payment.
Selection uses the following guidance ranges (total counted fees over the measurement period):
| **Integration** | **Credible** | **Ambitious** | **Aggressive (requires strong evidence)** |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Oracles | 250 – 500 ADA (≈ 0.11 – 0.22 %) | 500 – 850 ADA (≈ 0.22 – 0.38 %) | > 1,100 ADA (> 0.49 %) |
| Stablecoins | 300 – 550 ADA (≈ 0.13 – 0.24 %) | 550 – 1,000 ADA (≈ 0.24 – 0.44 %) | > 1,400 ADA (> 0.62 %) |
| Programmable tokens (CIP-0113) | 180 – 320 ADA (≈ 0.08 – 0.14 %) | 320 – 600 ADA (≈ 0.14 – 0.27 %) | > 900 ADA (> 0.40 %) |
| On-chain identity (CIP-0170) | 80 – 160 ADA (≈ 0.04 – 0.07 %) | 160 – 300 ADA (≈ 0.07 – 0.13 %) | > 450 ADA (> 0.20 %) |
The band boundaries above are stated at the **\[50,000]** ADA reference award and scale with the same **√(award ÷ 50,000)** multiplier as the floors (§3.1). At every award size, the floor therefore sits below the Credible band, and the band that applies to you is the scaled one.
A target that simply restates the floor scores weakly. A target that lands in the Ambitious band with a clear, evidence-based plan scores strongly. Targets in the Aggressive band are accepted only when accompanied by unusually strong prior traction, signed distribution commitments, or other hard evidence.
Expectations also scale with the ask. The larger the award requested, the higher within the guidance ranges the declared target is expected to sit: at awards of **\[150,000]** ADA and above, a target below the Ambitious band requires specific justification in the usage breakdown, and "the floor plus a little" will not carry a large ask through scoring.
**Methodology note**
The absolute floor values preserve the relative ambition levels first published in the pilot’s category brief while converting them into the fee-based metric used throughout this Standard. The window denominator used throughout is the official §11.1 trailing 30-day figure, about **\[225,000]** ADA at the time of writing, republished daily on every project dashboard. Stretch ranges have been calibrated against the current Cardano Transaction Leaderboard (30-day activity). When the pilot closes, its full outcome data, published per §13.4, replaces these interim calibrations: floors and guidance ranges for any subsequent cohort are drawn from what this cohort actually did.
### §4. The Milestone 1 checkpoint
**4.1 Your footprint.** Milestone 1 is a working integration, live on Cardano mainnet, demonstrated live, within **\[3]** months of selection. At that moment you publicly declare your footprint. It has three parts.
First, your on-chain identifiers: script hashes, minting or token policy IDs, addresses, or, for identity products, the declared identifier your signed attestations carry.
Second, your registered **message tag**, which your integration's transactions carry. Where no smart contract exists, the tag is your primary identifier.
Third, your **own wallets**: team wallets and the wallets that fund your operations, identified by stake key. Declared identifiers must be newly deployed for the funded work. Nothing that carried traffic before your grant may be declared. Your footprint can grow: additions are publicly marked and count only from the day you declare them. Nothing may be removed, swapped, or redefined mid-measurement-period, and activity from before an identifier was declared never counts.
**4.2 The clock.** Your entry epoch (§1.1) opens at Milestone 1 delivery, and your public daily dashboard (§11.1) begins the same day; your floored window (§7) opens when it ends. The Milestone 1 deadline is published as a calendar date, set so that a delivery at the limit still leaves the full minimum **\[6]** floored epochs before the program's fixed end date. Because your entry epoch runs to the end of the first full epoch after delivery (§1.1), delivering earlier within an epoch lengthens your ramp, never your floored obligations.
Deliver earlier and you earn epochs (§7.3). Miss the Milestone 1 deadline and your window never opens: the adoption payment, the kicker, and the bonus are all forfeited, your outcome is published like every other, and the non-delivery becomes part of your track record (§13.5). Where non-delivery reflects misrepresentation rather than failure, §11.5 applies to the build payment already made.
**4.3 Target confirmation.** The fee target declared in your proposal is final and cannot be changed. At Milestone 1 you confirm that the integration is live on mainnet and publicly declare your on-chain footprint (§4.1). No adjustment to the target is permitted.
### §5. What counts
**5.1** A transaction's fee counts toward your target when the transaction actually runs your integration: your contract executes, your token is minted or moved, your valid signed attestation carries your declared identifier. It must also not come from one of your own declared wallets (§4.1). Somebody just sending money to your address, or attaching your tag to an unrelated transaction, is not usage, and its fee does not count.
**5.2** Fees paid by your own declared wallets never count. Usage means other people using your product, not you using your own product. Fees traceable to undeclared team-controlled or team-funded sources are handled under §11.3 and §12.
**5.3** Integration types at a glance.
Integration
Target unit
What counts
Oracles (real-time oracle price feeds)
Fees generated
Fees paid by transactions that consume your declared oracle price feed
Stablecoins (verified stablecoin asset policies)
Fees generated
Fees paid by transactions moving your declared, verified stablecoin policy
Programmabletokens (CIP-0113)
Fees generated
Fees paid by mints, transfers, and rule updates under your declared policy
On-chainidentity (CIP-0170)
Fees generated
Fees paid by valid signed attestations carrying your declared identifier
Custody-style products whose value is holding capital rather than moving it are out of scope for this pilot. Fees are the only measured unit.
**5.4 Multiple integrations.** Each integration you use is measured separately, against its own target, floor, and rhythm, and paid on its own fraction. Your overall §8 fraction is the average of your per-integration fractions, each clamped at 1 and weighted by the share of your combined declared target it carries. Over-delivery on one integration does not lift another; declare each target accordingly. Bonus eligibility (§9.1) requires every integration to reach its own target. The kicker (§10) is measured on your combined counted fees.
### §6. What counts at a discount, or not at all
**6.1 The external wallet minimum.** At least **\[N]** distinct external wallets must transact with your integration during your measurement period. External means stake keys that are not on your declared own-wallet list, and each distinct stake key counts once. **\[N]** is **one wallet per \[10] ADA of your program floor (§3.1), rounded up** - it scales with your category and award size exactly as the floor does, and is shown to you when you apply. However large your fee total, it does not meet your target without this minimum.
**External wallet minimums**
Integration
@50k
@75k
@100k
@150k
@200k
Oracles
15
19
22
26
30
Stablecoins
18
22
26
32
36
Programmable tokens (CIP-0113)
10
13
15
18
20
On-chain identity (CIP-0170)
5
7
8
9
10
The ratio is calibrated from live chain data (§13.4): across the highest-fee dApps on Cardano over a trailing 30-day window (epochs 638-643), the most fee-concentrated genuine usage pattern observed runs about 9 ADA of fees per distinct wallet, and typical patterns run 2 to 7 ADA. One wallet per 10 ADA of floor therefore sits just below the most concentrated real usage on the network: every genuine adoption shape observed today clears the minimum at floor level, with margin that grows toward target level, while a total carried by a handful of wallets cannot. Products whose genuine shape is a few large counterparties should raise this with the program early (§6.2).
If your measurement period closes below this minimum, your counted fees are treated as below your floor: the adoption payment does not pay (§8), and bonus (§9) and kicker (§10) eligibility are not met.
**6.2 The concentration discount.** Counted fees from any single external wallet, beyond **\[35%]** of your measurement period total, count at **\[half]**. There is no hard exclusion. Wallet clusters whose funding traces back to a common source are treated as a single wallet, both here and for §6.1. Splitting one whale across many stake keys is challengeable conduct (§11.3), and the funding trail is the evidence. Products whose legitimate shape is few large counterparties should document that architecture with the program before their window opens; the discount still applies, but documented architecture is context in any challenge review.
**6.3 The daily cap.** No single day may contribute more than **\[20%]** of your measurement period total. Activity above the cap on that day simply does not count.
**6.4 Computation order.** The open-source counting tool applies this Standard in one deterministic pass, in this order: eligibility (§5), then the external wallet minimum (§6.1), then the concentration discount (§6.2), then the daily cap (§6.3), then totals, floors, and formulas (§7 through §10). It reads only public chain data, and running it again gives the same result. The tool's computation is the rule.
**6.5 Scope.** Wherever §5, §6, or §12 refers to your window, read it as the measurement period in question. The eligibility rules, wallet minimum, concentration discount, and daily cap of §5 and §6 apply to every measured period, the measurement period, the kicker period (§10), and the bonus retention period (§9.5), computed over that period's totals.
### §7. The rhythm
**7.1 Floors.** Your entry epoch carries no floor and runs from Milestone 1 delivery to the end of the first full epoch after delivery (§1.1). Your window opens at that boundary and closes at the program end date; delivered at the deadline, that is the minimum **\[6]** epochs, and the schedule below is written for that base case (§7.3 stretches it for longer windows). The epoch floor rises as your window advances. In each of your first **\[3]** epochs, your counted fees must reach at least **\[1/12]** of your target. In each of your final **\[3]**, at least **\[1/6]**. You may miss any **\[1]** epoch's floor without consequence. That is your allowance.
**7.2 Beyond the allowance.** Each floor miss beyond your allowance applies a **\[15%]** haircut to your adoption payment. This is the rhythm factor in §8.1: **\[0.85]** raised to the number of misses beyond the allowance. And any miss beyond the allowance makes you ineligible for the bonus (§9) and the kicker (§10). Misses are never forgiven retroactively. A strong finish does not repair a broken rhythm.
**7.3 Earned epochs.** Your entry epoch stays a single ramp whatever your window length; the schedule here applies to the floored window that follows it. Deliver Milestone 1 early and your window stretches to the program's end date. Your pace is your target divided by your full window. The first **\[half]** of your window's epochs carry a floor of **\[half]** your pace, and the rest carry your full pace. An odd window puts its middle epoch in the gentler half, and at **\[6]** epochs this reduces exactly to §7.1. Your allowance stretches too: **\[1]** miss, plus **\[1]** more for every **\[3]** epochs you earned, never more than **\[2]** in total. Your schedule is fixed on the day you deliver.
**7.4 Window close.** Every window closes at the program's fixed end date, whatever day you delivered Milestone 1. Reaching your target early does not end your window: it locks in your full adoption payment, and epoch floors scheduled after the epoch in which you reached your target no longer apply. Counted fees keep accumulating until the window closes, and they still feed your bonus ranking (§9.2) and your kicker baseline (§10.1). If you never reach your target, you are paid under §8 on what you counted.
### §8. The adoption payment
**8.1 The formula.**
**Adoption payment = 40% of the grant × rhythm factor (§7.2) × clamp( (min(counted fees, target) − floor) ÷ (target − floor), 0, 1 )**
That one line is exactly what the counting tool computes. Unfolded, it is four steps, and you only need four numbers to run them: your **grant**, your **floor** (§3.1), your **target** (declared at submission, always above the floor per §3, so the denominator is never zero), and your **counted fees** at window close (§5, §6).
* **Step 1: cap your fees at your target.** Take your counted fees. If you delivered more than your target, use the target itself. That is the "min": over-delivery still helps your bonus ranking and your kicker baseline, but the adoption payment itself maxes out at 100%.
* **Step 2: work out how far you climbed.** Subtract your floor from the Step 1 number, then divide by (target minus floor). That is the "clamp" range: below your floor the result would be negative, and it becomes zero; at your target it is exactly 1.
* **Step 3: find your rhythm factor.** Misses within your allowance: 1.00. Each miss beyond it multiplies by 0.85 (§7.2).
* **Step 4: multiply the three together.** 40% of your grant × Step 3 × Step 2. That is your adoption payment, in ADA.
**8.2 Worked examples.**
Everything below is illustrative. It shows how the mechanics work, not what you should aim for. Your floor comes from the §3.1 tables for your category and award size, and your target is yours to declare, unique to your product and your plan (§3).
Every example uses the same team: awarded 100,000 ADA, program floor 212 ADA, declared target 600 ADA, delivering at the Milestone 1 deadline for the minimum **\[6]**-epoch window. The adoption portion at stake is 40% of the grant: 40,000 ADA. With a 600 ADA target, the §7.1 epoch floors are 50 ADA in each of the first three epochs (1/12 of target) and 100 ADA in each of the last three (1/6), with **\[1]** free miss.
The team finishes the window with 480 ADA of counted fees and a clean rhythm. The four steps of §8.1:
* **Step 1:** 480 is below the 600 target, so it stays 480.
* **Step 2:** (480 − 212) ÷ (600 − 212) = 268 ÷ 388 ≈ 0.691: the team climbed **69.1%** of the way from floor to target.
* **Step 3:** clean rhythm, so the factor is **1.00**.
* **Step 4:** 40% × 100,000 = 40,000, then 40,000 × 1.00 × 0.691 ≈ **27,630 ADA**.
Where each number came from, so you can run your own:
Number in the example
What it is
Where yours comes from
100,000
The grant
Your award
40,000
The adoption portion, 40% of the grant
§2.1
212
The floor
The §3.1 table, for your category and award size
600
The target
Declared by you at submission, final
480
Counted fees
The counting tool, after §5 and §6
1.00
Rhythm factor
Your misses beyond the allowance (§7.2)
That was the clean case. Scenarios A to C deliver the same 480 ADA with three different rhythms; scenario D reaches the full target:
C in full, through the same four steps: 40,000 × 0.85 × 0.691 ≈ 23,480 ADA.
Read the table this way. A and B are paid identically: the allowance is real, and one missed floor costs nothing at all. C delivered the same 480 ADA, but two silent epochs put one miss beyond the allowance: the 15% haircut takes about 4,150 ADA off the adoption payment, and the forfeited kicker takes 20,000 ADA more. The second missed floor cost that team roughly 24,000 ADA, not 15%. A strong finish does not repair a broken rhythm (§7.2); the rhythm rule is why a launch plan for the first weeks matters as much as the launch itself. D is what the full 'up to 40%' looks like when earned: a steady climb to the target, and reaching the target is also the gate to bonus eligibility (§9.1).
Each further miss compounds: a third missed floor would multiply by 0.85 again (≈ 19,960 ADA).
And two boundaries the table doesn't show:
* Finish below the floor, say 180 ADA, and the adoption payment is zero, however clean the rhythm.
* Reach 600 ADA before the window ends and the full payment locks in at that moment; floors scheduled after that epoch no longer apply (§7.4).
Deliver Milestone 1 early and the same logic runs on a longer window with gentler floors (§7.3): the fractions and the allowance stretch, the principle does not change.
**8.3 Settlement.** Payment follows the publication period (§11.2). If a confirmed challenge removes activity, your payment is recomputed on the corrected totals. Violations of §12 override this section entirely.
### §9. The bonus
**9.1 Eligibility.** Three conditions must all be met:
* Your counted fees reached your target by window close
* Your rhythm stayed within your allowance
* Your integrity record is clean
A confirmed integrity finding disqualifies you, whatever your numbers.
**9.2 Ranking.** Only eligible teams are ranked.
**Ranking score = (counted fees − floor) ÷ √(award ÷ 50,000) ÷ your category's Ambitious band midpoint at the 50,000 reference award** (§3.3).
A score of 1.0 means you delivered your category's Ambitious midpoint above your floor, at your award's scale. Higher score ranks higher. Counted fees and floors sum across integrations for this score. Ties at the cutoff are both funded; ties expand the winner list, never the pool.
The formula unfolds into three steps:
* **Step 1:** adoption above your floor. Counted fees minus your floor (summed across your integrations, §5.4).
* **Step 2:** level the award sizes. Divide by √(award ÷ 50,000). A 100,000 award divides by 1.41, a 200,000 award by 2. Same logic as the floors (§3.1): money funds build capacity, and adoption does not scale one-to-one with money, so a four-times award is asked for twice the performance, not four times.
* **Step 3:** put it on your category's yardstick. Divide by your category's Ambitious band midpoint at the 50,000 reference award (§3.3). That makes an identity product and a stablecoin product comparable: each is measured against what Ambitious means in its own category.
A score of **1.0** therefore has a plain meaning: at your award's scale, you delivered your category's Ambitious midpoint above your floor.
The Ambitious midpoints at the 50,000 reference, from the §3.3 table: Oracles **675**, Stablecoins **775**, Programmable tokens **460**, On-chain identity **230**.
**A worked ranking.** Illustrative: four eligible teams (each reached its own target with a clean rhythm and a clean record, §9.1), in a funded cohort of ten, so the top **3** win (§9.3):
Team
Award
Floor
Counted fees
Step 1: above floor
Step 2: ÷ √(award÷50k)
Step 3: score
Rank
Oracles, small
50,000
150
825
675
÷ 1.00 → 675
÷ 675 → 1.00
joint 2nd
Oracles, large
200,000
300
1,650
1,350
÷ 2.00 → 675
÷ 675 → 1.00
joint 2nd
Identity
50,000
50
395
345
÷ 1.00 → 345
÷ 230 → 1.50
1st
Stablecoins
100,000
255
1,000
745
÷ 1.41 → 527
÷ 775 → 0.68
4th
Three things the table shows:
* **The award leveling at work.** The large oracle team delivered twice the absolute adoption of the small one (1,350 vs 675 above floor) on four times the grant, and they score identically. Raw fee totals decide nothing on their own.
* **The category yardstick at work.** The identity team ranks first with the smallest fee total on the board: 395 ADA of counted fees is a modest number, but one and a half times an Ambitious performance in a category where fees run small. Categories compete on performance against their own bar, not on the size of their numbers.
* **The tie rule at work.** The two oracle teams tie at 1.00 for the last two winning places, so both are winners: ties expand the winner list, never the pool (§9.2). The stablecoin team, eligible but fourth at 0.68, takes no bonus, and loses nothing else: its adoption payment and kicker are untouched by the ranking.
And the payout, to close the loop (§9.4, §9.5): the identity and small oracle teams can each earn up to 25,000 ADA (50% of their grants), the large oracle team up to 100,000 ADA. Together that is 150,000 ADA against the **\[400,000]** pool, so no pro-rata reduction applies; each winner takes 60% at the ranking and the remaining 40% **\[12]** epochs later if their pace holds (§9.5).
**9.3 Number of winners.** The number of bonus-eligible winners scales with the size of the funded cohort:
| **Funded cohort size** | **Bonus-eligible winners** |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------- |
| 1-5 | 1 |
| 6-9 | 2 |
| 10-12 | 3 |
| 13+ | 4 |
**9.4 Bonus size.** The bonus pool is **\[400,000]** ADA. Each winner receives up to **\[50%]** of their own base grant, or a pro-rata share of the pool if the full amounts would exceed it. The pool is a ceiling, not a spending target: it never pays more than its published size, and it may go partly unspent if outcomes don't support it.
**9.5 Payout. \[60%]** of the bonus is paid at the ranking. The remaining **\[40%]** is paid after the **\[12]** epochs following your window close, the same period the kicker measures (§10.1), if your average per-epoch counted fees across those epochs are at least **\[50%]** of your window pace. The retention numbers are computed and published exactly the same way as your final window numbers.
### §10. The kicker
**10.1** The kicker is **\[20%]** of your grant. It pays in full if your average per-epoch counted fees over the **\[12]** epochs after your window closes are at least **\[50%]** of your window pace.
Your **window pace** is your average counted fees per epoch across your window, that is, the fees you earned once floors were live. That rate is bounded below by your category floor (scaled to your award, §3.1) ÷ **\[6]** and above by your category's Ambitious ceiling (scaled to your award, §3.3) ÷ **\[6]**.
Those bounds come from the published §3 tables, not from your declaration, so a low target cannot shrink the bar, a stretched or throttled window cannot dilute it, and one breakout window cannot inflate it beyond reach. The kicker is deliberately binary: "still alive, at pace" is an honest yes-or-no question. All counting rules apply during the kicker period (§6.5).
10.2 Your post-finish dashboard stays live and public throughout. Kicker numbers are published for **\[2]** epochs before confirmation, and they can be challenged like any others.
### §11. Publication, meters, and flags
**11.1 The meters.** These are public, live, and per project from your Milestone 1 delivery onward. You don't need to do anything for them. They come straight from chain data.
1. **Your fee bill.** Counted fees over time. The headline number.
2. **Your transaction count.** Published alongside as context. Your activity appears on public surfaces beyond these meters, including the Cardano leaderboard and the program's Dune dashboard. Those show gross tagged activity; the meters above are the official counted numbers, and the tool's computation is the rule.
3. **Your context metrics.** Alongside counted fees, your dashboard surfaces the industry-standard context: transaction volume, active addresses, and, where they apply, TVL and protocol revenue, from the same public data industry trackers use. Shown for context and comparison; payment is on counted fees, for the reasons in §1.3.
4. **Your wallet meter.** Progress against your \[N] minimum, and each wallet's share of your total.
5. **Your daily chart.** Day by day, from delivery onward.
6. **Your match.** How your tag activity lines up with your declared-identifier activity. A persistent, unexplained gap is itself grounds for a challenge.
7. **Your fee weight.** Median fee per transaction and fee per byte, against the category reference. Persistently heavy transactions without a product reason are grounds for a challenge.
8. **The network denominator.** Network-wide Cardano fees per day, shown as a trailing \[30]-day average on every chart. This average is the official denominator for every share-of-network figure the program publishes. The **\[90]-**day and **\[365]**-day averages are shown alongside as context, so nobody can accuse the program of picking a flattering baseline.
9. **Your cohort meter.** New versus returning external wallets, per epoch.
10. **Your calibration.** Your declared target next to your delivered total, as a ratio, for every team.
11. **Your origin split.** Counted fees split between wallets with and without prior interaction with your team's earlier deployments.
If your pace looks too slow to reach your target, we tell you as soon as the data shows it, not at the end.
**11.2 Publication before payment.** When your window closes, your final numbers are published for **\[2]** epochs, about 10 days, before any payment moves.
**11.3 Flags.** Anyone can flag suspicious activity at any point in the program through the flagging form. Flags are confidential: they are not published, and an unproven flag never touches a project's public record. Grounds include, without limitation: wallets that are secretly yours, meaning funded, controlled, or compensated by your team without being declared; automated or scripted traffic; wallet clusters with a common funding source (§6.2); engineered transaction weight (§11.1); a tag and identifier mismatch; and any other pattern that credibly demonstrates manufactured usage, or the intent to manufacture it.
A flag opens a review only when it points to something checkable: a wallet, a pattern, a funding trail. Flags that name no verifiable evidence are closed at intake and pause nothing. The program bears the burden of confirmation; a project is never required to disprove an unevidenced pattern.
A flag is confirmed only by public chain data or concrete evidence, never by opinion. When one is confirmed, the exposed activity is uncounted and payments are recomputed (§8.3), or §12 applies. A confirmed report earns the first reporter a reward (§11.5). Reports that don't hold up cost the reported project nothing, and nobody ever learns they were made. The program reserves the right to pause or withdraw unpaid amounts if confirmed manipulation resurfaces at any time. Integrity of the program is the key priority of this phase.
Traffic a project can credibly demonstrate it neither controls, funds, nor procured is excluded from counted fees but is never grounds for a §12 finding or payment pause against that project.
**11.4 Who decides.** Flags are reviewed internally by the Catalyst team. This is deliberate: the pilot stays small, and so does its process. There is no fixed deadline to reach a finding, and no appeal. The team communicates 1:1 with the reporter and, where needed, with the flagged project, rather than in public: accusations are private, findings are public. A payment affected by an open review does not move until the review concludes; everything else proceeds on schedule, and reviews that hold up a payment are handled first.
When a case is confirmed, the finding, the evidence, and the written reasoning are shared with the project team first, and then published, and §11.5 applies. When it is not, the reporter is told the review is closed, nothing is published, and nothing changes. Any team member with a direct interest in a project steps out of that project's reviews. Decisions are final. Because the dashboards are public from day one, flag what you see when you see it, not when a payment is near.
No payment waits forever, though: a review that holds a payment and has not reached a confirmed finding within **\[30]** days releases that payment and closes as not-confirmed. A finding can still land later; §11.5 then applies to amounts already paid.
**11.5 What confirmation costs.** A confirmed §12 case forfeits every payment not yet made, whenever the confirmation lands. Amounts already paid become a repayment obligation of the legal entities and individuals named on the grant agreement, recorded and published. The same entities and individuals may be disqualified from every future round and program run by this program's operators; the published ruling states whether disqualification was applied.
Consequences attach to people, not only project names: KYC and KYB happen at grant issuance, and that is what they are for. Reporter rewards are available from a separate, capped pot. The pot is a ceiling, not a spending target, and no reward is paid where a link between the reporter and the flagged project's team, wallets, or funding is established.
### §12. Never pay for engagement
**12.1 The rule.** You may not pay, reward, or otherwise incentivize anyone to transact. A confirmed case is treated as manufactured volume, whatever the totals say. Every payment not yet made is forfeited. Amounts already paid become a recorded repayment obligation, you and the named individuals on your grant agreement may be disqualified from future rounds, and the findings are published; the published ruling states whether disqualification was applied (§11.5).
**12.2 Banned.**
* Per-transaction rewards or rebates, of any kind.
* Transact-to-earn points or tokens redeemable for value.
* Covering users' fees from any undeclared source.
* Compensating market makers, "ambassadors," or power users for activity during any measured period, including the kicker and bonus retention periods.
* Any informal arrangement to the same effect.
**12.3 Allowed.**
* Marketing, advertising, content, and conference presence.
* Hackathons, education, and documentation, as long as rewards aren't conditioned on measured-period transactions.
* Sponsored-fee UX, where your team pays network fees on users' behalf as product design. This is permitted, provided those fees originate from your declared own wallets. That also means they never count (§5.2). The exclusion is not a UX judgment: fees paid from your own wallets are indistinguishable, on-chain, from self-dealing, and a measurement program cannot pay on a number its grantee can print.
**12.4 Ask first.** Product-native reward mechanics, where rewarding actions *is the* product (loyalty integrations, points-as-the-product), need a written program ruling before your window opens. The default rule: allowed only if the reward carries no team-provided redeemable value during the measurement period. Otherwise it is paying for transactions. Rulings are published.
### §13. Meta-rules
**13.1 No ratchet.** Your realized performance is never used to raise your own targets or floors in any future round. Floors are recalibrated cohort-wide only, from published data. Doing well this round can only ever help you next round. A confirmed integrity finding is the one exception: it follows you (§11.5).
**13.2 Pre-registration.** Floors, targets, methodology, and the counting-tool version are frozen and published before a cohort's first window opens. Changes apply to future cohorts only.
**13.3 Portfolio expectation.** We expect outcomes to be power-law distributed: some breakouts, some targets landed, some misses. Program-level results are published either way. The pilot also pre-registers what it is trying to learn: how teams set targets against published ranges, whether declaration calibration predicts retention, and which categories hold their pace after payment ends. And it pre-registers its own bar: the methodology surviving its first challenges intact. The decision to scale/iterate this pilot into a next version keys on these learnings.
**13.4 The benchmark.** No reliable benchmark for adoption on Cardano exists today; producing one is part of why this pilot exists. This cohort's floors and guidance ranges are calibrated from public chain data, the trailing 30- and 90-day Cardano Transaction Leaderboard data, and are published with their sources. When the pilot closes, the program evaluates the full cohort's outcomes with the counting tool: declared targets, delivered fees, calibration, retention, and cost per counted-fee ADA. That published dataset becomes the reference from which floors, ranges, and the design of any next round are drawn. This cohort is scored against honest interim yardsticks; the next one inherits real ones.
The pilot also tests the measurement itself: whether counted fees are a good proxy for durable adoption, and how they track against volume, active users, and protocol revenue. What is learned sets the metric for any next round; this Standard chose the most fake-resistant proxy available for a pilot, not a permanent KPI for the ecosystem.
**13.5 The calibration record.** Declared versus delivered is published for every team and carries into future-round selection, where ambition and calibration are weighed alongside results, and the record carries each project's context metrics (volume, and where they apply, TVL and protocol revenue) alongside its counted fees. Top performers by §9 ranking and well-calibrated teams receive fast-track access to any subsequent round. Declaring low is allowed; but it is also a permanent public record.
### §14. The TLDR rules on one page
* Three payments: **\[40%]** to build, up to **\[40%]** on adoption, **\[20%]** kicker for pace held **\[12]** epochs after finishing.
* Declare your target at submission. It is floored by the program and scored for ambition against published reference ranges. The number declared at submission is final and cannot be changed.
* After a floorless entry ramp of at least one epoch, your window opens after the entry ramp and closes at the program end date for everyone: deliver early and your window is longer than the minimum **\[6]** epochs. Fees count from the moment you deliver; floors start only when the window opens. Reaching your target early locks in the full adoption payment; floors after that point no longer apply.
* Only your declared, newly deployed footprint counts. The footprint can grow publicly; it cannot be swapped or redefined mid-window. Your own wallets never count.
* Payment scales from the floor: below it nothing, above it proportional, at your target the full adoption amount. No cliffs at the finish line.
* Keep the rhythm: epoch floors with 1 allowed miss (up to 2 with earned epochs). Each extra miss cuts the payment **\[15%]** and forfeits bonus and kicker.
* No day counts beyond **\[20%]** of your total. At least **\[N]** distinct external wallets (one per **\[10]** ADA of floor). Any single wallet’s fees beyond **\[35%]** count at half. Splitting wallets to dodge this is challengeable.
* Everything is published live. Final numbers sit in public for **\[2]** epochs before payment. Challenges with evidence are rewarded.
* Never pay, reward, or rebate anyone for transacting. §12 draws the line.
* The bonus: only teams that reach their target are eligible. Ranking is based on adoption above the program floor relative to grant size measured against its category's yardstick (§9.2).
* Top 1-4 teams (depending on cohort size) can each receive up to **\[50%]** of their own grant. **\[60%]** pays at ranking, **\[40%]** if pace holds 12 epochs later.
* The compass: durable external usage on Cardano, counted in fees because they can't be quietly faked. Direction required now, destination expected over years.
# Fund Rules
## Catalyst Fund Rules
### 1. Purpose of this document
These Catalyst Fund Rules (“**Rules**”) reflect the mission of Project Catalyst to benefit the Cardano ecosystem. Catalyst FC is an exempted limited guarantee foundation company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (“CFC”) to disburse Project Catalyst funds for approved projects, in coordination with the Project Catalyst operator appointed by CFC that is responsible for operating and administering Project Catalyst (the “Fund Operator”).
These Rules apply to (a) each individual or entity participating in a project proposal, whether as an applicant or project participant (collectively “**Project Participants**”) and (b) other participants in Project Catalyst, including Community Reviewers, Community Moderators, and Milestone Reviewers (together with the Project Participants, “**Catalyst** **Participants**”).
By submitting a proposal, Catalyst Participants agree that these Rules form part of and are to be read together with the [Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/fine-print/terms-and-conditions) (the “**Terms**”). The Terms set out the binding contractual terms governing funding, payment, suspension, termination, and liability. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between these Rules and the Terms, the Terms shall prevail.
All Catalyst Participants must comply at all times with these Rules and any additional terms and general guidance made available by the Fund Operator. Any breach of the Terms, including these Rules, will be treated seriously and may result in suspension or termination of funding and/or loss of eligibility to participate in future Catalyst funding rounds.
### 2. Eligibility criteria - who can apply for funding?
Anyone with an idea that positively impacts the Cardano ecosystem can and may submit a proposal on the Project Catalyst platform, subject to the conditions set out in these Fund Rules.
*All Project Participants must be aged 18 or over and will need to complete onboarding requirements, including an identity verification process.*
#### (i) Proposal Submission Limits
*Applicants may only submit a maximum of **\[1]** Catalyst proposal across all categories in any one funding round.*
If an individual or entity applicant submits more than **\[1]** proposal submissions, only the first published entry will be eligible for participation. Project Participants contributing to proposals in any capacity (e.g., as a subcontractor) shall also be limited to submitting no more than **\[1]** proposal per funding round.
All Project Participants must accurately disclose their roles and scope of services across any submitted proposals, even if they are not the applicant, such as an implementer, vendor, service provider, etc. Proposals or Project Participants that fail to disclose information accurately may be disqualified at any point of the Catalyst process.
#### (ii) Eligibility Conditions
*A proposal will be deemed ineligible if, at the time of being marked as a final submission, the Project Participants meet any of the following conditions:*
* ***Incomplete legacy projects:*** The Project Participants have at least one active project in the delivery phase (including any period spent in extended onboarding) for over \[12] months and remains incomplete. To find out how long the project has been in this phase, look for its designated "start date." You can find this date in the header of that project's "milestone module summary." Unless a valid reason has been communicated to and accepted by the Fund Operator.
* ***Significant delays:*** The Project Participants have **\[one or more]** active Catalyst-funded projects that are more than **\[90]** days behind schedule under the approved Statement of Milestones unless a valid reason has been communicated to and accepted by the Fund Operator.
* ***Over-commitment:*** The Project Participants have more than **\[3]** active Catalyst-funded projects at the time of submission.
* ***Incomplete or untruthful self-assessment check-list:*** The proposal or any accompanying documentation (including any self-assessment checklist submitted with the application) is incomplete, inaccurate or misleading.
* ***Failure to disclose:*** The Project Participants have not accurately or publicly disclosed all involvements in any active Catalyst projects in their application form for any individuals connected to the project.
* ***Circumvention:*** The Project Participants have submitted a proposal under a different entity or individual in an attempt to circumvent these guidelines.
If it is determined that Project Participants do not meet any of the eligibility criteria at the time of submission, their proposal may be subject to immediate grant cancellation, regardless of its current stage. This includes proposals that have already been approved for funding by the community.1
#### (iii) Rules for All Active Grants. These rules apply to all projects with an active grant, regardless of whether they are applying for new funding:
* ***Automatic cancellation risk:*** An active grant risks immediate cancellation if the project is more than **\[90]** days behind schedule based on its Statement of Milestones, and the proposal team (or individual) has not proactively sought and received an approval from the Fund Operator.
* ***Important note on Change Requests:*** The approval of a Change Request is not automatic. It is granted solely at the discretion of the Fund Operator based on the justification provided.
### 3. Funding: What types of projects are funded by Project Catalyst?
Project Catalyst is aimed at helping a wide range of individuals, groups, or legal entities to grow by funding the best ideas that have the potential to positively impact the Cardano ecosystem.
Proposals must:
* Be complete and accurate at the time of proposal submission;
* Be for the betterment of the Cardano ecosystem;
* Be ready to start the project once the Fund results are published;
* Be willing to publicly share evidence of achievement and outcomes with the community; and
* If declaring the project is open source in the proposal submission form, the project should be open source-available throughout the entire lifecycle of the project with a declared open-source repository with an appropriate license.
* Provide a clear budget. This budget must be for future activities only and allocated exclusively to the project's execution.
The key requirements for all requests for funding proposals is that the project is for the broad benefit of the Cardano ecosystem and there are well-defined deliverables and outcomes for each project that can be measurably verified by the community.
Examples of projects that will not be funded by Catalyst include (list is non exhaustive):
* Projects that do not benefit Cardano in a way that aligns with Catalyst’s mission and scope;
* Projects that are not legal within the jurisdiction where the work is taking place or that would breach applicable sanctions, anti-money laundering (AML), or other regulatory requirements;
* Projects intending to use Catalyst funding for speculative or investment activities, such as purchasing financial or digital assets, trading, lending or providing token liquidity and similar activities;
* Funds cannot be used to establish local treasuries or similar collective funding pools (for example community-managed re-granting structures);
* Projects intending to use the funds to offer a grant as funding for 3rd parties (as opposed to procuring goods or services under a project contract);
* Projects intending to use funds for brick and mortar business activities that do not deliver a measurable benefit to the Cardano ecosystem. For example, a restaurant project using funds to pay for chefs instead of using funds for Cardano brand marketing. In this case, the proposal should demonstrate additional resources are available to cover these types of expenses; and
* Projects intending to use funds to incentivise users through ada or other giveaways, airdrops or prize schemes, unless specifically approved to be delivered as part of an authorised hackathon or bounty program; and
* Projects seeking retroactive funding in part or full, unless specifically permitted by the category brief guidelines.
### 4. Onboarding of approved proposals
If a proposal for funding is approved, then the applicable Project Participants will be notified by email of the steps to be completed as part of the onboarding procedure. The onboarding procedure is intended to confirm a Project Participant’s compliance with these rules and any additional terms or specific conditions of the grant, in addition to these rules, that the Project Participant must follow.
Once the project selection has taken place, during Project onboarding, Project Participants will also be required to submit a Statement of Milestones (SoM) that sets out the milestones and deliverables to be accomplished by the Project Participants during each stage of the project which will be reviewed and approved by Milestone Program before funding is initiated.
Project Participants must complete the onboarding process before the project can start. Failure to complete the onboarding procedure within 14 days of award notification may result in the grant being withdrawn.
### 5. Payments and Reporting
Upon completion of the onboarding process and verification of the Statement of Milestones, approved projects will receive an initial payment covering the first milestone. All funded projects will be required to adhere to the Statement of Milestones (SoM) set out in their proposal. Before funding for the next milestone is released, projects must provide evidence that the milestone for which they have already been paid has been achieved. This is known as Proof of Achievement (PoA). It is the responsibility of the lead Project Participant and funded-proposer’s team to submit Proof of Achievement to the community and the Catalyst team for verification and approval before funding for the next milestone is provided.
Each project will be required to submit a relevant report which documents that progress is being made on the project. The Catalyst team must be notified immediately if there are reasons why the project has paused or will not deliver what was voted for and approved by the community.
Failure to comply with reporting requirements to demonstrate adequate progress may result in funding being suspended or terminated.
Before the final payment is released, approved Project Participants must also provide a “Proof of Project” report and “Proof of Demonstration” video. Further details about the content and format of this documentation will be provided to each Project Participant during onboarding.
The Fund Operator and CFC aim to review SoMs, PoAs and general milestone submissions as efficiently as possible. However, review timelines may vary depending on the volume, complexity, and nature of community feedback.
Because the milestone review process relies on community input and validation, neither the Fund Operator nor CFC shall be liable for any delays, loss, or costs arising from extended review periods or related delays in payment release. Payments are conditional upon successful verification and approval of submitted milestones.
Project details, progress reports, and Proof of Achievements will be published on the Catalyst Website at [www.projectcatalyst.io](https://www.projectcatalyst.io) and will be publicly available.
### 6. Unspent and Excess Funds
There may be unspent or excess funds available from total budgeted funds for any given funding round. This may be the result of various reasons, including but not limited to parameter outcomes (e.g., difference between forecasted and actual budget allocation), cancellations/terminations, refunds, or failure to follow relevant procedures (e.g., during onboarding). Such events present an opportunity for efficient reallocation of available funding amounts where applicable to maximize the positive impact of the Catalyst program. In all other cases, the funds will be retained by CFC.
1. The Catalyst program aims to help active and previously funded proposers remain eligible and will review Change Requests as efficiently as possible. However, to ensure fairness, only Change Requests fully approved before a new application is submitted count toward eligibility. Processing times cannot be guaranteed, as they depend on the nature and complexity of the work. Change Requests are intended only for justified adjustments to deliverables or timelines and cannot be used to bypass eligibility criteria.
\
# Pre-Submission Checklist
Run this before you submit. At this stage you have a product, a plan, and a declared target, you haven't built the integration or generated any usage yet, and that's expected. So this checklist doesn't ask what you've delivered. It asks the two things review will judge from your proposal: **are you eligible, and is your proposal strong enough to fund?**
Answer honestly. If you can't tick a box, that's the thing to fix before you submit.
**How this connects to review.** The items in Section A are exactly what curators flag against at the compliance stage; if you can tick them, you clear the gate. Section B is what makes an eligible proposal a strong one, which the Decision panel scores.
### A. Eligibility gate
**Who you are**
* [ ] **One proposal.** This is our only proposal, and no individual on our team, in any role (lead, member, subcontractor, or service provider), is named on another. We're not splitting across entities to get around the limit.
* [ ] **Good standing.** Either we've never had Catalyst funding, or our record is clean: nothing more than 90 days behind or over 12 months incomplete (unless the Fund Operator has accepted a valid reason), and no more than three active Catalyst projects. Either way, we've disclosed all our active funding commitments, and any funding, past or present, for the same or substantially similar work.
* [ ] **Named, verifiable team**. Every team member and key contributor is named, with their role on the project stated; their profiles (LinkedIn, GitHub, portfolio, references) are real and checkable; and we've disclosed each member's involvement across every proposal this round.
**What you propose**
* [ ] **Eligible area.** We use at least one: Oracles, Stablecoins, CIP-0113, or CIP-0170.
* [ ] **Mature product.** Our existing product is at **TRL 5 or above**, validated on a public testnet or live, and the evidence is linkable. We're not relying on the integration's maturity; that's the new work the grant funds.
* [ ] **Fits the timeline.** Our plan reaches mainnet within a credible 3-month build window and completes within the 4-month pilot.
**The money**
* [ ] **Genuine new work.** The budget is for future activities only, not retroactive funding, and we're not planning a prohibited use: paying or incentivising users to transact (ada giveaways, airdrops, transact-to-earn), speculation, or re-granting.
* [ ] **Clear budget.** Our budget has a real breakdown tied to deliverables.
**Your adoption plan**
* [ ] **Real target.** Our declared target can be defended as ambitious but realistic (the form enforces the floor; ambition is scored both ways), and we understand it is **final at submission** and published next to what we deliver.
* [ ] **Real users.** We've named **where usage will come from**, channels, existing users, partners, with rough volumes, including our plan for the first two weeks after going live. Our usage model is built on real external users; we understand fees from our own or sponsored wallets won't count.
* [ ] **Identified dependencies.** Any third parties we depend on are named with evidence the relationship exists. (The standard providers we integrate, an oracle or a stablecoin, are not partners and need no proof.)
**The paperwork**
* [ ] **Standard read and attested.** We've read the [Proof of Adoption & Standard](/open-funding/funding-basics/proof-of-adoption-and-standard) and can honestly attest our plan complies.
* [ ] **Public proposal.** We understand our proposal and all its contents are published publicly, along with our progress reports and results, and we've obtained any consent needed before including third-party or confidential information.
### B. Will it stand out?
Eligibility gets you considered; these get you funded. The Decision panel scores a **technical review** and a **business review**, and your team runs through both.
* [ ] **Team.** We've evidenced why this team can deliver this specific work: relevant track record, prior shipped products, named roles, not just titles or a list of names.
* [ ] **Technical.** Our architecture is sound and buildable to mainnet within three months, and we've shown it, not just described it.
* [ ] **Business.** We've shown real demand with evidence, named our competitors and why users switch or activate, and explained durable usage. Our business case shows why usage **persists after the grant**, not just during the measurement period.
# Curation
Curation is the compliance gate of the Catalyst Pilot: the stage between proposal submission and the Decision panel, where every submitted proposal is checked against the[ Category Brief](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/category-brief) and[ Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/fund-rules) before it can be scored. Timelines for the stage are published in the program announcements once available.
The checking is done by an invited pool of experienced community members - Curators - who review proposals and raise private, evidenced flags where a proposal breaks a program rule. Flags are never public: the Catalyst Team reviews each one, and only accepted flags carry consequences. When a flag is accepted while the submission window is still open, the proposer is notified of the issue category and the proposal returns to draft, so a fixable gap can be fixed and re-finalized before the deadline. Curation is how the pilot makes sure that quality, complete proposals make their way forward: it clears the field of non-compliant and incomplete submissions, so the Decision panel's full attention goes to scoring the technical and business merit of proposals worth funding. Accurate flagging is rewarded per accepted flag, from a capped pool. For this pilot the stage is invite-only; public flagging is parked for a future iteration, and anyone in the community can still raise concerns through [a support ticket.](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)
**In this section:**
* [Curation Guidance](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/curation/curation-guidance) - the mission, the violation types, what not to flag, and how rewards are calculated.
* [Curator Terms & Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/curation/curator-terms-and-conditions) - the terms every Curator accepts before flagging.
# Curation Guidance
Hello Curator, and thank you for helping us uphold the quality of proposals for the Catalyst Pilot! Your role is crucial: you help the Catalyst Team review submitted proposals so that only compliant ones move through to the Decision stage.
This is a focused mission, identify and flag non-compliant proposals. This guide covers the expectations, the compliance documents, and the reward structure.
***
#### 📣 An Important Disclaimer for All Participants
**🧑⚖️ For Our Curators**
This paid Curation stage is an invite-only initiative for a selected pool: e.g. Fund14 and Fund15 moderators, Cardano Ambassadors, and Milestone Reviewers. We are entrusting this task to you in recognition of your proven experience and deep understanding of the Catalyst process.
**TL;DR:** Only invited Curators from this pool are eligible for reward payments. General public sign-ups are not part of this pilot.
**🌱 For the Wider Cardano Community**
Public flagging is not open in this pilot, it is parked for a future iteration. If you're passionate about proposal quality, you can still help by discussing proposals in the community channels (Discord, Telegram, X) or by submitting [a direct support ticket here](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) and choosing 'Feedback: Misconduct Report' from the type-of-inquiry dropdown. Your voice matters and helps inform voters and proposers alike.
***
#### ⚖️ Terms & Conditions
By participating in this Program and submitting flags, you agree to the general program [Terms & Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/fine-print/terms-and-conditions), [Terms of Use](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/fine-print/terms-of-use), [Privacy Policy](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/fine-print/privacy-policy), and, in addition, the [Curator Terms & Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/curation/curator-terms-and-conditions). You accept these [via Catalyst platform](https://app.projectcatalyst.io/) at role invitation acceptance through a mandatory click-wrap agreement before you can flag.
***
#### Our Mission: Flagging Non-Compliant Proposals
Your task is to identify and flag proposals that don't meet the pilot's compliance rules. When you find a violation, submit a private flag to the Catalyst Team. Flags and their outcomes are private throughout the pilot.
You are the **compliance gate**, not the scorer. Curation checks whether a proposal is *eligible and complete*. How good an eligible proposal is, its technical strength and business case, is scored separately by the Decision panel. Keep to your lane: flag what breaks a rule, and leave "is this a strong proposal?" to the panel.
***
#### Your Source of Truth: the Category Brief & Fund Rules
Your flags must be based only on the official [Category Brief](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/category-brief) and [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/fund-rules) - your flags will be judged against them. These are the source of truth for all compliance. For anything about individual integrations or [Technology Readiness Levels](/open-funding/funding-basics/technology-readiness-levels), the [Integration Guides](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/integration-guides) carry the full context. Unlike previous funds, the pilot runs a single category, so there's one Category Brief to check every proposal against. For target-credibility flags, also use the published floors and guidance ranges in the [Proof of Adoption & Standard](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/proof-of-adoption-and-standard) (§3.1, §3.3).
***
#### Your Task: Submitting a Flag
1. The curation window runs in parallel with the submission window, with extra time after the submission deadline - see the program announcement for exact dates.
2. Check your invitation email and how to register.
3. Browse the submitted proposals on the platform - any curator can review and flag any proposal.
4. Check each proposal against the [Category Brief](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/category-brief) and the [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/funding-basics/fund-rules).
5. If you find a clear, evidenced violation, submit a private flag through the platform. Tick each violation type that applies and add a justification that references the specific brief or rule item.
**Where to flag:** All flags are submitted directly on the [Catalyst Platform](https://app.projectcatalyst.io). Your submission is timestamped automatically, and that timestamp determines who flagged first.
**The submission form asks for:**
* **Violation checklist** - tick every violation that applies (at least one is required).
* **Mandatory rationale** - free-text evidence pointing to the exact submission field (section, character block, or link) that triggered the violation, referencing the specific Category Brief or Fund Rules item. Blind box-ticking without a rationale is prohibited.
***
#### The Violation Types Explained
Each type maps to a hard boundary in the [Category Brief](/open-funding/funding-basics/category-brief) or [Fund Rules](/open-funding/funding-basics/fund-rules). Flag a type only when you can point to specific evidence in the proposal. **If you're unsure, don't flag.**
**One thing to hold onto before you start:** this pilot gates on the maturity of the applicant's existing product, not on the integration they propose to build. The integration is exactly what the grant funds, from the ground up to mainnet, so an early-stage or not-yet-built integration is expected and is never a maturity flag.
**Violation checklist:** A predefined multi-select list of violation types mapped to the hard boundaries of the [Category Brief](/open-funding/funding-basics/category-brief). The curator ticks each violation that applies; at least one is required. Proposers whose proposals receive an accepted flag are notified of the issue category, and their proposal returns to draft for fixing. These are the types exactly as you'll see them in the curation form:
**Who is applying**
* **One proposal:** Each applicant may submit only one proposal. Cross-check the applicant name, entity, and declared team members against other submissions. *Does the same applicant, any member of the team, or entity appear on more than one proposal?*
* **Cardano Standing:** Check the proposal's funding disclosures (Acknowledgements) against the declared project IDs, the project website, the Milestone Module, and other sources. *Has the team failed to disclose an active funded commitment (theirs or any member's, in any ecosystem), or failed to disclose funding, past or present, for the same or substantially similar work as this proposal? Or does the team have an active Catalyst-funded project more than 90 days behind schedule or in delivery over 12 months and still incomplete (for example, overdue milestones or a proof-of-achievement past its deadline), or more than three active Catalyst projects at submission?*
* **Team & Credentials:** *Is the team not properly identified (members or key contributors unnamed, or roles not stated), or are key references (LinkedIn/portfolio/GitHub) missing or unverifiable (e.g. empty or newly created profiles)?* Judge whether the team is identified and verifiable; whether the experience is strong is the panel's to score.
**What they propose**
* **Scope Mismatch:** *Is the proposal marketing-only, dev-tooling, or otherwise outside the category scope?*
* **Integration Eligibility:** *Does the proposed integration fail to target an eligible standard / area of interest (Oracles, Stablecoins, CIP-0113, or CIP-0170), or is it built on the wrong standard?*
* **Product Maturity:** *Is the team's existing product below TRL 5, or is its maturity not evidenced?*
* **Timeline:** *Does the timeline exceed 4 months, or is it unrealistic for the proposed work?*
**The money**
* **Retroactive Funding:** *Do the requested funds cover already-completed work rather than future activities, or include a prohibited use - paying or incentivising users to transact (ADA giveaways, airdrops, transact-to-earn), speculation, or re-granting?*
* **Budget:** The form does not collect a line-item budget, so flag missing or incoherent spend-to-deliverable logic, not the absence of a detailed breakdown. *Is the requested amount unjustified by the milestone outputs - e.g. do the M1 deliverables or the high-level use of funds fail to account for the funding requested?*
**The adoption plan**
* **Target Credibility:** The declared adoption target should be defensible as ambitious-but-realistic against the proposal's own usage plan; the attestation is a proposer claim this flag disputes with evidence. *Is the target indefensible - either sandbagged artificially low to guarantee an easy clear, or inflated beyond what the team, traction, and go-to-market evidence support?*
* **Genuine Usage:** The usage model should be built on real external users. *Does it lack concrete sources of usage (named channels, existing users, or partners with rough volumes), give no first-two-weeks post-launch plan, or rely on usage from the team's own or sponsored wallets?*
* **Partner ID:** *Are the named partners, enterprises, or third parties the proposal depends on unidentified, or referenced without verifiable evidence the partnership exists?* The standard providers proposers integrate, an oracle or a stablecoin, are not partners and need no proof.
* **Technical Approach:** *Are the technical plan and architecture unclear, missing, or not credible?*
**If nothing above fits**
* **Insufficient Information:** *Does the submission lack the information the decision panel needs to evaluate capability or legitimacy (empty claims fulfilling requirements pro forma)?*
* **Other:** A clear breach of the Category Brief or Fund Rules that none of the types above captures; only use it when you can name the specific rule. *Does the proposal breach a specific Category Brief or Fund Rules item not covered above?*
**A caution on judgment calls**
Keep in mind instances where your own preferences/bias might intervene. This applies especially to **Target Credibility**, **Technical Approach**, and **Insufficient Information**, the three types where your own bar could masquerade as a violation. Flag elements only when a required element is **insufficient (so thin there is nothing to evaluate), absent or empty**, not when it's present but you'd have done it differently. Scoring how good a present answer is belongs to the decision panel.
***
#### 🚫 What not to flag
To keep the signal clean, do **not** flag:
* An early-stage, immature, or not-yet-built **integration**, that's what the grant funds.
* A design choice or approach you'd simply have made differently.
* A required answer that's present but, in your view, could be stronger, that's the Decision panel's to score.
* The standard providers a team integrates (an oracle, a stablecoin); many teams use the same ones.
* Anything you're not sure about. Uncertain is not a flag.
***
#### How Rewards Are Calculated 💰
A single reward pool incentivises accurate flagging, **capped at \[18,000] ADA**. It's based on the quality and uniqueness of your flags.
* **Pay-per-flag:** you earn **\[50] ADA** for each **accepted flag**.
* **What is an accepted flag?** The Catalyst Team reviews it, agrees the proposal clearly violates the Category Brief or Fund Rules (with your justification referencing the specific item), **and** you were the first to flag that proposal.
* **What makes a good justification?** Clear, concise, and verifiable, required on every flag. Weak or missing justifications may not be approved, even if the underlying issue is real.
* **Bad flag (rejected):** "This proposal's budget is vague. Feels non-compliant."
* **Good flag (accepted):** "Violates the Category Brief's requirement for a concrete 3-month milestone plan. The proposal's Roadmap only lists 'Q1 - Launch' with no detail."
* Clear, concise, verifiable, no essay required.
* **First-reporter rule:** only the **\[first]** curator to submit an accepted flag for a proposal is rewarded. If several flag the same proposal for the same valid reason, the reward goes to whoever submitted first. Timestamps are based on platform submission time and are final; we won't adjust payments retroactively for timing disputes or system errors.
* **Demoted flags pay nothing:** once a flag on a proposal is accepted, later flags on that same proposal are demoted and unpaid (kept as corroborating data).
* **Re-flag rule:** if a flagged proposal is genuinely fixed and republished, a new accepted flag on it pays again, even from the same curator, as long as the Catalyst Team accepts it. **A curator can be rewarded for the same proposal at most twice.** This covers real resubmissions; repeatedly flagging trivial resubmissions to farm reward events is abuse (see Fair Play) and is not rewarded.
* **Individual cap:** each curator can earn a maximum of **\[1,000] ADA** (20 accepted flags × **\[50]** ADA), to encourage wide participation.
* **Program deadline:** the reviewing window generally runs in parallel with proposal submissions with a bit of extra time post submission deadline (check announcement for exact timing). Flags must be submitted by the close of the window (check program announcements when exactly), or until the **\[18,000]** ADA pool is fully allocated, whichever comes first. Flags submitted by the deadline are reviewed even if the review happens afterward, subject to the pool cap.
* **Flags are never public.** During the window, curators see no outcomes; after the stage closes, each curator is told the outcome of their own flags. Aggregate results may be published; individual flags and their authors are not.
* **Finality:** the Catalyst Team's decision on whether a flag is accepted is final and binding. There is no appeals process.
* **KYC:** payment is subject to successful KYC verification. You can flag without KYC, but you can't be paid without it.
* **Reward** **wallet:** rewards are paid to the reward address you set in your curator profile (via a separate signing action), not to your login/stake address.
**Example scenario:**
You spend an evening reviewing proposals and submit private flags for 12 of them. The Catalyst Team reviews them: 8 are accepted and you were first; 2 are valid but another curator flagged just before you (demoted); 2 are not accepted, as the proposals were fine on a closer look. **Your reward: 8 × 50 = 400 ADA.**
***
#### A Note on Fair Play, Empathy & Good Conduct
Your job is to flag, not to judge. You're an extra set of eyes helping the team focus its attention. When you flag, you're simply stating that a proposal may not meet the criteria and needs an expert review. Any attempt to abuse the system, including "ping-pong" flagging of trivial resubmissions to game reward events, or collusion with proposers, will not be tolerated and may result in forfeiture of bounties and exclusion from future programs.
Please give a clear, concise justification for each flag. There's no need to write an essay.
Thank you for helping ensure voter and panelist attention is focused on the highest-quality proposals, strengthening the entire Cardano ecosystem. ✨
Happy flagging! **The Catalyst Team**
***
\
# Curator Terms & Conditions
*These Curator Terms supplement the Catalyst Fund Rules (“Rules”) and the Project Catalyst Terms & Conditions (“Terms”), which continue to apply to you. These Curator Terms govern the curation and reward details of the Catalyst Pilot Curation Program (“Program”). In the event of any conflict, the Terms shall prevail. The Cardano Foundation administers the Program on behalf of Catalyst FC (collectively, "we," "us," "our").*
***
**1. Acceptance.** By submitting flags through the Program, you ("Curator") confirm you have read, understood, and agree to these Curator Terms and any Program guidance provided by us. You accept these Curator Terms by registering and logging into the Program through a mandatory click-wrap agreement.
**2.** **Eligibility.** The Program is open to a selected pool (e.g. Fund14 and Fund15 moderators, Cardano Ambassadors, and Milestone Reviewers) by invite only. Only invited Curators are eligible for reward payments. You confirm you are 18 or over and eligible to take part.
**3. Your commitments.** You will:
* submit flags accurately and in good faith, based only on the Category Brief and the Fund Rules;
* provide a genuine, specific rationale for each flag, and not box-tick without one;
* keep all proposal information confidential, during and after the Program, and not share or use it for any purpose outside the Program;
* not attempt to abuse the Program, including "ping-pong" flagging of trivial resubmissions to farm reward events, collusion with proposers, or coordinating flags with others to game rewards.
**4. Rewards.** All reward payments are discretionary and subject to our confirmation that a flag is valid and that you were first to report it.
* You earn **\[50]** ADA for each accepted flag. A flag is accepted when we agree the proposal clearly violates the Category Brief or Fund Rules (with your rationale referencing the specific item) and you were the first to flag that proposal.
* Once a flag on a proposal is accepted, later flags on the same proposal are demoted and unpaid.
* If a proposal is genuinely fixed and republished, a new accepted flag pays again; a Curator may be rewarded for the same proposal at most twice.
* The total reward pool is capped at **\[18,000]** ADA; each Curator can earn a maximum of **\[1,000]** ADA.
* Flags must be submitted by the close of the announced window, or until the pool is fully allocated, whichever comes first.
* After the stage closes, each Curator is informed of the outcome of their efforts; individual flags and their authors are never published. Our decision on whether a flag is accepted is final and binding; there is no appeals process.
* We do not guarantee payment amounts or timing, and we will not adjust payments retroactively for timing disputes or system errors.
**5. Payment, KYC, and tax.** Payment is subject to successful KYC verification; you may flag without KYC, but cannot be paid without it. Rewards are paid to the reward address set in your Curator profile, not your login or stake address. You are responsible for any taxes and for regulatory compliance in your jurisdiction. The program reserves the right to suspend services to individuals at any time in regions where carrying out operations would result in unsatisfactory regulatory compliance outcomes.
**6. Independent participant.** You take part as an independent participant. Nothing in the Program creates an employment, contractor, agency, or partnership relationship between you and us. You bear your own costs of participating.
**7. Intellectual property.** You assign to us all rights, including intellectual property rights, in the flags and materials you submit through the Program.
**8. Data and privacy.** We process your personal data (including identity and KYC information, your reward address, and your flag submissions) to run the Program, verify eligibility, and make payments, in accordance with the [Privacy Policy](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/fine-print/privacy-policy). Individual flags and their authors are never published; outcomes are disclosed only to the Curator who submitted the flags, after the stage closes.
**9. No warranties and limitation of liability.** The Program is provided "as is." We make no warranties about the Program, payment amounts, or timing. To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability to you will not exceed the amounts paid to you under the Program, and we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including payments to a wrong wallet address provided by you.
**10. Changes and termination.** We may modify or terminate the Program, or these Curator Terms, at any time, with notice when practicable.
**11. Governing law.** These Terms are governed by the laws of Switzerland, without regard to conflict-of-laws provisions.
# Decision
Decision is the stage where funding outcomes are made. Every proposal that passes [Curation](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/curation) is scored on two fronts: a **technical review** (is the integration sound and buildable to mainnet within the timeline?) and a **business review** (is there real demand, a credible route to users, and usage that lasts?). Declared adoption targets are scored in both directions: too timid loses points, and too aggressive without supporting evidence loses points too.
Assessments from a decision panel of institutional and community members are merged into a single outcome, and the top-ranked eligible proposals that fit the budget and cohort are selected. The funding pool is a ceiling, not a quota: if too few proposals meet the bar, the program funds fewer teams than the target cohort. Applying does not guarantee funding.
**A note on community voting.** Multi-stage public voting is not part of this pilot. That is not because it is deprecated: a pilot is the place to trial a different selection model at small scale. The community remains in the process, since the curation pool is drawn from experienced community members and community members sit on the decision panel. How future rounds decide, including the role of public voting, stays an open question, and this pilot's published results are part of how it gets answered.
**In this section:**
* [Panelist Guidance](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/decision/panelist-guidance) - the mission, how reviews and scoring work, etc.
* [Panelist Terms & Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/decision/panelist-terms-and-conditions) - the terms every Panelist accepts before reviewing.
# Panelist Guidance
This page will be updated ahead of the Decision stage start.
# Panelist Terms & Conditions
These Decision Panel Terms supplement the Catalyst Fund Rules (“Rules”) and the Project Catalyst Terms & Conditions (“Terms”), which continue to apply to you. These Decision Panel Terms govern the review work and reward details of the Catalyst Pilot Decision Panel Program (“Program”). In the event of any conflict, the Terms shall prevail. The Cardano Foundation administers the Program on behalf of Catalyst FC (collectively, "we," "us," "our").
#### 1. Acceptance
By submitting reviews through the Program, you (“Panelist”) confirm you have read, understood, and agree to these Decision Panel Terms and any Program guidance provided by us. You accept these Decision Panel Terms by registering and logging into the Program through a mandatory click-wrap agreement.
#### 2. Eligibility
The Program is open to a selected pool of qualified participants whose expertise has been checked and verified by us. Invited Panelists may be eligible for reward payments. Payment eligibility and process details will be communicated separately to each individual Panelist once the final panel lineup has been confirmed.
Panelists who have submitted a proposal to the Catalyst Pilot funding round, or who are closely associated with a submitted proposal, are disqualified from participating in the Program.
You confirm you are at least 18 years old and eligible to participate.
#### 3. Your commitments
You will:
* submit reviews accurately and in good faith, based only on the applicable Panelist Guidance, Fund Rules, and Program documentation;
* provide a genuine, specific rationale for each score or judgment, and not box-tick without one;
* keep all proposal information confidential, during and after the Program, and not share or use it for any purpose outside the Program;
* not attempt to abuse the Program, including any collusion with proposers or other Panelists, or coordinating reviews to influence rewards or outcomes inappropriately;
* declare any conflict of interest with an assigned proposal and decline that assignment in the platform for reallocation, rather than reviewing it.
#### 4. Rewards
All reward payments are discretionary and subject to our confirmation that your reviews meet Program quality and completeness standards.
* Panel service is compensated in two parts: a base honorarium of **\[500]** ADA for completing your assigned review batch, and **\[75]** ADA for each accepted review.
* A review is accepted when it is complete, consistent with the Panelist Guidance and Fund Rules, and submitted through the designated platform within the announced window. Reviews that do not meet minimum quality, completeness, or timing requirements are not accepted and are unpaid.
* The base honorarium pays only on a completed batch (as adjusted for any assignments declined and reallocated under the conflict rules). Accepting the role and not completing your assignment forfeits it.
* Each Panelist can earn a maximum of **\[2,000]** ADA (the base plus **\[75]** × the maximum batch of **\[20]** reviews). The total reward pool is capped at **\[50,000]** ADA; in the event accepted totals would exceed the pool, payments are reduced pro rata.
* Assigned batch sizes depend on the number of eligible proposals and the size of the panel: your batch may be smaller than the maximum of **\[20]**, and compensation follows the work actually assigned to you and accepted. The figures in this section are upper bounds, not guaranteed amounts.
* Only external Panelists receive compensation. Cardano Foundation personnel serve on the panel unpaid.
* Rewards are computed once, after the stage closes, from the accepted-work record, and paid in a single distribution. Payment requires completed identity verification (KYC); see section 5.
* After the stage closes, each Panelist is informed of the outcome of their reviews. Our decision on whether a review is accepted is final and no appeals will be considered.
* We do not guarantee payment amounts or timing, and we will not adjust payments retroactively for timing disputes or system errors.
#### 5. Payment, KYC, and tax
Payment is subject to successful KYC verification; you may participate without KYC, but cannot be paid without it. Rewards are paid to the reward address set in your profile, not your login or stake address. You are responsible for any taxes and for regulatory compliance in your jurisdiction. The program reserves the right to suspend services to individuals at any time in regions where carrying out operations would result in unsatisfactory regulatory compliance outcomes.
#### 6. Independent participant
You take part as an independent participant. Nothing in the Program creates an employment, contractor, agency, or partnership relationship between you and us. You bear your own costs of participating.
#### 7. Intellectual property
You assign to us all rights, including intellectual property rights, in the reviews, scores and materials you submit through the Program. We reserve the right to provide participating projects with a generalised summary of Panelist feedback. This feedback loop is designed to support project development and thus all individual reviews will be aggregated and anonymized to ensure no individual Panelist can be identified.
#### 8. Data and privacy
We process your personal data (including identity and KYC information, your reward address, and your review submissions) to run the Program, verify eligibility, and make payments, in accordance with the [Privacy Policy](/open-funding/fine-print/privacy-policy). Individual reviews, scores, and their authors are never published or attributed; outcomes are disclosed only to the Panelist who submitted the reviews, after the stage closes. Aggregated, anonymized feedback may be shared with projects as described in section 7.
#### 9. No warranties and limitation of liability
The Program is provided "as is." We make no warranties about the Program, payment amounts, or timing. To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability to you will not exceed the amounts paid to you under the Program, and we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including payments to a wrong wallet address provided by you.
#### 10. Changes and termination
We may amend, suspend, or terminate the Program or these Decision Panel Terms at any time.
#### 11. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Switzerland, without regard to conflict-of-laws provisions.
# Fine Print
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[Terms & Conditions](/open-funding/fine-print/terms-and-conditions)
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[Personal Data Consent Form](/open-funding/fine-print/personal-data-consent-form)
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[Terms of Use](/open-funding/fine-print/terms-of-use)
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[Privacy Policy](/open-funding/fine-print/privacy-policy)
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[Legal & Treasury Details](/open-funding/fine-print/legal-and-treasury-details)
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[Refunds Policy](/open-funding/fine-print/refunds-policy)
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# Terms & Conditions
**Project Catalyst Terms & Conditions**
**Background**
1. Project Catalyst is a funding platform and grant program within the Cardano blockchain (“**Cardano**”) ecosystem. Its purpose lies in solving real world challenges, stimulating innovation, fostering Cardano’s governance and development, by incentivizing Cardano community members to submit ideas that positively impact the Cardano ecosystem and to potentially receive funding (“**Project Catalyst**”).
2. Project Catalyst conducts funding rounds from time to time where the Cardano community submits proposals for technical, business, creative and community projects (“**proposals**” or “**projects**”). The holders of ada (the native cryptocurrency of Cardano) evaluate and vote on projects to receive funding in the form of ada issued from the Cardano Treasury (“**funding**” or “**funds**”), in line with the Cardano Treasury approval and withdrawal process (the “**Cardano Funding Process**”). The Cardano Treasury means the pool of ada collected from transaction fees and monetary expansion on the Cardano Blockchain, which is controlled through decentralized decision-making.
3. Catalyst FC is an exempted limited guarantee foundation company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (“**CFC**”) to disburse Project Catalyst funds for approved projects (as described below), in coordination with the Project Catalyst operator appointed by CFC that is responsible for operating and administering Project Catalyst (the “**Fund Operator**”). Under this arrangement: (a) CFC allocates and disburses grant funding in ada; (b) the Fund Operator provides platform, administrative and operational services, on CFC’s behalf, to facilitate the grant program; and (c) the Fund Operator third-party beneficiaries of these Terms with rights to enforce specific provisions as described in these Terms.
4. To either (a) participate in Project Catalyst rounds or (b) receive funding, for Project Catalyst proposals approved for funding: The individual responsible for submitting one or more proposals to Project Catalyst (“**you**”, “**your(s)**” or the “**applicant**”) is required to: (i) accept these Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions (these “**Terms**”), which, together with the Fund Rules (defined below) set forth the binding agreement between you and CFC regarding your project; and (ii) complete the onboarding requirements described in these Terms.
5. By accepting these Terms, submitting a proposal to Project Catalyst, participating in Project Catalyst or accepting funding from CFC, you represent and warrant that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these Terms. You and CFC agree as follows:
6. **Fund Rules; Your Obligations.**
1. These Terms should be read together with all rules, requirements and documentation applicable to the Project Catalyst funding round under which you have or may receive funding and that were provided or made available to you (the “**Fund Rules**”). If there is a conflict between these Terms and the Fund Rules, then these Terms will control. As used in these Terms, “**approved projects**” are those: (i) that participate in the Project Catalyst funding round that has been approved, and for which funding has been disbursed to CFC, pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process; (ii) that have been approved by the Cardano community to receive funding; and (iii) for all funding rounds, for which all individual(s) and entity/entities named on the proposal have completed CFC’s onboarding requirements (as further described in these Terms).
2. For all approved projects, you shall use the funds exclusively for the development and implementation of your proposal in accordance with its terms, the Fund Rules and any other parameters or requirements issued or agreed to by CFC in writing (email permitted) (collectively, “**Specifications**”). Unless you obtain CFC’s prior written consent, you shall not use the funds other than as set forth in these Terms and the Specifications.
3. CFC may instruct the Fund Operator to carry out onboarding on its behalf. You shall comply with and participate in all of CFC’s onboarding requirements, which may include, without limitation, submitting complete and accurate information for know your customer (KYC), anti-money laundering (AML) and similar screenings conducted by or on behalf of CFC, and submitting a schedule setting out the milestones and deliverables to be accomplished during each phase of the project. If you fail to comply with or complete CFC’s onboarding requirements, if CFC receives onboarding results that are unsatisfactory to CFC in its discretion or if the Fund Operator determines in its reasonable discretion that continuing the onboarding process would create operational, compliance, reputational or platform-related risks for the Fund Operator or CFC, then you will be disqualified from participating in the applicable Project Catalyst funding round (and potentially future funding rounds) and these Terms will immediately terminate upon CFC’s or the Fund Operator’s notice to you of being disqualified.
4. You shall comply with all other requirements issued by CFC and the Fund Operator from time to time including, without limitation, for approved projects: reporting regularly on the project’s progress; submitting evidence of completion of milestones or deadlines; providing documentation detailing how the project and milestones function; and submitting reports or providing demonstrations upon completion of the project.
7. **Issuing Funds for Approved Projects.** The terms in this Section 2 apply to approved projects.
1. So long as you comply with these Terms and the Fund Rules,and expressly subject to the successful allocation of funds to CFC pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process, CFC will issue the funds to an account designated by you as follows:
1. **For projects that have not received funding at the time you accept these Terms:** Upon completion of all onboarding requirements in a manner satisfactory to CFC, CFC shall issue you initial funding covering the first milestone. Funding for subsequent milestones may be issued prior to their commencement so long as: (A) you are in compliance with the project schedule; and (B) for the then-proceeding milestone, you have submitted documentary evidence satisfactory to CFC and the Cardano community that such milestone has been completed and achieved in accordance with the Specifications. The project schedule and the amounts and timing of issuance of the funds are as agreed upon by you and CFC during onboarding and in accordance with applicable Fund Rules.
2. **For projects that have received funding at the time you accept these Terms:** Upon completion of all onboarding requirements in a manner satisfactory to CFC and the Fund Operator, CFC shall issue you the remaining funding for your project, in accordance with the project schedule and the amounts and timing of issuance of the funds as agreed upon by you and the Fund Operator.
2. Upon the Fund Operator or CFC’s request, you shall provide documentary evidence satisfactory to CFC or the Fund Operator itemizing your expenditure of funds. In connection with receiving any funds, you are solely responsible for (i) making any required regulatory filings or reports and (ii) paying taxes or other payments imposed by a governmental authority. You are responsible for all financial obligations, costs and expenses incurred by you and your personnel (if applicable) in connection with the project (including, without limitation, paying transaction fees).
3. Fund Operator or CFC shall not be held liable for any funds disbursed to an incorrect wallet address as a result of errors or inaccuracies in the details submitted by you. You assume full responsibility for the accuracy of all provided payment information.
8. **Intellectual Property Rights.**
1. You or your licensors retain ownership of and responsibility for your name, trademarks, logos, the project, any project results or deliverables, the project name and all content you create, feature, display or provide to CFC, the Fund Operator and the Cardano community in connection with your participation in Project Catalyst and the project (collectively, “**Your Content**”), in accordance with Applicable Laws (as defined below). You hereby grant CFC and the Fund Operator a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable and worldwide license to access and use Your Content to provide updates on the progress and outcomes of the project via the Project Catalyst website, Project Catalyst social media channels, internal town halls and other channels (including, without limitation, presenting on projects at events). Any other usage of Your Content will be subject to your prior written approval. You waive all moral rights to Your Content and agree not to assert such claims against CFC or the Fund Operator to enable CFC and the Fund Operator to exercise their rights granted in this Section 3(a).
2. If the Fund Rules require your project to be open source, then you agree to publish Your Content under a suitable open source license (e.g. Apache 2.0) and grant a non-exclusive, transferable, sublicensable, assignable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and worldwide license to any individual or entity to view, use, display, perform, publish, share, distribute, store, make copies and backups of, reproduce, modify, sublicense and commercialize and otherwise exploit Your Content in any manner or medium.
3. If Your Content includes content (in any format) you do not own, then you shall ensure that portion of Your Content is licensed to you under terms that permit you to grant the licenses and permissions in Sections 3(a) and 3(b), and you shall provide a copy of all such terms to CFC or the Fund Operator upon request.
4. Your use of CFC’s, the Fund Operator’s or any other third party’s website, mobile apps, products and services, and the ownership of intellectual property rights in and to the same, are governed by the relevant party’s terms of use.
9. **Marketing and Confidentiality.**
1. You shall not use the corporate name, trademarks, logos and other relevant branding of CFC, the Fund Operator or their respective affiliates or subsidiaries in public facing materials without the relevant entity’s prior written consent.
2. You shall keep strictly confidential all non-public information in whatever form transmitted (including tangible and intangible forms) that is disclosed or otherwise made available by CFC or the Fund Operator to you (“**Confidential Information**”), and you shall not disclose Confidential Information without the prior written consent of CFC or the Fund Operator, as applicable. If you are legally required to disclose any Confidential Information, then you shall, prior to making such disclosure, immediately notify CFC and the Fund Operator of the requirement and afford the relevant disclosing party an adequate opportunity to oppose the disclosure, or take other action to ensure the confidential handling of the Confidential Information to be disclosed, and you further shall reasonably assist the relevant disclosing party in seeking to obtain such protection or confidential treatment.
10. **Term, Suspension and Termination.**
1. The Terms and the applicable Fund Rules will remain in effect for the duration of the project. Sections 3, 4, 5(a), 5(f), 6, 7, 8, 9(b), 9(e), 9(f), 9(i) and 9(k) will survive the expiration or termination of these Terms.
2. **Notice of Delay.** You shall immediately notify CFC and the Funding Operator if the project is or needs to be paused or if you reasonably anticipate you cannot deliver the project in accordance with the Specifications. Depending on the circumstances, CFC may suspend or terminate the project under this Section 5.
3. **Suspension by You.** If you have already completed or participated in at least one previous Project Catalyst funding round, then you may, a maximum of once during the project’s life cycle, submit a written request for suspension of the project for up to six months. CFC or the Funding Operator shall notify you in writing whether your request is approved or denied, which CFC and/or the Funding Operator may determine in its discretion. If your request is denied, then either (A) you shall resume performance of the project in accordance with these Terms and the Specifications or (B) you may terminate the project under Section 5(e); provided, however, if you fail to timely take any action, CFC may terminate the project with immediate effect upon written notice to you. If your request is approved, then:
1. You shall not receive funding for the duration of the suspension.
2. Upon expiration of the suspension and within the timeframe stipulated by CFC, you shall: (A) communicate to CFC and the Funding Operator your intent to reinstate the project; and (B) provide CFC with any requested documentation, satisfactory to CFC, which may include, without limitation, an updated schedule of milestones and deliverables. Upon CFC notifying you in writing (email permitted) with its approval of such communication and documentation: (1) the project and funding will be reinstated as of the date of such notification; and (2) you and CFC shall amend the Specifications as necessary.
3. If, within 30 calendar days after expiration of the suspension, you do not meet the requirements in Section 5(c)(ii)(A) and (B), then CFC may terminate the project with immediate effect upon written notice to you.
4. **Termination by You.**
1. If you want to terminate the project, then you shall: (A) immediately notify CFC in writing and; (B) provide CFC with any requested documentation, which may include, without limitation, a report of the project’s current progress and work to be completed, how funds were used through the date of termination and a detailed description of the circumstances leading to termination.
2. Termination will be effective the later of the date CFC receives your termination notice or the date CFC makes your termination notice and related materials available to the Cardano community.
3. Within 14 calendar days of termination you will be required to refund any funding received with respect to incomplete work and milestones, according to the instructions of CFC or the Fund Operator.
5. **Suspension or Termination by CFC or Fund Operator.**
1. CFC may suspend or terminate the project in its reasonable discretion for any reason, and the Fund Operator may suspend or terminate the project for operational or platform-related reasons in its reasonable discretion, in either case including, without limitation, a reasonable belief that: you have been selected to receive funding for multiple projects with the same or substantially similar scopes; any portion of Your Content is false, plagiarized or infringes or misappropriates another party’s intellectual property rights; you or your personnel (if applicable) have committed acts of fraud, dishonesty or misrepresentation; you misused funds; you changed the scope of the project without following the requirements of Section 1(b); you failed to submit required or requested deliverables or to meet deadlines; you failed to timely complete any onboarding requirements; or you otherwise breached these Terms, the applicable Fund Rules or the Specifications.
2. Without limiting CFC’s rights under Section 5(e)(i), CFC may terminate the project and these Terms with immediate effect if the Project Catalyst budget proposal fails to receive approval pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process. In the event of such termination, the remainder of this Section 5(e) will not apply, and neither CFC nor the Fund Operator will have any obligation to you.
3. For all approved projects: Without limiting CFC’s or the Fund Operator’s rights under Section 5(e)(i), the project and these Terms will automatically terminate if the Fund Operator ceases to operate Project Catalyst and provide administrative services pursuant to these Terms. In the event of such termination, the remainder of this Section 5(e) will not apply, and CFC and the Fund Operator will have no obligation to you.
4. CFC shall notify you in writing if the project is suspended or at risk of termination. Upon receipt of such notice, you shall immediately stop, or arrange to be stopped, all work on the project.
5. To reinstate a suspended project or to prevent termination of a project: (A) within the timeframe stipulated by CFC, you and CFC must meet the number of times required by CFC to mutually agree on a resolution to the circumstances giving rise to the suspension or termination; and (B) you promptly shall implement such resolution to the satisfaction of CFC; otherwise, the project will be terminated with immediate effect upon CFC’s written notice to you.
6. If CFC notifies you in writing (email permitted) that you satisfactorily resolved the circumstances giving rise to the suspension or potential termination, then: (A) the project and funding will be reinstated as of the date of such notification (or such other date stipulated by CFC, if the remedial efforts will continue after the project recommences); and (B) you and CFC shall amend the Specifications as necessary.
6. **Effects of Termination.** If the project is terminated for any reason, then:
1. CFC or the Fund Operator may disclose or publish the fact that the project was terminated and related details to the Cardano community;
2. any funds allocated to the project but not yet disbursed will be retained by CFC or returned to the Cardano Treasury;
3. CFC may require you to return any funds already issued to you for the project, and in such event, you shall return the funds within 14 calendar days of CFC’s notification to you;
4. you shall not participate in subsequent Project Catalyst funding rounds for 12 months after the date of termination without the Fund Operator’s prior consent; and
5. these Terms will automatically terminate as of the effective date of termination (except as provided in Section 5(a), 5(e)(ii) and 5(e)(iii)).
11. **Representations and Warranties.**
1. You represent, warrant and covenant to CFC that:
1. the project and deliverables will conform to the Specifications;
2. you have the full and irrevocable right, power and authority (by ownership, license or otherwise) to (A) use Your Content and all related intellectual property rights and (B) grant the licenses granted, or required to be granted, under these Terms;
3. your participation in Project Catalyst, the project, and the activities undertaken by you and your personnel (if applicable) in connection with the project, will be performed in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, statutes, ordinances and other legal requirements (collectively, “**Applicable Laws**”), with reasonable and required care, good, ethical and moral business practices and diligence at or above industry standards;
4. the project, your performance thereof, Your Content and any information and materials you submit to CFC and the Fund Operator (including, without limitation, your proposal application) will not: (A) infringe, misappropriate or violate any party’s rights, including, without limitation, any intellectual property rights or any rights of privacy or rights of publicity; and (B) contain confidential or proprietary information or data of any party without (1) you having obtained such party’s prior and express written consent (a copy of each of which consent you shall provide to CFC upon request) and (2) being disclosed to CFC in advance in writing;
5. the project, deliverables, any communications with CFC and the Funding Operator, and Your Content will not contain any virus, malware, spyware, malicious code, mechanism Trojan horse, worm, back door, trap door, time bomb, software lock, drop dead device or other routine, program, instruction, code, device, contaminant, logic, effect or other undisclosed feature which would, or is intentionally designed, created or intended to: (A) allow unauthorized access to or use of project users’ systems or assets or to cause such systems to malfunction; or (B) alter, disable, destroy, interrupt, interfere with, inhibit or discontinue any users’ effective use of the project;
6. during the term of these Terms, you shall not participate in: (A) any attacks on Cardano or Cardano users, including but not limited to technical attacks, hacking, theft of Cardano users’ funds or fraud; (B) conduct reasonably anticipated to cause harm to Cardano or Cardano users; or (C) any other activity that CFC considers in its discretion to be malicious;
7. you have the full power and authority to enter into and to perform your obligations under these Terms;
8. your execution and performance of these Terms and the project will not violate any policies or procedures of any academic institution or any other entity (whether public or private) with which you are employed, involved or associated and that you have received all necessary written permission(s) to enter into these Terms and to undertake the project;
9. you, and if you are an entity, your affiliates, shareholders, directors, officers, employees, contractors, consultants or other personnel, are not the subject of, or located, organized or resident in any country or territory that is the subject of, any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”); and
2. CFC represents, warrants and covenants to you that:
1. It will comply with Applicable Laws in its performance of these Terms;
2. It is not the subject of, or located, organized or resident in any country or territory that is the subject of, Sanctions; and
3. Funds issued to you by CFC are not derived from unlawful activity;
12. **Indemnification.**
1. You shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless CFC, the Fund Operator, their respective affiliates and their and their affiliates' respective directors, officers, employees, consultants, agents, successors and assigns (collectively, the “**Indemnified Parties**”) from and against any losses, damages, injuries, liabilities, judgements, settlements, awards, penalties, fines, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by any of the foregoing parties, arising out of or relating to any third-party claim or otherwise, relating to: (i) your participation in Project Catalyst and the project, and the activities undertaken in connection with your participation in Project Catalyst and the project by you and your personnel (if applicable); (ii) your receipt and use of any portion of the funds; (iii) suspension or termination of the project or a change in funding, for any reason; (iv) the acts and omissions of you and your personnel (if applicable); (v) breach of these Terms and of Applicable Laws by you and your personnel (if applicable); (vi) any assertion that the relationship between an Indemnified Party and you or your personnel (if applicable) is that of an employment relationship; (vii) any employment-related obligation required to be borne by an Indemnified Party relating to you or your personnel (if applicable); and (viii) your and any third party’s reliance on the potential or anticipated receipt of funding prior to the actual disbursement of funds, if any, to CFC pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process.
2. CFC shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless you, and if you are an entity, your directors, officers, employees, consultants, agents, successors and permitted assigns, from and against any losses, damages, injuries, liabilities, judgments, settlements, awards, penalties, fines, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), limited to a maximum of the amount of funding received by you, incurred by any of the foregoing parties to the extent a third party claim alleges: (i) CFC misappropriated your intellectual property; (ii) CFC issued funds to you that are derived from unlawful activity; or (iii) CFC acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct.
3. The indemnified party shall give the indemnifying party prompt written notice of all threats, claims or proceedings, or the discovery of facts, that would give rise to the indemnifying party’s obligations under this Section 7 and prior to taking any action that could adversely impact the indemnifying party’s defense. The indemnified party’s failure to timely provide such notice will not relieve the indemnifying party of its indemnification obligations, provided that the indemnifying party will not be responsible for any indemnification obligations or liable to the indemnified party from a delay that prejudices the indemnifying party’s defense of the claim. The indemnifying party may assume, at its option, control of the defense or settlement of an indemnifiable claim using counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. The indemnified party will reasonably cooperate with the indemnifying party in such defense and the indemnified party may participate in the defense of the claim with counsel of its choosing and at its expense. The indemnifying party shall not settle any indemnifiable claims without the indemnified party’s prior written consent and without a complete release of the indemnified party.
13. **Personal Data.**
1. You and CFC shall comply with all Applicable Laws relating to the collection, processing, use and storage of data that can directly or indirectly identify any natural person (“**Personal Data**”).
2. You shall ensure that Your Content will not contain Personal Data without each Personal Data subject’s prior and express written consent (a copy of each of which consent you shall provide to CFC upon request).
3. In connection with CFC’s onboarding requirements, which are an essential requirement before any funds are issued under these Terms, your Personal Data may be collected and processed by the Fund Operator (acting as a data processor) and shared with CFC (acting as a data controller) in connection with: (i) CFC’s legitimate interests in protecting against fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, illicit use of the funds and other criminal activity; and (ii) CFC’s compliance, due diligence and oversight obligations related to grant funding. You will be given the opportunity to separately consent to processing of your Personal Data. Failure to provide such consent may result in funds not being issued and termination of these Terms in accordance with Section 5.
14. **Miscellaneous.**
1. You acknowledge that: (i) any funding sent to you is intended to be characterized as currency payments and not as securities under applicable law; (ii) digital currencies, such as ada, may possess unique legal, tax and market risks when compared to traditional fiat currencies; and (iii) you are responsible for taxes, costs, expenses and compliance with Applicable Law (including restrictions imposed by Applicable Law) associated with accepting ada. You release CFC and the Fund Operator from all claims and liabilities arising from a determination by a judicial authority or regulator that the ada issued to you under these Terms violates Applicable Law.
2. You shall not assign, transfer, mortgage, charge, subcontract, delegate, declare a trust over or deal in any other manner with any of its rights, benefits or obligations under these Terms or the Fund Rules (“Transfer”) without CFC’s prior written consent. CFC may Transfer, in whole or in part, these Terms or any of its rights, benefits or obligations under these Terms at any time in its sole discretion.
3. The Fund Operator is an express and intended third-party beneficiary of these Terms and is entitled to enforce these terms as if it were an original party to these Terms (including, without limitation, Sections 1(c), 1(d), 2, 5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9(a), 9(c), 9(j), 9(l), 9(m) and 9(o)).
4. Any modification, amendment or variation to these Terms must be in writing and signed by you and CFC.
5. All waivers must be in writing. A failure or delay by you or CFC to exercise any right or remedy provided under these Terms, the Fund Rules or by law will not constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor will it prevent or restrict any further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of any right or remedy provided under these Terms, the Fund Rules or by law will prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy.
6. CFC’s and the Fund Operator’s rights and remedies provided under these Terms and the Fund Rules are in addition to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies provided by law.
7. If more than one person or entity contributes to the project, then all such individuals’ and entities’ rights, obligations and liabilities will be joint and several. If other individual(s) and entity/entities are named on a proposal, the applicant shall (i) ensure they are aware of and comply with these Terms and the Fund Rules and (ii) be responsible for their acts and omissions resulting in a breach of these Terms or the Fund Rules.
8. If any provision (in whole or in part) of these Terms or the Fund Rules is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that provision will be deemed deleted and the deleted portion will not affect the validity and enforceability of the remainder of these Terms or the Fund Rules, as applicable.
9. These Terms and the Fund Rules constitute the entire agreement between you and CFC with respect to the project and supersedes and extinguishes all previous and contemporaneous agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations and understandings, whether written, or oral, relating to their subject matter. These Terms and the Fund Rules will override any additional or express or implied terms and conditions.
10. Nothing in these Terms or the Fund Rules is intended to, or will be deemed to, establish any partnership or joint venture between you and/or CFC, constitute you or CFC to be the agent of the other or authorize you or CFC to make or enter into any commitments for or on behalf of the other. Neither these Terms or the Fund Rules nor your performance of the project will be interpreted or construed as creating the relationship of employer and employee between CFC and you and your personnel (if applicable). You and your personnel (if applicable) are not eligible to enroll for or receive benefits under any CFC employee benefit plan. You are responsible for, as applicable, withholding taxes, making contributions and obtaining insurance with respect to you and your personnel.
11. Any notice or demand required by or permitted to be given under these Terms or the Fund Rules will be in writing and be made by registered mail or by email, sent to such physical or email address as is customarily used by you and CFC (with a copy to Cardano Foundation at during the course of the project.
12. In the event of a dispute between you and CFC (or between you and the Fund Operator acting as a third party beneficiary) arising out of, or relating to, the project or the interpretation, performance or breach of these Terms or the Fund Rules, each applicable party (and if a party is an entity, then a person in that party’s senior leadership who has sufficient authority and knowledge to attempt to resolve the dispute) shall use best efforts to attempt to resolve such dispute on amicable terms, including but not limited to meeting, whether in person or virtually, as frequently as is necessary under the circumstances. You and CFC (as applicable) shall not, at any time, disclose to any third party the nature or existence of the dispute. If the dispute cannot be resolved through good faith negotiations within 30 days, either party may pursue any available legal remedies in accordance with Section 9(m). The foregoing procedure does not apply to claims for injunctive or equitable relief.
13. CFC and the Fund Operator assume no obligation to mediate disputes between applicants. However, in the event CFC and the Fund Operator chooses to intervene or make a determination regarding any dispute relating to a submission or fund allocation, CFC and the Fund Operator’s decision shall be final and binding on all participating parties.
14. These Terms and the Fund Rules and any claims under or in connection with this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Switzerland, excluding conflict of laws principles and the Vienna Convention on the International Sale of Goods dated 11 April 1980. Any dispute or claim arising out of, or in connection with, this Agreement shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the ordinary courts of Zurich, Switzerland.
15. Section headings will not affect the interpretation of these Terms and the Fund Rules. These Terms and the Fund Rules (i) are binding on, you and CFC and your and its respective personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns and (ii) inure to the benefit of you, CFC and all third-party beneficiaries and your and their personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns, and references to any party will include such representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
16. You acknowledge funding of your proposal is contingent upon, among other things, the successful approval of a Project Catalyst budget proposal pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process. Without limiting the immediately preceding sentence, all participants acknowledge: (i) the Fund Operator’s ability to operate Project Catalyst and provide administrative services pursuant to these Terms is contingent upon the Fund Operator’s continued operation of Project Catalyst and provision of services to CFC; and (ii) the project and these Terms will automatically terminate pursuant to Section 5(e)(ii) if the Fund Operator’s ceases to operate Project Catalyst and provide administrative services to CFC pursuant to these Terms. CFC and the Fund Operator’s will not be liable for any costs, expenses, losses or damages incurred by you or any third party if the Fund Operator’s ceases to operate Project Catalyst or if these Terms terminate pursuant to Section 5(e)(ii) for any reason not directly caused by the intentional misconduct of CFC and the Fund Operator’s. You further acknowledge that you are not relying on any express or implied representations, warranties or assurances from CFC, the Fund Operator, any of their representatives or from the Cardano community regarding the certainty, timing or amount of any potential funding. Your participation in Project Catalyst, including the submission of any proposal and any related activities or expenditures undertaken by you or on your behalf prior to the actual disbursement of funds, is at your risk.
*Version 28 July 2026*
# Personal Data Consent Form
**Project Catalyst Personal Data Consent**
By selecting “Yes, I agree” to the onboarding form to which this Project Catalyst Personal Data Consent is attached, you acknowledge and agree that:
1. You have read and understood the terms of the [Privacy Policy](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/fine-print/privacy-policy), according to which the Cardano Foundation collects, processes and shares your personal data.
2. In connection with your participation in Project Catalyst and as a requirement to receive funding from Project Catalyst Funding Sponsors, your personal data will be:
1. shared with third party organizations that sponsor Project Catalyst funding categories (referred to in this document as "**Funding Sponsors**") operated by Cardano Foundation . (“**CF**”) for such Funding Sponsors’ compliance and funding oversight purposes; and
2. collected, stored and processed by third party service providers authorized by CF in its discretion (“**Third Party Service Providers**”) in furtherance of Funding Sponsors’ legitimate interests in protecting against fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, illicit use of funds and other criminal activity.
3. shared with Catalyst FC (“**CFC**”) where required for the fulfilment of our obligations to CFC as its service provider for the purpose of administering Project Catalyst, processing your application and providing the funds to you.
(collectively, the “**Permitted Purposes**”).
3. For the purposes of this Personal Data Consent, “**personal data**” means personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify you and which may include, without limitation, your name, email address, physical address, phone number, biometric identifiers and information (such as facial recognition data and identity document scans), identity verification results and related information.
4. You hereby consent to: (a) Funding Sponsors’ collection, use, processing and storage of your personal data as independent controllers; and (b) CFC’s and Third Party Service Providers’ collection, use, processing and storage of your personal data on behalf of CF and Funding Sponsors, in each case for the Permitted Purposes and any other purposes that you specifically consent to. Without limiting the foregoing, Funding Sponsors are independent data controllers with their own data protection obligations and may not share your personal data with third parties without your consent or as required by law.
5. If you withdraw your consent for any Third Party Service Provider or funding sponsor to collect, use, process and store your personal data for the Permitted Purposes, then your participation in Project Catalyst (including, without limitation, your right to receive any funding) may be terminated in CF’s or the funding sponsor’s discretion in accordance with the terms and conditions applicable to your participation in Project Catalyst. To withdraw your consent to CF for processing your personal data, please contact us at per sections 3 and 14 of the privacy policy.
*Version 28 July 2026.*
# Terms of Use
### **1. What's in these Terms?**
These terms of use (“**Terms**”) tell you the rules for using ; ; and and, where expressly linked or referenced, certain other websites or pages operated by the Cardano Foundation under separate domains (our “Websites”).
### **2. Who we are and how you can contact us**
Cardano Foundation (Cardano Stiftung) is a not-for-profit organisation based in Zug, Switzerland, tasked with advancing the Cardano blockchain as a public infrastructure across a wide range of industries. Our registered address is: Cardano Stiftung, Dammstrasse 16, 6300 Zug, Switzerland.
Reference to the Cardano Foundation in this Terms include reference to Cardano Foundation’s affiliates.
To contact us, please get in touch via the [contact form](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new).
### **3. Acceptance of these Terms**
By using our Websites , you confirm that you accept these Terms and that you agree to comply with them as well as with all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree with any of these Terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing this site.
Certain parts of our Websites or whole Websites in general may be subject to additional terms. In particular, should you participate in Project Catalyst or use any related web or mobile applications, you may be subject to additional terms and conditions relating thereto.
### **4. Our intellectual property – how you may use material on our Websites**
We are the owner or licensee of all intellectual property rights in our Websites and in the materials published on it (“Materials”). Those works are protected by copyright and trademark laws and treaties around the world. All such rights are reserved.
Use of our trademarks is governed by our trademark policy and requires adherence to its terms, unless otherwise authorised through our prior written approval.
These Terms permit you to use the Websites for your personal, non-commercial use only. Our status (and that of any identified contributors) as the authors of the Materials must always be acknowledged (except where we are only licensees of such Materials).
You may not:
* modify or copy the Materials;
* use the Materials for any commercial purpose, or for any public display (commercial or non-commercial);
* remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the Materials.
This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by Cardano Foundation at any time. Upon termination of this license, you must destroy any Materials in your possession whether in electronic or printed format and confirm your compliance with this provision in writing.
### **5. Do not rely on information on these Websites**
The Materials are provided on an ‘as is’ basis for general information purposes only.
The Materials could include technical, typographical, or photographic errors. Cardano Foundation does not warrant that any of the Materials are accurate, complete or current. Cardano Foundation may make changes to the Materials at any time without notice. However, Cardano Foundation does not make any commitment to update the Materials.
Cardano Foundation makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties including, without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights. Further, Cardano Foundation does not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy, likely results, or reliability of the use of the Materials or otherwise relating to such Materials or on any websites linked to from these Websites .
### **6. Limitations of our liability for losses or damages suffered by you**
In no event shall Cardano Foundation or its subcontractors be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption) arising out of the use or inability to use the Materials, even if Cardano Foundation or a Cardano Foundation authorized representative has been notified orally or in writing of the possibility of such damage. Because some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties, or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, these limitations may not apply to you.
### **7. Use of forums**
Your access to and use of any forum features provided on our Websites are subject to these Terms, alongside the Privacy Policy and any accompanying codes of conduct or guidelines. These documents collectively govern your interactions and conduct within the forum. We have the discretion to block users who violate these Terms or the Community Forum guidelines from posting and/or to terminate the user’s forum access.
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Cardano Foundation and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and contractors from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, arising from or in any way connected with: (a) your use or attempted use of the forum features in violation of these Terms; (b) your violation of any law or rights of any third party; or (c) any content or submissions you provide within the forum, including any claims of infringement, misappropriation, or other violations of intellectual property or other rights.
### **8. User account responsibilities**
In case of registrations, you are responsible for protecting against unauthorized access. Keep your access data secret and do not disclose it to anyone. We are not responsible for lost, stolen or compromised access credentials or for access to your account by an unauthorized user if this was caused by you.
### **9. We are not responsible for websites we link to**
Cardano Foundation has not reviewed all of the websites linked to its Websites and is not responsible for the contents of any such linked websites . The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Cardano Foundation of the website. Use of any such linked website is at the user’s own risk.
### **10. No text or data mining or web scraping**
You must not conduct, facilitate, authorise or permit any text or data mining or web scraping in relation to our Websites or any services provided via, or in relation to, our Websites. This includes using (or permitting, authorising or attempting the use of):
* Any "robot", "bot", "spider", "scraper" or other automated device, program, tool, algorithm, code, process or methodology to access, obtain, copy, monitor or republish any portion of our Websites or any data, content, information or services accessed via the same.
* Any automated analytical technique aimed at analysing text and data in digital form to generate information which includes but is not limited to patterns, trends and correlations.
The provisions in this clause should be treated as an express reservation of our rights in this regard, including for the purposes of applicable copyright law.
To the extent such exclusion or limitation of text or data mining or web scraping activity is not allowed in your jurisdiction, this clause does not apply to you.
### **11. How we may use your personal data**
For information on how we process personal data, please refer to our [Privacy Policy](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/open-funding/fine-print/privacy-policy).
### **12. Rules about linking to our Websites**
* You may link to our Websites, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it.
* You must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval or endorsement on our part where none exists.
* Our Websites must not be framed on any other website.
* We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice.
* If you wish to link to or make any use of content on our Websites other than that set out above, please contact us at the email address above.
### **13. Modifications of these Terms**
Cardano Foundation may revise these Terms for its Websites at any time without notice. The revised version applies upon publication on our Websites. By using our Websites, you are agreeing to be bound by the then current version of these Terms.
### **14. Changes, suspension or withdrawal of Our Websites**
We may update and change our Websites from time to time to reflect changes to our products, our users' needs, and our business priorities. We will try to give you reasonable notice of any major changes if we deem this necessary or useful.
Our Websites are made available free of charge, except where explicitly stated otherwise.
We do not guarantee that our Websites, or any content on it, will always be available or be uninterrupted. We may suspend or withdraw or restrict the availability of all or any part of our Websites for business and operational reasons. We will try to give you reasonable notice of any suspension or withdrawal if we deem this necessary or useful.
### **15. Assignment**
We may transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms to another organisation. We will always inform you in writing or other suitable form if this happens.
### **16. Governing Law and jurisdiction**
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the material laws of Switzerland under exclusion of its conflicts of laws provisions and you irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Zug, Switzerland. In case of imminent or actual infringement of its rights, Cardano Foundation reserves the right to call upon any other competent court for injunctive relief.
*Version 28 July 2026.*
# Privacy Policy
### 1. Who we are
Cardano Foundation (Cardano Stiftung, the "Foundation") is a not-for-profit organisation based in Zug, Switzerland, tasked with advancing the Cardano blockchain as a public infrastructure across a wide range of industries. Our registered address is: Cardano Stiftung, Dammstrasse 16, 6300 Zug, Switzerland. The Cardano Foundation administers Project Catalyst and processes personal information according to the terms of this privacy policy.
### 2. Scope of this Privacy Policy
This privacy policy ("**Policy**") explains and sets out the basis for why and when we collect personal information about the people who visit our websites ; [https://app.projectcatalyst.io](https://app.projectcatalyst.io/); [https://reviews.projectcatalyst.io](https://reviews.projectcatalyst.io/); [https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/) and related subdomains, web app, related apps (the "Websites"), and/or interact with Project Catalyst in any other way, including any related products and programs (collectively the "Products") This Policy explains and sets out how we use personal data, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others and the measures we take to keep it secure.
The Foundation may, from time to time, administer applications or receive personal information from prospective recipients in connection with funding sponsored by third-party organisations (referred to in this document as "Funding Sponsors"). While this funding may be advertised through Project Catalyst, its final administration is subject to the terms of the sponsoring third-party. Personal information collected in relation to your potential receipt of funding from Funding Sponsors may be shared with Funding Sponsors as described below. Funding Sponsors are independent organizations that allocate grant funding to approved projects and act as independent data controllers with respect to personal information they receive. The Foundation processes Personal Data on behalf of Funding Sponsors as described in this Policy.
If you transmit or disclose data about other persons such as family members, employees, work colleagues, etc., we assume that you are authorized to do so, that this data is correct and that we may process it as described here. **By transmitting such data, you confirm this.** Please also ensure that these third parties have been informed of this Policy.
We may amend this Policy from time to time so please check it occasionally to ensure that you are aware of any changes.
### 3. How you can contact us
Please use the following contact information to report any concerns related to data protection:
FAO: Cardano Stiftung, Rykestraße 26, 10405 Berlin, Germany
### 4. How we collect information about you
We obtain information about you when you use our Websites, when you contact us by e-mail, web form, live chat or other means of communication, or if you register to participate in Project Catalyst or receive one of our newsletters, attend an event or use any other of our Products.
You are not obliged to disclose your personal data to us. However, we may need certain information in order to interact with each other. For example, we may not be able to provide certain contractual services or respond to inquiries if we do not receive the necessary information.
We may collect and process the following types of information about you:
#### 4.1 Information you provide us
You may provide us with personal information by filling in forms on our Websites, register for and log into our Products, or by corresponding with us by e-mail, web form, live chat, phone, letter or other means of communication. We collect the data exchanged between you and us, including your contact details and the marginal data of the communication. The personal information you provide may include, in particular, your name, email, messages, address, phone number, affiliated company or employer, IP address, language preference and information regarding the pages you access. You may also directly provide us with certain information listed under 4.2(i)-(viii).
#### 4.2 Information we collect about you
When you visit our Websites we may collect information about your IP address, information about your visit, your browsing activity, and how you use our Websites, including log files, date and time at the time of access, URL, amount of data sent in bytes, source/reference from which you reached the page, browser used, operating system used. This information may be combined with other information you provide.
We may collect and process the following categories of personal data when you use our Products:
**(i) Account Data:** Full name, gender, date of birth, age or age range, photo/ avatar, email address, phone number, and user credentials;
**(ii) Payment and Transaction Information:** such as data about your billing address and method of payment, like bank details, credit, debit, wallet or other payment card information or data about purchases and services or transactions facilitated by Us;
**(iii) Usage Data:** Information on how you use the Products, including login times, feature usage, and interactions;
**(iv) Technical Data:** IP address, browser type, device information, and cookies;
**(v) Uploaded Data:** Content you provide by uploading files (e.g., CSVs) or through ERP system integration. This may include structured records such as invoices or financial entries, which could contain personal data of individuals. You are responsible for ensuring that any such data is lawfully shared with us and does not violate data protection obligations;
**(vi) Support Data:** Information you provide when contacting us for support;
**(vii) Inference Data:** Data such as your preferences for receiving marketing communications and details about how you engage with them, as well as information relating to your demographics and interests;
**(viii) KYC and identity verification data:** For all Project Catalyst participants receiving grant funding, we collect identity verification data (which may include your full legal name, date of birth, nationality, address, phone number, identity document information (such as passport or driver's license numbers) and biometric data (such as facial recognition data). This data is collected to enable the Foundation and the applicable funding sponsor to comply with anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and sanctions screening obligations, and to enable the funding sponsor to fulfill its compliance, due diligence and oversight obligations related to grant funding. This data is shared with the applicable Funding Sponsor.
#### 4.3 Information we receive from other sources
We may receive information about you if you use any other websites we, or our partners, operate. We also work with third parties (including, contractors, project partners, service providers, analytics providers) and may receive information about you from them. This may be combined with other information you provide to us.
### 5. How your information is used
We may use personal information about you for the following purposes:
**(i)** to administer grants, assess your application to Project Catalyst, review your participation in Project Catalyst, process orders, manage relationships with customers and suppliers and fulfil contractual obligations (Article 6 para 1 letters a, c and b GDPR if applicable);
**(ii)** to operate and maintain our Website and Products, including account creation and administration, communicating with users about service updates, providing technical support, and responding to inquiries. We may also use your data to monitor, improve, and enhance these Website and Products over time (Article 6 para 1 letters b and f GDPR if applicable);
**(iii)** to send you personalised communications which you have requested and that may be of interest to you, which may be based on your activity on our Websites or the website of our partners. These may include information, suggestions and recommendations about new offers, campaigns, activities and events (Article 6 para 1 letters a and b GDPR if applicable);
**(iv)** to understand and measure the effectiveness of how we serve you and others (Article 6 para 1 letters b and f GDPR if applicable);
**(vi)** to ensure compliance with legal obligations and official orders, including communication with authorities and courts; enforcement of and defence against legal claim (Article 6 para 1 letters c and f GDPR if applicable).
### 6. Newsletters
The provisions of this Policy also apply to the request for and sending of our newsletter.
The newsletter will only be sent after prior request by the user in the so-called "double opt-in procedure" (request on our Websites and confirmation of a corresponding request e-mail).
Users of the newsletter are also assigned a UserID, which allows Cardano Foundation to determine when the relevant newsletter was opened and which links or functions from the relevant newsletter were activated. This tracking is done for internal optimization of the newsletter. The legal basis for processing is Art. 6 para. 1 a GDPR (if applicable), whereby Cardano Foundation's authorization arises from the fact that, on the one hand, a concerned person can reasonably foresee at the time when the personal data is collected and in view of the circumstances under which it is carried out that it will possibly be processed for this purpose. The user has the right to withdraw his or her consent at any time. If the user of the newsletter does not wish to receive this tracking, he/she can unsubscribe from the newsletter. To do so, simply unsubscribe via the link in the newsletter or send an e-mail to . The withdrawal of consent shall not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
### 7. Use of cookies
Our Websites use cookies to distinguish you from other visitors of our website. Cookies are small text files that may be stored on your computer (or other internet enabled devices, such as a smartphone or tablet). They are sent by a server to your computer and stored on your hard drive to allow a website to recognise you when you visit.
Cookies can be used by our Websites to optimize the user's experience. Our Websites use different types of cookies. We use both first-party and third-party cookies on our website. First-party cookies are set by or on behalf of us to operate and improve the site. Third-party cookies are set by external service providers whose content or tools appear on our website (e.g., analytics, social sharing tools). These third parties may also place cookies if you interact with their content or follow links from our site. We use cookies to personalize content, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. This improves your experience when you browse our Websites and allows us to improve the service we provide.
We also use cookies to create statistical evaluations of the use of our Websites. For this purpose, we use third-party services (such as Matomo analytics, Google Analytics or similar services) that measure and evaluate the use of the Websites. Aggregated information is used that does not allow the individual user to be identified. However, the third-party provider (e.g. Google) may track your use of the Websites, combine this data with data from other websites that are also tracked by this third-party provider, and use this information for its own purposes and, if necessary, assign it to you. This third-party provider is responsible for the processing of your personal data by this third-party provider and its data protection provisions apply.
We also share information about your use of our Websites with our social media and analytics partners (such as Google Analytics, HotJar or similar services). Aggregated information is used that does not allow the individual user to be identified. However, the third-party provider (e.g. Google) may track your use of the Websites, combine this data with data from other websites that are also tracked by this third-party provider, and use this information for its own purposes and, if necessary, assign it to you. This third-party provider is responsible for the processing of your personal data by this third-party provider and its data protection provisions apply.
Cookies on our Websites may be either session or persistent cookies. Session cookies expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies remain on your device after your session ends and are used to remember your preferences across visits. These cookies remain active for a set period, which does not exceed 13 months
You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the cookie declaration on our Websites. Your consent applies to the following domains: . If you do not want us to use cookies during your visit, you can deactivate their use in your browser settings. In this case, certain parts of our Websites (e.g. language selection) may not function or may not function fully.
We use the following type of cookies:
#### 7.1 Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are necessary for the Website or Services to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. These cookies enable basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the Websites or Services. The Websites or Services cannot function properly without these cookies.
#### 7.2 Targeting cookies
These cookies may be set through our Websites or Services by our advertising partners. Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other websites. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
#### 7.3 Performance cookies
These cookies are usually referred to as statistical cookies and allow us to count visits, traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our Websites or Services. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the Websites. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our website, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
### 8. Who has access to your information
We do not pass on personal data to third parties without the consent of the person concerned, unless this is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy and except to third parties such as service providers, agents, subcontractors and other associated organisations engaged by us for processing for the purposes of completing tasks and providing services to you on our behalf, or if we are legally obliged to do so or if it is necessary to protect our interests, e.g. to combat abuse or to protect the law, to authorities or other third parties and within the framework of tracking technologies as described in this Policy.
These providers may include, for example, IT and analytics service providers, certification bodies, and customer support tools. Some of the Services we offer may be operated on infrastructure provided by third-party service providers.
If we use third party service providers, we disclose only the personal information that is necessary to deliver the service and we have a contract in place that requires them to keep your information secure.
We will share your personal information with Catalyst FC ("CFC") where required for the fulfilment of our obligations to CFC as its service provider for the purpose of administering Project Catalyst, processing your application and providing the funds to you.
### 9. Funding Sponsors
The Foundation may, from time to time, administer applications or receive personal information from prospective grant recipients in connection with funding sponsored by third-party organisations (referred to in this document as "Funding Sponsors"). While this funding may be advertised through Project Catalyst, its final administration is subject to the terms of the sponsoring third-party. Personal information collected in relation to your potential receipt of funding from Funding Sponsors may be shared with Funding Sponsors as described below. Funding Sponsors are independent organizations that allocate grant funding to approved projects and act as independent data controllers with respect to personal information they receive. The Foundation processes Personal Data on behalf of Funding Sponsors as described in this Policy, this means that:
* Funding Sponsors determine the purpose and means of processing your Personal Data for grant-related activities.
* The Foundation processes your personal information according to Funding Sponsors' instructions and to enable Funding Sponsors to fulfill their legal and contractual obligations.
* Funding Sponsors have their own data protection obligations under applicable law and have entered into agreements with the Foundation governing the protection and use of your personal information in accordance with this Policy.
* You have data protection rights with respect to Personal Data held by Funding Sponsors (see Section 14)
### 10. Where we store your personal information
The data that we collect from you may be transferred to, and stored in, a country outside the European Economic Area (EEA), i.e. worldwide, in particular Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the USA. The laws in some countries may not provide the same legal protection for your information as in the EEA. In these cases, we only transfer personal data after we have implemented the legally required measures, such as the conclusion of standard contractual clauses on data protection or obtaining the consent of the data subjects. If you are interested, the documentation on these measures can be obtained from the address mentioned above.
We will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Policy.
The transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of your information; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use good procedures and strong security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.
### 11. How long will we keep your data
We will hold your personal information on our systems for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity. They are then either deleted or anonymized, unless we need them for longer in exceptional cases, e.g. due to statutory retention and documentation obligations or our legitimate interests, e.g. to protect rights to which we are entitled or to defend against claims.
### 12. Links to other websites
Our Websites may contain links to other websites run by other organisations. This Policy applies only to our Websites, so we encourage you to read the privacy statements on the other websites you visit. We cannot be made responsible for the privacy policies and practices of other websites even if you access them using links from our Websites.
If you linked to our Websites from a third party website, we cannot be made responsible for the privacy policies and practices of the owners and operators of that third party website and recommend that you check the policy of that website.
### 13. Security measures to protect your information
We take appropriate administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of personal data. We use strict procedures and security features, including encryption techniques, and take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that personal data is processed securely and in accordance with this Policy.
Non-sensitive details such as your email address may be transmitted unencrypted over the Internet, and so may not be guaranteed to be 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk.
### 14. Your choices and your rights
You have the right to request a copy of your personal data as well as the right to have your personal data corrected or deleted.
Under certain circumstances, you have the right to request that we restrict processing or hand over the data to you and the right to object to processing by us in general.
If our processing is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw this consent at any time with effect for the future.
You may also have the right to receive a copy of the personal data in a machine-readable format or to send the personal data to another controller.
You can exercise your rights by contacting us (see above).
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection authority. The competent data protection authority in Switzerland is the [Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner](http://www.edoeb.admin.ch/). Competent data protection authorities of EU countries can be accessed through this [link](https://ec.europa.eu/justice/article-29/structure/data-protection-authorities/index_en.htm).
### 15. Review of this Policy
We keep this Policy under regular review. In case of a revised version, we will inform you of the change in a suitable form (e.g. by posting it on our Websites or sending you an e-mail) and the new version will become binding upon publication on our Websites.
*Version 28 July 2026*
# Legal & Treasury Details
***Who is the legal counterparty responsible for providing grants from the Catalyst Treasury?***
Grants from the Catalyst Treasury are managed and disbursed by the Catalyst Foundation Company (CFC) also known as Catalyst FC. Catalyst FC has appointed Cardano Foundation as its administrator.
***Organisation details:***
* Name: Catalyst Foundation Company (CFC/Catalyst FC)
* Address: 4th Floor Harbour Place, 103 South Church Street, P.O. Box 10240, Grand Cayman, KY1-1002, Cayman Islands
* Incorporation number: 407644
If you require more information, please raise a ticket with the Catalyst team [here.](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)
***What are the Custody Wallets used by Catalyst FC for fund disbursements?***
* F2-F9 Wallet: [addr1q87w6nvrq2mxeq3hp8ddkzg0kp0635ge4fpwcgvx40he60sp472e4tslyuaf84n2694yawnswf3w8ez0n85ezazhsfys93n6uw](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01fced4d8302b66c823709dadb090fb05fa8d119aa42ec2186abef9d3e01af959aae1f273a93d66ad16a4eba707262e3e44f99e99174578249)
* F10 Wallet: [addr1q83knvr4kle9qu0gnycy44dt9dy7rcg7dqw5khvft6pxjk8uuvg7cjp5clvt0sxw865jfp0vs39fs0m8euqtv7h8gwlsd8c0qc](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01e369b075b7f25071e899304ad5ab2b49e1e11e681d4b5d895e826958fce311ec4834c7d8b7c0ce3ea92485ec844a983f67cf00b67ae743bf)
* F11 Wallet: [addr1q8th6cjdykkg45zvjdewpst6hljvf3nv6tuu6tachjfvsvgrgurhtsjtv498htxy33p2l35ss9gld8cl5z4nfhmxmxxs97srl7](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01d77d624d25ac8ad04c9372e0c17abfe4c4c66cd2f9cd2fb8bc92c83103470775c24b654a7bacc48c42afc6908151f69f1fa0ab34df66d98d)
* F12 Wallet: [addr1q9d28xzgw7cu9fsqp67p6rvq2q0vyfwh9r0za50w67pvpjp2ystupt8uh00t98wfw4d6plxsxsknn86egcl6cg3fu3qqduy3dr](https://cardanoscan.io/address/015aa3984877b1c2a6000ebc1d0d80501ec225d728de2ed1eed782c0c82a2417c0acfcbbdeb29dc9755ba0fcd0342d399f59463fac2229e440)
* F13 Wallet: [addr1q80z0pz277tl0sea3t5d0ps3r4a59l4t8cu3ulfh0peh779yulcjml8vqlmu6s36p226nkyjt4uax9z9h9nyquzqljkstfmms5](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01de27844af797f7c33d8ae8d786111d7b42feab3e391e7d3778737f78a4e7f12dfcec07f7cd423a0a95a9d8925d79d31445b966407040fcad)
* F14 Wallet:\
[addr1q9e9qnh2ngptrf26wlce4fzcwgp9zuvj3m6nnhngh8vnsccvkwutrqv3gcafmlffe762s0l6tx9kwetpw4hqz6p5m49qvdx9ze](https://cardanoscan.io/address/0172504eea9a02b1a55a77f19aa45872025171928ef539de68b9d938630cb3b8b18191463a9dfd29cfb4a83ffa598b676561756e016834dd4a)
* F15 Wallet:\
[addr1q9ccc7npzu3yhmn2cduj3v0yug62za4yyxcc7t036h7pmy7l879rlphh4hucwqvjwzu3lfyuwdskyvst96tz9ufwjkmqrpsjst](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01718c7a6117224bee6ac37928b1e4e234a176a421b18f2df1d5fc1d93df3f8a3f86f7adf987019270b91fa49c736162320b2e9622f12e95b6)
***What is the Funding Wallet used for fund disbursements?***
* Funding Wallet Address: [addr1q8q7jyap76l0d5gqj8naw5t49yu3f0h7qkzsps9z0gfjcu25uj747vu83mvg3fuh6ttdgwshjwtcne6esrpct2uzmnuqdqd82j](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01c1e913a1f6bef6d10091e7d75175293914befe058500c0a27a132c7154e4bd5f33878ed888a797d2d6d43a17939789e75980c385ab82dcf8)
***Where can I view recent transaction history?***
* Funded Projects are tracked via their individual proposal pages on projectcatalyst.io and via the [Milestone Module](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/).
* Monthly grant disbursements are announced publicly in periodic intervals via Catalyst Network announcement channels including relevant [transactions IDs](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bfnWFa94Y7Zj0G7dtpo9W1nAYGovJbswipxiHT4UE3g/edit?gid=1932569489#gid=1932569489).
* Transaction logs can be viewed through any Cardano blockchain explorers such as [CardanoScan](https://cardanoscan.io/), [Cexplorer](https://cexplorer.io/), [Adastat](https://adastat.net/), etc.
# Refunds Policy
Issued by: Catalyst FC (“CFC”) in coordination with the Fund Operator
### 1. Overview
This Refunds Policy outlines how and when Catalyst funded projects must return funds to Catalyst FC (“CFC”) following suspension, termination, or cancellation under the Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions (“Terms”). Our goal is to ensure fairness, transparency and consistency in how grant funds are managed, monitored, and, when necessary, recovered within the Catalyst ecosystem.
### 2. When a Refund is Required
A project must return funds to CFC if any of the following occur:
(i) The project is terminated by CFC for breaching the Terms, the applicable Fund Rules, or the specifications. Examples include, but are not limited to:
* Receiving funding for multiple projects with the same or substantially similar scopes.
* Providing false, plagiarized, or infringing content.
* Committing acts of fraud, dishonesty, or misrepresentation.
* Misusing funds or changing the project scope without following approved change procedures.
* Failing to submit required or requested deliverables, or missing deadlines.
* Failing to complete onboarding requirements on time.
(ii) The project is voluntarily terminated by the funding recipient under the Terms. In such cases, any unused funds or funds associated with incomplete milestones must be returned to CFC within the timeframe specified in the Terms and this Policy.
### 3. Refund Amount
The refund amount will be determined by CFC based on (i) the portion of the project that has not been completed, (ii) the value of undelivered milestones, and (iii) any evidence of unused or misused funds. CFC may request supporting documentation showing how funds were spent up to the date of termination. In cases involving fraud, misappropriation, or non compliance with AML/KYC requirements, CFC reserves the right to seek full repayment of the funds and to pursue additional remedies available under the Terms and applicable law.
CFC will provide a funding recipient with written notice specifying the refund amount, the reason for the refund, and the deadline for returning the funds.
All refunds must be transferred in ADA to the official Catalyst Refund Wallet:
addr1q8q7jyap76l0d5gqj8naw5t49yu3f0h7qkzsps9z0gfjcu25uj747vu83mvg3fuh6ttdgwshjwtcne6esrpct2uzmnuqdqd82j
Each transaction must include "Project ID - refund" in the metadata.
The funding recipient must provide transaction details (including the TX hash) to CFC via the Catalyst Zendesk portal or any other communication channel designated by CFC.
### 4. Refund Timeline
Refunds must be completed within 14 calendar days of CFC’s written request, as required under Section 5(f)(iii) of the Terms. Failure to comply within this period may result in ineligibility for future Catalyst rounds (minimum 12 months).
Upon receipt of funds, CFC will confirm the refund via email. Refunds are recorded in Catalyst’s internal systems for transparency and audit compliance.
### 5. Contact
For all refund-related matters, please contact the Catalyst team via the [Zendesk portal](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new). Please include your Project ID in all your communications.
*Version 28 July 2026.*
# Page 1
# What is Project Catalyst
Project Catalyst is the world’s largest decentralized innovation engine for solving real-world challenges.
Introducing Project Catalyst, Cardano's revolutionary innovation engine and one of the world's most significant decentralized grant funds. Project Catalyst propels collaborative innovation to new heights and fuels Cardano ecosystem expansion by connecting people with groundbreaking ideas to a funding source, collaborating with and voted for by the Cardano community, and spearheaded by the Cardano treasury.
### Why Collaborate to Innovate?
Over the last ten funds, the Catalyst team has put great effort into creating a governance system that allows everyone to have their voice. But why do it? What advantages?
* Distributed research and development. By empowering our community, we can build things better, faster, and cheaper than top-down organizations.
* Decentralized team building. Great innovation comes from great teams. Many of our most impactful projects come from teams who met while becoming a part of Project Catalyst.
* Group refinement and execution. We see a significant improvement in the quality of proposals after the community weighs in with their constructive criticism.
### How Does Project Catalyst Work?
* **Innovation** - Each participant responds to community-generated challenges with their ideas during this phase. Brainstorming leads to conceptualization, community feedback, and then finalized proposals.
* **Governance** - Participants register to vote on the proposals they wish to see funded. A tally occurs once the voting period ends before verifiable results are shared.
* **Execution** - Selected projects receive funding upon completion of milestones. They are given guidance and mentorship to deliver on their proposals, and regular reports are made to the community to ensure everything goes according to plan.
### How Can I Participate?
* [**Proposers** ](/current-fund/proposal-submission)- Propose new ideas for a shot at winning funding
* [**Community Reviewers**](/current-fund/community-review/how-to-become-a-community-reviewer) - Provide opinions and help guide voters through submitted proposals. This role is incentivized
* [**Voters** ](/current-fund/voter-registration)- Decide on the future of Cardano by deciding which proposals receive funding
* [**Milestone Reviewers**](/current-fund/project-onboarding/milestone-reviewers-guides) - Review Statement of Milestones and Proof of Achievement. This role is incentivized
# Getting started
Welcome to Project Catalyst Knowledge base
## How to navigate in this website?
You can find easily information by either checking FAQ below or by using search box.
### FAQ
1. [**How to submit a proposal?**](/current-fund/proposal-submission)
2. [**How to use Catalyst app**](/catalyst-tools/catalyst-app)**?**
3. [**How to become a Community Reviewer?**](/current-fund/community-review/how-to-become-a-community-reviewer)
4. [**What is a difference between LV0, LV1 and LV2 Community Reviewer?**](/current-fund/community-review/community-reviewer-levels)
5. [**How does Community Review process look like for LV0 and LV1?**](/current-fund/community-review/community-review-submission-process-lv0-and-lv1)
6. [**How does Community Review process look like for LV2?**](/current-fund/community-review/community-moderation-process)
7. [**How to use Community Review Module?**](/catalyst-tools/community-review-module)
8. [**How to register as a voter?**](/current-fund/voter-registration)
9. [**How to vote?**](/current-fund/voting/how-to-vote)
10. [**Voting App**](/catalyst-tools/voting-app)
11. [**How to create a Statement of Milestones?**](/current-fund/general-information/how-to-create-a-statement-of-milestones-guide-for-funded-proposers)
12. [**How to use Milestone Module?**](/catalyst-tools/milestone-module)
13. [**How to submit a chage request?**](/current-fund/general-information/requesting-a-change-to-funded-project-on-milestone-module)
14. [**How to submit Project Close-out Report and Video**](/current-fund/general-information/project-completion-report-and-video-requirements)
### Search box
If you didn't find information that you are looking for in FAQ, please use *Ask or search* box which is on the right upper corner. You may type your question/word that you are looking for. The search box will present you all the information relevant to your question.
# Catalyst Team Deliverables
This section contains list of Catalyst projects submitted from Fund10
**F10 Catalyst Fund Operations**
Link to the project in the Milestone Module:
**F10 Catalyst Platform UI/UX**
Link to the project in the Milestone Module:
* For full access to GitHub branches please review:
*
*
*
*
**F10 Catalyst infrastructure powered by Hermes**
Link to the project in the Milestone Module:
* For full access to GitHub branches please review:
*
*
*
*
**F11 Alternative Catalyst voting schemes**
Link to the project in the Milestone Module:
**F11 Catalyst Working Groups**
Link to the project in the Milestone Module:
# Show & Tell Demos
Catalyst Product Demos: Transparency in Action
Project Catalyst is more than just funding—it’s an evolving ecosystem driven by innovation and community collaboration. To enhance transparency and keep the community informed, we’re launching a new video series showcasing key features, tools, and improvements within Catalyst. Through exclusive walkthroughs, live demos, and expert insights, we’ll provide a clear look at how these innovations are shaping the future of Catalyst - making participation smoother, governance stronger, and collaboration more impactful.
This initiative is all about bringing the community closer to Catalyst’s ongoing development, ensuring visibility into our progress and fostering greater engagement in the decision-making process. Stay tuned as we unveil the latest advancements - because transparency is key to building a stronger Catalyst!
**February, 2025**
Time to tune in to the first episode of Under The Hood! Get ready for the premiere episode of "Under The Hood," your essential guide to the upcoming changes in Catalyst as Fund14 approaches. This episode is designed to equip you with crucial insights, breaking down significant adjustments and enhancements to ensure you're fully prepared.
{% embed url="" %}
**April. 2025**
This episode features Community Manager TK Princewill and Head of Architecture Steven Johnson, taking a deep dive into the key system updates and what the community can expect from the new Catalyst App.
{% embed url="" %}
**June, 2025**
This time, we’re joined by Senior Product Designer Niels Kijf for a deep dive into how user experience shapes the future of a decentralized world. Niels will offer an insightful deep dive into how thoughtful UX design is not merely a feature but a fundamental driver in shaping the future of a truly decentralized world.—and how that vision is coming to life in Project Catalyst!
{% embed url="" %}
# Town Hall
The Catalyst Town Hall is a public square where progress and achievements are communicated across the Project Catalyst ecosystem. It provides an opportunity to gather insights from attendees about new features or potential changes to Catalyst operations, and it’s also an open forum where Catalyst-funded projects give updates on their progress.
Town Hall slides may be found in this [folder](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1-M4qzFq56ifbjYVWt-Xtdt5SKO8PGZz_).
Town Hall recordings may be found [here](https://projectcatalyst.io/news/town-hall).
# Fund basics
This section will guide you through the Fund timeline, parameters, category scopes, Fund rules and Terms and Conditions
{% content-ref url="/pages/yqBi3zfCDAUm8UVAeFlH" %}
[Fund timeline](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-timeline)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/66roWotUeBI4y1e4Becv" %}
[Fund parameters](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-parameters)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/OyBW9tTcNqkOMrLL3Qin" %}
[Category Scopes](/current-fund/fund-basics/category-scopes)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/GmTynpOe9kAaI0rGJZzZ" %}
[Fund Rules](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-rules)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/gVkI7dsUFMV6fsuZLCYQ" %}
[Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions](/current-fund/fund-basics/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Fund timeline
Welcome to Fund15. Please check our [launch guide](https://projectcatalyst.io/f15launchguide.pdf) where you can find more information about Project Catalyst and Fund categories.
Given the dynamic nature of Project Catalyst, the following dates may change as the fund progresses. If this is the case, we will notify the community via our announcement channels on [Discord ](https://discord.com/invite/Rjkb4Y2YaX)and [Telegram](https://t.me/cardanocatalyst).
***Last update: December 2nd, 2025***
# Fund parameters
Fund15 Operating parameters are the actual operating parameters that make up the Catalyst voting protocol put in place to enable the community to decide which proposal will receive funding under the Project Catalyst program. Please note that given the dynamic nature of Project Catalyst, the following dates and parameters may change as the actual Fund progresses. If this is the case, community announcements will be distributed for clarifications.
| **#** | **PARAMETER** | **VALUE** | **DESCRIPTION** |
| ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|
| **General Parameters** | | |
| A1 | Direct Voting privacy state | Yes | Are votes private? |
| A2 | Fund name | Fund15 |
|
| A3 | Funds available | $ADA 20,000,000 and $USDM 250,000 |
|
| A4 | Challenges title and budget |
Cardano Open: Ecosystem - $ADA 4,000,000
Cardano Use Cases: Prototype & Launch - $ADA 6,000,000
| Maximum amount for each proposal. |
| A7 | Proposals submission fee | Free | Applicants can submit up to 2 finalized proposals into Fund15. The Catalyst Team will remove incomplete and ineligible/non-compliant proposals when the submission deadline elapses. |
| A8 | Compensations and funds distribution target date | March 2026 | The target date, which is subject to change, for when F15 funding for milestone 1 initial tranche and community governance role compensation is paid following verification of test transactions. |
| A9 | Maximum proposals per applicant that can be put on the ballot | 2 | If more than 2 applications are submitted by the same person or entity, only the first 2 submissions received will be accepted for the voting process. |
| A10 | Community Reviewer registration | Community Reviewer registration is a Catalyst ID generated in the Catalyst App for use in the Community Review Module |
Anyone can register to be a Community Reviewer. Start by creating an account in Catalyst, generating a Catalyst ID and registering to be a Community Reviewer.
Community Reviewers can be LV0, LV1, LV2 reviewers based on their experience and contributions from previous Community Review stages.
|
| A11 | Proposals registration on the blockchain | Jan 8, 2026 | The target date, which is subject to change, for when proposals are loaded into the vote plan and registered into Block0. |
| A12 | Voting power threshold |
Minimum 25,000,000 lovelace (25 ADA)
| 25 ADA is the minimum stake threshold to register as a voter |
| A13 | Registration snapshot date | Jan 4, 2026 09:45 PM UTC (epoch boundary 604 into 605) | The target date, which is subject to change, for when the Snapshot takes place at the epoch boundary. Voters are advised not to move staked ada for one epoch beyond the snapshot time and date. |
| A14 | Voting period start time | Jan 13, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC | The target date, which is subject to change, when voters can start voting on proposals |
| A15 | Voting period end time | Jan 27, 2026, 11:00 AM UTC | The target date, which is subject to change, when voters stop voting on proposals |
| A16 | Start of tallying | Jan 27, 2026 | The target date, which is subject to change, when the voting tally is decrypted |
| A17 | End of tallying |
Jan 29, 2026
| The target date, which is subject to change, when the decrypted tally is made publicly available. |
| A18 | Enhancing decentralization |
Generalized Quadratic Voting Parameter: 1/3 (Cube Root) after the stake snapshot
|
Generalized Quadratic Voting with the Scaling Parameter (Gamma):
Gamma = 1 means "1 ADA is 1 Vote".
Gamma = 0 means "1 Wallet is 1 Vote".
Any fraction between those is (voter's stake in ADA) to the power of the Gamma = Voting Power.
The Scaling Parameter is Cube Root, which is equivalent to the voter's stake in ADA to the power of 1/3 in the selected Generalized Quadratic Voting scheme.
|
| A19 |
Proposal Funding logic (winner selection rule)
|
Proposals are ranked by the “YES” votes and funded one by one until the budget allocated for the category is exhausted. Any leftover funds will follow the logic and guidelines set out in the F15 Fund Rules.
Midnight: Compact DApps category proposals follow the same logic, but are subject to Midnight Foundation's ultimate decision about which proposals are funded.
| Proposals are ranked by “YES” votes and funded in order of the voting power received. If the amount requested by a proposal is more than the remaining budget available, it is skipped. |
| A20 | Proposal acceptance threshold |
2% of active voting power
|
At least 2% of the total voting power calculated based on the total active stake in all active wallets must cast at least one vote.
E.g., there is 1,75 billion of ADA as the total active stake in 5000 wallets. From the amount of stake in each wallet it is independently taken the cube root (giving corresponding voting power to the owner of this wallet), and the sum of voting power in all wallets gives 208,722 ADA of the total voting power (as there is a sum of the cube roots, this sum depends on stake distribution among wallets and it is not equal to just the cube root of the total registered stake).
To be accepted (become an 'approved proposal' as well as be eligible for funding), a proposal must be voted "YES" by at least 0.02 \* ₳208,722 = ₳4,174.44
|
| A21 | Voting options | Yes/Abstain | There is only “YES” and “ABSTAIN” in all categories |
|
Voter compensations will be given for active participants only in proportion to the voting power voters have.
|
| B2 |
|
2.50% $ADA 500,000
|
Voter Compensations
Compensation is for active participation in the Voting (cast at least 1 vote)
In order to benefit from voter rewards, voters must select either ‘Yes’ or ‘Abstain’ in the voter interface. By choosing to not select the ‘Abstain’ option, this will not cast an ‘Abstain’ vote and therefore not generate a unit of voter compensation.
|
| B3 |  |
2.50% $ADA 500,000
|
Community Review Compensations
LV0 (20% of share - $ADA 100,000):
Share of compensations based on number of LV0 community compensations received
LV1 (80% of share - $ADA 400,000):
A simple price paid per review
|
| B4 |
|
0.70% $ADA 140,000
|
Community Moderator Compensations
$ADA 120,000:
Share of community compensations based on the number of flags raised by scripts for LV2 moderator review
$ADA 20,000:
Maximum share of community compensation based on the number of flags raised by Moderators during LV2 Moderation Bounty
|
| B5 | Pam |
1.80% $ADA 360,000
|
Project Accountability Management Compensations
Compensating L2 Community Reviewers who help to verify evidence of achievements for:
Statement of Milestones (SoM)
Milestone Proof of Achievement (PoA)
Funded projects will submit a Statement of Milestones once approved and onboarding.
Each SoM and milestone PoA are verified by at least 2 community reviewers at each milestone and compensated $ADA for their work.
|
|
| **Back-End Parameters** | | |
| C1 | Direct Voting privacy state | Yes | Are votes private? |
| C2 | Funds available |
$ADA 20,000,000
$USDM 250,000
| Fund will have $ADA 20M and $USDM 250K available |
| C3 | Voting power threshold |
25,000,000 lovelace. (25 ADA)
| 25 ADA is the minimum stake threshold to become a voter, based on the efficiency benchmarks of the voting protocol. |
| C4 | current\_fund\_name | Fund15 |
|
| C5 | current\_insight\_sharing\_start | Nov 12, 2025 | Target date, subject to change |
| C6 | current\_proposal\_submission\_start | Nov 12, 2025 | Target date, subject to change |
| C7 | current\_refine\_proposals\_start | Nov 12, 2025 | Target date, subject to change |
| C8 | current\_finalize\_proposals\_start | Nov 12, 2025 | Target date, subject to change |
| C9 | current\_proposal\_assessment | Dec 2, 2025 | Target date, subject to change |
| C10 | current\_assessment\_qa\_start | Dec 18, 2025 | Target date, subject to change |
| C11 | current\_snapshot\_start | Jan 4, 2026 | Target date, subject to change |
| C12 | current\_voting\_start | Jan 13, 2026 | Target date, subject to change |
| C13 | current\_voting\_end | Jan 27, 2026 | Target date, subject to change |
| C14 | current\_tallying\_end | Jan 29, 2026 | Target date, subject to change |
# Category Scopes
This page contains category Category Scopes in the current Fund
{% content-ref url="/pages/HGKv02w6BTeBva7HZLW0" %}
[Cardano Partners: Tier-1 Enterprise Integrations](/current-fund/fund-basics/category-scopes/cardano-partners-tier-1-enterprise-integrations)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/qXLjG72ww5iSWaJxK0S6" %}
[Cardano Use Cases: Prototype & Launch](/current-fund/fund-basics/category-scopes/cardano-use-cases-prototype-and-launch)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/aTyn0Qc2ra4HCA2ZEKqA" %}
[Cardano Open: Ecosystem](/current-fund/fund-basics/category-scopes/cardano-open-ecosystem)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/8L4nlH4AU6d1AijuteuA" %}
[Midnight: Compact DApps](/current-fund/fund-basics/category-scopes/midnight-compact-dapps)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Cardano Partners: Tier-1 Enterprise Integrations
**Overview**
Cardano Partners: Tier-1 Enterprise Integrations is designed to forge strategic alliances between the Cardano ecosystem and the world's leading organizations. This specialized funding category will support ambitious proposals that implement and pilot Cardano-based solutions to solve real-world challenges for industry giants.
In this category, a “demonstrator pilot” means a time limited project testing the feasibility of an industrial use-case in close collaboration with a Tier 1 enterprise partner.
Unlike other categories, this category is exclusively for established businesses and collaborations with large-scale organizations prepared to integrate Cardano's utility into their operations. The goal is to generate high-value, high-visibility use cases that demonstrate the power of Cardano at an enterprise level and accelerate mainstream adoption.
**Budget & Constraints**
* Total Budget: $ADA 10,000,000
* Proposal Range: From $ADA 250,000 to $ADA 750,000
**Areas of Interest**
Proposals should focus on mature R\&D for products with Tier-1 collaborations, such as:
* **Enterprise integrations**: Demonstrator pilots with Tier-1 industry leaders, e.g. embedding Cardano wallets in automotive systems.
* **Stablecoin use-cases**: Partner-led pilots that show Cardano stablecoins in action supporting real transactions, utility, or payments on Cardano.
* **Scaling solutions**: Maturing use cases using Cardano scaling solutions like Hydra, e.g. a high-throughput payment system for a household-name e-commerce marketplace.
* **Exponential technologies**: Applications leveraging technologies like AI, e.g. an AI-enhanced supply chain solution with a large manufacturer.
* **Compliance solutions**: Solutions to support ADA transactions that have regulatory implications.
* **Growth programs**: Programs that accelerate the investor readiness of founders leveraging Cardano technology.
* **Tokenization platforms**: Tokenized asset platforms with a clear path to validated transaction growth.
**Core Eligibility: Who Can Apply?**
This category is exclusively for established organizations ready to build on Cardano at scale. To be eligible, the lead applicant must meet all the following criteria. Proposals that do not meet these foundational requirements will not be considered.
* **Be a Registered Business**: You must be a registered legal business entity. Proposals from individuals or unregistered entities will not be accepted.
* **Have a Proven Track Record**: The lead applicant must be an established business with a minimum of a 2-year operational history. The applying consortium (i.e., the lead applicant and its named Tier-1/collaboration partners) must collectively demonstrate verifiable annual revenue of at least $5M USD in the last fiscal year.
* **Have a Confirmed Tier-1 Partnership**: The lead applicant must be either the Tier-1 enterprise itself (definition further below) or a consortium partner with a formal collaboration agreement (e.g., Letter of Intent, MOU) with a qualified Tier-1 enterprise. This category will not fund feature updates/upgrades to existing on chain products in isolation without a partnership.
* **Maintain Good Standing with Catalyst**: The lead proposer and all named team members must be in full compliance with commitments for any previously funded Catalyst projects. Proposers can verify their compliance status by reviewing their reporting dashboard on the Project Catalyst platform. All milestone reports for previously funded projects must be submitted and approved on time prior to this fund's submission. [Learn more about it here.](https://forum.cardano.org/t/submitting-a-proposal-in-upcoming-fund15-read-this-first/149527)
**Defining a "Tier-1 Enterprise"**
An organization is considered "Tier-1" if it qualifies under **one** of the following pathways:
1. The partner must meet the following criteria:
* Verifiably generates $5M USD or more in annual revenue on their own or in aggregate as a consortium.
* Demonstrates significant market reach through a substantial national or international customer base, or a widely adopted digital product or service.
2. Or the partner must be:
* A national government body, a state/county-level agency, or an internationally operating NGO with significant public recognition (e.g. a national health service, a major university).
3. Or the partner must:
* Provide clear evidence of being a top-tier leader by market share within a significant national or international industry.
**Proposal Requirements**
All proposals submitted to this category must adhere to the following project and content standards. Moderation will be based on these criteria.
* **Focus on integration and growth, not ideas**: Proposals must be for mature R\&D demonstrator pilots or direct integrations. Early-stage concepts, prototypes, core Cardano infrastructure, or developer tooling proposals are out of scope.
* **Demonstrate a mature product & integration path**: Applicants must provide documentary evidence of a mature, deployed product according to one of the following two scenarios:
* **Cardano-native product**: The product is already deployed and operational on the Cardano mainnet.
* **Cross-ecosystem product**: The product is deployed and operational on another blockchain or ecosystem and is seeking integration with Cardano. The proposal must provide evidence of the existing product and a clear integration plan, including a confirmed integration partner or demonstrated in-house capability to execute it.
* **Verify Partnership**: Evidence of the Tier-1 collaboration (e.g. signed letter of intent) must be emailed to the Catalyst team no later than the start of the Community Review in Fund15. This partnership must be declared high level including its role in the public proposal as well. This category is not for product enhancements or feature improvements in isolation. For those - submit under “Cardano use Cases: Prototype And Launch” category instead.
* **Justify On-Chain Transaction Impact**: The proposal's core proposition must include a clear and compelling explanation of how the project will drive meaningful on-chain transaction volume for Cardano. Applicants must articulate why their solution requires a blockchain and how its implementation on Cardano will directly lead to a verifiable increase in network activity.
* **Define measurable outcomes**: The proposal must include clear, measurable adoption outcomes, with a mandatory forecast for projected on-chain transaction volume. Other KPIs (e.g. user growth, tokenized asset value) are also required.
* **Set a clear timeline**: The project delivery timeline must not exceed 12 months and must be broken down into clear milestones.
* **Show partner commitment**: The proposal must include a clear statement of the partner/enterprise's funding or in-kind contributions to the project.
* **Amplify Cardano**: A plan for co-marketing, public relations, or community engagement must be included to maximize Cardano's visibility.
* **Detail verifiable team credentials**: Simply listing names and roles is insufficient. The proposal must include verifiable references (e.g. comprehensive LinkedIn profiles, project portfolios, public repositories, corporate bios) that clearly demonstrate each key team member's specific experience, accomplishments, and suitability for their role in the project.
* **Identify all partners**: All collaborating entities, including the specific Tier-1 partner and any integration partners, must be clearly named within the proposal.
* **Propose forward-looking work**: Funds are exclusively for future development and project execution. Proposals seeking retroactive funding for work already completed will not be eligible.
* **Detailed Use of Funds**: Proposals must provide a clear budget. Your budget must be for future activities only and allocated exclusively to the project's execution. Proposals seeking retroactive funding are not eligible. Funds cannot be used for purchasing digital assets, providing liquidity, local treasuries, speculation, or simple branded merchandise. Proposals involving re-granting or incentives/giveaways are not eligible either. Please review [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-rules) for further details in addition to these.
\
**Self-Assessment Checklist**
Use this checklist to ensure your proposal meets all foundational and content requirements before submission.
| **Rule & Check** | **Description** |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Legal Entity | Lead applicant is a verified legal business entity. |
| Track Record & Revenue | Lead org has a ≥2-year track record, and the consortium collectively has ≥$5M in verifiable annual revenue. |
| Tier-1 Collaboration | Evidence of collaboration with a qualified Tier-1 enterprise is provided. |
| Catalyst Standing | Proposer and all team members are in good standing with prior Catalyst projects. |
| Scope Fit | Proposal is for mature R\&D or integration, not an early-stage concept or core infrastructure. |
| Mature Product & Path | Evidence of a mature product is provided, with a clear integration plan if not already on Cardano. |
| Partner Identification | All key partners, including the Tier-1 collaborator, are clearly identified. |
| Partner Commitment | A clear statement of the partner's in-kind or financial contributions is included. |
| Verifiable Credentials | Proposal provides verifiable references (e.g., LinkedIn, portfolio) for key team members. |
| Measurable Adoption | Proposal includes clear KPIs for adoption (e.g., transaction volume, user growth). Forecast for projected on-chain transaction volume is provided with adequate justification. |
| Timeline | Delivery is ≤ 12 months with clear milestones. |
| Visibility & Engagement | Includes a co-marketing or community engagement plan to amplify Cardano's visibility. |
| Budget Compliance | The proposal budget is for future work only, not for completed tasks. No incentives, giveaways, private treasuries and regranting are included in the budget. |
**You may submit your proposal in this category via** [**Catalyst App**](http://app.projectcatalyst.io/) **during** [**submission window**](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-timeline)**.**
# Cardano Use Cases: Prototype & Launch
**Overview**
This category is dedicated to funding the technical creators who build the Cardano ecosystem. We’re looking for entrepreneurial teams and engineers, experienced blockchain developers both - native or new to Cardano - and small, agile teams who have an idea for a new on-chain utility and the skills to build it. This fund allows builders to scope a project from its initial validated design through to a functional prototype or application deployed on testnet or mainnet. The primary goal is to achieve a public launch of the prototype on a Cardano testnet or mainnet for testing and feedback, not necessarily a full commercial launch with a completed business model.
**Budget & Constraints**
* Total Budget: $ADA 6,000,000
* Proposal Range: From $ADA 15,000 to $ADA 200,000
**Areas of Interest**
Proposals should focus on:
* Industrial or commercial use cases with significant potential adoption using Cardano’s blockchain and smart contracts.
* DeFi solutions with unique approaches e.g. a peer-to-peer yield and novel bond curve protocol MVP.
* Privacy, oracles, or zero-knowledge proof applications.
* Projects porting or bridging from other ecosystems e.g. a wallet prototyping Cardano Native Token support.
* Prototyping on Cardano scaling solutions like Hydra e.g. a high-throughput payment prototype.
* Prototyping new substantial features to existing on chain products extending their usage.
**Core Eligibility: Who Can Apply?**
This category is for the builders. It is open to individuals and technical teams. To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:
* **Demonstrate Foundational Work**: Your project must be past the idea stage. You must provide evidence of prior work, such as user research, whitepaper, UX/UI mockups, technical diagrams, or a proof-of-concept.
* **Possess Verifiable Technical Skills**: Proposers must demonstrate the technical capability to deliver the project. This can be verified in one of two ways:
* **In-House Talent**: The proposal provides verifiable credentials (e.g., public code repositories, project portfolios) for the core team members who will be building the software.
* **Confirmed Development Partner**: The proposal clearly identifies a development partner or agency by name, providing links to their prior work, and includes evidence of the collaboration (e.g., a Letter of Intent or scope of work document).
* **Maintain Good Standing with Catalys**t: The lead proposer and all named team members must be in full compliance with commitments for any previously funded Catalyst projects. Proposers can verify their compliance status by reviewing their reporting dashboard on the Project Catalyst platform. All milestone reports for previously funded projects must be submitted and approved on time prior to this fund's submission. [Learn more about it here.](https://forum.cardano.org/t/submitting-a-proposal-in-upcoming-fund15-read-this-first/149527)
**Proposal Requirements**
All proposals must adhere to the following standards. The primary focus is on turning a validated concept into a tangible, working piece of software - a prototype on Cardano’s testnet or mainnet.
**Define the Problem & Use Case**: Clearly define the problem you are solving and why your on-chain utility is valuable for Cardano users. Explain the ‘So What’ of your proposed solution. This must include a thorough analysis of the existing ecosystem. The responsibility to conduct this research lies entirely with the proposer. Your analysis must specifically address:
1. **Ecosystem Research**: Describe the results of your research into previously funded projects (via Project Catalyst) and existing solutions in the wider Cardano ecosystem.
2. **Value Proposition**: Based on your research findings, demonstrate your project's value in one of two ways:
1. **If similar solutions exist**: Justify why your proposal is sufficiently unique, detailing how it substantially differs from, improves upon, or builds on them.
2. **If the solution is novel**: State clearly that no direct precedent was found and explain why introducing this new capability is a valuable and strategic addition to the Cardano ecosystem.
* **Deliver a Functional Prototype**: The primary goal of your project must be a working software prototype deployed on at least a public Cardano testnet that users can interact with. Non-technical projects (e.g., marketing, events) or foundational research only are not eligible. These can be submitted via “Cardano Open: Ecosystem” instead.
* **Detail Verifiable Team Credentials**: Simply listing names and roles is insufficient. The proposal must include verifiable references (e.g., comprehensive LinkedIn profiles, project portfolios, public repositories) that clearly demonstrate each key team member's specific experience, accomplishments, and suitability for their role in the project.
* **Outline a Credible Technical Plan**: Describe your technical approach, including the architecture and key technologies you will use.
* **Propose a Realistic Scope**: The budget and timeline (maximum 12 months) must be realistic for delivering the proposed prototype.
* **Justify On-Chain Transaction Impact**: The proposal's core proposition must include a clear and compelling explanation of how the project will drive meaningful on-chain transaction volume for Cardano. Applicants must articulate why their solution requires a blockchain and how its implementation on Cardano will directly lead to a verifiable increase in network activity once launched.
* **Plan for Community Engagement & Feedback**: Instead of a formal marketing plan, outline how you will engage with the Cardano community to get your prototype into the hands of early users. Describe your plan to gather, analyze, and potentially iterate on user feedback.
* **Detailed Use of Funds**: Proposals must provide a clear budget. Your budget must be for future activities only and allocated exclusively to the project's execution. Proposals seeking retroactive funding are not eligible. Funds cannot be used for purchasing digital assets, providing liquidity, local treasuries, speculation, or simple branded merchandise. Proposals involving re-granting or incentives/giveaways are not eligible either. Please review [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-rules) for further details in addition to these.
**Self-Assessment Checklist**
Use this checklist to ensure your proposal meets all foundational and content requirements before submission.
| **Rule & Check** | **Description** |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Foundational Work | Evidence of prior research, whitepaper, design, or proof-of-concept is provided. |
| Ecosystem Value Proposition | The proposal includes ecosystem research and uses the findings to either (a) justify its uniqueness over existing solutions or (b) demonstrate the value of its novel approach. |
| Builder Credentials | Demonstrates technical capability via verifiable in-house talent or a confirmed development partner (GitHub, LinkedIn, portfolio, etc.) |
| Catalyst Standing | Proposer and all team members are in good standing with prior Catalyst projects. |
| Problem & Use Case | The proposal clearly defines the problem and the value of the on-chain utility. |
| Tangible Prototype | The primary goal is a working prototype deployed on at least a Cardano testnet. |
| Technical Approach | The proposal outlines a credible and clear technical plan and architecture. |
| Realistic Scope | The budget and timeline (≤ 12 months) are realistic for the proposed work. |
| Community Engagement | Includes a community engagement and feedback plan to amplify prototype adoption with the Cardano ecosystem. |
| Budget Compliance | The budget is for future development only; excludes retroactive funding, incentives, giveaways, re-granting, or sub-treasuries. |
**You may submit your proposal in this category via** [**Catalyst App**](http://app.projectcatalyst.io/) **during** [**submission window**](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-timeline)**.**
# Cardano Open: Ecosystem
**Overview**
This category focuses on building the creative capacity of our passionate global community. It will fund non-technical initiatives that drive grassroots ecosystem growth, education, research and community engagement to broaden Cardano’s reach and on chain adoption. The goal is to support local and global campaigns that bring awareness and attention to Cardano from the hearts and minds of the community collective.
**Budget & Constraints**
* Total Budget: $ADA 2,500,000
* Proposal Range: From $ADA15,000 to $ADA 60,000
**Areas of Interest**
Proposals may focus on non-technical initiatives, such as:
* **Cardano Community Hubs**: Creating or maintaining a local Cardano presence in cities or regions worldwide.
* **Community Events**: Organizing community hackathons or builder outreach events.
* **Content Creation**: Producing educational videos, articles, or tutorials on Cardano’s features.
* **Mentorship & Skill-Sharing**: Organizing workshops or programs that connect experienced community members with newcomers to share skills in marketing, content creation, or project management within the Cardano ecosystem.
* **Educational Advancements**: Developing a university course or workshop with Cardano case studies.
* **Local Advocac**y: Authoring a policy paper on Cardano’s role in regional finance for local authorities.
* **Research**: Producing a whitepaper, litepaper, or other foundational research to advance a body of knowledge related to Cardano.
#### Core Eligibility: Who Can Apply?
This category is for the community builders: educators, marketers, content creators, and event organizers. To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:
* **Non-Technical Focus**: You must be proposing a non-technical project. If your proposal focuses on software or hardware development, please apply to a different category. You may not allocate more than 20% of your budget towards supporting technical development work needed to execute your proposal. For clarity, 'technical development work' refers to activities like software programming, smart contract creation, or hardware engineering. It does not typically include routine project-support activities such as building a basic informational website, graphic design, or video production for your content.
* **Demonstrate Relevant Experience**: You must provide verifiable proof of the skills needed to deliver the project. Simply listing names and roles is not enough. Evidence must be provided in the proposal (e.g., a portfolio of past campaigns, links to created content, or reports from previous events).
* **Maintain Good Standing with Catalyst**: The lead proposer and all named team members must be in full compliance with commitments for any previously funded Catalyst projects. Proposers can verify their compliance status by reviewing their reporting dashboard on the Project Catalyst platform. All milestone reports for previously funded projects must be submitted and approved on time prior to this fund's submission. [Learn more about it here.](https://forum.cardano.org/t/submitting-a-proposal-in-upcoming-fund15-read-this-first/149527)
#### Proposal Requirements
All proposals must adhere to the following standards for community-focused initiatives.
* **Define Clear Goals & KPIs**: You must clearly articulate your goals and how you will measure success using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Strong proposals will focus on action-oriented metrics (e.g., 'number of articles published,' 'new active members in a community hub,' or 'attendees who complete a workshop') over passive metrics (e.g., 'social media impressions').
* **Demonstrate Community Value**: The proposal must explain how the initiative will grow Cardano’s ecosystem, expand its global footprint, or onboard new users. Proposals without clear demonstration of value will be deemed ineligible.
* **Demonstrate Pathway to Adoption**: Applicants must articulate a credible and logical pathway showing how their non-technical initiative encourages and enables future on-chain activity. Instead of requiring direct, immediate attribution for transactions, this should explain how the project moves participants or consumers of the content through the adoption funnel - from awareness and education to direct engagement with the Cardano ecosystem.
* Strong proposals will:
1. **Identify a Target Action**: Clearly state the ultimate on-chain action(s) you are preparing users for (e.g., creating a first wallet, minting an NFT on a specific platform, staking ADA, or interacting with a DeFi dApp).
2. **Map the User Journey**: Describe the steps a new user would take from discovering your content/event to being capable of performing that target action.
* **Provide a "Call to Action**": Explain how your project provides clear, compelling, and actionable next steps. This could be a link to a wallet guide, a tutorial on staking, or a direct introduction to a dApp. Your project should lower the barrier to entry for these actions.
* **Detail Verifiable Team Credentials**: Simply listing names and roles is insufficient. The proposal must include verifiable references (e.g., comprehensive LinkedIn profiles, project portfolios, public repositories) that clearly demonstrate each key team member's specific experience, accomplishments, and suitability for their role in the project.
* **Set a Realistic Timeline**: The project delivery timeline must not exceed 12 months and must include clear milestones for key activities.
* **Commit to Public Outputs**: Proposals must commit to making outputs (e.g., educational content, event reports, research papers) publicly accessible. If any outputs are intended to remain private, a clear justification must be provided
* **Detail a Compliant Budget**: Your budget must be for future activities only and allocated exclusively to the project's execution. Proposals seeking retroactive funding are not eligible. Funds may not be used for:
* User incentives, ADA or token giveaways, unless part of an approved hackathon or bounty program with clear governance structure in place how these are administered to avoid misuse.
* Creating sub-treasuries or re-granting funds.
* Primarily for merchandise. For proposals involving events, merchandise should be a supporting element and not constitute a significant portion of the budget (e.g., typically not to exceed 15% of the total requested funds).
* Funds cannot be used for purchasing digital assets, providing liquidity or used in other financial instruments.
* Please review [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-rules) for further details in addition to above.
**Self-Assessment Checklist**
Use this checklist to ensure your proposal meets all foundational and content requirements before submission.
| **Rule & Check** | **Description** |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Scope Fit | Proposal is a non-technical initiative, with ≤20% of the budget for tech support. |
| Relevant Experience | Provides verifiable evidence (portfolio, links, reports) of the team's ability to deliver the project. |
| Catalyst Standing | Proposer and all team members are in good standing with prior Catalyst projects. |
| Clear Goals & KPIs | Includes clear objectives with both Output Metrics (what proposal did) and Adoption-Focused Metrics (what effect proposal had). |
| Pathway to Adoption | The proposal clearly explains the user journey and provides a credible plan for how the project will equip and motivate users for future on-chain activity. |
| Community Value | The initiative clearly demonstrates how it will grow the Cardano ecosystem or onboard users. |
| Realistic Timeline | The project plan and timeline (≤ 12 months) are realistic and well-defined. |
| Public Outputs | Commits to public outputs and justifies any exceptions. |
| Budget Compliance | The budget adheres to all policies: it is for future work, follows the merchandise rule, and excludes establishing local treasuries, incentives/giveaways, re-grants. |
**You may submit your proposal in this category via** [**Catalyst App**](http://app.projectcatalyst.io/) **during** [**submission window**](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-timeline)**.**
# Midnight: Compact DApps
**Overview**
Midnight Compact DApps is a strategic fund dedicated to building use cases and utility that will empower the future of privacy-enabled applications. This initiative leverages Catalyst's robust infrastructure and the wisdom of the Cardano community to help select the most promising projects that demonstrate the power of programmable privacy.
\
**Budget & Constraints**
* **Total Budget**: $USDM 250,000
* **Proposal Range**: From $USDM 2,500 to $USDM 10,000
* Funding amounts are intended for small, focused prototypes, not full product builds.
Sponsored by a $USDM 250,000 commitment from the Midnight Foundation, this initiative aims to build foundational “Reference DApps” for the new ecosystem. The Midnight Foundation is looking to fund high-impact, open-source projects that directly demonstrate high-value use cases for privacy-preserving applications, laying the critical groundwork of basic UI design and prototyping.
**Community Governance & Voting**
To celebrate the collaboration between the Midnight and Cardano ecosystems, project selection will be a two-stage process:
1. **Community Recommendation**: Cardano's ADA holders will vote on proposals through Project Catalyst to create a shortlist of recommended projects.
2. **Final Selection**: The Midnight Foundation will make the final funding decisions from the recommended list on behalf of the Midnight Foundation.
**Additional Notes**
* **Funding**: This funding is provided under executive sponsorship from the Midnight Foundation in [$USDM](https://moneta.global/). No funds from the Cardano Treasury will be used for this category.
* **Infrastructure**: Project Catalyst will provide the voting platform on behalf of the Midnight Foundation. Catalyst voters will vote on the proposals submitted in this category, no different to other Catalyst funding categories, however the Midnight Foundation is solely responsible for funding decisions and disbursements.
**Areas of Interest**
This category focuses on funding the creation of open-source Proof of Concept (PoC) decentralized applications (DApps) to demonstrate how Midnight technology works in practice. The primary goal is to build a library of functional examples that showcase what is possible on Midnight and serve as a learning resource for future developers in one of the following areas using Midnight:
* **Governance**: Build civic platforms that protect participants while still preserving fairness and auditability.
* **AI**: Midnight provides a foundation where AI can scale without sacrificing privacy, ensuring that data can be used responsibly, securely, and in ways that align with user consent
* **Health**: use Midnight to build patient-owned data systems, research networks, and telehealth tools that simply couldn’t exist without privacy-preserving infrastructure.
* **Finance**: Midnight’s programmable privacy means builders can create compliant financial products that aren’t possible elsewhere like private credit markets, compliant DeFi rails, or new forms of digital banking.
* **Innovative & Novel Concepts**: Propose a creative concept that uniquely leverages Midnight’s privacy features in another industry or real-world privacy enabled use case.
**What is a “Reference DApp”?**
A Reference DApp is an open-source, Proof of Concept application built to demonstrate how to use Midnight’s technology in practice. It is not meant to be a polished product or a company. Instead, its value lies in:
* **Clarity**: showing other developers how to implement a specific pattern (selective disclosure, privacy in finance, governance flows).
* **Reusability**: providing code that others can fork, remix, or extend.
* **Education**: acting as a practical example alongside documentation and tutorials.
* **Demonstration**: proving out Midnight’s unique features with Compact contracts and a simple demo UI.
A good reference DApp should be small in scope but technically complete. Enough that another developer could run it locally, see it working, and adapt the code for their own project.
**Core Eligibility: Who Can Apply?**
This category is for the builders. To be eligible, you and your project must meet the following criteria:
* **Technical Focus**: You must be proposing a functional software prototype with code as the primary outcome. Non-technical projects (marketing, content-only, community ops) are not eligible.
* **Verifiable Identity & Experience**: Anonymous or unverifiable teams are not eligible. The proposal must include verifiable identity and references (e.g., comprehensive LinkedIn profiles, GitHub profiles, project portfolios) that clearly demonstrate each key team member's specific experience and suitability for their role. Simply listing names/aliases is insufficient.
* **Direct Builders Only**: Proposals must be submitted by the builders who will perform the core work. Outsourcing the primary development to a third party agency is not permitted.
* **A 3-month timeline**: The project delivery timeline can be three months with three milestones each (one per month).
* **Open Source Commitment**: All code produced must be under a permissive open-source license (MIT or Apache-2.0) and source available from day one.
* **Maintain Good Standing with Catalyst**: The lead proposer and all named team members must be in full compliance with commitments for any previously funded Catalyst projects. Proposers can verify their compliance status by reviewing their reporting dashboard on the Project Catalyst platform. All milestone reports for previously funded projects must be submitted and approved on time prior to this fund's submission. [Learn more about it here.](https://forum.cardano.org/t/submitting-a-proposal-in-upcoming-fund15-read-this-first/149527)
**Proposal Requirements**
All proposals must provide the following information:
* **Demonstrate Novelty & Privacy Rationale**: Propose a unique, novel project (not a minor tweak of an existing Midnight reference dApp). If inspired by other ecosystems, clearly explain what’s different and why it matters here. Explain why privacy improves this DApp; show you’ve thought through selective disclosure/programmable privacy. Don’t treat Compact like TypeScript. They are distinct; proposals must use Compact for ZKPs.
* **Define Target Audience**: Clearly describe both the target end-user of the DApp and the developer personas who will learn from your code repository.
* **Provide Verifiable Team Credentials**: Link to GitHub profiles, past projects, or code samples that prove your team has the technical ability to deliver the project.
* **Detailed Project Deliverables**: All final projects must include the following technical baseline:
* **Compact contract:** At least one **\*.compact** smart contract demonstrating programmable privacy/selective disclosure.
* **Demo UI**: A simple UI in the repo that calls your Compact contract and shows a demo flow.
* **Wallet integration**: Integrate with the Lace (Midnight) wallet.
* **Open-source repo**: Public code with a permissive OSI license (MIT or Apache-2.0).
* **Robust README.md**: What it does, why privacy matters, how to run locally, key files, and suggested next steps/extensions.
* **Test Suite**: Tests for the contract (sample inputs/outputs for privacy features) with clear instructions to run tests.
**Self-Assessment Checklist**
Use this checklist to ensure your proposal meets all foundational and content requirements before submission.
| **Rule & Check** | **Description** |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Strategic Fit | The proposal clearly provides a basic prototype reference application for one of the areas of interest. |
| Developer Experience Focus | The proposal clearly defines which part of the developer journey it improves and how it makes building on Midnight easier and more productive. |
| Open Source Commitment | The proposal explicitly states the chosen permissive open-source license (e.g., MIT, Apache 2.0) and commits to a public code repository. |
| Verifiable Builder Credentials | The team provides evidence of their technical ability and experience in creating developer tools or high-quality technical content (e.g., GitHub, portfolio). |
| High-Quality Documentation | A plan for creating and maintaining clear, comprehensive documentation is a core part of the proposal's scope. |
| Realistic Scope | The budget and timeline (3 months) are realistic for delivering the proposed tool or resource. |
**You may submit your proposal in this category via** [**Catalyst App**](http://app.projectcatalyst.io/) **during** [**submission window**](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-timeline)**.**
# Fund Rules
\
1\. **Introduction**
Project Catalyst is a growth engine and a grants program for the Cardano blockchain ecosystem (“**Cardano**”) that has funding rounds every few months, with a set amount of funds ready to allocate to ideas. When the Catalyst App opens to accept submissions, members of the Cardano community (referred to in these rules as “the community”) submit proposals in response to categories published on the Project Catalyst platform. The community votes and funding is allocated to winning projects to bring the projects to life. For Fund15, the following categories are available for proposal submissions:
* Cardano Open: Ecosystem
* Cardano Use Cases: Prototype & Launch
* Cardano Partners: Tier-1 Enterprise Integrations
* Midnight: Compact DApps
Each of these categories have their own relevant guidelines and regulations that go beyond general Fund Rules. Full relevant detailed briefs can be found on the [Catalyst website here](https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/15).
2. **Purpose of this document**
These Catalyst Fund Rules (“**Rules**”) reflect the mission of Project Catalyst to benefit the Cardano ecosystem, learning from previous funding rounds of what works and what could be improved.
These Rules apply to (a) each individual or entity participating in a project proposal, whether as an applicant or project participant (collectively “**Project Participants**”) and (b) other participants in Project Catalyst, including Community Reviewers, Community Moderators, and Milestone Reviewers (together with the Project Participants, “**Catalyst Participants**”).
By submitting a proposal, Catalyst Participants agree that these Rules form part of and are to be read together with the Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions between the applicant and Catalyst FC, the grantor of Project Catalyst funds, administered by IOG Singapore Pte. Ltd. as the Fund Operator. The Catalyst Fund Terms and Conditions set out the binding contractual terms governing funding, payment, suspension, termination, and liability. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between these Rules and the Catalyst Fund Terms and Conditions, the Catalyst Fund Terms and Conditions shall prevail.
All Catalyst Participants must comply at all times with these Rules and any additional terms and general guidance made available by the Fund Operator of Fund15. Any breach of the Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions, including these Rules, will be treated seriously and may result in suspension or termination of funding and/or loss of eligibility to participate in future Catalyst funding rounds.
**IMPORTANT NOTE**: Please see Section 15 for category-specific deviations from these Rules (which may include, without limitation, different duration, budget and approval requirements or processes).
3. **Eligibility criteria - who can apply for funding?**
Anyone with an idea that positively impacts the Cardano ecosystem can and may submit a proposal on the Project Catalyst platform, subject to the conditions set out in these Fund Rules.
*All Project Participants must be aged 18 or over and will need to complete onboarding requirements, including an identity verification process.*
(i) Proposal Submission Limits
*Applicants may only submit a maximum of 2 Catalyst proposals across all categories in any one funding round.*
If an individual or entity applicant submits more than 2 proposal submissions, only the first 2 published entries will be eligible for participation. Project Participants contributing to proposals in any capacity (e.g., as a subcontractor) shall also be limited to submitting no more than 2 proposals per funding round.
All Project Participants must accurately disclose their roles and scope of services across any submitted proposals, even if they are not the applicant, such as an implementer, vendor, service provider, etc. Proposals or Project Participants that fail to disclose information accurately may be disqualified at any point of the Catalyst process.
(ii) Eligibility Conditions
*A proposal will be deemed ineligible if, at the time of being marked as a final submission, the Project Participants meet any of the following conditions:*
* ***Incomplete legacy projects***: The Project Participants have at least one active project in the delivery phase (including any period spent in extended onboarding) for over 12 months and remains incomplete. To find out how long the project has been in this phase, look for its designated "start date." You can find this date in the header of that project's "milestone module summary."
* ***Lack of recent progress***: The Project Participants failed to submit and get approval for at least two Proofs of Achievements (PoAs) within the last 7 months\*.
* ***Significant delays***: The Project Participants have one or more active Catalyst-funded projects that is more than 90 days behind schedule under the approved Statement of Milestones unless a valid reason has been communicated to and accepted by the Fund Operator.
* ***Over-commitment***: The Project Participants have more than 6 concurrent projects active at the time of submission.
* ***Incomplete or untruthful self-assessment check-list***: The proposal or any accompanying documentation (including any self-assessment checklist submitted with the application) is incomplete, inaccurate or misleading.
* ***Failure to disclose***: The Project Participants have not accurately or publicly disclosed all involvements in any active Catalyst projects in their application form for any individuals connected to the project.
* ***Circumvention***: The Project Participants have submitted a proposal under a different entity or individual in an attempt to circumvent these guidelines.
If it is determined that Project Participants do not meet any of the eligibility criteria at the time of submission, their proposal may be subject to immediate grant cancellation, regardless of its current stage. This includes proposals that have already been approved for funding by the community.
(iii) Rules for All Active Grants. These rules apply to all projects with an active grant, regardless of whether they are applying for new funding:
* ***Automatic cancellation risk***: An active grant risks immediate cancellation if the project is more than 90 days behind schedule based on its Statement of Milestones, and the proposal team (or individual) has not proactively sought and received an approved [Change Request](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/general-information/requesting-a-change-to-funded-project-on-milestone-module).
* ***Important note on Change Requests***: The approval of a Change Request is not automatic. It is granted solely at the discretion of the Fund Operator based on the justification provided.
\*The Catalyst program aims to help active and previously funded proposers remain eligible and will review submitted PoAs and Change Requests as efficiently as possible. However, to ensure fairness, only PoAs and Change Requests fully approved before a new application is submitted will count toward eligibility. Processing times cannot be guaranteed, as they depend on the nature and complexity of the work. Change Requests are intended only for justified adjustments to deliverables or timelines and cannot be used to bypass eligibility criteria.
4. **Funding: What types of projects are funded by Project Catalyst?**
Project Catalyst is aimed at helping a wide range of individuals, groups, or legal entities to grow by funding the best ideas that have the potential to positively impact the Cardano ecosystem.
Proposals must:
* Be complete and accurate at the time of proposal submission;
* Be for the betterment of the Cardano ecosystem;
* Be ready to start the project once the Fund results are published;
* Have an expected completion date at 2 to 12 months from award;
* Identify at least 2 project milestones plus the final one including Project Close Out Report and Video;
* Be willing to publicly share evidence of achievement and outcomes with the community; and
* If declaring the project is open source in the proposal submission form, the project should be open source-available throughout the entire lifecycle of the project with a declared open-source repository with an appropriate license.
* Provide a clear budget. This budget must be for future activities only and allocated exclusively to the project's execution.
Depending on the category, project funding can be requested for various stages of technical innovation and software development, from feasibility studies through to developing and testing prototypes or fully fledged features. Proposals can be to develop a brand new product, service, technology-enabled process, or to take an existing technology product or service and further develop it beyond existing capabilities. Project Catalyst funding requests can also be focused on ecosystem and community-building activities, events, content, or social endeavors that help to onboard and educate new users about Cardano.
The key requirements for all requests for funding proposals is that the project is for the broad benefit of the Cardano ecosystem and there are well-defined deliverables and outcomes for each project that can be measurably verified by the community.
Examples of projects that will not be funded by Catalyst include (list is non exhaustive):
* Projects that do not benefit Cardano in a way that aligns with Catalyst’s mission and scope;
* Projects that are not legal within the jurisdiction where the work is taking place or that would breach applicable sanctions, anti-money laundering (AML), or other regulatory requirements;
* Projects intending to use Catalyst funding for speculative or investment activities, such as purchasing financial or digital assets, trading, lending or providing token liquidity and similar activities;
* Funds cannot be used to establish local treasuries or similar collective funding pools (for example community-managed re-granting structures);
* Projects intending to use the funds to offer a grant as funding for 3rd parties (as opposed to procuring goods or services under a project contract);
* Projects intending to use funds for brick and mortar business activities that do not deliver a measurable benefit to the Cardano ecosystem. For example, a restaurant project using funds to pay for chefs instead of using funds for Cardano brand marketing. In this case, the proposal should demonstrate additional resources are available to cover these types of expenses; and
* Projects intending to use funds to incentivise users through ada or other giveaways, airdrops or prize schemes, unless specifically approved to be delivered as part of an authorised hackathon or bounty program; and
* Projects seeking retroactive funding in part or full, unless specifically permitted by the category brief guidelines.
5. **What can funding be used for?**
Funding must be used exclusively for the development and implementation of Project Participants’ proposed projects. The following is a list of examples of what Catalyst funding may be used for:
* Labour & subcontracting costs (i.e., staffing to deliver the project)
* Overhead costs (typically provision of computers, desks, office space, IT infrastructure and software services)
* Materials costs (costs of materials to be used directly on project are eligible costs, purchased from third parties)
* Hackathon prizes\*
* Bounty rewards\*
* Travel costs
* Venue hire and production costs
* Training costs
* Market assessment and business intelligence
* Licensing in technologies
\* Funds allocated for hackathon prizes or bounty rewards can only be paid after delivery once the milestone proof of achievement is satisfied.
6. **How much funding can I ask for?**
Project Participants may only request funding in the currency listed in the applicable category brief.
There is a minimum and a maximum amount of funding that can be requested in a single Catalyst proposal. These are outlined below for each category:
Funding Amount range per proposal:
* Cardano Open: Ecosystem
* From $ADA 15,000 to $ADA 60,000
* Cardano Use Cases: Prototype & Launch
* From $ADA 15,000 to $ADA 200,000
* Cardano Partners: Tier-1 Enterprise Integrations
* From $ADA 250,000 to $ADA 750,000
* Midnight: Compact DApps
* From $USDM 2,500 to $USDM 10,000
Minimum and maximum funding caps help drive the predictability of how many projects will likely be funded in a given round and support the estimation of ongoing costs for community-reviewers to participate in project accountability management, where the pool of community reviewers help to verify that milestones are being achieved and are rewarded for their contributions.
Introducing minimum and maximum funding levels and maximum project length also helps to avoid scenarios whereby very large sums are approved without voters' confidence and truly understanding the feasibility of highly complex, multi-year technical projects, or in cases where proposals request very small amounts of funding which cannot deliver genuine value to the Cardano ecosystem.
Funding is provided by way of a grant only. Proposals that request alternative funding arrangements, such as loans, will be disqualified.
7. **How long can my project be?**
Projects must be capable of completing all milestones within 12 months from project award.
8. **What are the key steps of the funding process?**
The funding cycle involves the following stages:
* Innovation submission: Project Participants submit initial proposals on [the Catalyst App](http://app.projectcatalyst.io) in compliance with category briefs listed there for each category. Community members share ideas and insights on Catalyst Platform to help refine the proposals.
* Community Review: Community Reviewers provide opinions about the submitted proposals and rate them against the criteria which can be found in the [Community Review guidelines](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/community-review) (which will be made available ahead of the Community Review stage) on Catalyst Gitbook.
* Moderation: Community reviews are checked by moderators to make a determination whether reviews that were flagged by the Catalyst scripts should be published or discarded altogether.
* Voting: Community members vote using the Project Catalyst voting app. Votes are weighted based on voters' ada token holding.
* Results: Votes are tallied and the results published in a Fund Results guide.
* Onboarding: Approved projects will undergo an onboarding procedure which includes, without limitation, creating a finalized Statement of Milestones schedule.
* Funding: Projects receive funding along with further guidance. Approved Project Participants are required to provide regular proofs of achievement to the community, which ensures funded projects are accountable to their voters. See Section 17 for more details.
9\. **How do I submit a proposal?**
Project Catalyst relies on the ingenuity of a global network of participants. Proposals may be submitted by completing the Proposal Submission Form available [here](https://projectcatalyst.io/get-involved/submit-an-idea). Proposals may be initially submitted in draft form and finalized at any time before the final submission deadline (which deadline will be published [here](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-timeline)). Proposals that are not complete by the final submission deadline will be archived and will not be submitted to the community for voting. Kindly submit drafts once you are ready to proceed with enough context for the community to be able to provide tangible feedback. Proposal submissions with insufficient detail or information added across all fields are at risk of being archived at any time without notice.
10. **What are the proposal requirements?**
Proposals must be submitted via the [Catalyst Proposal Submission Platform](http://app.projectcatalyst.io) by completing the proposal Submission Form and demonstrating the proposed idea’s ‘impact’, ‘feasibility/capability’, and ‘value for money’. URLs and images can be embedded as part of the proposal submission.
Submitting the same proposal into multiple challenges or categories in the same funding round is not permitted and only the most recent submission will be considered. A project proposal can only be funded to deliver the project once. If a duplicate proposal or a separate proposal with the same deliverables is awarded, the Fund Operator will terminate one of the projects in its entirety, together with all future payments for that project with immediate effect. Please see [the Suspension and Termination of Catalyst Grants policy here](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/general-information/suspension-and-termination-of-catalyst-grants) for further details.
Project Participants must ensure that their proposal and all other materials relating to the project do not infringe any intellectual property rights and do not contain any confidential or proprietary information.
11. **What is the review process?**
One of the roles of the Fund Operator is to ensure that these rules are complied with by all Project Participants. If proposals are submitted to the wrong category or evaluated to be in breach of these Fund Rules, the Fund Operator will require Project Participants to resubmit their proposal to an alternative category or to withdraw their proposal, before Community Review ends. Project Participants are strongly advised to match their proposals to suitable challenge briefs as much as possible or to seek guidance to avoid any surprises.
Proposals are also reviewed by Community Reviewers. These are members of the community who volunteer to provide their opinion and feedback on proposals in exchange for a fee. Community Reviewers play an important role in the Catalyst funding process by providing information which can be used by voters to inform their voting decisions. Community Reviewers also offer feedback to Project Participants by providing rationale for their scores. In order to participate as a Community Reviewer in Project Catalyst, identity verification is a requirement.
Community Reviewers will read a proposal and assign it a score between 1 and 5 for each of the 3 criteria (impact, feasibility/capability, and value for money). The individual scores across the three criteria will give an overall score for the proposal.
For each of the three criteria, Community Reviewers are required to give their opinion and rationale in English to explain the score that was given and to demonstrate the reason for doing so. A proposal may receive a low score for various reasons including if the submission form is not complete, the Project Participant cannot be clearly identified or if the project does not fulfill these rules.
Community Reviewers should consider and provide feedback on the extent that proposals meet criteria on their own merits. Community Reviewers should only provide their own opinion. Their review should not be the work of others or an AI-agent acting on their behalf. If a Community Moderator believes that a Community Reviewer’s reasoning does not correspond with the score given, the review will likely be discarded during the Community Review stage (as described in the following section).
12. **What is the role of Community Moderators?**
The Fund Operator runs a community assisted moderation bounty program that helps identify non-compliant proposals before they proceed towards the voting stage. Proposals that are deemed in breach of Fund Rules and/or Terms & Conditions can be removed from the Fund at any time. We will endeavor to provide, but do not guarantee, notice of such removal. Here [is a sample guideline](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/community-review/community-moderation-process/l2-moderation-bounty-guidance-for-community-moderators) that highlights the process at a high level. Fund15 guidelines will be made available before the Community Review stage begins.
The Fund Operator also uses automated scripts to identify the following issues for review by Community Moderators:
* A similarity script will be run looking for similarly worded reviews in the current fund and across previous funds. Generic reviews which do not address specific aspects of a proposal will be flagged and potentially discarded.
* A length check will be completed. Reviews containing less than 150 characters for each individual criterion or less than 450 characters in total per review as a whole will be flagged and potentially discarded.
* A plagiarism script will be run looking for similarly worded content from the internet. Reviews which do not address specific aspects of a proposal will be flagged and potentially discarded.
* An artificial agent script will be run by the Fund Operator looking for content that is produced by an AI bot or agent. These reviews will be flagged and potentially discarded.
* Reviews that display copy/pasting of templates without thoughtful contribution of value specific to the proposal will be flagged for review and potentially discarded.
Reviews that are flagged by the automated scripts are referred to Community Moderators for further assessment. Community Moderators may discard reviews which are not authentic and which do not comply with these rules and the Community Reviewers Guide.
An additional ‘spot check’ will be performed by Community Moderators, who will be provided with a small number of reviews made by community reviewers that were not flagged by scripts. This helps minimize potentially adverse behaviors, only discarding reviews which do not comply with these rules and the guidelines provided in the [Community Reviewers Guidelines](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/community-review) (these Guidelines will be published ahead of the Community Review stage).
The vast majority of reviews are people’s genuine opinions and these will be included in the voting process to help inform voters about the opinions of Community Reviewers. If a review is flagged, there is likely a reason attributed to the flag and information about which reviews and reviewers were flagged and discounted will be published in the Catalyst Gitbook.
Appeals from Community Review Moderators (experienced reviewers) are not currently implemented. In order to participate as a Community Review or Community Moderator in Project Catalyst, identity verification is required.
13. **How does voting work?**
Voting in the current Fund will be a Yes/Abstain mechanic for all categories.
In Fund14, Project Catalyst introduced Generalised Quadratic Voting (GQV) as a proof of concept applied exclusively at the tallying stage. GQV is a tallying method. Each voter’s total stake will be cube-rooted and tallied with the other cube-rooted stakes by other voters. This mathematical operation makes the difference between the powerful voters and less powerful voters smaller, leading to a more egalitarian decision making.
This phased approach preserves the existing vote-casting process while enabling the community and researchers to compare traditional linear voting outcomes with quadratic results. The goal is to assess GQV’s potential to more fairly represent collective preferences by reducing disproportionate influence from large ADA holders (“whale behaviour”). In essence, GQV flattens the distribution of voting power, making the overall outcome more decentralized and aligned with a broader community consensus.
In Fund15, GQV will be implemented alongside a change to the approval threshold. Whereas in previous Catalyst funding rounds, approval was gained from receiving at least 1% of total registered stake, in Fund15 approval will be gained from receiving at least 2% of total active stake. This change means approval thresholds are dynamic based on voters’ active, rather than passive, participation.
Technically, this isolated implementation aligns with Catalyst’s evolving modular voting architecture and leverages secure infrastructure to ensure scalability and integrity. Please refer to [Fund Operating Parameters](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-parameters) published on docs.projectcatalyst.io for more details.
Proposals are ranked by the flat number of ‘Yes’ votes received during the tally from the community (adjusted with QVC) and funded one by one until that category budget is exhausted. If the amount requested by a proposal is larger than the remaining amount of funding in that category, it is skipped.
Any leftover funds will be used to fund the combined highest ranking projects across two categories only: Cardano Use Cases: Prototype & Launch and Cardano Open: Ecosystem.
Leftover funding logic does not include the Midnight category funds or projects.
Only projects from proposers who do not already have an approved project in the current funding round will be considered. If an approved Project Participant has already one or more projects approved for funding in the current Fund, no additional projects will be awarded leftover funding to the Project Participant. This approach is intended to allow a broader and more diverse distribution of funding among the Cardano community.
14. **Who can vote on proposals?**
On completion of the Community Review Stage, the community of ada holders are given the opportunity to vote for their favorite proposals to receive Catalyst funding. Proposals will only receive funding if they garner sufficient votes from the community. Any ada holder with a minimum of ₳25 can vote on a proposal by downloading the voting app from [here](https://projectcatalyst.io/get-involved/become-a-voter). Learn more about voting [via Catalyst gitbook here](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/voting).
15. **Where are voting results published?**
Results of the community vote are published by the Catalyst team via projectcatalyst.io web once the tally stage is complete.
16. **Onboarding of approved proposals**
If a proposal for funding is approved, then the applicable Project Participants will be notified by email of the steps to be completed as part of the onboarding procedure. The onboarding procedure is intended to confirm a Project Participant’s compliance with these rules and any additional terms or specific conditions of the grant, in addition to these rules, that the Project Participant must follow.
Once the vote has concluded, during Project onboarding, Project Participants will also be required to submit a Statement of Milestones (SoM) that sets out the milestones and deliverables to be accomplished by the Project Participants during each stage of the project which will be reviewed and approved by Milestone Reviewers before funding is initiated. All proposals must include at least 2 milestones.
Project Participants must complete the onboarding process before the project can start. Failure to complete the onboarding procedure within 60 days of award notification may result in the grant being withdrawn.
17. **Payments and Reporting**
Upon completion of the onboarding process and verification of the Statement of Milestones, approved projects will receive an initial payment covering the first milestone. All funded projects will be required to adhere to the Statement of Milestones (SoM) set out in their proposal. Before funding for the next milestone is released, projects must provide evidence that the milestone for which they have already been paid has been achieved. This is known as Proof of Achievement (PoA). It is the responsibility of the lead Project Participant and funded-proposer’s team to submit Proof of Achievement to the community and the Catalyst team for verification and approval before funding for the next milestone is provided.
Each project will be required to submit a relevant report which documents that progress is being made on the project. The Catalyst team must be notified immediately if there are reasons why the project has paused or will not deliver what was voted for and approved by the community.
Failure to comply with reporting requirements to demonstrate adequate progress may result in funding being suspended or terminated.
Before the final payment is released, approved Project Participants must also provide a “Proof of Project” report and “Proof of Demonstration” video. Further details about the content and format of this documentation will be provided to each Project Participant during onboarding.
The Fund Operator and Catalyst FC aim to review SoMs, PoAs and general milestone submissions as efficiently as possible. However, review timelines may vary depending on the volume, complexity, and nature of community feedback.
Because the milestone review process relies on community input and validation, neither the Fund Operator nor Catalyst FC shall be liable for any delays, loss, or costs arising from extended review periods or related delays in payment release. Payments are conditional upon successful verification and approval of submitted milestones.
Project details, progress reports, and Proof of Achievements will be published on the Catalyst Website at [www.projectcatalyst.io](http://www.projectcatalyst.io) and will be publicly available.
18. **Unspent and Excess Funds**
There may be unspent or excess funds available from total budgeted funds for any given funding round. This may be the result of various reasons, including but not limited to parameter outcomes (e.g., difference between forecasted and actual budget allocation), cancellations/terminations, refunds, or failure to follow relevant procedures (e.g., during onboarding). Such events present an opportunity for efficient reallocation of available funding amounts where applicable to maximize the positive impact of the Catalyst program. In all other cases, the funds will be retained by Catalyst FC.
19. **Fund15 Rules for the ‘Midnight’ Category**
Fund15 is piloting a multi-treasury funding round. The following rule hierarchy applies to the "Midnight" category:
1. **General Rules Apply**: As a baseline, all rules listed in these Rules apply to the "Midnight" category.
2. **Specific Rules Take Priority**: The "Midnight" category also has its own category-specific rules. If any of these "Midnight" rules are at odds (in conflict) with these Rules, the **"Midnight" category-specific rules take priority** and override these Rules to the extent of the conflict. The Midnight-specific rules are listed in the category briefly directly. Review them [in detail here.](https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/15/midnight-compact-dapps)
3. **Here are some important highlights of the Midnight-specific rules:**
1. **Project selection:**
1. **Community Recommendation**: Cardano's ADA holders will vote on proposals through Project Catalyst to create a shortlist of recommended projects.
2. **Final Selection**: The Midnight Foundation will make the final funding decisions from the recommended list produced by the voting stage.
2. **A 3-month timeline**: The project delivery timeline can be a maximum of three months with three milestones each (one per month).
By submitting a proposal to the Midnight-specific category, Catalyst Participants agree that these Rules and the Midnight-specific rules form part of and are to be read together with [the Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions - Midnight Compact DApp Submissions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions-midnight-compact-dapps-submissions) between the applicant and Midnight Foundation, the grantor of Project Catalyst funds for this category, administered by IOG Singapore Pte. Ltd. as the Fund Operator. The Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions - Midnight Compact DApp Submissions set out the binding contractual terms governing funding, payment, suspension, termination, and liability. The order of priority for any conflict or inconsistency between the foregoing terms is: (1) the Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions - Midnight Compact DApp Submissions, the latter shall prevail; (2) the Midnight-specific rules; and (3) these Rules.
# Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions
Last updated: November 3, 2025
**Background**
1. Project Catalyst is one of the world’s largest decentralized innovation engines for solving real-world challenges within the Cardano blockchain (“**Cardano**”) ecosystem and for fostering Cardano’s governance and development, by incentivizing Cardano community members to submit ideas that positively impact the Cardano ecosystem and to potentially receive funding (“**Project Catalyst**”).
2. Project Catalyst has funding rounds every few months where the Cardano community submits proposals for technical, business, creative and community projects (“**proposals**” or “**projects**”). The holders of ada cryptocurrency evaluate and vote on which projects receive may funding in the form of ada that is issued from the Cardano treasury (“**funding**” or “**funds**”), in line with the Cardano treasury approval and withdrawal process (the “**Cardano Funding Process**”).
3. Catalyst FC is an exempted limited guarantee foundation company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (“**CFC**”) to disburse Project Catalyst funds for approved projects (as described below), in coordination with the Project Catalyst operator responsible for operating and administering Project Catalyst (the “**Fund Operato**r”). Under this arrangement: (a) CFC allocates and disburses grant funding in ada; (b) the Fund Operator provides platform, administrative and operational services, on CFC’s behalf, to facilitate the grant program; and (c) the Fund Operator third-party beneficiaries of these Terms with rights to enforce specific provisions as described in these Terms.
4. To either (a) participate in Project Catalyst rounds, starting with Fund12 or (b) receive funding, for Project Catalyst proposals approved for funding prior to Fund12: The individual responsible for submitting one or more proposals to Project Catalyst (“**you**”, “**your(s)**” or the “**applicant**”) is required to: (i) accept these Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions (these “Terms”), which, together with the Fund Rules (defined below) set forth the binding agreement between you and CFC regarding your project; and (ii) complete the onboarding requirements described in these Terms.
5. By accepting these Terms, submitting a proposal to Project Catalyst, participating in Project Catalyst or accepting funding from CFC, you represent and warrant that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these Terms. You and CFC agree as follows:
6. **Fund Rules; Your Obligations.**
**a.** These Terms should be read together with all rules, requirements and documentation applicable to the Project Catalyst funding round under which you have or may receive funding and that were provided or made available to you (the “**Fund Rules**”). If there is a conflict between these Terms and the Fund Rules, then these Terms will control. As used in these Terms, “**approved projects**” are those: (i) for Fund14 and onward, that participate in the Project Catalyst funding round that has been approved, and for which funding has been disbursed to CFC, pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process; (ii) for Fund13 and earlier, that have been approved by the Cardano community to receive funding; and (iii) for all funding rounds, for which all individual(s) and entity/entities named on the proposal have completed CFC’s onboarding requirements (as further described in these Terms).
**b.** For all approved projects, you shall use the funds exclusively for the development and implementation of your proposal in accordance with its terms, the Fund Rules and any other parameters or requirements issued or agreed to by CFC in writing (email permitted) (collectively, “**Specifications**”). Unless you obtain CFC’s prior written consent, you shall not use the funds other than as set forth in these Terms and the Specifications. If you need to request a change in funding or to the Specifications, then you shall follow the applicable change request procedures found by searching for “change request” at .
**c.** You shall comply with and participate in all of CFC’s onboarding requirements, which may include, without limitation, submitting complete and accurate information for know your customer (KYC), anti-money laundering (AML) and similar screenings conducted by or on behalf of CFC, and submitting a schedule setting out the milestones and deliverables to be accomplished during each phase of the project. If you fail to comply with or complete CFC’s onboarding requirements, if CFC receives onboarding results that are unsatisfactory to CFC in its discretion or if the Fund Operator determines in its reasonable discretion that continuing the onboarding process would create operational, compliance, reputational or platform-related risks for the Fund Operator, then you will be disqualified from participating in the applicable Project Catalyst funding round (and potentially future funding rounds) and these Terms will immediately terminate upon CFC’s or the Fund Operator’s notice to you of being disqualified.
**d.** You shall comply with all other requirements issued by CFC and the Fund Operator from time to time including, without limitation, for approved projects: reporting regularly on the project’s progress; submitting evidence of completion of milestones or deadlines; providing documentation detailing how the project and milestones function; and submitting reports or providing demonstrations upon completion of the project.
2. **Issuing Funds for Approved Projects**. The terms in this Section 2 apply to approved projects.
**a.** So long as you comply with these Terms and the Fund Rules and, starting with Fund14 and onward, expressly subject to the successful allocation of funds to CFC pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process, CFC will issue the funds to an account designated by you as follows:
**i. *****For projects that have not received funding at the time you accept these Terms:*** Upon completion of all onboarding requirements in a manner satisfactory to CFC, CFC shall issue you initial funding covering the first milestone. Funding for subsequent milestones will be issued prior to their commencement so long as: (A) you are in compliance with the project schedule; and (B) for the then-proceeding milestone, you have submitted documentary evidence satisfactory to CFC and the Cardano community that such milestone has been completed and achieved in accordance with the Specifications. The project schedule and the amounts and timing of issuance of the funds are as agreed upon by you and CFC during onboarding.
**ii.** ***For projects that have received funding at the time you accept these Terms:*** Upon completion of all onboarding requirements in a manner satisfactory to CFC, CFC shall issue you the remaining funding for your project, in accordance with the project schedule and the amounts and timing of issuance of the funds as agreed upon by you and the Fund Operator.
**b.** Upon CFC’s request, you shall provide documentary evidence satisfactory to CFC itemizing your expenditure of funds. In connection with receiving any funds, you are solely responsible for (i) making any required regulatory filings or reports and (ii) paying taxes or other payments imposed by a governmental authority. Excluding the agreed-upon amount of funding, you are responsible for all other financial obligations, costs and expenses incurred by you and your personnel (if applicable) in connection with the project (including, without limitation, paying transaction fees).
3. **Intellectual Property Rights.**
**a.** You or your licensors retain ownership of and responsibility for your name, trademarks, logos, the project, the project name and all content you create, feature, display or provide to CFC and the Cardano community in connection with your participation in Project Catalyst and the project (collectively, “**Your Content**”), in accordance with Applicable Laws (as defined below). You hereby grant CFC and the Fund Operator a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable and worldwide license to access and use Your Content to provide updates on the progress and outcomes of the project via the Project Catalyst website, Project Catalyst social media channels, internal town halls and other internal channels (including, without limitation, presenting on projects at internal events). Any other usage of Your Content will be subject to your prior written approval. You waive all moral rights to Your Content and agree not to assert such claims against CFC to enable CFC to exercise the rights granted in this Section 3(a), but not otherwise.
**b.** If the Fund Rules require your project to be open source, then you agree to grant a non-exclusive, transferable, sublicensable, assignable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and worldwide license to any individual or entity to view, use, display, perform, publish, share, distribute, store, make copies and backups of, reproduce, modify, sublicense and commercialize and otherwise exploit the Content in any manner or medium.
**c.** If Your Content includes content (in any format) you do not own, then you shall ensure that portion of Your Content is licensed to you under terms that permit you to grant the licenses and permissions in Sections 3(a) and 3(b), and you shall provide a copy of all such terms to CFC upon request.
**d.** Your use of CFC’s, the Fund Operator’s or any other third party’s website, mobile apps, products and services, and the ownership of intellectual property rights in and to the same, are governed by the relevant party’s terms of use.
4. **Marketing and Confidentiality.**
**a.** You shall not use the corporate name, trademarks, logos and other relevant branding of CFC, the Fund Operator or their respective affiliates or subsidiaries in public facing materials without the relevant entity’s prior written consent.
**b.** You shall keep strictly confidential all non-public information in whatever form transmitted (including tangible and intangible forms) that is disclosed or otherwise made available by CFC or the Fund Operator to you (“**Confidential Information**”), and you shall not disclose Confidential Information without the prior written consent of CFC or the Fund Operator, as applicable. If you are legally required to disclose any Confidential Information, then you shall, prior to making such disclosure, immediately notify CFC and the Fund Operator of the requirement and afford the relevant disclosing party an adequate opportunity to oppose the disclosure, or take other action to ensure the confidential handling of the Confidential Information to be disclosed, and you further shall reasonably assist the relevant disclosing party in seeking to obtain such protection or confidential treatment.
5. **Term, Suspension and Termination.**
**a.** The Terms and the applicable Fund Rules will remain in effect for the duration of the project. Sections 3, 4, 5(a), 5(f), 6, 7, 8, 9(b), 9(e), 9(f), 9(i) and 9(k) will survive the expiration or termination of these Terms. Additionally, Section 4(b) will continue for a period of two years after expiration or termination of these Terms, except any obligation of confidentiality with respect to Confidential Information that qualifies as a trade secret under the requirements of any Applicable Laws will survive as long as that Confidential Information is classified as such.
The following terms in this Section 5 apply to approved projects.
**b. Notice of Delay**. You shall immediately notify CFC if the project is or needs to be paused or if you reasonably anticipate you cannot deliver the project in accordance with the Specifications. Depending on the circumstances, CFC may suspend or terminate the project under this Section 5.
**c. Suspension by You.** If you have already completed or participated in at least one previous Project Catalyst funding round, then you may, a maximum of once during the project’s life cycle, submit a written request for suspension of the project for up to six months. CFC shall notify you in writing whether your request is approved or denied, which CFC may determine in its discretion. If your request is denied, then either (A) you shall resume performance of the project in accordance with these Terms and the Specifications or (B) you may terminate the project under Section 5(e); provided, however, if you fail to timely take any action, CFC may terminate the project with immediate effect upon written notice to you. If your request is approved, then:
**i.** You shall not receive funding for the duration of the suspension.
**ii.** Upon expiration of the suspension and within the timeframe stipulated by CFC, you shall: (A) communicate to CFC your intent to reinstate the project; and (B) provide CFC with any requested documentation, satisfactory to CFC, which may include, without limitation, an updated schedule of milestones and deliverables. Upon CFC notifying you in writing (email permitted) with its approval of such communication and documentation: (1) the project and funding will be reinstated as of the date of such notification; and (2) you and CFC shall amend the Specifications as necessary.
**iii.** If, within 30 calendar days after expiration of the suspension, you do not meet the requirements in Section 5(c)(ii)(A) and (B), then CFC may terminate the project with immediate effect upon written notice to you.
**d. Termination by You.**
**i.** If you want to terminate the project, then you shall: (A) immediately notify CFC in writing and; (B) provide CFC with any requested documentation, which may include, without limitation, a report of the project’s current progress and work to be completed, how funds were used through the date of termination and a detailed description of the circumstances leading to termination.
**ii.** Termination will be effective the later of the date CFC receives your termination notice or the date CFC makes your termination notice and related materials available to the Cardano community.
**e. Suspension or Termination by CFC or Fund Operator.**
**i.** CFC may suspend or terminate the project in its reasonable discretion for any reason, and the Fund Operator may suspend or terminate the project for operational or platform-related reasons in its reasonable discretion, in either case including, without limitation, a reasonable belief that: you have been selected to receive funding for multiple projects with the same or substantially similar scopes; any portion of the project or Your Content is false, plagiarized or infringes or misappropriates another party’s intellectual property rights; you or your personnel (if applicable) have committed acts of fraud, dishonesty or misrepresentation; you misused funds; you changed the scope of the project without following the requirements of Section 1(b); you failed to submit required or requested deliverables or to meet deadlines; you failed to timely complete any onboarding requirements; or you otherwise breached these Terms, the applicable Fund Rules or the Specifications.
**ii.** For Fund14 and onward: Without limiting CFC’s rights under Section 5(e)(i), CFC may terminate the project and these Terms with immediate effect if the Project Catalyst budget proposal fails to receive approval pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process. In the event of such termination, the remainder of this Section 5(e) will not apply, and neither CFC nor the Fund Operator will have any obligation to you.
**iii.** For all approved projects: Without limiting CFC’s or the Fund Operator’s rights under Section 5(e)(i), the project and these Terms will automatically terminate if the Fund Operator ceases to operate Project Catalyst and provide administrative services pursuant to these Terms. In the event of such termination, the remainder of this Section 5(e) will not apply, and CFC and the Fund Operator will have no obligation to you.
**iv.** CFC shall notify you in writing if the project is suspended or at risk of termination. Upon receipt of such notice, you shall immediately stop, or arrange to be stopped, all work on the project.
**v.** To reinstate a suspended project or to prevent termination of a project: (A) within the timeframe stipulated by CFC, you and CFC must meet the number of times required by CFC to mutually agree on a resolution to the circumstances giving rise to the suspension or termination; and (B) you promptly shall implement such resolution to the satisfaction of CFC; otherwise, the project will be terminated with immediate effect upon CFC’s written notice to you.
**vi.** If CFC notifies you in writing (email permitted) that you satisfactorily resolved the circumstances giving rise to the suspension or potential termination, then: (A) the project and funding will be reinstated as of the date of such notification (or such other date stipulated by CFC, if the remedial efforts will continue after the project recommences); and (B) you and CFC shall amend the Specifications as necessary.
**f.** Effects of Termination. If the project is terminated for any reason, then:
**i.** CFC may disclose or publish the fact that the project was terminated and related details to the Cardano community;
**ii.** any funds allocated to the project but not yet disbursed will be retained by CFC or returned to the Cardano treasury;
**iii.** CFC may require you to return any funds already issued to you for the project, and in such event, you shall return the funds within 14 calendar days of CFC’s notification to you;
**iv.** you shall not participate in subsequent Project Catalyst funding rounds for 12 months after the date of termination without the Fund Operator’s prior consent; and
**v.** these Terms will automatically terminate as of the effective date of termination (except as provided in Section 5(a), 5(e)(ii) and 5(e)(iii)).
6. **Representations and Warranties.**
**a.** You represent, warrant and covenant to CFC that:
**i.** the project will conform to the Specifications;
**ii.** you have the full and irrevocable right, power and authority (by ownership, license or otherwise) to (A) use Your Content and all related intellectual property rights and (B) grant the licenses granted, or required to be granted, under these Terms;
**iii.** your participation in Project Catalyst, the project, and the activities undertaken by you and your personnel (if applicable) in connection with the project, will be performed in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, statutes, ordinances and other legal requirements (collectively, “**Applicable Laws**”), with reasonable and required care, good, ethical and moral business practices and diligence at or above industry standards;
**iv.** the project, Your Content and any information and materials you submit to CFC and the Fund Operator (including, without limitation, your proposal application) will not: (A) infringe, misappropriate or violate any party’s rights, including, without limitation, any intellectual property rights or any rights of privacy or rights of publicity; and (B) contain confidential or proprietary information or data of any party without (1) you having obtained such party’s prior and express written consent (a copy of each of which consent you shall provide to CFC upon request) and (2) being disclosed to CFC in advance in writing;
**v.** the project and Your Content will not contain any virus, malware, spyware, malicious code, mechanism Trojan horse, worm, back door, trap door, time bomb, software lock, drop dead device or other routine, program, instruction, code, device, contaminant, logic, effect or other undisclosed feature which would, or is intentionally designed, created or intended to: (A) allow unauthorized access to or use of project users’ systems or assets or to cause such systems to malfunction; or (B) alter, disable, destroy, interrupt, interfere with, inhibit or discontinue any project users’ effective use of the project;
**vi.** during the term of these Terms, you shall not participate in: (A) any attacks on Cardano or Cardano users, including but not limited to technical attacks, hacking, theft of Cardano users’ funds or fraud; (B) conduct reasonably anticipated to cause harm to Cardano or Cardano users; or (C) any other activity that CFC considers in its discretion to be malicious;
**vii.** you have the full power and authority to enter into and to perform your obligations under these Terms;
**viii.** your execution and performance of these Terms and the project will not violate any policies or procedures of any academic institution or any other entity (whether public or private) with which you are employed, involved or associated and that you have received all necessary written permission(s) to enter into these Terms and to undertake the project;
**ix.** you, and if you are an entity, your affiliates, shareholders, directors, officers, employees, contractors, consultants or other personnel, are not the subject of, or located, organized or resident in any country or territory that is the subject of, any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “**Sanctions**”); and
**x.** your participation in Project Catalyst and your performance of these Terms and the project will not require CFC, the Fund Operator or their respective principals, employees, advisors and consultants in their individual capacities to conduct any lobbying activities and register as a lobbyist under U.S. law and regulations or to act and register as an agent under the U.S. the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
b. CFC represents, warrants and covenants to you that:
**i.** It will comply with Applicable Laws in its performance of these Terms;
**ii.** It is not the subject of, or located, organized or resident in any country or territory that is the subject of, Sanctions; and
**iii.** Funds issued to you by CFC are not derived from unlawful activity;
7. **Indemnification.**
**a.** You shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless CFC, the Fund Operator, their respective affiliates and their and their affiliates' respective directors, officers, employees, consultants, agents, successors and assigns (collectively, the “**Indemnified Parties**”) from and against any losses, damages, injuries, liabilities, judgements, settlements, awards, penalties, fines, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by any of the foregoing parties, arising out of or relating to any third-party claim relating to: (i) your participation in Project Catalyst and the project, and the activities undertaken in connection with your participation in Project Catalyst and the project by you and your personnel (if applicable); (ii) your receipt and use of any portion of the funds; (iii) suspension or termination of the project or a change in funding, for any reason; (iv) the acts and omissions of you and your personnel (if applicable); (v) breach of these Terms and of Applicable Laws by you and your personnel (if applicable); (vi) any assertion that the relationship between an Indemnified Party and you or your personnel (if applicable) is that of an employment relationship; (vii) any employment-related obligation required to be borne by an Indemnified Party relating to you or your personnel (if applicable); and (viii) for participants in Fund14 and onward, your and any third party’s reliance on the potential or anticipated receipt of funding prior to the actual disbursement of funds, if any, to CFC pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process.
**b.** CFC shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless you, and if you are an entity, your directors, officers, employees, consultants, agents, successors and permitted assigns, from and against any losses, damages, injuries, liabilities, judgments, settlements, awards, penalties, fines, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by any of the foregoing parties to the extent a third party claim alleges: (i) CFC misappropriated your intellectual property; (ii) CFC issued funds to you that are derived from unlawful activity; or (iii) CFC acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct.
c. The indemnified party shall give the indemnifying party prompt written notice of all threats, claims or proceedings, or the discovery of facts, that would give rise to the indemnifying party’s obligations under this Section 7 and prior to taking any action that could adversely impact the indemnifying party’s defense. The indemnified party’s failure to timely provide such notice will not relieve the indemnifying party of its indemnification obligations, provided that the indemnifying party will not be responsible for any indemnification obligations or liable to the indemnified party from a delay that prejudices the indemnifying party’s defense of the claim. The indemnifying party may assume, at its option, control of the defense or settlement of an indemnifiable claim using counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. The indemnified party will reasonably cooperate with the indemnifying party in such defense and the indemnified party may participate in the defense of the claim with counsel of its choosing and at its expense. The indemnifying party shall not settle any indemnifiable claims without the indemnified party’s prior written consent and without a complete release of the indemnified party.
8. **Personal Data.**
**a.** You and CFC shall comply with all Applicable Laws relating to the collection, processing, use and storage of data that can directly or indirectly identify any natural person (“**Personal Data**”).
**b.** You shall ensure that the project and Your Content will not contain Personal Data without each Personal Data subject’s prior and express written consent (a copy of each of which consent you shall provide to CFC upon request).
**c.** In connection with CFC’s onboarding requirements, which are an essential requirement before any funds are issued under these Terms, your Personal Data may be collected and processed by the Fund Operator (acting as a data processor) and shared with CFC (acting as a data controller) in connection with: (i) CFC’s legitimate interests in protecting against fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, illicit use of the funds and other criminal activity; and (ii) CFC’s compliance, due diligence and oversight obligations related to grant funding. You will be given the opportunity to separately consent to processing of your Personal Data. Failure to provide such consent may result in funds not being issued and termination of these Terms in accordance with Section 5.
9. **Miscellaneous.**
**a.** You acknowledge that: (i) any funding sent to you is intended to be characterized as currency payments and not as securities under applicable law; (ii) digital currencies, such as ada, may possess unique legal, tax and market risks when compared to traditional fiat currencies; and (iii) you are responsible for taxes, costs, expenses and compliance with Applicable Law (including restrictions imposed by Applicable Law) associated with accepting ada. You release CFC and the Fund Operator from all claims and liabilities arising from a determination by a judicial authority or regulator that the ada issued to you under these Terms violates Applicable Law.
**b.** You shall not assign, transfer, mortgage, charge, subcontract, delegate, declare a trust over or deal in any other manner with any of its rights, benefits or obligations under these Terms or the Fund Rules (“Transfer”) without CFC’s prior written consent. CFC may Transfer, in whole or in part, these Terms or any of its rights, benefits or obligations under these Terms at any time in its sole discretion.
**c.** The Fund Operator is an express and intended third-party beneficiary of these Terms and is entitled to enforce these terms as if it were an original party to these Terms (including, without limitation, Sections 1(c), 1(d), 2, 5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9(a), 9(c), 9(j), 9(l), 9(m) and 9(o)).
**d.** Any modification, amendment or variation to these Terms must be in writing and signed by you and CFC.
**e.** All waivers must be in writing. A failure or delay by you or CFC to exercise any right or remedy provided under these Terms, the Fund Rules or by law will not constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor will it prevent or restrict any further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of any right or remedy provided under these Terms, the Fund Rules or by law will prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy.
**f.** CFC’s and the Fund Operator’s rights and remedies provided under these Terms and the Fund Rules are in addition to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies provided by law.
**g.** If more than one person or entity contributes to the project, then all such individuals’ and entities’ rights, obligations and liabilities will be joint and several. If other individual(s) and entity/entities are named on a proposal, the applicant shall (i) ensure they are aware of and comply with these Terms and the Fund Rules and (ii) be responsible for their acts and omissions resulting in a breach of these Terms or the Fund Rules.
**h.** If any provision (in whole or in part) of these Terms or the Fund Rules is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that provision will be deemed deleted and the deleted portion will not affect the validity and enforceability of the remainder of these Terms or the Fund Rules, as applicable.
**i.** These Terms and the Fund Rules constitute the entire agreement between you and CFC with respect to the project and supersedes and extinguishes all previous and contemporaneous agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations and understandings, whether written, or oral, relating to their subject matter. These Terms and the Fund Rules will override any additional or express or implied terms and conditions.
**j.** Nothing in these Terms or the Fund Rules is intended to, or will be deemed to, establish any partnership or joint venture between you and CFC, constitute you or CFC to be the agent of the other or authorize you or CFC to make or enter into any commitments for or on behalf of the other. Neither these Terms or the Fund Rules nor your performance of the project will be interpreted or construed as creating the relationship of employer and employee between CFC and you and your personnel (if applicable). You and your personnel (if applicable) are not eligible to enroll for or receive benefits under any CFC employee benefit plan. You are responsible for, as applicable, withholding taxes, making contributions and obtaining insurance with respect to you and your personnel.
**k.** Any notice or demand required by or permitted to be given under these Terms or the Fund Rules will be in writing and be made by registered mail or by email, sent to such physical or email address as is customarily used by you and CFC (with a copy to IOG at ****) during the course of the project.
**l.** In the event of a dispute between you and CFC (or between you and the Fund Operator acting as a third party beneficiary) arising out of, or relating to, the project or the interpretation, performance or breach of these Terms or the Fund Rules, each applicable party (and if a party is an entity, then a person in that party’s senior leadership who has sufficient authority and knowledge to attempt to resolve the dispute) shall use best efforts to attempt to resolve such dispute on amicable terms, including but not limited to meeting, whether in person or virtually, as frequently as is necessary under the circumstances. You and CFC and IOG (as applicable) shall not, at any time, disclose to any third party the nature or existence of the dispute. If the dispute cannot be resolved through good faith negotiations within 30 days, either party may pursue any available legal remedies in accordance with Section 9(m). The foregoing procedure does not apply to claims for injunctive or equitable relief.
**m.** These Terms and the Fund Rules will be governed by and construed under the laws of the United States and of the State of New York without regard to conflict of laws provisions. The federal and state courts sitting in New York County, New York will have exclusive jurisdiction and venue to adjudicate any dispute arising out of these Terms. YOU AND CFC HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS.
**n.** Section headings will not affect the interpretation of these Terms and the Fund Rules. These Terms and the Fund Rules (i) are binding on, you and CFC and your and its respective personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns and (ii) inure to the benefit of you, CFC and all third-party beneficiaries and your and their personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns, and references to any party will include such representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
**o.** For participants in Fund14 and onward: You acknowledge funding of your proposal is contingent upon, among other things, the successful approval of a Project Catalyst budget proposal pursuant to the Cardano Funding Process. Without limiting the immediately preceding sentence, all participants acknowledge: (i) the Fund Operator’s ability to operate Project Catalyst and provide administrative services pursuant to these Terms is contingent upon the Fund Operator’s continued operation of Project Catalyst and provision of services to CFC; and (ii) the project and these Terms will automatically terminate pursuant to Section 5(e)(ii) if the Fund Operator’s ceases to operate Project Catalyst and provide administrative services to CFC pursuant to these Terms. CFC and the Fund Operator’s will not be liable for any costs, expenses, losses or damages incurred by you or any third party if the Fund Operator’s ceases to operate Project Catalyst or if these Terms terminate pursuant to Section 5(e)(ii) for any reason not directly caused by the intentional misconduct of CFC and the Fund Operator’s. You further acknowledge that you are not relying on any express or implied representations, warranties or assurances from CFC, the Fund Operator, any of their representatives or from the Cardano community regarding the certainty, timing or amount of any potential funding. Your participation in Project Catalyst, including the submission of any proposal and any related activities or expenditures undertaken by you or on your behalf prior to the actual disbursement of funds, is at your risk.
# Legal & Treasury Details
***Who is the legal counterparty responsible for providing grants from the Catalyst Treasury?***
Grants from the Catalyst Treasury are managed and disbursed by the Catalyst Foundation Company (CFC) also known as Catalyst FC. Catalyst FC has appointed IOG as its administrator.
***Organisation details:***
* Name: Catalyst Foundation Company (CFC/Catalyst FC)
* Address: 4th Floor Harbour Place, 103 South Church Street, P.O. Box 10240, Grand Cayman, KY1-1002, Cayman Islands
* Incorporation number: 407644
If you require more information, please raise a ticket with the Catalyst team [here.](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)
***What are the Custody Wallets used by Catalyst FC for fund disbursements?***
* F2-F9 Wallet: [addr1q87w6nvrq2mxeq3hp8ddkzg0kp0635ge4fpwcgvx40he60sp472e4tslyuaf84n2694yawnswf3w8ez0n85ezazhsfys93n6uw](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01fced4d8302b66c823709dadb090fb05fa8d119aa42ec2186abef9d3e01af959aae1f273a93d66ad16a4eba707262e3e44f99e99174578249)
* F10 Wallet: [addr1q83knvr4kle9qu0gnycy44dt9dy7rcg7dqw5khvft6pxjk8uuvg7cjp5clvt0sxw865jfp0vs39fs0m8euqtv7h8gwlsd8c0qc](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01e369b075b7f25071e899304ad5ab2b49e1e11e681d4b5d895e826958fce311ec4834c7d8b7c0ce3ea92485ec844a983f67cf00b67ae743bf)
* F11 Wallet: [addr1q8th6cjdykkg45zvjdewpst6hljvf3nv6tuu6tachjfvsvgrgurhtsjtv498htxy33p2l35ss9gld8cl5z4nfhmxmxxs97srl7](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01d77d624d25ac8ad04c9372e0c17abfe4c4c66cd2f9cd2fb8bc92c83103470775c24b654a7bacc48c42afc6908151f69f1fa0ab34df66d98d)
* F12 Wallet: [addr1q9d28xzgw7cu9fsqp67p6rvq2q0vyfwh9r0za50w67pvpjp2ystupt8uh00t98wfw4d6plxsxsknn86egcl6cg3fu3qqduy3dr](https://cardanoscan.io/address/015aa3984877b1c2a6000ebc1d0d80501ec225d728de2ed1eed782c0c82a2417c0acfcbbdeb29dc9755ba0fcd0342d399f59463fac2229e440)
* F13 Wallet: [addr1q80z0pz277tl0sea3t5d0ps3r4a59l4t8cu3ulfh0peh779yulcjml8vqlmu6s36p226nkyjt4uax9z9h9nyquzqljkstfmms5](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01de27844af797f7c33d8ae8d786111d7b42feab3e391e7d3778737f78a4e7f12dfcec07f7cd423a0a95a9d8925d79d31445b966407040fcad)
* F14 Wallet:\
[addr1q9e9qnh2ngptrf26wlce4fzcwgp9zuvj3m6nnhngh8vnsccvkwutrqv3gcafmlffe762s0l6tx9kwetpw4hqz6p5m49qvdx9ze](https://cardanoscan.io/address/0172504eea9a02b1a55a77f19aa45872025171928ef539de68b9d938630cb3b8b18191463a9dfd29cfb4a83ffa598b676561756e016834dd4a)
* F15 Wallet:\
[addr1q9ccc7npzu3yhmn2cduj3v0yug62za4yyxcc7t036h7pmy7l879rlphh4hucwqvjwzu3lfyuwdskyvst96tz9ufwjkmqrpsjst](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01718c7a6117224bee6ac37928b1e4e234a176a421b18f2df1d5fc1d93df3f8a3f86f7adf987019270b91fa49c736162320b2e9622f12e95b6)
***What is the Funding Wallet used for fund disbursements?***
* Funding Wallet Address: [addr1q8q7jyap76l0d5gqj8naw5t49yu3f0h7qkzsps9z0gfjcu25uj747vu83mvg3fuh6ttdgwshjwtcne6esrpct2uzmnuqdqd82j](https://cardanoscan.io/address/01c1e913a1f6bef6d10091e7d75175293914befe058500c0a27a132c7154e4bd5f33878ed888a797d2d6d43a17939789e75980c385ab82dcf8)
***Where can I view recent transaction history?***
* Funded Projects are tracked via their individual proposal pages on projectcatalyst.io and via the [Milestone Module](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/).
* Monthly grant disbursements are announced publicly in periodic intervals via Catalyst Network announcement channels including relevant [transactions IDs](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bfnWFa94Y7Zj0G7dtpo9W1nAYGovJbswipxiHT4UE3g/edit?gid=1932569489#gid=1932569489).
* Transaction logs can be viewed through any Cardano blockchain explorers such as [CardanoScan](https://cardanoscan.io/), [Cexplorer](https://cexplorer.io/), [Adastat](https://adastat.net/), etc.
# Catalyst FC Privacy Policy
Last updated: July 16, 2024
Your privacy is important to Catalyst FC (together with our subsidiaries and affiliates, “**CFC**”, “**we**”, “**us**”, or “**our**”). This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected through this website and all of CFC’s related websites, mobile apps, products, programs including Project Catalyst, services, sales, marketing or events, including our plug-ins and browser extensions (collectively, the "**Products**").
We are committed to protecting your personal information. When you access or use our Products, you trust us with your personal information. In this Privacy Policy, we describe how we collect, use, store and share your personal information and what rights you have in relation to it. If there are any terms in this Privacy Policy that you do not agree with, please discontinue access and use of our Products.
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully as it will help you make informed decisions about sharing your personal information with us.
## 1. Collection of Data
CFC collects several types of information for various purposes to provide and improve the Products for your use.
### Types of Data Collected
* **Personal Data**
While using the Products, CFC may ask you to provide certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify you ("**Personal Data**"), which may include, but is not limited to:
* Email address
* First name and last name
* Phone number
* Address, state, province, ZIP/postal code, city
* Any other information you submit as part of your participation in Project Catalyst
* Cookies and usage data
Your Personal Data may be used to contact you with newsletters, marketing or promotional materials and other information that may be of interest to you. You may opt out of receiving any, or all, of these communications by following the unsubscribe link or instructions provided in any email sent to you by CFC.
* ## Usage Information
Usage Information refers to information collected from Products such as what action has been applied to Products such as clicking logs, your registration details or how you may be using Products.
* ## IP Address
When you use Products, we may automatically log your IP address (the unique address which identifies your computer on the internet) which is automatically recognized by our server.
## 2. Use of Data
Specifically, CFC uses your information for the purpose for which you provided it to us such as:
* To enable us to provide the Products to you,
* To notify you about changes to Products
* To allow you to participate in interactive features of Products when you choose to do so
* To provide customer support
* To gather analysis or valuable information so that we can improve the Products
* To monitor the usage of Products
* To detect, prevent and address technical issues
* To provide you with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which CFC offers that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless you have opted not to receive such information
Where and as permitted under applicable law, CFC may process your contact information for direct marketing purposes (e.g., event invitations, newsletters) and to carry out customer satisfaction surveys, in each case also by email. You may object to the processing of your contact data for these purposes at any time by writing to or by using the opt-out mechanism provided in the respective communication you received.
## 3. Legal Basis under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
For a citizen or resident of a member country of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), the legal basis for collecting and using Personal Data described in this Privacy Policy depends on the Personal Data being collected and the specific context in which it is collected as described below:
CFC may process your Personal Data because:
* CFC needs to perform a contract with you
* You have given us permission to do so
* The processing derives from CFC's legitimate interests
* CFC has to comply with applicable law
The legal basis for CFC processing data about you is that it is necessary for the purposes of:
* CFC exercising its rights and performing its obligations in connection with any contract we make with you (Article 6(1)(b), General Data Protection Regulation),
* Compliance with CFC’s legal obligations (Article 6(1)(c), General Data Protection Regulation), and/or
* Legitimate interests pursued by CFC (Article 6(1)(f), General Data Protection Regulation).
Generally, the legitimate interest pursued by CFC in relation to our use of your personal data is the efficient performance or management of our business relationship with you.
In some cases, we may ask if you consent to the relevant use of your personal data. In such cases, the legal basis for CFC processing that data about you may (in addition or instead) be that you have consented (Article 6(1)(a), General Data Protection Regulation).
## 4. Retention of Data
CFC will retain your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. CFC will retain and use your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if CFC is required to retain your Personal Data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes and enforce legal agreements and policies.
CFC will also retain Usage Information for internal analysis purposes. Usage Information is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Products, or CFC is legally obligated to retain such data for longer time periods.
## 5. Transfer of Data
Your information, including Personal Data, may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ from those from your jurisdiction.
Your use of Products followed by your submission of your personal information constitutes your unreserved agreement to this Privacy Policy in general and the transfer of data under this policy in particular.
CFC will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of your data and other personal information.
## 6. Disclosure of Data
**Legal Requirements**
CFC may disclose your Personal Data in good faith belief that such disclosure is necessary to:
* To comply with a legal obligation
* To protect and defend the rights or property of CFC
* To prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with Products
* To protect the personal safety of users of Products or the public
* To protect against legal liability
### *Disclosure of Personal Information Within The EU*
Insofar as we employ the services of service providers to implement or fulfill any tasks on our behalf, the contractual relations will be regulated in writing according to the provisions of the European General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR) and the Federal Data Protection Act (new BDSG).
### *Disclosure of Personal Information Outside of The EU*
Insofar as you have selected and consented to this in the form, your data will be disclosed to our offices within the network of affiliated companies outside of the European economic area for the processing of your enquiry. These offices are legally obligated to abide by the EU-GDPR. Furthermore, between the legally autonomous companies in the network of affiliated companies written agreements exist for the processing of data on commission, based on standardized contract stipulations.
## 7. Security Of Data
We use reasonable technical and organizational methods to safeguard your information, for example, by password protecting (via usernames and passwords unique to you) certain parts of the Products and by using SSL encryption and firewalls to protect against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. However, please note that this is not a guarantee that such information may not be accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed by breach of such firewalls and secure server software.
Whilst we will use all reasonable efforts to safeguard your information, you acknowledge that data transmissions over the internet cannot be guaranteed to be 100% secure and for this reason we cannot guarantee the security or integrity of any personal information that is transferred from you or to you via the internet and as such, any information you transfer to CFC is done at your own risk.
Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password which enables you to access certain parts of our site, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share a password with anyone.
If we learn of a security systems breach we may attempt to notify you electronically so that you can take appropriate protective steps. By using Products or providing personal information to us, you agree that we can communicate with you electronically regarding security, privacy and administrative issues relating to your use of Products. We may post a notice on Products if a security breach occurs. We may also send an email to you at the email address you have provided to us in these circumstances. Depending on where you live, you may have a legal right to receive notice of a security breach in writing.
## 8. Rights Under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
If you are a citizen or resident of a member country of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), you have certain data protection rights. CFC aims to take reasonable steps to allow you to correct, amend, delete or limit the use of your Personal Data.
If you wish to be informed what Personal Data CFC holds about you and if you want it to be removed from our systems, please contact us .
In certain circumstances, you have the following data protection rights:
* **The right to access.** You have the right to request information concerning the personal information we hold that relates to you.
* **The right of rectification.** You have the right to have your information rectified if that information is inaccurate or incomplete.
* **The right to object.** You have the right to object to your personal information being used for a particular purpose and you can exercise these rights, for example, via an unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email.
* **The right of restriction.** You have the right to request that CFC restricts the processing of your personal information.
* **The right to data portability.** You have the right to be provided with a copy of the information CFC has on you in a structured, machine readable and commonly used format.
* **The right to withdraw consent.** You also have the right to withdraw your consent at any time where CFC relied on your consent to process your personal information.
Please note that CFC may ask you to verify your identity before responding to such requests.
You have the right to complain to a Data Protection Authority about our collection and use of your Personal Data. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority in the EU or EEA.
## 9. California Residents
**If you are a California resident, you have certain rights with respect to your personal information pursuant to the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”). This section applies to you.**
**We are required to inform you of: (i) what categories of information we collect about you, including during the preceding 12 months, (ii) the purposes for which we use your personal data, including during the preceding 12 months, and (iii) the purposes for which we share your personal data, including during the preceding 12 months.**
You have the right to: (i) request a copy of the personal information that we have about you; (ii) request that we delete your personal information; and (iii) opt-out of the sale of your personal information. You can limit the use of tracking technologies, such as cookies, by following instructions in the “Your choices” section. These rights are subject to limitations as described in the CCPA.
We will not discriminate against any consumer for exercising their CCPA rights.
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [dataprotection@iohk.io](mailto:bysendinganemailrequesttounsubscribetodataprotection@iohk.io.Youmayalsoremove)[.](mailto:Ifyouwouldliketoexerciseanyoftheserights%2Cpleasecontactusatlegal@iohk.io)
## 10. Service Providers, Plugins and Tools
CFC may employ third party companies and data processors to provide services related to the Products ("**Service Providers**"). We may share your personal data with these Service Providers only to perform those tasks that we have engaged them to provide on our behalf such as due diligence checks.
### *Social Media*
CFC may use social media plugins to enable a better user experience with the use of Products.
### *Youtube*
CFC uses the YouTube video platform operated by YouTube LLC, 901 Cherry Ave. San Bruno, CA 94066 USA. YouTube is a platform that enables playback of audio and video files. If you visit one of our pages featuring a YouTube plugin, a connection to the YouTube servers is established. Here the YouTube server is informed about which of our pages you have visited. If you’re logged in to your YouTube account, YouTube allows you to associate your browsing behavior directly with your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account. YouTube is used to help make our website appealing. For information about the scope and purpose of data collection, the further processing and use of the data by YouTube and your rights and the settings you can configure to protect your privacy, please refer to the YouTube Privacy Guidelines.
## Analytics
CFC may use Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of Products.
### *Newsletter*
If you would like to receive any newsletters that we may make available, we require a valid email address as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the specified email address and that you agree to receive the newsletter. No additional data is collected or is only collected on a voluntary basis. We only use this data to send the requested information and do not pass it on to third parties.
We will, therefore, process any data you enter onto the contact form only with your consent per (Article 6(1)(a), General Data Protection Regulation). You can revoke consent to the storage and use of your data and email address for sending the newsletter at any time, e.g., through the "unsubscribe" link in the newsletter. The data processed before we receive your request may still be legally processed.
The data provided when registering for the newsletter will be used to distribute the newsletter until you cancel your subscription when said data will be deleted. Data we have stored for other purposes (e.g., email addresses for members areas) remain unaffected.
### *Newsletter Tracking*
Newsletter tracking (also referred to as Web beacons or tracking pixels) is used if users have given their explicit prior consent. When the newsletter is dispatched, the external server can then record certain data related to the recipient, such as the time and date the newsletter is retrieved, the IP address or details regarding the email program (client) used. The name of the image file is personalized for every email recipient by a unique ID being appended to it. The sender of the email notes which ID belongs to which email address and is thus able to determine which newsletter recipient has just opened the email when the image is called.
You may revoke your consent at any time by unsubscribing to the newsletter. This can be done by sending an email request to unsubscribe to . You may also remove yourself from the mailing list using the unsubscribe link in the newsletter.
## 11. Links To Other Products
Products may contain links to other products that are not operated by CFC. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party's site. You’re advised to review the privacy policy of each non-CFC site you decide to visit.
CFC has no control over and assumes no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third-party product or service.
## 12. Changes to the Privacy Policy
CFC may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Such changes will be posted on this page. The effective date of such changes will be notified via email and/or a prominent notice on the Product, with an update the "effective date" at the top of this Privacy Policy.
You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.
## 13. Data Privacy Contact
You can reach our data protection officer at .
## 14. Contact by E-mail or Contact Form
When you contact us by e-mail or through a contact form, we store the data you provide (your email address, possibly your name and telephone number) so we can answer your questions. Insofar as we use our contact form to request entries that are not required for contacting you, we have marked these as optional. This information serves to substantiate your inquiry and improve the handling of your request. Your message may be linked to various actions taken by you on the CFC website. Information collected will be solely used to provide you with support relating to your inquiry and better understand your feedback. A statement of this information is expressly provided on a voluntary basis and with your consent. As far as this concerns information about communication channels (such as e-mail address or telephone number), you also agree that we may, where appropriate, contact you via this communication channel to answer your request. You may of course revoke this consent for the future at any time.
We delete the data that arises in this context after saving is no longer required, or limit processing if there are statutory retention requirements.
# Catalyst FC Personal Data Consent
By selecting “Yes, I agree” to the onboarding form to which this Catalyst FC Personal Data Consent is attached, you acknowledge and agree that:
1. In connection with your participation in Project Catalyst and, as a requirement to accept funding from CFC (as those terms are defined in the [Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions)), your personal data will be collected, stored and processed by third party processors authorized by CFC in its discretion (“**Third Party Processors**”) in connection with CFC’s legitimate interest in protecting against fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, illicit use of funds and other criminal activity (collectively, the “**Permitted Purposes**”).
2. For the purposes of this Personal Data Consent, “**personal data**” means personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify you and which may include, without limitation, your name, email address, physical address, phone number and biometric identifiers and information.
3. You hereby consent to Third Party Processors’ collection, use, processing and storage of your personal data for the Permitted Purposes and any other purposes that you specifically consent to.
4. If you withdraw your consent for any Third Party Processor to collect, use, process and store your personal data, then your participation in Project Catalyst (including, without limitation, your right to receive any funding) may be terminated in CFC’s discretion in accordance with the [Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions).
# DMCA FAQ Catalyst
1. **What can I do if my copyrighted content is being displayed on Project Catalyst (**[**www.projectcatlyst.io**](http://www.projectcatlyst.io/)**)?**
The information below is provided for general information purposes only and is not legal advice. If you have any questions about this information or your specific intellectual property (IP) rights or situation, please consult with a professional legal counsel.
As stated in our [Terms of Use](https://static.iohk.io/terms/iohktermsandconditions.pdf), content that infringes copyrights of others will be delisted or removed from the Project Catalyst site.
If you have a good faith belief that your copyrights are infringed on the Project Catalyst site, please complete and submit a [Takedown Request Form](https://inputoutputhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) to request that an item or items be taken down due to alleged infringement.
Please note that you must be the copyright owner or the copyright owner’s legal representative (such as an agent or attorney) to file this Takedown Request Form on behalf of the copyright owner. We are unable to process your submitted Takedown Request Form if you are not the copyright owner or the copyright owner’s legal representative.
With respect to copyright infringement, we have a notice and takedown process for such infringement in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”), which is the United States law governing claims concerning copyright-protected materials being distributed online. This process allows copyright owners or their permitted legal representatives to report content that they believe in good faith infringes their copyright. The Takedown Request Form is also part of this process. If your claim is outside the United States, we may also evaluate it under applicable local copyright laws.
We will evaluate the submitted Takedown Request Form for authenticity and whether it fulfills the requirements of the DMCA and/or other requirements. We may email you requesting additional information, and request that you respond to our email so we can continue reviewing your submitted Form. If the submitted Takedown Request Form is authentic and complete and the reported content is on the Project Catalyst site, we will delist the allegedly infringing content. Please note we do not make determinations as to the legal merit of infringement claims.
If we delist an item or items due to alleged copyright infringement, we will notify you using the email address that you provided in the submitted Takedown Request Form. If we have an email address on file for the creator of the delisted content, and the creator opted to receive emails from us, we will forward to the creator a copy of the submitted Form with any personally identifying information (PII) redacted, along with instructions for [filing a counter-notice](https://web.archive.org/web/20230328083747/https://www.copyright.gov/512/sample-counter-notice.pdf) to our DMCA Agent at (Attn: Legal - DMCA). Additionally, we will email the owner of the delisted content that the item(s) has been delisted, provided that we have the owner’s email on file and the owner has opted to receive emails from us.
1. **Can the owner of the delisted content file a counter-notice, and if so, what happens next?**
The DMCA allows the copyright owner or the copyright owner’s legal representative of the alleged infringing content to submit a [counter-notice](https://web.archive.org/web/20230328083747/https://www.copyright.gov/512/sample-counter-notice.pdf) affirming their good faith belief that the alleged infringing content was delisted or removed due to a misidentification or mistake. Please note that we are unable to process the counter-notice if the submitter is not the copyright owner or the copyright owner’s legal representative of the alleged infringing content, or if the counter-notice is incomplete.
If we receive a counter-notice, we will review it for authenticity and completeness, and may send an email requesting for additional information. If the counter-notice is authentic and complete, we will forward the submitted counter-notice to the person/entity who filed the Takedown Request Form. If such person/entity does not notify us with proof within ten (10) business days of receiving the counter-notice that such person/entity has filed a legal action seeking a court order to prevent the affected owner of the alleged infringing content from having the allegedly infringing content being reinstated or restored on the Project Catalyst site, the content will be reinstated. Such proof can be, for example, a copy of the filed compliant with a state or federal court.
Please note that under the DMCA false statements in the DMCA Notice, Takedown Request Form or counter-notice may lead to civil or criminal penalties. Thus, keep this in mind when determining whether to file a DMCA Notice, Takedown Request Form or counter-notice. Also, if you have any questions regarding the above, please consult with a professional legal counsel.
Furthermore, by submitting a DMCA Notice or Takedown Request Form, you understand and agree that you shall be liable for any damages, including costs and attorneys’ fees, any of the IOG Entities incurs as a result of any misrepresentation made in connection with the removal or disabling of access to the alleged infringing material.
1. **How can I file a Takedown Request Form, DMCA notice or counter-notice via email or mail?**
To request a copyright takedown request you can either submit a [Takedown Request Form](https://inputoutputhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) or email IOG at . You may also submit a request in mail to IOGs copyright Agent:
**Input Output Global, Inc.**
2015 Ionosphere Street, Suite 201
Longmont, Colorado 80504 USA
Attn: Legal Department, c/o Tobias Weas
Please note that sending your DMCA Notice or Takedown Request form via email or mail may take longer to process and must include all the required information.
4\. **What information do I need to include in my takedown request?**
The information required includes:
* A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed;
* Requester must be the lawful IP rights owner or a legally authorized representative. If a representative, an electronic signature authorizing the representation;
* Requester Name, Address, Phone number, and email address;
* Identification of the copyright work that is infringed upon. A link to the copyright owner's work representing ownership;
* Identification of the material claimed to be infringing which is requested for take down. Include a link where the infringing material is located;
* Statement that the work is infringing on your intellectual property;
* Sign off that the information in the request is accurate, and under penalty and perjury, that you are authorized to act on the rights of the alleged infringed;
# Project Catalyst Platform Terms of Use
Last Updated: November 3, 2025
These Project Catalyst Platform Terms of Use (these “**Terms**”) set forth the binding legal agreement between you and Input Output Global, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, “**IOG**,” "**we**," or "**us**"). These Terms govern your use of the , and websites, the Catalyst Voting app (available at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store) and other services, features, functionality or resources available or enabled within the foregoing (collectively, the “**Project Catalyst Platform**”). Use of or access to all other websites, browser extensions or plug-ins, mobile apps, products and services offered by IOG and its affiliated entities (collectively, the "**Other Products**") are excluded from the scope of these Terms and may be governed by other terms and conditions. Please visit the websites or product/service pages specific to the Other Products to see such terms and conditions.
We encourage you to review these Terms carefully. By accessing or using the Project Catalyst Platform in any way, you are agreeing to these Terms in their entirety. If you do not agree to any of the Terms, you may not use the Project Catalyst Platform.
1. **Project Catalyst Platform Generally**. The Project Catalyst Platform is an innovation management solution that enables you to participate in Project Catalyst, the world’s largest decentralized innovation engine for solving real-world challenges within the Cardano blockchain ecosystem and for fostering Cardano’s governance and development, by incentivizing and funding community-approved ideas. The Project Catalyst Platform enables proposal submission, community review and voting, vote validation, funded project delivery of required deliverables and ongoing review and monitoring of funded projects.
2. **Using the Project Catalyst Platform.**
**a. Who can use the Project Catalyst Platform**. You must be at least the age of majority and capable of forming a binding contract in the jurisdiction where you live to use the Project Catalyst Platform. If you are accessing or using the Project Catalyst Platform on behalf of a company (such as your employer) or other legal entity, you represent and warrant you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms. In that case, references in these Terms to “you” and “your” will also refer to that entity.
**b. Access**. You must provide all equipment and software necessary to connect to use the Project Catalyst Platform. You are solely responsible for any fees, including Internet connection or mobile fees, you incur when accessing or using the Project Catalyst Platform. We reserve the right to block, suspend, restrict or terminate access to the Project Catalyst Platform in our discretion at any time and without notice, including from certain users, IP addresses and unique device identifiers or as required by applicable law or any governmental authority. IOG is under no obligation to disclose to you the details giving rise to such actions taken regarding access to the Project Catalyst Platform.
**c. Registration, Access Credentials and Security**.
**i.** You warrant that all registration information (such as name or contact information) you submit to the Project Catalyst Platform is accurate, complete and not misleading, and you agree to keep such information up to date. Failure to do so constitutes a breach of these Terms and may result in immediate termination of your account. To the extent you can select a user name or proposal title, you shall not: (A) select or use a name or identifier that is a name of another person or entity with the intent to impersonate that person or entity; (B) select or use a name or identifier that creates confusion in end user and others as to your own identity; (C) use a name or identifier that is subject to any rights of a person or entity other than you without appropriate authorization; or (D) use a name or identifier that is offensive, vulgar, obscene or unlawful. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to cancel or refuse registration of any name or identifier we believe violates these Terms, our policies, or the law. We may use your registration information and any technical information about your use of the Project Catalyst Platform to tailor its presentations to you, facilitate your movement through the Project Catalyst Platform, communicate separately with you or publish the fact that you are a user of the Project Catalyst Platform.
**ii.** IOG does not collect or store private keys, wallet passwords, seed or recovery phrases or other private access information (collectively, “**Access Credentials**”). You retain full and sole control and responsibility over your crypto assets, your Access Credentials and your access to the Project Catalyst Platform. You acknowledge you will not share with us nor any other third party any Access Credentials and we will not be held responsible if you do share any Access Credentials, whether you do so knowingly or unknowingly. Access Credentials must only be used by one person; use of Access Credentials by multiple people or entities is prohibited.
**iii.** You are responsible for the security of the device on which the Project Catalyst Platform is accessed, including ensuring you keep anti-virus software current and protect the device on which the Project Catalyst Platform is installed against malware. IOG is not responsible for any losses or damages resulting from your failure to keep the device on which the Project Catalyst Platform is installed safe and free of any malware. We are not responsible for unauthorized access or use of the Project Catalyst Platform. IOG cannot and will not store, restore or recover your Access Credentials or unlock account information stored on the Project Catalyst Platform in any circumstances, including if the Project Catalyst Platform is compromised by malware on your computer or device. It is your sole responsibility to take all reasonable precautions to secure, protect and backup your Access Credentials and any information stored in the Project Catalyst Platform. You acknowledge your Access Credentials may be compromised if you choose to store such information in non-secure systems, such as third-party email services, which may be susceptible to security breaches and security incidents.
**d. Updates and Product Changes**. The Project Catalyst Platform is evolving and you may be required to accept or install updates to the Project Catalyst Platform or to update third-party software (i.e., browsers or operating systems) to keep using the Project Catalyst Platform or access their latest features, including security updates. We reserve the right to make changes or updates to Project Catalyst Platform, including content and formatting, or to discontinue, change or remove the functionality of the Project Catalyst Platform, at any time without notice.
**e. Support**. You may seek or receive technical or product support, information, advice or guidance from us regarding the Project Catalyst Platform by submitting a request [here](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new). All support made available or provided by or on behalf of IOG is believed to be reliable, but we do not make representations or warranties, express or implied, as to its accuracy, its completeness or the results to be obtained. Such support is provided for informational purposes only and, by accepting such support, you represent you have adequate skill and experience regarding the proper selection, use and application of the Project Catalyst Platform and use the Project Catalyst Platform at your own discretion and risk. You acknowledge our customer support efforts may be impersonated by malicious third parties and that we are not responsible for the actions of such impersonators. You further acknowledge we will not offer support via SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, Twitter (X) DMs or any method outside of submitting a request [here](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new).
**f. Beta Releases**. IOG may offer beta features or tools with which you may experiment. Such features or tools are offered solely for experimental purposes, without any warranty of any kind, and may be modified or discontinued at IOG’s sole discretion.
**g.** **Additional Terms**. Specific terms and conditions may apply to specific content, products, materials, services or information contained on or available through the Project Catalyst Platform or transactions taking place through the Project Catalyst Platform, by or on behalf of IOG and excluding Third-Party Services (as defined below). Such specific terms may be in addition to these Terms or, where inconsistent with these Terms, only to the extent the content or intent of such specific terms is inconsistent with these Terms, such specific terms will supersede these Terms. Such specific terms include, without limitation, the [Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions) (the “**Project Catalyst T\&Cs**”) which govern, as applicable, your participation in Project Catalyst.
**h.** **Feedback**. We appreciate and welcome your feedback, comments, ideas, proposals and suggestions about how to improve or modify the Project Catalyst Platform (collectively, “**Feedback**”). Feel free to submit Feedback [here](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new). By submitting Feedback in this or in any other manner, format or medium to us, you grant us the right, at our discretion, to use, disclose and otherwise exploit the Feedback, in whole or part, without any restriction, attribution, notice or compensation to you. You hereby irrevocably assign to IOG all right, title and interest in and to the Feedback, and shall provide IOG with any assistance required to document, perfect and maintain its rights in the Feedback. To the extent that moral rights cannot be assigned under applicable law, you hereby waive and agree not to enforce against IOG all moral rights, including, without limitation on subsequent modification, to the extent permitted under applicable law.
3. **Your Content.**
**a. Definition of Your Content**. The Project Catalyst Platform may enable you to directly or indirectly post, upload, submit, or contribute content or materials, including, without limitation, photos, profile pictures, messages, comments, testimonials or reviews of third-party service providers, third-party products or third-party services. All content and materials that are posted, uploaded, submitted or contributed on or to the Project Catalyst Platform by you or on your behalf (but excluding Feedback) are referred to collectively as "**Your Content**". For the purposes of these Terms, Your Content includes (i) your name, trademarks, logos and Project Catalyst project name and (ii) “Your Content” as defined in the Project Catalyst T\&Cs.
**b.** **License and Permission to Use Your Content**. You hereby grant to us and our affiliates, licensees and sublicensees, without compensation to you or others, a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable and worldwide license to access and use Your Content to provide updates on the progress and outcomes of the project via the Project Catalyst Platform, the Project Catalyst website, Project Catalyst social media channels, internal town halls and other internal channels (including, without limitation, presenting on projects at internal events). Any other usage of Your Content will be subject to your prior written approval. You waive all moral rights to Your Content and agree not to assert such claims against us to enable us to exercise the rights granted in this paragraph (b), but not otherwise. If you identify yourself by name or provide a picture or audio or video recording of yourself, you authorize us and our affiliates, licensees and sublicensees, without compensation to you or others, to reproduce, print, publish and disseminate in any format or media (whether now known or hereafter created) your name, voice and likeness throughout the world, and such permission will be perpetual and cannot be revoked for any reason, except as required by applicable law. If the Fund Rules (as defined in the Project Catalyst T\&Cs) require your Project Catalyst project to be open source, then you agree to abide by the licensing terms in Section 3 of the Project Catalyst T\&Cs, without limiting your other obligations or our other rights under the Project Catalyst T\&Cs.
**c. Ownership**. You or your licensors, as applicable, retain ownership of and responsibility for Your Content, subject to the non-exclusive rights granted to us in paragraph (b) above. We acknowledge no ownership of any intellectual property rights in Your Content is transferred to us under these Terms.
**d. Your Responsibilities for Your Content**. By directly or indirectly posting, uploading, submitting or contributing Your Content to any Project Catalyst Platform, you represent and warrant to us that you have the ownership rights, or you have obtained all necessary licenses or permissions from any relevant parties, to use Your Content in this manner. This includes obtaining the right to grant us the rights to use Your Content in accordance with these Terms. You are in the best position to judge whether Your Content is in violation of intellectual property or personal rights of any third party. **You accept full responsibility for avoiding infringement of the intellectual property or personal rights of others in connection with Your Content**. You are responsible for ensuring that Your Content does not violate any applicable law, regulation, or violate, infringe or misappropriate the intellectual property rights of any party (including, without limitation, intellectual property rights or rights of privacy or publicity). You alone shall pay all royalties, fees and any other monies owed to any person by reason of Your Content.\
\
4\. **Our Materials**
**a. Definition of Our Materials**. All right, title and interest in or related to the Project Catalyst Platform (including, but not limited to, the information and content available in the Project Catalyst Platform, the Project Catalyst Platform description and our software), including all related intellectual property rights (collectively, "**Our Materials**") is the exclusive property of IOG or its licensors. Without limiting the terms of Section 12, any unauthorized use of the Project Catalyst Platform terminates the licenses granted by IOG in these Terms.
**b.** **Our License to You**. Subject to these Terms, we hereby grant you a limited, non-exclusive, revocable, non-transferable, non-assignable, non-sublicensable license to use and access Our Materials in connection with your use of the Project Catalyst Platform. Except as expressly agreed to otherwise by us (such as your entering into a separate agreement with us), your use of the Project Catalyst Platform is subject to these Terms and must be limited to personal, non-commercial use on computers or devices you own or control. We may terminate this license at any time for any reason. Except for the rights and license granted in these Terms, we and our licensors reserve all other rights and grant no other rights or licenses, implied or otherwise. Some of Our Materials may be provided under and subject to open-source licenses, in which case the specific license(s) mentioned in connection with such of Our Materials apply. IOG or its licensors retain exclusive ownership of our name, logos, graphics, service marks and trademarks (the “**IOG Marks**”). You shall not use the IOG Marks in public facing materials without our prior written consent.
**c. Ownership**. You acknowledge that the Project Catalyst Platform and Our Materials are and will remain the property of IOG or its licensors. The content, information and services made available on the Project Catalyst Platform are protected by U.S. and international copyright, trademark and other laws, and you acknowledge that these rights are valid and enforceable. You acknowledge that you do not acquire any ownership rights by using or interacting with the Project Catalyst Platform. You shall not remove, alter or obscure any copyright, trademark, service mark or other proprietary rights notices incorporated in or accompanying Our Materials.
5. **Restrictions.**
**a. Restrictions on Your Conduct and Your Content**. You may not use the Project Catalyst Platform for any purpose prohibited by these Terms or applicable law. You shall not (and shall not permit or encourage any third party to) take any action on or through the Project Catalyst Platform or make available any of Your Content that:
* Intentionally or unintentionally violates, facilitates or promotes conduct that would be considered a violation of any applicable law, rule or regulation, whether civil or criminal;
* Infringes any intellectual property rights of any person or entity or uses the copyrighted, patented or trademarked intellectual property of another, or the trade secret of or confidential information of another, without permission of the owner or creator;
* Is unlawful, threatening, defamatory, libelous, deceptive, false, misleading, fraudulent, abusive, hateful, discriminatory, harassing, vulgar, obscene, violent, sexual, pornographic, profane, invades the privacy of another, is otherwise objectionable or facilitates or promotes any of the foregoing;
* Impersonates or misrepresents the identity of another user, person or entity;
* Expresses or implies an endorsement on behalf of or an affiliation with IOG;
* Reproduces, duplicates, copies, sells, resells or otherwise exploits for any commercial purposes any portion of, use of or access to the Project Catalyst Platform;
* Involves unauthorized or unsolicited advertising, junk or bulk e-mail;
* Interferes with the proper functioning of the Project Catalyst Platform or engages in any potentially harmful acts directed against the Project Catalyst Platform, including violating any security features, introducing viruses, worms or similar harmful code into the Project Catalyst Platform; or
* Is targeted toward children and minors.
**b. Other Restrictions**. Except as expressly permitted by these Terms, you shall not:
* Use, reproduce, distribute, host, sell, license, rent, lease, transfer, assign or otherwise exploit (commercially or otherwise) the Project Catalyst Platform or Our Materials without our express written permission;
* Copy, modify, alter, tamper with, translate, adapt, merge, make derivative works of, disassemble, decompile, reverse compile or reverse engineer any part of the Project Catalyst Platform or Our Materials;
* Use any manual or automated data scraping software, devices or other processes (including spiders, data mining, robots or similar data gathering and extraction tools) to mine or otherwise scrape data in connection with in your use of the Project Catalyst Platform or Our Materials;
* Use the Project Catalyst Platform or Our Materials to train any artificial intelligence, machine learning, large language models or other similar neural networks, algorithms or systems;
* Access the Project Catalyst Platform or Our Materials to build similar or competitive service(s) or software;
* Copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, download, display, post or transmit any of Our Materials;
* Use any metatags or other hidden text using Our Materials;
* Remove or destroy any copyright notices, other proprietary markings, identifying language or other similar messages and markings contained on or in the Project Catalyst Platform or Our Materials;
* Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion or feature of, or services offered on or through, the Project Catalyst Platform, any systems or networks connected to the Project Catalyst Platform or any IOG server;
* Probe, scan or test the vulnerability of the Project Catalyst Platform or any network connected to the Project Catalyst Platform, nor breach the security or authentication measures on the Project Catalyst Platform or any network connected to the Project Catalyst Platform;
* Reverse look-up, trace or seek to trace any information on any other user or visitor to the Project Catalyst Platform;
* Use the Project Catalyst Platform to perform distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, distribute computer viruses or transmit any software or application that contains features harmful to any network;
* Take any action that imposes an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on the infrastructure of the Project Catalyst Platform or IOG’s systems or networks, or any systems or networks connected to the Project Catalyst Platform; or
* Transmit any sensitive personally identifiable information through the Project Catalyst Platform.
You may view and print a reasonable number of copies of Our Materials and the web pages located on the Project Catalyst Platform for your own personal use, provided that you retain all proprietary notices contained in the original materials, including attribution to IOG. We have no obligation to delete content that you personally may find objectionable or offensive.
6. **Other Offerings on the Project Catalyst Platform.**
**a.** **Third-Party Services**. The Project Catalyst Platform may enable access to third-party content, websites, applications, products and services and may offer interactions with third parties, in either case that we do not own or control (collectively, "**Third-Party Services**"). Your access or use of Third-Party Services is at your own election and at your own risk. The availability of any Third-Party Services on the Project Catalyst Platform does not imply our endorsement or verification of the Third-Party Services. We assume no responsibility for, nor do we endorse or verify the content, offerings or conduct of, Third-Party Services or any third parties (including but not limited to the products or services offered by third parties or the descriptions of the products or services offered by third parties). We make no warranties or representations with respect to the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of any content posted on or in the Project Catalyst Platform by anyone.
**b. Third-Party Services Terms**. Your use of or access to Third-Party Services is subject to the privacy practices, privacy policies and terms of use (or equivalent) established by the Third-Party Services, and you are responsible for reviewing, agreeing to and complying with such terms prior to accessing or using Third-Party Services in connection with or through the Project Catalyst Platform. We do not control the terms, policies or performance of any third party, including Third-Party Services, and we are not responsible for any performance, or failure to perform, of any Third-Party Service, including exchange rates, processing of transactions and similar activities. We do not provide customer support for transactions performed by Third-Party Services. When you leave the Project Catalyst Platform and access a Third-Party Service, the Third-Party Service’s terms of use govern the transaction.
**c. Third-Party Trademarks**. Any trade names, logos, brands and other trademarks featured or referred to in any Third-Party Services are the property of their respective trademark holders.
7. **Digital Millennium Copyright Act Policy**. IOG respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects its users to do the same. It is IOG's policy to comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“**DMCA**”) and to respond to claims of copyright infringement using the DMCA reporting process below. We may remove content from the Project Catalyst Platform if a user provider repeatedly infringes or is believed to be repeatedly infringing the rights of copyright holders.
**a. DMCA Reporting**. If you are a copyright owner or a legally authorized representative of a copyright owner and believe that any content in or on an IOG Product infringes upon your copyrights, then we encourage you to [submit a request here](https://inputoutputhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) or contact us by email at ****. Alternatively, pursuant to the DMCA (see 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) for further detail), you may mail a written notice to our designated copyright agent (see contact information below).
**b.** **Report Requirements**. Regardless of the method you use to contact us, you must provide all the following information in your communication. Please note the notice must be completed by the lawful owner of the copyright or a legally authorized representative of the copyright owner.
* A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or the person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner;
* Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if the notification involves multiple copyrighted works on the same website, mobile app, product, service, plug-in or browser extension a representative list of such works;
* Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, in all cases with information reasonably sufficient to allow us to locate the material;
* Reasonably sufficient information to allow us to contact you, including your name, postal address, telephone number and, if available, an email address;
* A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent or the law;
* A statement that the information in the notification is accurate; and
* A statement, under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
**c.** **DMCA Contact**. You can send your properly completed DMCA notice to IOG's designated copyright agent at:
Input Output Global, Inc.
2015 Ionosphere Street, Suite 201 Longmont, Colorado 80504 USA
Attn: Legal Department, c/o Tobias Weas
Please note that written submissions sent via physical mail to the above address may take longer to process and must include all the information listed above.
**d.** **DMCA Compliance**. Your properly completed DMCA notice may be shared by IOG with the user alleged to have infringed your relevant copyright(s), and you consent to IOG making such disclosures. There are legal and financial consequences, including civil and/or criminal penalties, for submitting bad faith or fraudulent infringement reports. By submitting a DMCA notice, you acknowledge that you will be liable for any damages, including costs and attorneys’ fees, that IOG incurs related to any misrepresentation relied upon in removing or disabling access to the alleged infringing material or activity, or in replacing the removed material or ceasing to disable access to it.
**e.** **DMCA Damages**. IOG reserves the right to seek damages from any party/parties that submits a DMCA notice in violation of the DMCA. For clarity, only DMCA notices should be directed to the designated copyright agent displayed above. You acknowledge that if you fail to comply with all the requirements in this Section, then your DMCA notice may not be valid.
8. **Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability. PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY SINCE IT LIMITS THE LIABILITY OF IOG ENTITIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) TO YOU.**
THE **"IOG ENTITIES"** COLLECTIVELY MEANS INPUT OUTPUT GLOBAL, INC. AND ALL ITS SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, RELATED COMPANIES, AND LICENSORS AND THE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF EACH OF THEM. EACH PROVISION IN THIS SECTION 8 APPLIES TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW:
**a.** **AS IS**. WE ARE PROVIDING YOU THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM, OUR MATERIALS AND THIRD-PARTY SERVICES ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, THE IOG ENTITIES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, TITLE, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE SERVICE, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, QUIET ENJOYMENT, NON-INFRINGEMENT AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING OUT OF COURSE OF DEALING OR TRADE USAGE. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL RISK OF USE OF THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM RESTS ENTIRELY WITH YOU. NOTHING CONTAINED IN THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM IS INTENDED TO BE LEGAL, FINANCIAL OR TAX ADVICE.
**b. THIRD PARTY CONTENT AND CONDUCT**. THE IOG ENTITIES MAKE NO PROMISES WITH RESPECT TO, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL LIABILITY FOR: (i) CONTENT POSTED BY YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY ON OR WITHIN THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM, (ii) THIRD-PARTY PROVIDED PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS OR PRODUCTS, (iii) THIRD-PARTY SERVICES OR PRODUCTS LISTED ON OR ACCESSIBLE TO YOU THROUGH THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM, AND (iv) THE QUALITY OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY YOU ENCOUNTER IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM OR OUR MATERIALS. THE IOG ENTITIES WILL NOT BE LIABLE, AND YOU AGREE NOT TO SEEK TO HOLD THE IOG ENTITIES LIABLE, FOR THE CONDUCT OF THIRD PARTIES ON OR ACCESSED VIA THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM, INCLUDING THE USE OF THIRD-PARTY SERVICES. THE RISK OF INJURY FROM USE OF ALL OF THE FOREGOING RESTS ENTIRELY WITH YOU.
**c. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AND SECURITY**. THE IOG ENTITIES DO NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS AS TO THE SECURITY OF THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM OR ANY OF THEIR WEBSITES. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE ANY INFORMATION SENT THROUGH A WEBSITE, INTERNET SERVICES OR OTHERWISE ELECTRONICALLY MAY BE INTERCEPTED. THE IOG ENTITIES DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM, THEIR WEBSITES OR THE SERVERS THAT MAKE THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM AND THEIR WEBSITES AVAILABLE OR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS SENT BY THE IOG ENTITIES ARE FREE FROM VIRUSES OR ANY OTHER HARMFUL ELEMENTS. THE IOG ENTITIES DO NOT WARRANT THAT ANY E-MAIL OR OTHER ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE BEING SENT TO IOG WILL BE TIMELY RECEIVED OR PROCESSED. THE IOG ENTITIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENCES OF NOT TIMELY RECEIVING OR PROCESSING ANY E-MAIL OR OTHER ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE OR ANY COMMUNICATION FAILURES, DISRUPTIONS, ERRORS, DISTORTIONS OR DELAYS YOU MAY EXPERIENCE WHEN USING THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM, HOWEVER CAUSED. THE IOG ENTITIES WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY LOSS AND TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM OR OUR MATERIALS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY LOSSES, DAMAGES OR CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO: (i) USER ERROR SUCH AS FORGOTTEN ACCESS CREDENTIALS, INCORRECTLY CONSTRUCTED TRANSACTIONS OR MISTYPED WALLET ADDRESSES; (ii) LOSS OF OR INABILITY TO RESTORE ACCESS OR USE FROM YOUR ACCESS CREDENTIALS; (iii) BLOCKCHAIN NETWORKS, DIGITAL ASSET WALLETS OR CORRUPT FILES; (iv) INTERRUPTIONS, DELAYS, ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR DEFECTS IN THE TRANSMISSION OF TRANSACTIONS OR MESSAGES TO THE RELEVANT BLOCKCHAIN NETWORK(S); (v) DECREASED OR INCREASED VALUE OF DIGITAL ASSETS; (vi) INCORRECT RECORDATION OR NON-RECORDATION OF TRANSACTIONS ON RELEVANT BLOCKCHAIN(S); OR (vii) ANY THIRD PARTY ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE USE OF VIRUSES, PHISHING, BRUTEFORCING OR OTHER MEANS OF ATTACK (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DISTRIBUTED DENIAL-OF-SERVICE (DDOS) ATTACK).
**d. LIABILITY DISCLAIMER, CAP AND EXCLUSIONS**. THE IOG ENTITIES WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU UNDER ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, THE IOG ENTITIES SPECIFICALLY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUE, LOSS OF BUSINESS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, REPUTATIONAL HARM, LOSS OF DATA OR PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM (EVEN IF THE IOG ENTITIES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR SUCH DAMAGES ARE FORESEEABLE) ARISING OUT OF AND IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH YOUR USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM OR OUR MATERIALS. THE IOG ENTITIES’ TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF THE PROJECT CATALYST PLATFORM OR OUR MATERIALS WILL NOT EXCEED ONE-HUNDRED DOLLARS (USD$100). The foregoing limitations will not apply to damages caused by the fraud or willful misconduct of the IOG Entities or to the extent such limitations are precluded by applicable law (in which case the IOG Entities’ liability will be increased to the minimum amount required to comply with such law).
**e. Assumption of Risks.**
**i. Sophistication and Risk of Cryptographic Systems**. The Project Catalyst Platform does not store, send or receive digital assets (such as NFTs, cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, digital coins or stablecoins) because digital assets exist by virtue of the ownership record maintained on a supporting blockchain. Any transfer of digital assets occurs within a supporting blockchain and not on or within the Project Catalyst Platform. You acknowledge the IOG Entities do not operate or control any blockchain protocol, communicate or execute protocol upgrades or approve or process blockchain transactions on your behalf. Transactions in digital assets may be irreversible, and, accordingly, losses due to fraudulent or accidental transactions may not be recoverable. Some transactions in digital assets will be deemed to be made when recorded on a public ledger, which is not necessarily the date or time that you initiated the transaction. You acknowledge and accept the inherent risks associated with cryptographic systems and the usage and intricacies of blockchain, digital assets, decentralized networks, decentralized apps, decentralized exchanges or platforms and blockchain-based software systems. The IOG Entities are not responsible for any issues with any blockchains, including forks, technical node issues, cyberattacks, ransomware attacks or any other issues resulting in fund losses. You acknowledge that the cost and speed of transacting with cryptographic- and blockchain-based systems are variable and may increase at any time. You further acknowledge the risk that any digital assets transmitted to you in connection with your eligible participation in Project Catalyst may lose some or all their value. You further acknowledge that the IOG Entities are not responsible for any of these variables or risks and cannot be held liable for any resulting losses that you experience while accessing the Project Catalyst Platform. Accordingly, you assume full responsibility for all the risks of accessing and using and interacting with the Project Catalyst Platform.
**ii. Risk of Legislative, Regulatory or Judiciary Actions**. The IOG Entities, the Project Catalyst Platform and digital assets in general could be impacted by one or more legislative actions, regulatory actions (such as regulatory investigations or enforcement actions) or judiciary actions (such as orders and decisions) that could impede or limit the ability of the IOG Entities to continue to develop, or which could impede or limit your ability to access or use, the Project Catalyst Platform. The legal and regulatory regimes and case law governing blockchain technologies and digital assets are uncertain and evolving, and new or revised laws, regulations or policies may adversely affect one or more digital assets and/or the Project Catalyst Platform. You acknowledge and accept these risks and that the IOG Entities will not be held liable for any losses or damages associated with these risks.
**iii. Risk of Weaknesses or Exploits in the Field of Cryptography**. There are risks associated with using an Internet-based currency, including but not limited to the risk of hardware, software and Internet connection failures, the risk of malicious software introduction and the risk that third parties may obtain unauthorized access to information stored within the Project Catalyst Platform. You acknowledge cryptography is a progressing field and that advances in cryptoanalysis or technical advances such as the development of quantum computers may present risks to digital assets. You are solely responsible for approvals or permissions you provide by cryptographically signing blockchain messages or transactions, especially those responding to solicitations and other prompts from third parties. You are aware that social engineering scams (like pig butchering) perpetrated by third parties is a risk and you acknowledge that you alone are responsible for transactions or agreements with such third parties that may lead to injury. We are not responsible for verifying the legitimacy, safety or suitability or any third-party applications you may interact with using the Project Catalyst Platform. The IOG Entities do not guarantee or otherwise represent full security of the Project Catalyst Platform. You acknowledge and accept these risks and that the IOG Entities will not be held liable for any losses or damages associated with these risks.
**iv. Volatility of Digital Assets**. You acknowledge that digital assets are highly volatile due to many factors including but not limited to adoption, speculation, technology, legislative, regulatory and case law risks, security risks, litigation and bankruptcy filings and proceedings of one or more entities involved in digital assets and transactions involving, and custody of, digital assets. You acknowledge and accept these risks and that the IOG Entities will not be held liable for any losses or damages associated with these risks.
**v. Purchasing or Receiving Digital Assets**. There are risks associated with purchasing or receiving digital assets, including but not limited to the risk of purchasing or receiving counterfeit assets, mislabeled assets, assets with unauthorized content, assets that are vulnerable to metadata decay, assets on smart contracts with bugs or malware and assets that may become untransferable. Digital assets you purchase or receive may become inaccessible. You acknowledge and accept these risks and that the IOG Entities will not be held liable for any losses or damages associated with these risks.
9. **Indemnification.**
You shall fully indemnify, defend and hold harmless the IOG Entities from and against all claims, damages, losses, costs (including reasonable attorneys' fees) and other expenses that directly or indirectly arise out of or from or are related to: (a) your breach of any part of these Terms, including but not limited to any policies referenced in these Terms; (b) Your Content, including any allegation that Your Content or any materials you submit to us or transmit to the Project Catalyst Platform infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other intellectual or industrial property or other rights of any party; (c) your activities in connection with the Project Catalyst Platform or other websites to which the Project Catalyst Platform are linked; (d) your violation of all applicable local, state, federal and international laws and regulations, rules, orders and ordinances; and (e) your negligent or fraudulent conduct or willful misconduct. IOG may, at its cost, assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, in which event you shall fully cooperate with IOG in asserting any available defenses.
10. **Dispute Resolution.**
If you have a dispute with the IOG Entities, you shall contact us using the form found [here](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) to attempt to resolve the issue informally before any other method of dispute resolution.
11. **Privacy**.
To the extent you provide IOG with or consent to IOG’s collection of any information that can be used to contact or identify you (“**Personal Data**”) in connection with your use of the Project Catalyst Platform or Our Materials, as outlined in the [Project Catalyst Platform Privacy Policy](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions/project-catalyst-platform-privacy-policy), then IOG will collect, use and process your Personal Data only in accordance with the terms of the [Project Catalyst Platform Privacy Policy](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions/project-catalyst-platform-privacy-policy), which is incorporated into these Terms. By accepting these Terms, you agree that the IOG Entities may contact you via email or by other means at the contact information you provided in your registration or other contact with the IOG Entities with information related to your use of the Project Catalyst Platform.
**If you wish to stop receiving communications from IOG that you previously opted to receive, please follow the opt-out options in the** [**Project Catalyst Platform Privacy Policy**](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions/project-catalyst-platform-privacy-policy)**.**
12. **Termination.**
**a. Term**. These Terms commence on the date when you accept them (as described in the preamble to these Terms) and remain in full force and effect for so long as you access or use the Project Catalyst Platform unless terminated earlier in accordance with this Section 12.
**b. Termination by You**. Except as set forth in Section 12(d), these Terms will be of no further force and effect with respect to you if you cease all use of the Project Catalyst Platform.
**c. Termination by IOG**. We may, at any time and for any reason, cease providing any or all of the Project Catalyst Platform, terminate your access to the Project Catalyst Platform or Our Materials or terminate these Terms.
d. **Effect of Termination and Survival**. Upon termination of these Terms with respect to you for any reason, your right to access and use the Project Catalyst Platform and Our Materials will automatically terminate. You are solely responsible for exporting Your Content from the Project Catalyst Platform prior to termination. IOG will not have any liability to you for any suspension or termination for any reason. All provisions of these Terms shall survive the expiration or termination of these Terms to the full extent necessary for their enforcement and for the protection of the party in whose favor they operate.
13. **Miscellaneous.**
**a. Application Provider Terms**. If you access the Project Catalyst Platform through an IOG application, then you acknowledge that these Terms are only between you and IOG, and not with an application service or application platform provider (such as Apple, Inc., or Google Inc.), which may provide you the application subject to its own terms of use.
**b. Controlling Law and Jurisdiction**. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of these Terms, and all acts and transactions pursuant to these Terms, will be governed, construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and the United States of America, without regard to conflict-of-law provisions. You and the IOG Entities: (i) submit to the personal jurisdiction and exclusive venue of the federal and state courts located in New York, New York for any actions, suits or proceedings arising from or relating to these Terms; and (ii) hereby waive any objection based on lack of personal jurisdiction or inconvenient forum. THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS.
**c. Export Control and Sanctions Representations**. You acknowledge that services, products or technology provided by IOG are subject to the export control laws and regulations of the United States, the laws of the jurisdiction in which you obtained the Project Catalyst Platform and any other applicable laws. You will comply with these laws and regulations and will not, without prior U.S. or other applicable government authorization, export, re-export, import or transfer IOG products, services or technology, either directly or indirectly, to any country in violation of such laws and regulations. Without limitation, the Project Catalyst Platform may not be exported or re-exported (i) into any United States embargoed countries, or (ii) to anyone on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals or the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Denied Person’s List or Entity List. By using the Project Catalyst Platform, you represent and warrant that: (A) you are not the subject of any sanctions, embargoes or export restrictions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, the Monetary Authority of Singapore or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “**Sanctions**”); or (B) located or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of country-wide or territory-wide Sanctions or any other country or territory specified to Consultant by IOS in its discretion from time to time.
**d. Changes.** We reserve the right to change the terms of these Terms, consistent with applicable law. If we do so, we will change the “Last Updated” date at the beginning of these Terms. Your continued use of the Project Catalyst Platform after such changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree with any updates to these Terms, you may not continue to use the Project Catalyst Platform and your sole and exclusive remedy is to terminate use of the Project Catalyst Platform. Be sure to return to this page periodically to ensure your familiarity with the most current version of the Terms of Use. Any changes to the Terms will be effective on a going forward basis and as of the date they are posted to this page.
**e. Languages.** The English version of these Terms will be the binding version and all communications, notices and other actions and proceedings relating to these Terms will be made and conducted in English, even if we choose to provide translations of these Terms into any other language. To the extent allowed by law, any inconsistencies among the different translations will be resolved in favor of the English version.
**f. Assignment.** No terms of these Terms, nor any right, obligation or remedy under These terms, is assignable, transferable, delegable or sublicensable by you except with IOG's prior written consent, and any attempted assignment, transfer, delegation or sublicense will be null and void. IOG may assign, transfer or delegate these Terms or any right or obligation or remedy under these Terms in its sole discretion. There are no third-party beneficiaries to these Terms.
**g. Waiver.** Our failure to assert a right or provision under these Terms will not constitute a waiver of such right or provision, nor will the single or partial exercise of any right or provision under these Terms or by law prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or provision.
**h. Headings.** Any heading, caption or section title is inserted only as a matter of convenience and in no way defines or explains any section or provision of these Terms.
**i. Further Assurances**. You agree to execute a hard copy of these Terms and any other documents, and take any actions at our expense, that we may request to confirm and effect the intent of these Terms and any of your rights or obligations under these Terms.
**j. Entire Agreement and Severability**. This Agreement supersedes all prior terms, agreements, discussions and writings regarding the Project Catalyst Platform and constitutes the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Project Catalyst Platform. If any part of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, then that portion will be construed in a manner to reflect, as nearly as possible, the original intention of the parties and further, that part will not affect the enforceability of the remaining parts of the Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect.
**k. Independent Parties**. No agency, partnership, joint venture or employment relationship is created as a result of these Terms and you do not have any authority to bind the IOG Entities in any respect.
**l. Electronic Communications and Notices**. Communications between you and IOG use electronic means, whether sent via e-mail or whether IOG posts notices on the Project Catalyst Platform. We may provide any notice to you under these Terms using commercially reasonable means, including: (i) posting a notice on the applicable website; (ii) sending a message to any email address you have shared with us; (iii) posting the notice in the interface of the applicable Project Catalyst Platform; or (iv) using public communication channels. Notices we provide by posting on a website, the Project Catalyst Platform interface or using public communication channels will be effective upon posting, and notices we provide by email will be effective when we send the email. To give us notice under these Terms, you must contact us by email at ****.
**m. Contact**. Feel free to [contact us](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) with any questions about the Project Catalyst Platform or these Terms. You can also write to us at:
\
Input Output Global, Inc.
\
2015 Ionosphere Street, Ste 201
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Longmont, Colorado 80504 USA
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Attn: Legal Department
# Project Catalyst Platform Privacy Policy
**Project Catalyst Platform Privacy Policy**
Last Updated: November 3, 2025
Thank you for choosing to be part of our community at Input Output Global, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, “**IOG**”, “**we**”, “**us**”, or “**our**”). This Project Catalyst Platform Privacy Policy (this “**Platform Privacy Policy**”) applies to all information that can be used to identify you ("**Personal Data**") that is collected through the , and websites, the Catalyst Voting app (available at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store) and other services, features, functionality or resources available or enabled within the foregoing (collectively, the “**Platform**”). Personal Data collected through IOG’s other websites (including, without limitation, for Platform technical support), browser extensions or plug-ins or any other mobile apps, products, services, sales, marketing or events is excluded from the scope of this Platform Privacy Policy and will be collected in accordance with the IOG Privacy Policy, found [here](https://static.iohk.io/terms/iog-privacy-policy.pdf).
We are committed to protecting your Personal Data. In this Platform Privacy Policy, we describe what personal data we collect, how we collect, use, store and share your Personal Data and what rights you have in relation to it. **Please read this Platform Privacy Policy** **carefully**. If there are any terms in this Platform Privacy Policy that you do not agree with, please discontinue access to and use of the Platform.
1. **Collection and Use of Data**. IOG collects several types of information, including Personal Data, for various purposes to provide and improve the Platform for your use. While using the Platform, IOG may collect the following types of data (some of which constitutes Personal Data) for the following purposes:
* **First and last name** – If applicable to you as a Project Catalyst participant, we collect this to enable you to submit proposals to the Platform and to communicate with you regarding your use of the Platform (including, without limitation, collecting feedback) and your participation in Project Catalyst.
* **Email address** – If applicable to you as a Project Catalyst participant, we collect this to enable you to register to use the Platform, to create a Platform account and to communicate with you regarding your use of the Platform (including, without limitation, collecting feedback) and your participation in Project Catalyst. We also collect this if you opt to receive our newsletter to receive Project Catalyst updates. You may opt out of receiving these communications by following the unsubscribe link or instructions provided in any email sent to you by IOG.
* **Name of the company you are employed or engaged by** – If applicable to you as a Project Catalyst participant, we collect this to enable you to register to use the Platform and to personalize the Platform for your user experience.
* **Cookie Data** – We deploy required functionality cookies to enable features of the Platform, as further described in our [Cookie Policy](https://static.iohk.io/terms/iog-cookie-policy.pdf). These cookies are placed on your device when you access or use the Platform.
* **Anonymized Log Data** – We collect anonymized log data to track the Platform’s operations to improve user experience without identifying you. Anonymized log data may include problems, errors and system operations and how you may be using the Platform.
* **IP Address** – We temporarily collect IP address data for the basic functionality of the Platform where you make requests from your device to the Platform and to comply with legal requirements (e.g., blocking users from sanctioned jurisdictions).
Where permitted under applicable law (e.g., with your prior consent under GDPR), IOG may process your contact information that you share with us for direct marketing purposes (e.g., event invitations, newsletters, unpaid research opportunities and general information relating to Project Catalyst) and to carry out customer satisfaction surveys, in each case also by email. You may opt out of the processing of your contact information for these purposes at any time by submitting a request [here](https://input-output.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/95/group/198/create/824), by writing to or by using the opt-out mechanism provided in the respective communication you received. Information we collect and store for other purposes (e.g., to permit you to register to use the Platform) remains unaffected. We do not share your information collected for these purposes with third parties.
2. **Legal Basis under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)**. For a citizen or resident of a member country of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), the legal basis for collecting and using Personal Data described in this Platform Privacy Policy depends on the Personal Data being collected and the specific context in which it is collected, as described below.
IOG may process your Personal Data because:
* You have given us permission to do so (e.g., by opting into receiving newsletters) (GDPR Article 6(1)(a))
* IOG needs to perform a contract with you (e.g., providing Platform functionality based on your usage) (GDPR Article 6(1)(b))
* IOG has to comply with applicable law (e.g., blocking access from sanctioned jurisdictions) (GDPR Article 6(1)(c))
* IOG has legitimate interests to do so (e.g., improving the Platform based on your feedback) (GDPR Article 6(1)(f))
Please note that in some cases, the legal basis for IOG processing Personal Data may (in addition or instead) be that you have consented (GDPR Article 6(1)(a)).
Generally, the legitimate interests pursued by IOG in relation to our use of your Personal Data is the efficient performance or management of our business relationship with you, such as improving the Platform. When we rely on legitimate interests, we assess that our interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. You have the right to object to this processing (see “Rights Under GDPR” below), and we will stop processing your data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds.
3. **Retention of Data**. IOG will retain your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Platform Privacy Policy. Specifically:
* IP addresses and anonymized logs are kept for 30 days, except IP addresses collected to block users from sanctioned jurisdictions will be kept for ten years in accordance with the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control requirements.
* Email addresses and cookie data will be kept until you withdraw your consent (which may impact certain features of the Platform or your ability to access the Platform.
Additionally, IOG may retain and use your Personal Data for longer periods of time to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if IOG is required to retain your Personal Data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes and enforce legal agreements and policies.
4. **Transfer Of Data**. Your information, including Personal Data, may be transferred to – and maintained on – computers located outside of your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ from those from your jurisdiction.
IOG will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure your Personal Data is treated securely and in accordance with this Platform Privacy Policy. No transfer of your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls and safeguards in place including the security of your Personal Data and other information and only via approved transfer mechanisms under applicable data protection laws.
5. **Disclosure Of Data**. IOG may disclose your Personal Data in good faith belief that such disclosure is necessary to:
* To comply with a legal obligation
* To protect and defend the rights or property of IOG
* To prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Platform
* To protect the personal safety of users of the Platform or the public
* To protect against legal liability
Except as required by law or as described herein, IOG does not sell, rent or share your Personal Data with third parties for their own purposes.
**Disclosure to Funding Sponsors**
Personal Data collected through the Platform may be shared with third-party organizations who allocate grant funding to approved projects (referred to as "**funding sponsors**") for the following purposes: Grant administration and payment processing; communication regarding grant-related matters; compliance with funding sponsors' legal and regulatory obligations; and oversight and monitoring of funded projects. Funding sponsors may not use your Personal Data for commercial purposes or share it with third parties without your consent, except as required by law.
Funding sponsors act as independent data controllers with respect to your Personal Data and have their own data protection obligations under applicable law. By submitting a proposal to a funding category, you consent to the sharing of your Platform data with the applicable funding sponsor for the purposes described above.
You have the same data protection rights with respect to Personal Data held by funding sponsors as you do for Personal Data held by IOG. To exercise these rights with respect to Personal Data held by funding sponsors, you may submit a request [here](https://input-output.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/95/group/198/create/824) or contact us at . IOG will reasonably assist in coordinating with the applicable funding sponsor to facilitate your requests. You acknowledge IOG does not control funding sponsors' data protection practices, does not guarantee it will facilitate all such requests on your behalf, cannot control funding sponsors' responses to such requests and disclaims all liability for funding sponsors’ failure or delay in responding to such requests.
**Disclosure of Personal Data Within The EU**
Insofar as we employ the services of service providers to implement or fulfill any tasks on our behalf (such as cloud hosting providers or analytics services), the contractual relations will be regulated in writing according to the provisions of the European General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR) and the Federal Data Protection Act (new BDSG). These providers receive anonymized or aggregated data only and are contractually obligated to protect your Personal Data.
**Disclosure of Personal Data Outside of The EU**
Insofar as you have selected and consented to this in the form, your Personal Data will be disclosed to our offices within the network of affiliated companies outside of the European economic area for the processing of your enquiry. These offices are legally obligated to abide by the EU-GDPR. Furthermore, between the legally autonomous companies in the network of affiliated companies, written agreements exist for the processing of data on commission, based on standardized contract stipulations.
6. **Security Of Data**. We use reasonable technical and organizational methods to safeguard your Personal Data. However, please note that these security measures are not a guarantee that your Personal Data may not be accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed by breach of such measures.
Whilst we will use all reasonable efforts to safeguard your information, you acknowledge that data transmissions over the internet cannot be guaranteed to be 100% secure and for this reason, we cannot guarantee the security or integrity of any Personal Data that is transferred from you or to you via the internet and as such, any information you transfer to IOG is done at your own risk.
Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password which enables you to access the Platform or certain parts of the Platform, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share a password with anyone.
If we learn of a security system breach, we may attempt to notify you electronically so that you can take appropriate protective steps. If you provided your email address to us, then you agree that we can communicate with you electronically regarding security, privacy and administrative issues relating to your use of the Platform. We may post a notice on the Platform if a security breach occurs. Depending on where you live, you may have a legal right to receive notice of a security breach in writing.
7. **Rights Under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)**. If you are a citizen or resident of a member country of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), you have certain data protection rights. IOG aims to take reasonable steps to allow you to correct, amend, delete or limit the use of your Personal Data.
If you wish to be informed what Personal Data IOG holds about you and if you want it to be removed from our systems, please contact us by submitting a request [here ](https://input-output.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/95/group/198/create/824)or by writing to .
In certain circumstances, you have the following data protection rights:
* **The right to access**. You have the right to request information concerning the Personal Data we hold.
* **The right of rectification**. You have the right to have your Personal Data rectified if that information is inaccurate or incomplete.
* **The right to object**. You have the right to object to your Personal Data being used for a particular purpose and you can exercise these rights, for example, via an unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email.
* **The right of restriction**. You have the right to request that IOG restrict the processing of your Personal Data.
* **The right to data portability**. You have the right to be provided with a copy of the Personal Data in a structured, machine readable and commonly used format.
* **The right to withdraw consent**. You also have the right to withdraw your consent at any time where IOG relied on your consent to process your Personal Data.
* **The right to data deletion**. You have the right to ask us to delete your Personal Data, though we may need to keep some for legal reasons.
Please note that IOG may ask you to verify your identity before responding to such requests.
You have the right to complain to a Data Protection Authority about our collection and use of your Personal Data. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority in the EU or EEA
8. **California Residents. If you are a California resident, you have certain rights with respect to your Personal Data pursuant to the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”). This section applies to you.**
**We are required to inform you of: (a) what categories of information we collect about you, including during the preceding 12 months; (b) the purposes for which we use your Personal Data, including during the preceding 12 months; and (c) the purposes for which we share your Personal Data, including during the preceding 12 months.**
You have the right to: (i) request a copy of the Personal Data; (ii) request that we delete your Personal Data; and (iii) opt out of the sale of your Personal Data. You can limit the use of tracking technologies, such as cookies, by following instructions outlined in our [Cookie Policy](https://static.iohk.io/terms/iog-cookie-policy.pdf), by submitting a request [here](https://input-output.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/95/group/198/create/824) or by writing to . These rights are subject to limitations as described in the CCPA.
We will not discriminate against any consumer for exercising their CCPA rights. If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please submit a request [here](https://input-output.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/95/group/198/create/824) or by writing to [.](mailto:Ifyouwouldliketoexerciseanyoftheserights%2Cpleasecontactusatlegal@iohk.io)
9. **Service Providers & Newslette**r.
IOG may employ third-party companies and individuals to facilitate the Platform, to provide the Platform on our behalf, to perform website-related services or to assist us in analyzing how the Platform is used ("**Service Providers**"). These Service Providers have access to your Personal Data only to perform these tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.
**Newsletter**
If you would like to receive our newsletter, we require a valid email address and your consent to receive this newsletter. No additional data is collected or is only collected on a voluntary basis. We only use this data to send the requested information and do not pass it on to third parties.
You can revoke consent to the storage and use of your email address and other Personal Data (if any) for sending the newsletter at any time, e.g., through the "unsubscribe" link in the newsletter, by submitting a request [here](https://input-output.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/95/group/198/create/824) or[ by writing to](about:blank) . The data processed before we receive your request may still be legally processed. Data we have stored for other purposes (e.g., email addresses for Platform functionality) remain unaffected.
10. **Links To Other Products**. The Platform may contain links to other products that are not operated by IOG. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party's site. You’re advised to review the privacy policy of each non-Platform site you decide to visit. IOG has no control over and assumes no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third-party product or service.
11. **Changes To This Platform Privacy Policy**. IOG may update this Platform Privacy Policy from time to time. Such changes will be posted on this page. The effective date of such changes will be as of the "Last updated" date at the top of this Platform Privacy Policy. You are advised to review this Platform Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Platform Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.
12. **Data Privacy Contact**. You can reach our data protection officer by submitting a request [here](https://input-output.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/95/group/198/create/824) or by writing to .
13. **Contact by E-mail or Contact Form**. When you contact us by e-mail or through a contact form, we store the Personal Data you provide (e.g., your email address, possibly your name and telephone number) so we can answer your questions. Insofar as our contact form requests information that is not required for contacting you, we have marked those fields as optional. The information requested by us serves to substantiate your inquiry and improve the handling of your request. Your message may be linked to various actions taken by you on the Platform. Information collected will be used to provide you with support relating to your inquiry and to better understand your feedback. A statement of this information is expressly provided on a voluntary basis and with your consent. As far as this concerns information about communication channels (such as e-mail address or telephone number), you also agree that we may, where appropriate, contact you via this communication channel to answer your request.\
# Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions – Midnight Compact DApps Submissions
Last updated: November 3, 2025
**Background**
1. Project Catalyst is one of the world’s largest decentralized innovation engines for solving real-world challenges within the Cardano blockchain (“**Cardano**”) ecosystem and for fostering Cardano’s governance and development, by incentivizing Cardano community members to submit ideas that positively impact the Cardano ecosystem and to potentially receive funding (“**Project Catalyst**”).
2. Project Catalyst has funding rounds every few months where the Cardano community submits proposals for technical, business, creative and community projects (“**proposals**” or “**projects**”). The holders of ada cryptocurrency evaluate and vote on which projects may receive funding (“**funding**” or “**funds**”).
3. Catalyst FC is an exempted limited guarantee foundation company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (“**CFC**”) to disburse Project Catalyst funds for approved projects (as described below), in coordination with the IOG Singapore Pte. Ltd. (“**IOG**”), the entity CFC appointed as administrator to act on its behalf to operate and administer Project Catalyst.
4. These Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions – Midnight Compact Dapp Submissions (these “**Terms**”) govern grants funded by Midnight Foundation ("**MNF**") through a dedicated "Midnight Compact DApps" funding category within Project Catalyst. For the avoidance of doubt, references in these Terms to funding, funding rounds or funds refers to the dedicated MNF funding category. Under this arrangement: (a) MNF allocates and disburses grant funding in USDM from MNF’s custody; (b) IOG provides platform, administrative and operational services, on CFC’s behalf, to facilitate the grant program; and (c) Catalyst FC and IOG are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms with rights to enforce specific provisions as described in these Terms.
5. To either participate in Project Catalyst funding rounds as described in these Terms: The individual responsible for submitting one or more proposals to Project Catalyst (“**you**”, “**your(s)**” or the “**applicant**”) is required to: (i) accept these Terms, which, together with the Fund Rules (defined below) set forth the binding agreement between you and MNF regarding your project; and (ii) complete the onboarding requirements described in these Terms.
6. By accepting these Terms, submitting a proposal to Project Catalyst, participating in Project Catalyst or accepting funding from MNF, you represent and warrant that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by these Terms. You and MNF agree as follows:
7. **Fund Rules; Your Obligations**.
**a.** These Terms should be read together with all rules, requirements and documentation applicable to the Project Catalyst funding round under which you have or may receive funding and that were provided or made available to you (the “**Fund Rules**”). If there is a conflict between these Terms and the Fund Rules, then these Terms will control. As used in these Terms, “**approved projects**” are those: (i) for which all individual(s) and entity/entities named on the proposal have completed all onboarding requirements (as further described in these Terms); and (ii) that receive MNF’s final approval to receive funding.
**b.** For all approved projects, you shall use the funds exclusively for the development and implementation of your proposal in accordance with its terms, the Fund Rules and any other parameters or requirements issued or agreed to by MNF in writing (email permitted) (collectively, “**Specifications**”). Unless you obtain MNF’s prior written consent, you shall not use the funds other than as set forth in these Terms and the Specifications. If you need to request a change in funding or to the Specifications, then you shall follow the applicable change request procedures found by searching for “change request” at .
**c.** You shall comply with and participate in all onboarding requirements, which may include, without limitation, submitting complete and accurate information for know your customer (KYC), anti-money laundering (AML) and similar screenings conducted by IOG on MNF’s behalf, and submitting a schedule setting out the milestones and deliverables to be accomplished during each phase of the project. If you fail to comply with or complete all onboarding requirements, if MNF receives onboarding results that are unsatisfactory to MNF in its discretion or if IOG determines in its reasonable discretion that continuing the onboarding process would create operational, compliance, reputational or platform-related risks for IOG, then you will be disqualified from participating in the applicable Project Catalyst funding round (and potentially future funding rounds) and these Terms will immediately terminate upon MNF’s or IOG’s notice to you of being disqualified.
**d.** You shall comply with all other requirements issued by MNF and IOG from time to time including, without limitation, for approved projects: reporting regularly on the project’s progress; submitting evidence of completion of milestones or deadlines; providing documentation detailing how the project and milestones function; and submitting reports or providing demonstrations upon completion of the project.
2. **Issuing Funds for Approved Projects**. The terms in this Section 2 apply to approved projects.
**a.** So long as you comply with these Terms and the Fund Rules, MNF will issue the funds in USDM to an account or wallet designated by you as follows: (i) Upon completion of all onboarding requirements in a manner satisfactory to MNF and subject to IOG not exercising its termination rights under Section 1(c), MNF shall issue you initial funding covering the first milestone; and (ii) funding for subsequent milestones will be issued prior to their commencement so long as: (A) you are in compliance with the project schedule; (B) for the then-proceeding milestone, you have submitted documentary evidence satisfactory to MNF that such milestone has been completed and achieved in accordance with the Specifications; and (C) MNF approves the milestone. The project schedule and the amounts and timing of issuance of the funds are as agreed upon by you and MNF during onboarding.
**b.** Upon MNF’s request, you shall provide documentary evidence satisfactory to MNF itemizing your expenditure of funds. In connection with receiving any funds, you are solely responsible for (i) making any required regulatory filings or reports and (ii) paying taxes or other payments imposed by a governmental authority. Excluding the agreed-upon amount of funding, you are responsible for all other financial obligations, costs and expenses incurred by you and your personnel (if applicable) in connection with the project (including, without limitation, paying transaction fees).
3. **Intellectual Property Rights**.
**a.** You or your licensors retain ownership of and responsibility for your name, trademarks, logos, the project, the project name and all content you create, feature, display or provide to MNF, IOG and the Cardano community in connection with your participation in Project Catalyst and the project (collectively, “**Your Conten**t”), in accordance with Applicable Laws (as defined below). You hereby grant MNF, IOG and CFC each a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable and worldwide license to access and use Your Content to provide updates on the progress and outcomes of the project via the Project Catalyst website, Project Catalyst social media channels, internal town halls and other internal channels (including, without limitation, presenting on projects at internal events). Any other usage of Your Content will be subject to your prior written approval. You waive all moral rights to Your Content and agree not to assert such claims against MNF, IOG or CFC to enable such parties to exercise the rights granted in this Section 3(a), but not otherwise.
**b.** If the Fund Rules require your project to be open source, then you agree to grant a non-exclusive, transferable, sublicensable, assignable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and worldwide license to any individual or entity to view, use, display, perform, publish, share, distribute, store, make copies and backups of, reproduce, modify, sublicense and commercialize and otherwise exploit the Content in any manner or medium.
**c.** If Your Content includes content (in any format) you do not own, then you shall ensure that portion of Your Content is licensed to you under terms that permit you to grant the licenses and permissions in Sections 3(a) and 3(b), and you shall provide a copy of all such terms to MNF and IOG upon request.
**d.** Your use of MNF’s, IOG’s, CFC’s or any other third party’s website, mobile apps, products and services, and the ownership of intellectual property rights in and to the same, are governed by the relevant party’s terms of use.
4. **Marketing and Confidentiality**.
**a.** You shall not use the corporate name, trademarks, logos and other relevant branding of MNF, IOG, CFC or their respective affiliates or subsidiaries in public facing materials without the relevant entity’s prior written consent.
**b.** You shall keep strictly confidential all non-public information in whatever form transmitted (including tangible and intangible forms) that is disclosed or otherwise made available by MNF, IOG or CFC to you (“**Confidential Information**”), and you shall not disclose Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the applicable disclosing party. If you are legally required to disclose any Confidential Information, then you shall, prior to making such disclosure, immediately notify MNF, IOG and CFC of the requirement and afford the relevant disclosing party an adequate opportunity to oppose the disclosure, or take other action to ensure the confidential handling of the Confidential Information to be disclosed, and you further shall reasonably assist the relevant disclosing party in seeking to obtain such protection or confidential treatment.
5. **Term, Suspension and Termination.**
**a.** The Terms and the applicable Fund Rules will remain in effect for the duration of the project. Sections 3, 4, 5(a), 5(f), 6, 7, 8, 9(b), 9(e), 9(f), 9(i) and 9(k) will survive the expiration or termination of these Terms. Additionally, Section 4(b) will continue for a period of two years after expiration or termination of these Terms, except any obligation of confidentiality with respect to Confidential Information that qualifies as a trade secret under the requirements of any Applicable Laws will survive as long as that Confidential Information is classified as such.
The following terms in this Section 5 apply to approved projects.
**b. Notice of Delay**. You shall immediately notify IOG if the project is or needs to be paused or if you reasonably anticipate you cannot deliver the project in accordance with the Specifications. Depending on the circumstances, MNF or IOG may suspend or terminate the project under this Section 5.
**c. Suspension by You**. If you have already completed or participated in at least one previous Project Catalyst funding round, then you may, a maximum of once during the project’s life cycle, submit a written request for suspension of the project for up to six months. IOG shall notify you in writing whether your request is approved or denied, which MNF may determine in its discretion. If your request is denied, then either (A) you shall resume performance of the project in accordance with these Terms and the Specifications or (B) you may terminate the project under Section 5(e); provided, however, if you fail to timely take any action, MNF or IOG may terminate the project with immediate effect upon written notice to you. If your request is approved, then:
**i.** You shall not receive funding for the duration of the suspension.
**ii.** Upon expiration of the suspension and within the timeframe stipulated by IOG, you shall: (A) communicate to IOG your intent to reinstate the project; and (B) provide IOG with any requested documentation, satisfactory to MNF and IOG, which may include, without limitation, an updated schedule of milestones and deliverables. Upon IOG notifying you in writing (email permitted) with approval of such communication and documentation: (1) the project and funding will be reinstated as of the date of such notification; and (2) you and MNF shall amend the Specifications as necessary.
**iii.** If, within 30 calendar days after expiration of the suspension, you do not meet the requirements in Section 5(c)(ii)(A) and (B), then MNF or IOG may terminate the project with immediate effect upon written notice to you.
**d. Termination by You**.
**i.** If you want to terminate the project, then you shall: (A) immediately notify IOG in writing and; (B) provide MNF and IOG with any requested documentation, which may include, without limitation, a report of the project’s current progress and work to be completed, how funds were used through the date of termination and a detailed description of the circumstances leading to termination.
**ii.** Termination will be effective the later of the date IOG receives your termination notice or the date IOG makes your termination notice and related materials available to the Cardano community.
**e. Suspension or Termination by MNF or IOG**.
**i.** MNF may suspend or terminate the project in its reasonable discretion for any reason, and IOG may suspend or terminate the project for operational or platform-related reasons in its reasonable discretion, in either case including, without limitation, a reasonable belief that: you have been selected to receive funding for multiple projects with the same or substantially similar scopes; any portion of the project or Your Content is false, plagiarized or infringes or misappropriates another party’s intellectual property rights; you or your personnel (if applicable) have committed acts of fraud, dishonesty or misrepresentation; you misused funds; you changed the scope of the project without following the requirements of Section 1(b); you failed to submit required or requested deliverables or to meet deadlines; you failed to timely complete any onboarding requirements; or you otherwise breached these Terms, the applicable Fund Rules or the Specifications.
**ii.** Without limiting MNF’s and IOG’s rights under Section 5(e)(i), the project and these Terms will automatically terminate if IOG ceases to operate Project Catalyst and provide administrative services pursuant to these Terms. In the event of such termination, the remainder of this Section 5(e) will not apply, and MNF, IOG and CFC will have no obligation to you.
**iii.** MNF or IOG shall notify you in writing if the project is suspended or at risk of termination. Upon receipt of such notice, you shall immediately stop, or arrange to be stopped, all work on the project.
**iv.** To reinstate a suspended project or to prevent termination of a project: (A) within the timeframe stipulated by MNF or IOG, you and MNF or IOG (as applicable) must meet the number of times required by MNF or IOG (as applicable) to mutually agree on a resolution to the circumstances giving rise to the suspension or termination; and (B) you promptly shall implement such resolution to the satisfaction of MNF or IOG; otherwise, the project will be terminated with immediate effect upon written notice to you.
**v.** If MNF or IOG (as applicable) notifies you in writing (email permitted) that you satisfactorily resolved the circumstances giving rise to the suspension or potential termination, then: (A) the project and funding will be reinstated as of the date of such notification (or such other date stipulated by MNF or IOG (as applicable), if the remedial efforts will continue after the project recommences); and (B) you and MNF shall amend the Specifications as necessary.
**f. Effects of Termination**. If the project is terminated for any reason, then:
**i.** MNF, IOG or CFC may disclose or publish the fact that the project was terminated and related details to the Cardano community;
**ii.** any funds allocated to the project but not yet disbursed will be retained by MNF;
**iii.** MNF may require you to return any funds already issued to you for the project, and in such event, you shall return the funds within 14 calendar days of such notification to you;
**iv.** you shall not participate in subsequent Project Catalyst funding rounds for 12 months after the date of termination without the IOG’s prior consent; and
**v.** these Terms will automatically terminate as of the effective date of termination (except as provided in Section 5(a) and Section 5(e)(ii)).
6. **Representations and Warranties**.
**a.** You represent, warrant and covenant to MNF, IOG and CFC (the latter two being third party beneficiaries entitled to enforce this Section 6) that:
**i.** the project will conform to the Specifications;
**ii.** you have the full and irrevocable right, power and authority (by ownership, license or otherwise) to (A) use Your Content and all related intellectual property rights and (B) grant the licenses granted, or required to be granted, under these Terms;
**iii.** your participation in Project Catalyst, the project, and the activities undertaken by you and your personnel (if applicable) in connection with the project, will be performed in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, statutes, ordinances and other legal requirements (collectively, “**Applicable Laws**”), with reasonable and required care, good, ethical and moral business practices and diligence at or above industry standards;
**iv.** the project, Your Content and any information and materials you submit to MNF, IOG and CFC (including, without limitation, your proposal application) will not: (A) infringe, misappropriate or violate any party’s rights, including, without limitation, any intellectual property rights or any rights of privacy or rights of publicity; and (B) contain confidential or proprietary information or data of any party without (1) you having obtained such party’s prior and express written consent (a copy of each of which consent you shall provide to MNF, IOG or CFC upon request) and (2) being disclosed to MNF and IOG in advance in writing;
**v.** the project and Your Content will not contain any virus, malware, spyware, malicious code, mechanism Trojan horse, worm, back door, trap door, time bomb, software lock, drop dead device or other routine, program, instruction, code, device, contaminant, logic, effect or other undisclosed feature which would, or is intentionally designed, created or intended to: (A) allow unauthorized access to or use of project users’ systems or assets or to cause such systems to malfunction; or (B) alter, disable, destroy, interrupt, interfere with, inhibit or discontinue any project users’ effective use of the project;
**vi.** during the term of these Terms, you shall not participate in: (A) any attacks on Cardano or Cardano users, including but not limited to technical attacks, hacking, theft of Cardano users’ funds or fraud; (B) conduct reasonably anticipated to cause harm to Cardano or Cardano users; or (C) any other activity that CFC considers in its discretion to be malicious;
**vii.** you have the full power and authority to enter into and to perform your obligations under these Terms;
**viii.** your execution and performance of these Terms and the project will not violate any policies or procedures of any academic institution or any other entity (whether public or private) with which you are employed, involved or associated and that you have received all necessary written permission(s) to enter into these Terms and to undertake the project;
**ix.** you, and if you are an entity, your affiliates, shareholders, directors, officers, employees, contractors, consultants or other personnel, are not the subject of, or located, organized or resident in any country or territory that is the subject of, any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “**Sanctions**”); and
**x.** your participation in Project Catalyst and your performance of these Terms and the project will not require MNF, IOG, CFC or their respective principals, employees, advisors and consultants in their individual capacities to conduct any lobbying activities and register as a lobbyist under U.S. law and regulations or to act and register as an agent under the U.S. the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
**b.** MNF represents, warrants and covenants to you that:
**i.** It will comply with Applicable Laws in its performance of these Terms;
**ii.** It is not the subject of, or located, organized or resident in any country or territory that is the subject of, Sanctions; and
**iii.** Funds issued to you by MNF are not derived from unlawful activity;
7. **Indemnification**.
**a.** You shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless MNF, IOG, CFC, their respective affiliates and their and their affiliates' respective directors, officers, employees, consultants, agents, successors and assigns (collectively, the “**Indemnified Parties**”) from and against any losses, damages, injuries, liabilities, judgements, settlements, awards, penalties, fines, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by any of the foregoing parties, arising out of or relating to any third-party claim relating to: (i) your participation in Project Catalyst and the project, and the activities undertaken in connection with your participation in Project Catalyst and the project by you and your personnel (if applicable); (ii) your receipt and use of any portion of the funds; (iii) suspension or termination of the project or a change in funding, for any reason; (iv) the acts and omissions of you and your personnel (if applicable); (v) breach of these Terms and of Applicable Laws by you and your personnel (if applicable); (vi) any assertion that the relationship between an Indemnified Party and you or your personnel (if applicable) is that of an employment relationship; (vii) any employment-related obligation required to be borne by an Indemnified Party relating to you or your personnel (if applicable); and (viii) your and any third party’s reliance on the potential or anticipated receipt of funding prior to the actual disbursement of funds, if any, by MNF.
**b.** MNF shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless you, and if you are an entity, your directors, officers, employees, consultants, agents, successors and permitted assigns, from and against any losses, damages, injuries, liabilities, judgments, settlements, awards, penalties, fines, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by any of the foregoing parties to the extent a third party claim alleges: (i) MNF misappropriated your intellectual property; (ii) MNF issued funds to you that are derived from unlawful activity; or (iii) MNF acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct.
**c.** The indemnified party shall give the indemnifying party prompt written notice of all threats, claims or proceedings, or the discovery of facts, that would give rise to the indemnifying party’s obligations under this Section 7 and prior to taking any action that could adversely impact the indemnifying party’s defense. The indemnified party’s failure to timely provide such notice will not relieve the indemnifying party of its indemnification obligations, provided that the indemnifying party will not be responsible for any indemnification obligations or liable to the indemnified party from a delay that prejudices the indemnifying party’s defense of the claim. The indemnifying party may assume, at its option, control of the defense or settlement of an indemnifiable claim using counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. The indemnified party will reasonably cooperate with the indemnifying party in such defense and the indemnified party may participate in the defense of the claim with counsel of its choosing and at its expense. The indemnifying party shall not settle any indemnifiable claims without the indemnified party’s prior written consent and without a complete release of the indemnified party.
8. **Personal Data**.
**a.** You, MNF, IOG and CFC shall comply with all Applicable Laws relating to the collection, processing, use and storage of data that can directly or indirectly identify any natural person (“**Personal Data**”).
**b.** You shall ensure that the project and Your Content will not contain Personal Data without each Personal Data subject’s prior and express written consent (a copy of each of which consent you shall provide to MNF, IOG and CFC upon request).
**c.** In connection with project onboarding requirements, which are an essential requirement before any funds are issued under these Terms, your Personal Data may be collected and processed by IOG (acting as a data processor) and shared with MNF (acting as a data controller) in connection with: (i) MNF’s legitimate interests in protecting against fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, illicit use of the funds and other criminal activity; and (ii) MNF’s compliance, due diligence and oversight obligations related to grant funding. You will be given the opportunity to separately consent to processing of your Personal Data. Failure to provide such consent may result in funds not being issued and termination of these Terms in accordance with Section 5.
9. **Miscellaneous**.
**a.** You acknowledge that: (i) any funding sent to you is intended to be characterized as currency payments and not as securities under applicable law; (ii) digital currencies, such as USDM, may possess unique legal, tax and market risks when compared to traditional fiat currencies; and (iii) you are responsible for taxes, costs, expenses and compliance with Applicable Law (including restrictions imposed by Applicable Law) associated with accepting digital currencies. You release MNF, IOG and CFC from all claims and liabilities arising from a determination by a judicial authority or regulator that the funds issued to you under these Terms violates Applicable Law.
**b.** You shall not assign, transfer, mortgage, charge, subcontract, delegate, declare a trust over or deal in any other manner with any of its rights, benefits or obligations under these Terms or the Fund Rules (“Transfer”) without MNF’s prior written consent. MNF may Transfer, in whole or in part, these Terms or any of its rights, benefits or obligations under these Terms at any time in its sole discretion.
**c.** MNF and IOG are express and intended third-party beneficiaries of these Terms and are entitled to enforce these Terms (including, without limitation, Sections 1(c), 1(d), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9(a), 9(c), 9(j), 9(l), 9(m) and 9(o)) as if they were original parties to these Terms.
**d.** Any modification, amendment or variation to these Terms must be in writing and signed by you and MNF.
**e.** All waivers must be in writing. A failure or delay by you or MNF to exercise any right or remedy provided under these Terms, the Fund Rules or by law will not constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor will it prevent or restrict any further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of any right or remedy provided under these Terms, the Fund Rules or by law will prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy.
**f.** MNF’s, IOG’s and CFC’s rights and remedies provided under these Terms and the Fund Rules are in addition to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies provided by law.
**g.** If more than one person or entity contributes to the project, then all such individuals’ and entities’ rights, obligations and liabilities will be joint and several. If other individual(s) and entity/entities are named on a proposal, the applicant shall (i) ensure they are aware of and comply with these Terms and the Fund Rules and (ii) be responsible for their acts and omissions resulting in a breach of these Terms or the Fund Rules.
**h.** If any provision (in whole or in part) of these Terms or the Fund Rules is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that provision will be deemed deleted and the deleted portion will not affect the validity and enforceability of the remainder of these Terms or the Fund Rules, as applicable.
**i.** These Terms and the Fund Rules constitute the entire agreement between you and MNF with respect to the project and supersedes and extinguishes all previous and contemporaneous agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations and understandings, whether written, or oral, relating to their subject matter. These Terms and the Fund Rules will override any additional or express or implied terms and conditions.
**j.** Nothing in these Terms or the Fund Rules is intended to, or will be deemed to: establish any partnership or joint venture between you and MNF, IOG or CFC; constitute you or MNF, IOG or CFC to be the agent of the other; or authorize you or MNF, IOG or CFC to make or enter into any commitments for or on behalf of the other. Neither these Terms or the Fund Rules nor your performance of the project will be interpreted or construed as creating the relationship of employer and employee between MNF, IOG or CFC and you and your personnel (if applicable). You and your personnel (if applicable) are not eligible to enroll for or receive benefits under any MNF, IOG or CFC employee benefit plan. You are responsible for, as applicable, withholding taxes, making contributions and obtaining insurance with respect to you and your personnel.
**k.** Any notice or demand required by or permitted to be given under these Terms or the Fund Rules will be in writing and be made by registered mail or by email, sent to such physical or email address as is customarily used by you and MNF (with a copy to IOG at ) during the course of the project.
**l.** In the event of a dispute between you and MNF (or between you and IOG or CFC acting as third party beneficiaries) arising out of, or relating to, the project or the interpretation, performance or breach of these Terms or the Fund Rules, each applicable party (and if a party is an entity, then a person in that party’s senior leadership who has sufficient authority and knowledge to attempt to resolve the dispute) shall use best efforts to attempt to resolve such dispute on amicable terms, including but not limited to meeting, whether in person or virtually, as frequently as is necessary under the circumstances. You and MNF, IOG and CFC (as applicable) shall not, at any time, disclose to any third party the nature or existence of the dispute. If the dispute cannot be resolved through good faith negotiations within 30 days, either party may pursue any available legal remedies in accordance with Section 9(m). The foregoing procedure does not apply to claims for injunctive or equitable relief.
**m.** These Terms and the Fund Rules will be governed by and construed under the laws of the United States and of the State of New York without regard to conflict of laws provisions. The federal and state courts sitting in New York County, New York will have exclusive jurisdiction and venue to adjudicate any dispute arising out of these Terms. YOU AND MNF HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS.
**n.** Section headings will not affect the interpretation of these Terms and the Fund Rules. These Terms and the Fund Rules (i) are binding on you and MNF and your and its respective personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns and (ii) inure to the benefit of you, MNF and all third-party beneficiaries and your and their personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns, and references to any party will include such representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
**o.** You acknowledge: (i) IOG’s ability to operate Project Catalyst and provide administrative services pursuant to these Terms is contingent upon IOG’s continued operation of Project Catalyst and provision of services to MNF; and (ii) the project and these Terms will automatically terminate pursuant to Section 5(e)(ii) if IOG ceases to operate Project Catalyst and provide administrative services to MNF pursuant to these Terms. MNF, IOG and CFC will not be liable for any costs, expenses, losses or damages incurred by you or any third party if IOG ceases to operate Project Catalyst or if these Terms terminate pursuant to Section 5(e)(ii) for any reason not directly caused by the intentional misconduct of MNF, IOG and CFC. You further acknowledge that you are not relying on any express or implied representations, warranties or assurances from MNF, IOG, CFC, any of their representatives or from the Cardano community regarding the certainty, timing or amount of any potential funding. Your participation in Project Catalyst, including the submission of any proposal and any related activities or expenditures undertaken by you or on your behalf prior to the actual disbursement of funds, is at your risk.
# Refunds Policy
Effective Date: \[October 2025]
Issued by: Catalyst FC (“CFC”) in coordination with the Fund Operator
### 1. Overview
This Refunds Policy outlines how and when Catalyst funded projects must return funds to Catalyst FC (“CFC”) following suspension, termination, or cancellation under the Project Catalyst Terms and Conditions (“Terms”). Our goal is to ensure fairness, transparency and consistency in how grant funds are managed, monitored, and, when necessary, recovered within the Catalyst ecosystem.
### 2. When a Refund is Required
A project must return funds to CFC if any of the following occur:
(i) The project is terminated by CFC for breaching the Terms, the applicable Fund Rules, or the specifications. Examples include, but are not limited to:
* Receiving funding for multiple projects with the same or substantially similar scopes.
* Providing false, plagiarized, or infringing content.
* Committing acts of fraud, dishonesty, or misrepresentation.
* Misusing funds or changing the project scope without following approved change procedures.
* Failing to submit required or requested deliverables, or missing deadlines.
* Failing to complete onboarding requirements on time.
(ii) The project is voluntarily terminated by the funding recipient under the Terms. In such cases, any unused funds or funds associated with incomplete milestones must be returned to CFC within the timeframe specified in the Terms and this Policy.
### 3. Refund Amount
The refund amount will be determined by CFC based on (i) the portion of the project that has not been completed, (ii) the value of undelivered milestones, and (iii) any evidence of unused or misused funds. CFC may request supporting documentation showing how funds were spent up to the date of termination. In cases involving fraud, misappropriation, or non compliance with AML/KYC requirements, CFC reserves the right to seek full repayment of the funds and to pursue additional remedies available under the Terms and applicable law.
CFC will provide a funding recipient with written notice specifying the refund amount, the reason for the refund, and the deadline for returning the funds.
All refunds must be transferred in ADA to the official Catalyst Refund Wallet:
Addr1q8q7jyap76l0d5gqj8naw5t49yu3f0h7qkzsps9z0gfjcu25uj747vu83mvg3fuh6ttdgwshjwtcne6esrpct2uzmnuqdqd82j
Each transaction must include "Project ID - refund" in the metadata.
The funding recipient must provide transaction details (including the TX hash) to CFC via the Catalyst Zendesk portal or any other communication channel designated by CFC.
### 4. Refund Timeline
Refunds must be completed within 14 calendar days of CFC’s written request, as required under Section 5(f)(iii) of the Terms. Failure to comply within this period may result in ineligibility for future Catalyst rounds (minimum 12 months).
Upon receipt of funds, CFC will confirm the refund via email. Refunds are recorded in Catalyst’s internal systems for transparency and audit compliance.
### 5. Contact
For all refund-related matters, please contact the Catalyst team via the [Zendesk portal. Please include your Project ID in all your communications. ](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)
# Proposal submission
This section will guide you through the proposal submission process.
### How to navigate
There are many resources available to help you navigate the proposal submission process. For additional assistance, please consider reviewing the following documents and support:
* Proposal Submission Form along with the guidance cards in the [Catalyst app](http://app.projectcatalyst.io/)
* [Create & Submit proposals in the Catalyst app](/catalyst-tools/catalyst-app/create-and-submit-proposals-in-workspace)
* [Catalyst app user guide](/catalyst-tools/catalyst-app)
* [Fund15 Launch Guide](https://projectcatalyst.io/f15launchguide.pdf)
* [Fund Rules](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/fund-basics/fund-rules)
* [Community Review Guidelines](/current-fund/community-review)
* [Telegram chat for Catalyst Proposers](https://t.me/catalystproposers)
* [Join Catalyst Discord here](https://discord.com/invite/Rjkb4Y2YaX)
### Where to submit your proposal?
Proposal should be submitted in the [Catalyst app](http://app.projectcatalyst.io/)
### Writing your proposal
* Use simple language: When writing your proposal, keep your words clear and easy to understand. Avoid using technical terms or complicated jargon.
* Everyone follows the same rules: Both the Proposers and Reviewers use the same instructions for submitting, reviewing, and scoring.
* Why this matters: Writing simply helps everyone understand your ideas better and makes the review process fair for all.
{% content-ref url="/pages/fCCcNFIv1I25Rgx7SXaB" %}
[Scoring guidance for the Proposer](/current-fund/proposal-submission/scoring-guidance-for-the-proposer)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/0HDSKjFolic70zOfTpAu" %}
[Additional Guidance](/current-fund/proposal-submission/additional-guidance)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Scoring guidance for the Proposer
This page provides an overview of what Community Reviewers will consider when submitting their opinions
Community Reviewers will score each proposal between 1-5 for each of the three criteria listed below. They are asked to opine on whether the proposal has clearly outlined its ability to provide a solution within the context of the three criteria:
1. IMPACT
2. CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY
3. VALUE FOR MONEY
NOTE: Do not assume that every Community Reviewer has technical or subject matter expertise.
**It is important to consider the following when formulating your proposal:**
1. Does your proposal clearly show a positive **IMPACT** for the Cardano ecosystem and its community? IMPACT means that the work you do on this project has a real, tangible, and positive effect or influence on the ecosystem. Does the project idea seem as if it has the potential to make a difference? Is the proposed impact realistic and achievable? Does the project team give high levels of confidence and assurances they will keep the community properly updated through correct and regular reporting?
2. Is your project proposal **FEASIBLE** within the plan and budget submitted? As part of your proposal submission, you are asked to submit the key milestones you believe are required in order to successfully complete the project and deliver the solution you propose. If your proposal is successful, you will be required to submit a Statement of Milestones at the onboarding stage. More information on the milestone process is available [here](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides). Does your team have the skills, experience, **CAPABILITY**, and capacity to complete the project successfully? Will your project achieve an outstanding result? Is the plan easily understood? Are the outcomes easily verified? Are your timelines and KPIs reasonable and can they be achieved in the timeframe you propose?.
3. Does the project represent **VALUE FOR MONEY** for the Community? Are the funds requested properly explained, and is the amount of funding requested justified and reasonable? Has the proposal justified why treasury funds are needed? Do you have the team **RESOURCES** available, or are there gaps in your team that you need to hire for? Remember that all costs must be calculated in ada.
Your proposal should present a clear path to your project’s successful completion and clearly explain the impact and outputs of what you are developing *(‘by developing X we will be able to do A,B,C which can be measured by 1, 2, 3, which will mean Y, Z type of positive impact for the community and Cardano’).*
Use links, attachments, and any other relevant supporting evidence to show your capability and capacity to deliver the project successfully.
Each of the three scored sections of your proposal (Impact, Feasibility, Value for Money) will be marked 1-5 stars, with 1 star = very poor answer to 5 stars = great answer.
★ - VERY POOR ANSWER
★★ - POOR ANSWER
★★★ - ACCEPTABLE ANSWER
★★★★ - GOOD ANSWER
★★★★★ - GREAT ANSWER
#### Scoring guidance for Community Reviewers
**Impact**
*You are reviewing the positive IMPACT this project will have on the Cardano ecosystem.*
*Has this project clearly demonstrated in all aspects of the proposal that it will have a positive impact on the Cardano ecosystem?*
| SCORE | SCORE RATIONALE |
| ----- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 |
NO - this project has failed to demonstrate the impact it will have on the Cardano ecosystem - the impact has not been properly defined or elaborated.
The Impact will be LOW - this proposal element is VERY POOR
|
| 2-3 |
Partially - the project has only partially demonstrated that it will have some impact on the Cardano ecosystem but there are too many gaps and omissions in the proposal. It is likely that the proposed impact is not achievable. The proposal does not clearly explain how the proposed solution will make a real difference.
The Impact will be MEDIUM - this proposal element is OK
|
| 4-5 |
YES - this project clearly demonstrates and explains the positive impact it will have on the Cardano ecosystem, including a clear description of how the project will prove its impact with tangible, measurable evidence. The impact of this proposal is realistic and achievable. The project team has demonstrated that it will properly engage with and communicate with the community on progress.
The Impact will be HIGH - this proposal element is GREAT
|
**Capability& Feasibility**
*You are reviewing the CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY of this project team and the project they are proposing.*
*Is this project feasible based on the proposal submitted? Does the plan and associated budget and milestones look achievable? Does the team have the skills, experience, capability and capacity to complete the project successfully?*
| SCORE | SCORE RATIONALE |
| ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 |
NO - this project is not feasible. There is a high risk that the project will fail to complete.
Feasibility is LOW - this proposal element is VERY POOR
|
| 2-3 |
Partially - the project proposal has only partially demonstrated feasibility. Some information is lacking around the feasibility of the project team and/or the project objectives. There is some risk that the project may not be completed successfully.
Feasibility will be MEDIUM - this proposal element is OK
|
| 4-5 |
YES - this project is clearly feasible based on the proposal. The project team has clearly demonstrated how it has the capability, experience, capacity, and skills needed to successfully complete the project as described, including an understanding of risks and possible mitigations.
Feasibility is HIGH - this proposal element is GREAT
|
**Value for Money**
*You are reviewing the VALUE FOR MONEY this represents for the treasury and the community*
*Is the funding amount requested for this project reasonable and does it provide good Value for Money to the Treasury?*
| SCORE | SCORE RATIONALE |
| ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | NO - this project is not good Value for Money. Value for Money rating is LOW - this proposal element VERY POOR |
| 2-3 |
Partially - the project has only partially demonstrated the Value for Money it delivers. There is some information missing or unclear regarding how the ada will be spent and there may be some issues with tracking progress because the milestones are too generic.
Value for Money rating is MEDIUM - this proposal element is OK
|
| 4-5 |
YES - this project clearly demonstrates good value for money and all financial aspects are clearly explained and defined. The project team is also able to demonstrate that it has the skills and capacity needed to properly manage funds.
Value for Money rating is HIGH - this proposal element is GREAT
|
# 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.
### S**ubmitting Milestones for your F15 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](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/project-onboarding/milestone-based-proposals) 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!
# Cardano Partners
# Cardano Partners shortlist
**Page under construction**
# Community Review
This section will guide you through the Community Review process
# Fund14 Notice: Community Review Registration
### Enhancing the Community Review Experience for Fund14
Dear Project Catalyst Community,
The incredible growth of our Community Review program is a testament to the passion and dedication within the Catalyst ecosystem. As the program continues to scale, we are committed to evolving our processes to ensure a professional, secure, and rewarding experience for every participant.
To support this evolution, we are enhancing our registration process for Fund14 with one key update.
**A New Standard for Participation in Fund14**
To align with best practices for a program of this scale, all aspiring Community Reviewers must have their identity verification (KYC) fully completed and approved before the registration deadline to be eligible to participate.
This enhancement ensures that from day one, the reviewer cohort is fully established, allowing for a seamless and efficient process for everyone involved.
**The Benefits of This Enhancement:**
* **A Professional & Secure Process**: A fully verified group of reviewers enhances the integrity and professionalism of the entire fund.
* **Prompt & Predictable Rewards**: With verification handled upfront, we can ensure a smooth and predictable rewards process for all eligible reviewers.
* **Clarity & Equal Opportunity**: This single, clear requirement creates a transparent and fair environment for every community member.
### How to Ensure Your Participation: A Step-by-Step Guide
**Step 1: The Foundation - Your Catalyst Keychain**
Before you can register as a reviewer, you must have a Catalyst Keychain. This is the central identity system for all active participants in Project Catalyst.
* Action: If you don't have one, please **follow the guidelines on Catalyst Gitbook to create your Keychain** [**here**](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/catalyst-tools/catalyst-app/getting-started).
* Goal: Your objective within the Keychain system is to reach at least the "Contributor" level, which is a prerequisite for all community review roles.
**Step 2: Identity Verification (KYC)**
Once your Keychain is set up, your next step is to ensure your identity verification is complete.
For our Valued Fund13 Reviewers:
Great news! If you successfully completed the full KYC process in Fund13 and received an "Approved" status, your verification will automatically carry over. There is no need to verify again.
* Simply register your interest for Fund14 using the **exact same account and login credentials (email) as before**.
* *Please note: Creating duplicate accounts is a violation of program rules and will result in disqualification.*
For All New Reviewers (or those not fully verified in Fund13):
Please follow these steps carefully:
1. **Begin Your Verification Early**: The process is managed by our compliance partner and can take time. We strongly recommend starting now.
2. **Provide Accurate and Valid Documents**: To ensure swift approval, check that:
* You use a valid, government-issued ID that is **not expired**.
* The images you upload are clear and legible.
* The information you enter **exactly matches** your ID.
* You provide valid **Proof of Address (PoA)** documentation.
* For full details, please **refer to the Step-By-Step Verification Guide** [**here**](/current-fund/community-review/fund14-notice-community-review-registration/kyc-verification-guide).
3. **Understand the Approval Deadline**: The deadline of **Wednesday, August 18, 2025, at 6:00 AM UTC** is the cut-off for having a **fully approved** verification status. Starting the process does not automatically guarantee participation in Fund14. Applications still pending after this time will not be eligible for Fund14.
*A helpful tip: Think of this process as your first review task. The attention to detail and ability to follow guidelines carefully are key qualities we look for in our best Community Reviewers.*
### Our Commitment to a Best-in-Class Experience
Our goal is to create a best-in-class experience for our contributors. We believe these process enhancements are a vital step in that direction, providing the clarity and structure necessary for a thriving, large-scale community program.
If you are unable to complete verification in time for Fund14, we sincerely hope you will try again in the next fund. Thank you for your understanding and for being a vital part of Project Catalyst's growth.
Sincerely,
The Project Catalyst Team
{% content-ref url="/pages/JglAx0qxgRs8LzxFJeN2" %}
[KYC Verification Guide](/current-fund/community-review/fund14-notice-community-review-registration/kyc-verification-guide)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# KYC Verification Guide
Our team is dedicated to ensuring a smooth experience during your verification process. Please may you kindly follow the instructions below carefully to successfully complete your KYC verification.Data
#### Applicant Data
* Please accurately complete the fields which aligns with your government document
* First Name
* Middle Name (if you have one)
* Last Name
* Country
* Date of Birth
#### Identity Document
* This document must be a government issued document which can be any of the following:
* Passport
* Identity Card
* Drivers Licenses
* Residence Cards
* The document you are providing **MUST** have:
* Your full name.
* Your country of residence.
* Less than 3 months old.
* All four corners of the document showing - **NOT** a scanned document.
* Ensure the document is clear and legible, and your face is clearly visible.
#### Selfie
* Please ensure the photo is a **LIVE SELFIE** in real time, otherwise this will be considered as invalid.
* This must be a clear photo of your face.
#### Proof of Address
**Must Have Details in Your PoA**:
* The document **MUST** contain your full name and home address, please **DO NOT** include PO Box address.
* Proof of residency **MUST** be printed and photo taken of all pages. Every page **MUST** show all four corners of the document pages. Taking incomplete photos not showing corners is not acceptable.
* Proof of residency **MUST** be less than 3 months old.
* Proof of residency **MUST** come directly from the provider and **MUST NOT** be edited.
#### Common Proof of Residency Examples
* Bank statement showing the date of issue and the name of the person (the document must be not older than 3 months);
* Utility bill for gas, electricity, water, internet, etc. linked to the property (the document must not be older than 3 months);
* Letter from a recognized public authority or public servant (any government-issued correspondence not older than 3 months);
* Tax bill, valid for 1 year;
* Mortgage statement;
* Certificate of voter registration;
* Correspondence with a government authority regarding the receipt of benefits such as a pension, unemployment benefits, housing benefits, etc.;
* Cable bill (but not from satellite TV companies);
* Landline telephone bill;
* A lease agreement that is current and has the signatures of the landlord and the tenant;
* Credit card statement issued by a bank;
* Employer’s certificate for PoA;
#### Alternative Proof of Residency Examples
The following documents can also be accepted as valid PoA, but ONLY if they contain the full home address:
* Passport
* Identity card
* Driving license
DISCLAIMER: The same document cannot be used to confirm both your identity and place of residence. So, if you submit an ID document as PoA, you should use another document to confirm your identity.
#### Unacceptable Proof of Address Examples
* Old government-issued correspondence (older than 3 months);
* Old bank statements (older than 3 months);
* Old utility bill linked to the property (older than 3 months);
* Pension statements;
* Insurance policies;
* Mobile phone bills;
* Medical bills;
* Receipts for purchases;
* Insurance statements;
* Documents stating PO Box addresses (except for some countries).
#### Verification Conditions
Please ensure you review our [Terms and Conditions](/previous-funds/fund13-docs/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions) carefully. Any breach of the listed guidelines may result in us no longer proceeding with your verification and may exclude you from consideration for future Funds.
**Important**:
* **Do not open multiple accounts** unless you qualify for two different applicant types and are applying for two separate Funds.
* **Do not edit any documents** provided as part of the application process.
Lastly, if you have any questions or any issues at any stage please do not hesitate to contact the Catalyst Team. We are here for you, and we are wishing you all the best on your Fund14 journey!
# How to become a Community Reviewer?
This page provides guidance to become Community Reviewer
In Fund15, the Community Review stage will take place within the [Community Review module](https://reviews.projectcatalyst.io/) - a new platform designed specifically to manage the Community Review and Moderation process. This module replaces Ideascale, which was used up to Fund13. Please follow this [user guide](/catalyst-tools/community-review-module) to get familiarized with this new platform.
**IMPORTANT**: If you are interested to become LV0, LV1 or LV2 in Fund15, you have to register in the [Community Review module](https://reviews.projectcatalyst.io/) during [submission window](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-timeline)**.**
# Community Reviewer Levels
This page provides information regarding Community Reviewer levels and who is qualified for certain level
### Community Reviewer levels
Fund15 has three levels of Community Reviewers: LV0, LV1, and LV2. All reviewers can provide their opinions in precisely the same way as each other. The difference is that more experienced reviewers have more opportunities to support Catalyst processes and receive rewards.
**For Catalyst categories**:
**LV0** - LV0 Community Reviewers are ALL new reviewers and less experienced reviewers. Consider yourself on the ground floor, and Catalyst wants you to get used to performing the role. LV0 reviewers will share in a pot of reward incentives. The larger the pool of LV0 reviews and reviewers, the less per review each reviewer will receive. LV0 Reviewers will be invited to review up to 20 proposals. They will be allocated a set of proposals to review based on proposals across the entire fund (unable to choose specific Fund categories).
**LV1** - LV1 Reviewers have already performed a substantial number of reviews. LV1 Reviewers will be invited to review up to 50 proposals and will be allocated an initial set of proposals to review based on category preferences selected during the registration process.
**LV2** - LV2 Reviewers (Community Moderators) will perform a Community “Moderator” function to check any reviews flagged by the Catalyst scripts. Community Moderators will not alter the review or the scores provided by the Community Reviewers, meaning reviewers shouldn’t feel afraid to provide honest opinions and objective scores. Instead, Community Moderators are asked to decide whether reviews that were flagged by the Catalyst scripts should be published or discarded altogether. Community Moderators will also perform a random spot check on a small percentage of reviews submitted by LV0 and LV1 reviewers. In Fund15, each LV0 and LV1 review that is selected for moderation will be checked by a minimum of two LV2 Community Moderators.
**For Midnight category:**
**LV0** - LV0 Community Reviewers are ALL new reviewers and less experienced reviewers. Consider yourself on the ground floor, and Catalyst wants you to get used to performing the role. LV0 reviewers will share in a pot of reward incentives. The larger the pool of LV0 reviews and reviewers, the less per review each reviewer will receive. LV0 Reviewers will be invited to review up to 3 proposals.
**LV1** - LV1 Reviewers have already performed a substantial number of reviews. LV1 Reviewers will be invited to review up to 7 proposals.
**LV2** - LV2 Reviewers (Community Moderators) will perform a Community “Moderator” function to check any reviews flagged by the Catalyst scripts. Community Moderators will not alter the review or the scores provided by the Community Reviewers, meaning reviewers shouldn’t feel afraid to provide honest opinions and objective scores. Instead, Community Moderators are asked to decide whether reviews that were flagged by the Catalyst scripts should be published or discarded altogether. Community Moderators will also perform a random spot check on a small percentage of reviews submitted by LV0 and LV1 reviewers. In Fund15, each LV0 and LV1 review that is selected for moderation will be checked by a minimum of two LV2 Community Moderators.
### How do I progress through the Community Reviewer levels?
For Fund15: For each Reviewer ID, based on the past performance of old funds, the relative percentage of valid assessments submitted that were either Excellent OR Good is a qualifying factor to determine an LV0, LV1, or LV2 Community Review level.
This parameter allows setting a minimum % of valid assessments to qualify previously held PA IDs in Fund15.
**To qualify as an LV1 in Fund15**:
* Must have completed a minimum of 75 valid reviews with a threshold of at least 90% valid assessments submitted from their work from F11 to F14;
* Active in at least 3 funds between F11 and F14 as LV0/LV1 (active means submitted at least 1 valid reviews)
**To qualify as an LV2 in Fund15**:
* Must have completed a minimum of 100 reviews with at least 90% valid assessments submitted from their work from F12 to F14;
* Active in F12, F13 and F14 as LV0/LV1 reviewer, meaning that at least 1 valid review was submitted.
In Fund15, Cardano Ambassadors have also been invited to participate in LV2 Moderator in Catalyst categories as they have already been recognized as capable Cardano community contributors, helping encourage others to keep within the Cardano Community code of conduct.
As part of our commitment to ensuring the security and integrity of the review process, we have implemented an automated script to monitor and analyze various factors and unusual activity. Reviewers may be automatically excluded from participating if specific security concerns are identified, such as the probability of holding multiple accounts. Additionally, Reviewers acting not according to the [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-rules) and/or [Terms and Conditions](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/project-catalyst-terms-and-conditions) may also be excluded at any point in time.
\
# Community Review - Submission process (LV0 and LV1)
This page provides information regarding submission process for LV0 and LV1
LV0 and LV1 Community Reviewers will read a proposal and assign it a score between 1 and 5 for each of the 3 criteria (impact, feasibility, and value for money). These are three distinct scores for each of the categories. There is no additional final score as 3 criteria are looked at independently and not added together as an average.
For each of the three criteria, Community Reviewers are required to give their opinion and rationale in English to explain the score and demonstrate the assessor’s critical thinking. A proposal may receive a low score for various reasons, including if the funding application form is incomplete, the applicant cannot be identified, or the project does not comply with [Fund15 rules](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-rules). If a rationale does not correspond with the score given, the review will likely be filtered out in the Moderation Stage.
Community Reviewers should consider and assess proposals and criteria on their own merits. Community Reviewers should only provide their own opinions. Their review should not be the work of others or an AI agent acting on their behalf.
# Community Review Process
This page provides information regarding Community Reviewer process and information on how to find allocations in the Community Review module
**New Community Reviewers (LV0)**
* Community reviewers must register, complete a required identity verification process and carry out reviews using the [Community Review module](https://reviews.projectcatalyst.io/).
* Community reviewers must read through the guidance documentation provided.
* Community Reviewers will log into the [Community Review module](https://reviews.projectcatalyst.io/) and carry out their reviews, providing scores and reasons for giving those scores using the scoring rubric supplied.
* LV0 and LV1 Reviewers can review proposals from any Fund categories; however, Catalyst suggests that opinions are most valuable when reviewing proposals from areas and subject matter that the Community Reviewer is familiar with.
* LV0 and LV1 Reviewers will be provided an allocation of proposals to review which will be visible in the tab “Allocated proposals”. Reviewers can choose to review outside of the allocation (by reviewing proposals in the “Proposals” tab), however, to minimize risks of gaming, non-allocated proposal reviews will have a lower weighted score compared to allocated reviews. (More details in the[ Score Weight](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/community-review/score-weight) section).
* Once a review is submitted, it will pass through Catalyst scripts which analyze the review for: ‘length,’ ‘similarity,’ ‘profanity,’ and ‘use of AI’ (details can be found in the Catalyst flags section).
* All flagged reviews will be randomly allocated to at least 2 LV2 Community Moderators for analysis. Community Moderators will determine whether a flagged review will be published or discarded.
* Once voting has concluded, the reward calculations for all reviewers (LV0-LV2) are prepared.
* Community Reviewer rewards will be distributed as soon as possible.
**Experienced Community Reviewers (LV1)**
Experienced Community Reviewers must follow the same guidance and steps as LV0 Community Reviewers, noting that after Step 3 above, LV1 community reviewers will have the following additional steps.
* Catalyst will generate a random allocation of proposals to be reviewed for eligible LV1 and LV0 reviewers in the [Community Review module](https://reviews.projectcatalyst.io/) visible in the “Allocated proposals” tab. Reviews of allocated proposals will be rewarded at a fixed rate per review for LV1 and at a variable rate per review for LV0, determined by the number of reviewers participating and the total reviews published.
* LV1 Community reviewer allocations are based on the category preferences selected during registration. While LV1s can review any proposal, the higher rewards will be paid for reviewing proposals identified in the allocation.
* When an LV1 reviewer chooses to review proposals outside of the prescribed allocation (visible in “Allocated proposals” tab), the review will still be counted (subject to passing the flagging and LV2 stage), and rewards for these additional reviewers will be counted as part of the LV0 pot of rewards.
As LV1 reviewer in **Catalyst categories**, you may perform more than the allocation of 50 reviews. To do so, you may review proposals visible in the “Proposals” tab. The rewards for each review above and beyond the allocation will be paid as part of the LV0 pool of reviews. Those excess reviews will also carry a lower weight in the score as outlined in the score weight formula section.
As LV1 reviewer in **Midnight category**, you may perform more than the allocation of 7 reviews. To do so, you may review proposals visible in the “Proposals” tab. The rewards for each review above and beyond the allocation will be paid as part of the LV0 pool of reviews. Those excess reviews will also carry a lower weight in the score as outlined in the score weight formula section.
# Scoring rubric and guiding questions
Community Reviewers must consider each of the following points as they undertake their reviews:
* Assign a score between 1 and 5 for each criterion based on the scoring rubric below.
* For each of the three criteria, a score and rationale for your score must be provided.
* Each of the 3 sections should be considered and reviewed on its own merits. These sections are:
* Impact \~ Does the proposal have the potential to positively impact Cardano?
* Feasibility / Capability \~ Is the proposal feasible, and does the proposer have the capability to deliver the project successfully and manage Treasury funds properly?
* Resources / Value for money \~ Does the proposal represent good value for the treasury and community?
* Your rationale must explain the score you have given. The review may be removed if a rationale does not correspond with the score given.
* Any score without a rationale will be filtered out, and you will not be compensated.
* Your rationale should help the voters decide, so ensure your considerations, scores, and rationales are comprehensible.
* Consider and communicate what additional information or improvements the proposer could include in future funds.
* Be sure that you submit your review correctly.
Each of the three scored sections of a proposal (Impact, Feasibility, Value for Money) will be marked 1-5. Where \[1] = a very poor answer, and \[5] = a great answer.
1 star - VERY POOR ANSWER
2 stars - POOR ANSWER
3 stars - ACCEPTABLE ANSWER
4 stars - GOOD ANSWER
5 stars - GREAT ANSWER
The following are scoring examples and rationale for each of the 3 criteria.
# Community Moderation Process
In Fund15, the Community Moderation process is conducted through the [Community Review Module](https://reviews.projectcatalyst.io/), which has replaced the previous Moderation module. A user guide explaining how to use this new tool is available [here ](/catalyst-tools/community-review-module)to help you understand its features and functionality.
All reviews provided by the Community Reviewers will be subject to an automated review process using Catalyst Flags. Catalyst Flags\* are pieces of code known as scripts that are run to analyze all reviews by the Community Reviewers. Catalyst scripts will raise flags in case of:
* **Similarity** \~ reviews which are identical or almost identical to a another review
* **Profanity** \~ reviews that contain profanities or abusive content or language
* **Use of AI** \~ reviews which do not reflect the opinion of the Community Reviewer or which are provided by others or an AI-agent acting on their behalf.
\* Length requirements have already been applied for automatically (reviews containing less than 150 characters in impact, feasibility, and value for money criteria)
All reviews that have been flagged will go through a moderation process involving Community Moderators (LV2).
* Community Moderators will be randomly allocated flagged reviews for further assessment. In addition, between 1-5% percent of reviews not flagged by scripts will be allocated to LV2 Community Reviewers for a spot check (depending on the total reviews received).
* Community Moderators have to register in the [Community Review module](https://reviews.projectcatalyst.io/) to perform moderation
* Community Moderators can see which flags have been raised by scripts about the review/reviewer.
* After reading the review and flags, Community Moderators will submit their moderations, marking reviews they believe were legitimately flagged and providing a reason for why the review should be removed. Eg. Where the flag is raised because of potential ChatGPT AI involvement or plagiarism, the Moderator must make a judgment whether they believe the review not to be a reviewer's own opinion. If the Moderator agrees with the flag, they mark it as REMOVE and give a rationale.
* Rationale should be a short written statement, and a selection must be made from a menu of reasons. For example, the moderator would select from options such as:
* There is no evident issue with review
* I believe this is not the person’s own opinion
* There is profanity
* There is too much similarity with another review
* Rationale doesn’t correspond with the score given
* Rationale contains a false statement
* If Moderators disagree with the flag and believe the review should be included for voters to consider, they mark it as VALID and give a rationale.
* Moderators should only discard reviews if there is a valid reason why a voter shouldn’t see that review. Unless the review has an obvious reason, such as the below flags or another obvious reason (spamming, for instance), then the review should be included.
* Moderators should only discard reviews if there is a valid reason why a voter shouldn’t see that review. Unless the review has an obvious reason, such as the below flags or another obvious reason (spamming, for instance), then the review should be included.
* If Moderators disagree with the flag and believe the review should be included for voters to consider, they mark it as VALID and give a rationale.
#### Rules to be followed by Community Moderators (LV2)
* All reviews should be provided to voters unless a Community Moderator has good reason not to include it.
* It is anticipated that Community Moderators will approve many flagged reviews and will be included for voters to consider.
* Moderators are there to provide a sanity check to verify if the flag(s) have raised a valid concern.
* Moderators should use their best judgment and provide a reason if they agree the flag is valid, meaning that the review should not be included.
* The majority of reviews will be displayed in the voting application, meaning only those legitimately flagged and tagged by LV2 Moderators will not be included.
* Simple majority forms consensus about including the review or not. In a scenario whereby 2 moderators (or an equal number of moderators on each side of the decision) do not form a consensus about including the review or not, then the benefit of the doubt will be given and the review included.
* In a scenario where only 1 moderator checked a review, then the Catalyst will fulfill the second necessary moderation
* In a scenario where flagged or spot-checked reviews go without moderation by either LV2 moderators allocated to check, then the Catalyst team will fulfill the moderation duty.
# L2 Moderation Bounty: Guidance for Community Moderators
Hello Moderator, and thank you for helping us uphold the quality of proposals for Fund15! Your role is crucial in helping the Catalyst Team review all "Final" proposals to ensure only compliant submissions make it to the ballot.
This is a focused mission to identify and flag non-compliant proposals. This guide will provide the expectations, compliance documents, and reward structure for this program.
***
### 📣 **An Important Disclaimer for All Participants**
#### 🧑⚖️ For Our Moderators
Please note: This paid L2 Moderation Bounty is an exclusive pilot initiative for our cohort of experienced L2 Moderators introduced [in Fund14](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/previous-funds/fund14-docs/community-review/community-moderation-process/l2-moderation-bounty-guidance-for-community-moderators). Fund15 is the iteration of that process. We are entrusting this critical task to you in recognition of your proven experience and deep understanding of the Catalyst process. Your work is essential, and this bounty is a token of our appreciation for your expertise. This is in addition to your general duties as L2 Moderator during the Fund15 Community Review stage.
**TL;DR**: Only invited L2 Moderators from the Fund15 cohort are eligible for bounty payments. Others may participate but will not receive payment.
#### 🌱 For the Wider Cardano Community
If you are not an L2 Moderator but are passionate about proposal quality, we warmly welcome your contributions! The Cardano community's collective intelligence is our greatest asset.
While you are not eligible for the ADA rewards in this specific bounty, you can still help by identifying and discussing proposals that may not meet community standards. We encourage you to share your insights on a volunteer basis in the relevant community discussion channels (like Discord or Telegram or X) or submit [a direct support ticket here](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) and choose ‘Feedback: Misconduct Report’ from the type of inquiry drop down choice. Your voice matters and helps inform voters and proposers alike.
***
### ⚖️ TERMS & CONDITIONS
By participating in this Program and submitting flags, you agree to our Terms & Conditions at the bottom of this document.
***
### Our Mission: Flagging "Final" Proposals
For Fund15, your task is to identify and flag proposals that have been locked by the proposer.
* **"Final" Proposals**: These proposals are finalized. **This is your focus**. Your goal is to be a firm moderator and submit a private flag to the Catalyst Team for any "Final" proposal that violates compliance rules.
***
### ## Your Source of Truth: Category Briefs & Fund Rules
For Fund15, your flags must be based only on the official **Category Briefs** and **Fund Rules**. These are the source of truth for all compliance.
Your job is to check the proposal against the **Category Brief** for its specific category:
1. **Cardano Open: Ecosystem**
2. **Cardano Use Cases: Prototype & Launch**
3. **Cardano Partners: Tier-1 Enterprise Integrations**
4. **Midnight: Compact DApps**
Please find the official [Fund15 Category Briefs](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/category-scopes) & [Fund Rules](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-rules) here. Before you begin, review these documents carefully. Each category has unique requirements, and your flags will be judged against them.
***
### ## Your Task: Flagging "Final" Proposals
This is the firm moderation task. These proposals are locked, so your review is final and must be private.
**🔎 Your Task:**
1. Find a proposal with the "**Final**" status.
2. Review it against the **official Category Brief** for its category and the general **Fund Rules**.
3. If you find a clear and undeniable violation, submit a private flag. Your justification for the flag must be clear and reference the specific rule or brief item being violated.
**💰 How to Claim Your Reward:**
For proposals, all flags must be submitted via form.
* Fill out Google Form for each private flag \[if you are eligible L2 moderator, please check your email for link]
***
### ## How Rewards Are Calculated (Fund15) 💰
We are running a single bounty pool to incentivize the accurate flagging of non-compliant "Final" proposals. We want to reward your time and sharp eye fairly. The reward system is based on the quality and uniqueness of your flags from a total bounty pool of **20,000 ADA**.
Here’s how it works:
**Example Scenario:**
* **Pay-Per-Flag**: You will earn **15 ADA** for each **confirmed** flag you submit.
* **What is a "Confirmed Flag"?** A flag is considered "confirmed" when the Catalyst Team reviews your submission and agrees the proposal clearly violates the **Category Brief** (and your flag justification references it) and you were the first to flag it.
* **What Makes a Good Flag Justification?** A clear, concise, and verifiable justification is **required** for a flag to be confirmed. Flags with weak or missing justifications may not be approved, even if the issue is valid.
* **Bad Flag (will be rejected)**: "This proposal's budget is vague. Feels non-compliant."
* **Good Flag (will be confirmed)**: "Flagging for non-compliance. 'Proposal \[NAME] violates Item XYZ of the Category Brief for 'Cardano Use Cases: Prototype & Launch', which requires a detailed 3-month milestone plan. The proposal's Roadmap section only lists 'Q1 - Launch' with no details.'"
* **First Reporter Rul**e: To ensure fairness, only the **first moderator to submit a confirmed flag for a specific proposal will be rewarded**. If multiple moderators flag the same proposal for the same valid reason, the reward goes to whoever submitted the Google Form first. Timestamp determinations are based on form submission time and are final. We will not adjust payments retroactively due to timing disputes or system errors.
* **Individual Cap**: To encourage wide participation, each moderator can earn a maximum of **400 ADA**. This is equivalent to 27 unique, confirmed flags (27 flags x 15 ADA/flag).
* **Final Program Deadline**: Flags must be submitted by **6AM UTC on December 15** or until the 20,000 ADA reward pool is fully allocated, whichever comes first. Flags submitted by the deadline will be reviewed even if review occurs after the deadline, subject to the pool cap.
* **Finality**: The Catalyst Team's decision on whether a flag is "confirmed" is final and binding. There will not be an appeals process for this program.
* **KYC**: Payment is subject to successful completion of KYC verification. If you do not complete KYC or fail verification, you will not receive payment.
**Example Scenario:**
Let's say you spend an evening reviewing proposals:
* You submit private flags for 12 different "Final" proposals.
* The Catalyst Team reviews them:
* **8 flags** are confirmed as valid, and you were the first to report them.
* **2 flags** are confirmed as valid, but another moderator reported them just before you did.
* **2 flags** are not confirmed, as the team determined the proposals were acceptable after a closer look.
* **Your Reward Calculation**: 8 (unique confirmed flags) x 15 ADA = **120 ADA.**
***
### ## A Note on Fair Play, Empathy & Good Conduct
Your job is to flag, not to judge. You are an extra set of eyes helping our team focus our attention. When you flag a proposal, you are simply stating that it may not meet the category criteria and requires an expert review. Any attempts to abuse this system in a malicious way are not going to be tolerated in any shape and form and may result in exclusion from future programs.
Please provide a clear, concise justification for each flag based on the guidance above. This helps us quickly assess the situation. There's no need to write an essay.
Thank you again for your commitment. Your work helps ensure that voter attention is focused on the highest-quality proposals, strengthening the entire Cardano ecosystem. ✨
Thank you for your work in helping to ensure a high-quality ballot for Fund15.
Happy flagging! **The Catalyst Team**
\
**Terms & Conditions**
\- By submitting flags through the L2 Moderation Bounty Program for Fund15 (the "Program"), you ("Moderator") confirm you read, understand and agree to these Terms & Conditions and the foregoing Program guidance (together, the "Terms"). IOG Singapore Pte. Ltd. administers the Program on behalf of Catalyst FC (collectively, "we," "us" or “our”).
\- All bounty payments are discretionary and subject to our confirmation that your flag is valid and you were first to report it.
\- You: (a) will submit accurate flags in good faith; (b) keep all proposal information confidential and not share or use it outside the Program; (c) are an independent participant, not an employee or contractor; (d) are responsible for tax obligations and regulatory compliance in your jurisdiction; and (e) assign to us all rights in your submitted flags and materials, including intellectual property rights.
\- We make no warranties about the Program, payment amounts or timing. To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability will not exceed amounts paid to you, and we are not liable for indirect, incidental or consequential damages. We may modify or terminate the Program at any time, with notice when practicable.
\- The Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of laws provisions.
# Conflict of Interest
Community Reviewers should recuse themselves from reviewing and moderating
* their own proposal and their own reviews,
* a proposal where they are engaged as an advisor, mentor, or otherwise substantially involved in the execution phase of such proposal; or
* any other proposal and review in the same challenge category as a proposal they have submitted or are engaged with as an advisor, mentor, or otherwise substantially involved in the execution of such proposal.
Any Community Reviewer account previously identified as ineligible to participate in the process will not be allowed to participate in any shape or form in Fund15 as per earlier guidelines. Full list of reviewer IDs that have been blacklisted will be made available.
# Reviewer Rewards
**In Fund15, Reviewers who registered to be Reviewer in both Catalyst and Midnight category and are eligible for rewards, will receive separate rewards for both categories.**
**For Catalyst categories:**
LV0 reviewers will receive an amount per review that is inversely proportional to the total number of reviews submitted by LV0. The more reviews are submitted the lower the reward amount per review. The maximum amount per review for LV0 is 12 ada. This amount could be less if LV0 reviewers completed many more reviews. LV0 gets rewarded only for allocated reviews. To receive rewards, LV0 must have at least 10 valid reviews. The pot of allocated LV0 rewards includes the overflow of additional LV1 reviews that exceed the LV1 reviewer’s auto-allocation, added to the LV0 pool of published reviews.
LV1s can expect a fixed amount of 25 ada per allocated review. If the LV1 reviewer wants to perform more reviews beyond the assigned allocation, then every additional published review will be compensated for the LV0 pot of rewards. To receive rewards, LV1 must have at least 10 valid reviews, including assigned and additional reviews. Any number of reviews under this amount will not be rewarded.
LV2s can expect to receive a maximum of 2.5 ada per flag check. The effort here is anticipated to be straightforward and quick to accomplish for each flagged review
Only valid, published reviews will be rewarded. Discarded reviews will not be rewarded.
**For Midnight category:**
Rewards for LV0, LV1 and LV2 Reviewers in the Midnight category will be shared at a later stage.
# Score Weight
A score weighting will be applied to all reviews submitted beyond the reviewer’s allocation.
In past funds, the score for each criterion was calculated with the simple average of all the valid reviews. Still, this approach leaves the door open to attacks on score ratings since a bad actor could feasibly create an unlimited number of LV0 accounts and have a major influence on the final score.
To prevent this, the score of each criterion is calculated by weighting the allocated reviews differently versus the non-allocated reviews. Allocated reviews are weighted 80/20 against non-allocated reviews.
Reviews by LV0 and LV1 are not treated differently in the voting app interface. It is only the weighted score that differs, which impacts the final aggregated score rating of reviews. The final rating for each criteria calculation is protected against spam attacks by giving more weight to allocated reviews.
# FAQ
### General questions
**Where can I find the link to the Community Review module?**
You can access the Community Review module directly at this link: . We recommend bookmarking this page for easy access.
***
### Account Access & Login Issues
**How can I find my CatalystID if I forgot it?**
Please find more information [here](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/catalyst-tools/catalyst-app/my-account).
**Why am I seeing an "authentication error" when I try to log in?**
An authentication error can happen for a few common reasons. Please check the following:
* **Is your account activated?** After registering, you should have received an activation email. If your account wasn’t activated properly in time, participation in Fund15 is not possible.
* **Are you using the correct password?** The Community Review Module has a separate password from the Catalyst App. Ensure you are not mixing them up.
* **Is your account fully set up?** If you did not complete the registration process for the Community Review Module before the deadline, your account was not created. Unfortunately, this means you will be unable to participate in Fund15.
**How do I reset my password if I forgot it?**
You can reset your password as long as you have your seed phrase.
1. On the login screen, click the **Unlock** button.
2. Select the **Forgot password?** option at the bottom right.
3. Enter your seed phrase when prompted to set a new password.
**Can my account be recovered if I lost my password AND my seed phrase?**
No. For security reasons, we cannot recover accounts if both the password and the seed phrase are lost.
{% hint style="danger" %}
**Warning:** Your seed phrase is your only backup. Without it, account recovery is impossible. Please store it in a secure, offline location.
{% endhint %}
***
### Other Questions
**How do I find my Anonymized ID in the Community Review module?**
Your Anonymized ID is used to identify you during the review process. It will become visible in your profile section only after you have successfully completed the registration to become a Community Reviewer for the current Fund.
**Why didn't I receive any proposals to review after registering?**
We understand this can be confusing. During the proposal allocation phase, an automated analysis is run on all reviewer registrations to ensure the integrity of the process. If you were not assigned a level or allocated any proposals, it means the analysis detected unusual activity associated with your account (such as signals of multiple account usage) and automatically excluded it from participating in this review round.
**Why did my reviewer level change from LV1 to LV0 this Fund?**
Reviewer levels are not permanent and are re-evaluated for each new Fund. This can happen because:
* **Eligibility requirements change:** The criteria for achieving LV1 may be different from one Fund to the next.
* **Your own status may have changed:** Your account may have met the criteria for the previous Fund but not for the current one. Please review the [eligibility requirements for the current Fund.](/current-fund/community-review/community-reviewer-levels)
**Why can't I participate in the bounty program?**
The bounty program is an exclusive reward system for our L2 (Level 2) moderators to thank them for their significant contributions to the ecosystem.
\
# Voter registration
These guides allow you to register your wallet for voting
### How to register as a voter?
#### Voting registration minimal requirements
These are the pre-requisites you need to have in order to participate
* Minimum requirement of **25 ADA** \*excluding rewards\*
* Prior to registration, you must **install the latest version of the Catalyst Voting application** on your mobile device.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Download Voting App**
Android users: [“Catalyst Voting” on Google Play store](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.iohk.vitvoting)
IOS users: [“Catalyst Voting” on IOS store](https://apps.apple.com/fr/app/catalyst-voting/id1517473397?l=en)
{% endhint %}
* Registration must be completed before the snapshot date.
* Make sure you always use the clean fresh install version of the latest app release.
* Inside app - there is a status feature that highlights your readiness for the voting round. It may take some time for voting app to recognize fresh (very recent) registration (up to 24 hours) and be confirmed visually only later. In such scenario - it may be saying 'Wallet not found". As long as your wallet correctly implemented registration standard, it has no effect on the snapshot itself as your registration would be recorded on blockchain regardless. Just ensure your QR/PIN code is safely stored and that it is the latest registration made ahead of scheduled snapshot. Do not mix QR/PIN codes from the same wallet (or others) or connection will not work.
* Note: there is a registration fee of 0.17 - 0.18 ADA
{% hint style="info" %}
### **If you registered before Fund10, you will need to reregister to receive rewards**
**If you registered before Fund10**, we recommend **creating a new registration**.
Prior registrations will be eligible to cast votes, but not earn rewards.
{% endhint %}
#### Important info
* If you registered in Fund4, Fund5, Fund6, Fund7, Fund8, and/or Fund9 and were able to cast votes - **your registration will be automatically valid for Fund15 to cast votes but not to receive rewards** (provided you still have your QR and PIN code you don't need to re-register). This does not apply to Fund2 or Fund3 registrations.
* If you registered in Fund10 or later - and were able to cast a vote correctly - your registration is already valid for Fund15 without any additional steps required. Including rewards eligibility. Make sure you still have access to your correct QR/PIN code combination by connecting to the Voting App.
* Voting power will be updated during the new snapshot taking place on January 4, 2026 at 9:45 PM UTC and show once voting begins at the latest.
* Please note that **iPhone 6 and previous versions are not supported**.
* Regardless of your wallet, each registration will provide you with a unique QR and PIN code. These must absolutely be saved. No QR code saved, no vote! No PIN code saved, no vote!
* Please note that only the latest registration is valid
{% content-ref url="/pages/uVhaeXJDc3NJqqtxpsH1" %}
[Supported wallets](/current-fund/voter-registration/supported-wallets)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/pd5aW8Y65e4QoGe9HJAI" %}
[Registration Guide - In your wallet](/current-fund/voter-registration/registration-guide-in-your-wallet)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Supported wallets
These are some of the wallets you can use to participate in the Catalyst Fund voting.
All data is provided by the wallet vendors. Due to the large number of wallets and wallet versions, it is not possible for Project Catalyst to validate this data in all circumstances and is not endorsed by Project Catalyst.
*Updated as of June 27th, 2025*
| Wallet Name | Can I vote | Do I get rewards | Latest tested version | 25 ada threshold |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------- | ---------------- | --------------------- | ---------------- |
| [Adalite](https://adalite.io/) | Yes | Yes | 6.15.2 | Yes |
| [Adalite](https://adalite.io/) + Ledger S/X | Yes | Yes | 6.15.2 | Yes |
| [Adalite](https://adalite.io/) + Trezor T | Yes | Yes | 6.15.2 | Yes |
| [Daedalus](https://daedaluswallet.io/en/download/) | Yes | Yes | 7.1.0 | Yes |
| [Daedalus](https://daedaluswallet.io/en/download/) + Ledger S/X | Yes | Yes | 7.1.0 | Yes |
| [Daedalus](https://daedaluswallet.io/en/download/) + Trezor T | Yes | Yes | 7.1.0 | Yes |
| [Yoroi ](https://yoroi-wallet.com/#/)\[Chrome] | Yes | Yes | 5.9.100 | Yes |
| [Yoroi ](https://yoroi-wallet.com/#/)\[Android] | Yes | Yes | 5.8.0 | No |
| [Yoroi ](https://yoroi-wallet.com/#/)\[Chrome] + Ledger S/X | Yes | Yes | 5.9.100 | Yes |
| [Yoroi ](https://yoroi-wallet.com/#/)\[Chrome] + Trezor T | Yes | Yes | 5.9.100 | Yes |
| [Typhon ](https://typhonwallet.io/)\[Chrome] | Yes | Yes | 3.2.19 | Yes |
| [Eternl](https://eternl.io/) \[Chrome] | Yes | Yes | 2.0.8.6 | Yes |
| [Eternl](https://eternl.io/) \[Chrome] + Ledger S/X | Yes | Yes | 2.0.8.6 | Yes |
| [Eternl](https://eternl.io/) \[Chrome] + Trezor T | Yes | Yes | 2.0.8.6 | Yes |
| [Eternl](https://eternl.io/) \[Android] | Yes | Yes | 2.0.8.6 | Yes |
| [cardano-multiplatform-lib](https://github.com/dcSpark/cardano-multiplatform-lib) (dcSpark) | Yes | Yes | | Yes |
| [Catalyst Registration JS](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t\&rct=j\&q=\&esrc=s\&source=web\&cd=\&cad=rja\&uact=8\&ved=2ahUKEwiT0b709_r_AhWPQ_EDHXGjC4gQFnoECBEQAQ\&url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2FdcSpark%2Fcatalyst-registration-js\&usg=AOvVaw3vcWNloGOJGe6cXZV2Pm2c\&opi=89978449) (dcSpark) | Yes | No | | Yes |
| [Hardware wallet via CLI](https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-cli#catalyst-voting-registration) (vaccummlabs) | Yes | Yes | | Yes |
| [Hardware wallet via CLI](https://github.com/vacuumlabs/cardano-hw-cli#catalyst-voting-registration) (vaccummlabs) | Yes | Yes | | Yes |
| [cardano-js-sdk](https://github.com/input-output-hk/cardano-js-sdk) | Yes | Yes | | Yes |
| [CardanoSigner ](https://github.com/gitmachtl/cardano-signer)(Martin Lang) | Yes | Yes | | Yes |
| [Voting Tools CLI ](https://github.com/input-output-hk/voting-tools)(IOG) | Yes | No | | Yes |
# Registration Guide - In your wallet
This guide shows the wallet registration process using Daedalus as an example. Please refer to your specific wallet for related guides.
## In your Daedalus wallet
### STEP 1
In the latest version of Daedalus, navigate to the voting registration page from the menu on the left-hand side.
* Confirm that you have installed the Catalyst Voting app.
* Confirm that you hold at least 25 ADA at the time of the snapshot.
* Click on "Register to vote”
### STEP 2
Select the wallet you wish to vote with and click "Continue" (ensure the wallet contains the minimum required amount for voting: 25 ADA \*excluding rewards\*)\
\
Note: This amount must remain in this wallet until the snapshot, which will collect your voting power. Dates and times of the snapshots for each Fund will be announced through our official social and communication channels
### STEP 3
Enter the spending password for your wallet or connect your Hardware wallet and click "Submit registration transaction":
### STEP 4
Wait for approximately 5 minutes until the transaction is confirmed by the blockchain and click "Continue". Do not close Daedalus during this time, otherwise your registration will be canceled and you will need to start over:
### STEP 5
Set a 4 digit PIN code of your choice, confirm it and click "Continue".\
\
Please make sure to remember it or write it down as you will need it for voting later on. Note that if you lose the PIN you will not be able to vote and you will need to repeat the registration process to select a new PIN:
### STEP 6
Daedalus will generate a QR code that you will use on Catalyst App to complete the registration and to cast your votes.
* Click "Save as PDF"
* Click "Save" in the dialog
* Note that if you don't save the QR code you wont be able to complete your registration and vote.
### STEP 7
Wait for the confirmation message "PDF successfully downloaded" and click on "Close".
STEP 7
The next steps are described in the section [Wallet Connection - In the Catalyst Voting App](/current-fund/voting/wallet-connection-in-the-catalyst-voting-app).
# Voting
This section will guide you through the Voting process
{% content-ref url="/pages/eHssde5OU5uCZfIi9RRS" %}
[Wallet Connection - In the Catalyst Voting App](/current-fund/voting/wallet-connection-in-the-catalyst-voting-app)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/6q3KpBq25HKToULdzZPO" %}
[How to vote?](/current-fund/voting/how-to-vote)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/cDtNgr3h5BSDVbFke8jw" %}
[How to audit the vote?](/current-fund/voting/how-to-audit-the-vote)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/vsaZUGTvqWLz9ktcqFWS" %}
[Voting FAQ](/current-fund/voting/voting-faq)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/DvMWcUpZj3lwl4nAM2Pn" %}
[Voting App](/catalyst-tools/voting-app)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Wallet Connection - In the Catalyst Voting App
This guide explains the steps to connect your wallet to the Catalyst Voting App
{% hint style="info" %}
**IMPORTANT**
* Please proceed with the below process only after the snapshot of the current [Voting Fund](https://iohk.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/900006490763-Project-Catalyst-FAQ) is taken.
* You must use a QR code that you registered before the snapshot.
{% endhint %}
#### STEP 1
Install the latest version of the Catalyst Voting application on your mobile device.
#### STEP 2
Open the Catalyst Voting app on your mobile device and tap "Let's start" or "Skip":
#### STEP 3
Next - tap on "Connect Wallet":
#### STEP 4
Next - tap on "Scan voting QR code" and scan the QR code, which you received in Step 7.
#### STEP 5
Tap on "I'm ready to scan my QR code" to go to the next step.
#### STEP 6
Tap on "Continue" to allow access to your camera.
#### STEP 7
Enter the 4 digit PIN code, which you set in Step 6 and tap "Confirm".
#### STEP 8
You will see a confirmation message saying that your wallet is successfully connected.
### Exceptions
If you are using a wrong QR code (e.g. from and old registration, malformed QR code, unregistered wallet etc.), this pop-up will be displayed and the App won't be connected to any wallet. In this case, check if you are using the correct QR code coming from the most recent registration before the snapshot date.
In case you didn't have enough ADA in your wallet at the snapshot date, this message will be displayed. Your wallet will be still connected to the voting App but you won't be able to submit votes for this voting round. Wait the next Fund and make sure to have enough ADA at the next snapshot date.
# How to vote?
A detailed walkthrough on how to submit votes in Project Catalyst after connecting a registered wallet to the mobile app
{% hint style="info" %}
This tutorial assumes you have already connected your wallet. If you haven't already, please review this [guide](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/voting/wallet-connection-in-the-catalyst-voting-app).
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="info" %}
Information on Voting App known issues can be found [here](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/catalyst-tools/voting-app/known-issues).
{% endhint %}
### Browse Categories
Once voting has started, you will be able to view your voting power and start browsing proposals.
### Browse Proposals
Click on a category to view all proposals inside that challenge. Click on any proposal to open the proposal details page.
### Review Proposal Details
Review all proposal details to come to an informed decision. Click on any of the links inside the proposal to get more information, including:
* Average community review scores and written reviews from individual reviewers. Be sure to review all 3 dimensions: Impact, Feasibility, and Value For Money
* Relevant links provided by the proposer (eg project website, video overview, github, etc.)
* Relevant experience from the proposing team
* Full proposal details on the projectcatalyst.io website
### Make Selection
Once you're ready to make a decision on a proposal, click one of the voting buttons pinned to the bottom of the proposal details screen. This will add your choice to the My Selection tab, where you can begin the vote submission process. You may proceed directly to My Selection after making your choice, or you may choose to Continue Voting.
If you choose to Continue Voting, simply navigate to the My Selection tab once you are ready to proceed with casting a batch of votes.
### Change Selection
You may change any selection prior to submitting your vote. From My Selection, click on a proposal and make a new selection. To finalize your decision, follow the normal steps to submit a vote.
### Remove vote before submitting:
1. Go to "My selection".
2. Click "Remove" on the bottom right of the proposal you want removed.
3. Vote is removed and the list is updated.
### Submit Votes
Once you are ready to finalize your decision, navigate to the My Selection tab, and click Submit My Votes. You will be prompted to enter a pin - use the same one you used to connect your wallet to the app. Click Confirm to submit your votes to the blockchain. Once your votes have been processed by the blockchain, you will see a confirmation message - don't forget to share your feedback via the survey!
You may view your submitted votes at any time by navigating to the Votes tab.
# How to audit the vote?
A guide for community verification of the end-to-end voting process
### **Snapshot**
Independently validate the authenticity and validity of Registered voters and Voting power.
{% content-ref url="/pages/5LqzUGO2Okhx3d5Tr7Rd" %}
[Audit the Snapshot](/current-fund/voting/how-to-audit-the-vote/audit-the-snapshot)
{% endcontent-ref %}
### **Vote**
Independently verify that every ballot cast and recorded as intended
{% content-ref url="/pages/lRzFh5r9w8NS8CG51G4i" %}
[Voting Ledger Snapshots](/current-fund/voting/how-to-audit-the-vote/voting-ledger-snapshots)
{% endcontent-ref %}
### **Tally**
Independently verify that votes counted properly according to tally logic
{% content-ref url="/pages/UIS2ciPnbpGwA0308R0g" %}
[Audit The Tally](/current-fund/voting/how-to-audit-the-vote/audit-the-tally)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Audit the Snapshot
How to audit the "Snapshot".
### Parameters
* Fund15 Parameters are [here](/current-fund/fund-basics/fund-parameters).
* Registration Deadline: January 4, 2026 at 9:45 PM UTC
* Minimum Voting Power: 25 ADA.
{% content-ref url="/pages/3M9g9XzfEP40A8WF9Pxv" %}
[Required Tools](/current-fund/voting/how-to-audit-the-vote/audit-the-snapshot/required-tools)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/5p8XzKWPNlN8dcfWUQ3d" %}
[Reproducing the Snapshot](/current-fund/voting/how-to-audit-the-vote/audit-the-snapshot/reproducing-the-snapshot)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Required Tools
## dbSync
Installation instructions can be found [here](https://github.com/input-output-hk/cardano-db-sync/blob/master/doc/docker.md).
Ensure dbSync and the PostgreSQL database are running, and the database is synchronized past 22:00 UTC on January 9th, 2026.
*Note: IF your dbSync is not synchronized to at least this date, the results from running a snapshot will be inaccurate. This is because the snapshot is taken at a time when a rollback on the blockchain is impossible to affect the snapshot data, and therefore it's fully reproducible and stable. This is guaranteed by placing one full Epoch between the registration deadline and the earliest the final snapshot can be taken.*
## Catalyst Snapshot Tools
Snapshot tools are from the [Catalyst Core github repo](https://github.com/input-output-hk/catalyst-core). Clone the repo and then build the necessary tools.
## Building the tools
**snapshot\_tool:**
cargo build -r -p voting\_tools\_rs
**catalyst-toolbox:**
cargo build -r -p catalyst-toolbox
# Reproducing the Snapshot
Auditing the Snapshot is simply reproducing a snapshot directly from blockchain data and comparing it with the officially published snapshot data.
### Getting the Registration Deadline slot number
Getting the `slot_no` aligned with the registration deadline.
Query the dbSync database with:
```sql
select slot_no, time from block
where slot_no is not null and time <= '2026-01-04 21:45:00'
order by slot_no desc limit 1 ;
```
The result will be:
```
175996801|2026-01-04 21:44:57
```
Therefore the `slot#` that the snapshot needs to target is: 175996801
### Running the Raw snapshot
The first part of the snapshot accumulates raw registration and staked ada information and validates it according to [CIP-15 ](https://cips.cardano.org/cips/cip15/)and [CIP-36](https://cips.cardano.org/cips/cip36/).
*Note: Multiple delegations, as specified by CIP-36, are not supported. These will be detected as invalid registrations. Only registrations that contain a single voting key are supported and valid.*
Run (replace your credentials as appropriate):
```sh
export USERNAME=
export PASSWORD=
export DBSYNC_POSTGRES="localhost:5432"
./target/release/snapshot_tool --db cexplorer --db-user $USERNAME --db-pass $password --db-host $DBSYNC_POSTGRES --out-file ./cexplorer-175996801.json --min-slot 0 --max-slot 175996801 --network-id mainnet
```
This will produce three files:
* `cexplorer-175996801.json` <- Raw Snapshot Data
* `cexplorer-175996801.unregistered.json` <- Unregistered but staked ADA.
* `cexplorer-175996801.errors.json` <- Errors or Obsolete registrations.
### Processing the snapshot with Fund15 parameters
This filters registrations for minimum allowed voting power:
Run:
{% code fullWidth="false" %}
```sh
./target/release/catalyst-toolbox snapshot --snapshot cexplorer-175996801.json --min-stake-threshold 25000000 --slot-no 175996801 cexplorer-175996801.final.json
```
{% endcode %}
This produces the final snapshot: cexplorer-`175996801`.summary.json
## Official Snapshot Artifacts
As soon as the official snapshot artifacts that will be used for Fund15 are available, they will be linked [here](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1G2miIukxh9Lv1OQve1CHwOfLRxZlmU1O?usp=sharing).
It is possible to run the snapshot independently until they are published.
# Voting Ledger Snapshots
**Coming soon!**
# Audit The Tally
**Coming soon!**
# Voting FAQ
# Project onboarding
This section will guide you through the onboarding process.
{% content-ref url="/pages/9Oq7jUsbKdTIWifBKmhS" %}
[Glossary of Terms](/current-fund/project-onboarding/glossary-of-terms)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/t8gifFN1LEYOX1SNei6M" %}
[Milestone-based proposals](/current-fund/project-onboarding/milestone-based-proposals)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/u2EKVfaQeL9blhxhquYS" %}
[Funded Proposers guides](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/dBi3EJCCpVVVpcntiDeX" %}
[Milestone Reviewers guides](/current-fund/project-onboarding/milestone-reviewers-guides)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Glossary of Terms
**Final Milestone:** represents the last step for Funded Projects before their project is considered complete and includes submitting a Project Closeout Report and a Project Closeout Video.
**Funded Project:** a project approved for funding by the community of ada holders.
**Grant Amount:** the total funding the community approves for a Funded Project.
**Proof of Achievement (PoA):** evidence to be submitted by Funded Projects to show that the acceptance criteria for a Milestone as set out in the Statement of Milestones have been fulfilled and the Milestone has been completed.
**Milestone:** a milestone identified by the Funded Projects in the Statement of Milestones with a corresponding Milestone Achievement Date and a Milestone Funding Amount.
**Final Milestone:** a milestone which has to include Project Closeout Report and Project Closeout Video.
**Milestone Achievement Date:** a date specified in the Statement of Milestones on which a Funded Project will complete a related Milestone.
**Milestone Funding Amount:** the % of the Grant Amount to be paid to a Funded Project in connection with a Milestone.
**Milestones Module:** the interface in which a Funded Project administers the project, to produce and submit the SoM and PoA.
**Project Closeout Report (PCR):** a written report to be submitted by a Funded Project once all the Milestones in the Statement of Milestones have been completed. The report should include a summary of deliverables, whether any success metrics were (or were not) addressed, and the next stage plans for the product or service developed. This report is to be submitted along with the Project Closeout Video.
**Project Closeout Video (PCV):** a demonstration video to be prepared by a Funded Project once all the milestones in the Statement of Milestones have been completed. This video needs to be completed according to the latest PCV guidelines requirements. This is required to complete a project along with the PCR.
**Statement of Milestones (SoM):** list of milestones in the project created by Funded Project in the Milestone Module with the schedule, deliverables, milestone achievement dates, milestone funding amounts, and the expected PoA.
**Outputs of the milestone:** Description of what FP will produce in a particular milestone. For example, documentation, prototype, research paper, UIUX designs, customer/user-centered research, work package technical outputs, demonstrations/pilots, white paper, business/tokenomics model, events, measurable engagement, software implementation, or any outputs that FP will provide.
**Acceptance criteria of the milestone:** The acceptance criteria are linked to intended outcomes and targets. They are standards by which to judge whether an objective/goal/target has been achieved/successful.
**Evidence of milestone completion:** The evidence clearly and visibly shows that the milestone has been completed.
**Formal Due Diligence process:** This generally includes identify verifications for individuals and businesses.
# Milestone-based proposals
These Guidelines are intended to inform proposers how milestone-based funding works for submitted proposals.
### How to submit Project milestones
Milestone-based funding enables Funded Projects to lay out their critical path to deliver the promises set out in their proposals, highlighting each key milestone, output, acceptance criteria, costs, and what evidence of achievements will be demonstrated at each stage of the project. In this context, a milestone is an important event or action in any project or business journey that marks a crucial stage of progress. It is a crucial reporting tool to inform the Catalyst team and the community of the project's progress and to ensure the accountability of Funded Projects within a fair and unbiased decentralized funding framework. Funded Proposer submit Statement of Milestones using the [Milestone Module](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/).
### What should be included in the Statement of Milestones?
1. Once a proposal is approved for funding by the community, the Funded Project must complete an onboarding process, including formalizing the project and deliverables into a Statement of Milestones.
2. The Statement of Milestones (SoM) is document submitted by Funded Projects during the onboarding process which, as a minimum, must include:
* A list of all the Milestones of the project
* The proposed Milestone Achievement Date for each Milestone
* The Milestone Funding Amount for each Milestone
* The outputs to be delivered by Funded Projects for each Milestone
* The acceptance criteria to be used by the Catalyst Team and Milestone Reviewers to determine whether a Milestone has been successfully delivered, and
* The evidence to be submitted by Funded Projects to show that the acceptance criteria have been fulfilled and the milestone has been completed.
#### **SoM creation - Cardano categories:**
* Each Statement of Milestones must include a minimum number of Milestones depending on the size of the Grant Amount as set out below, plus an additional Final Milestone. If FP wants to increase the number of milestones in the Milestone Module, should submit a [ticket here](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)
* For Grant Amounts of up to 75k ada, at least 2 milestones, plus the final one, must be included
* For Grant Amounts between 75k ada and 150k ada, at least 3 milestones, plus the final one, must be included
* For Grant Amounts over 150k ada up to 300k ada, at least 4 milestones. plus the final one, must be included
* For Grant Amounts exceeding 300k ada, at least 5 milestones, plus the final one, must be include
* Each Milestone, excluding the Final one, included in a Statement of Milestones must be at least one (1) month and maximum three (3) months in duration and must include the information set out in paragraph 2 above. Each Milestone Funding Amount must equate to between 5% and 30% of the Grant Amount expressed in ada. Milestone 1 must equate to no more than 75,000 ada or 30% of the Grant Amount. For Milestone 1, if the 75,000 ada is lower than 5% of the Grant Amount, then the maximum amount you can enter is 75,000 ada. For complete clarity, in such a case, a minimum of 5% does not apply for Milestone 1.
* In addition to the Milestones set out above, each Statement of Milestone must also include a Final Milestone that must be allocated a Milestone Funding Amount of no less than 15% of the Grant Amount and last one (1) month.
* The Final Milestone represents the last step for Funded Projects before their project is considered complete. The Final Acceptance Milestone will be considered achieved upon (i) approval by Milestone Reviewers and the Catalyst Team of all other Milestones in the Statement of Milestones, (ii) approval by Milestone Reviewers and the Catalyst Team of the Project Close Out Report, and (iii) approval by Milestone Reviewers and the Catalyst Team of the Project Close Out Video.
* Once a Statement of Milestones has been completed, the Funded Project must submit the same for review and approval using the [Catalyst Milestone Module Interface](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/).
#### SoM creation - Midnight category:
* **General rules**
* Funded Proposer must submit 3 milestones
* Each milestone must last 1 month (3 months in total)
* **How total requested budget can be distributed across milestones**
* Milestone 1 - max. 20% of total requested budget
* Milestone 2 - max. 30% of total requested budget
* Milestone 3 (Final Milestone) - min. 50% of total requested budget
The Final Milestone represents the last step for Funded Projects before their project is considered complete. The Final Acceptance Milestone will be considered achieved upon (i) approval by Milestone Reviewers and the Catalyst Team of all other Milestones in the Statement of Milestones, (ii) approval by Milestone Reviewers and the Catalyst Team of the Project Close Out Report, and (iii) approval by Milestone Reviewers and the Catalyst Team of the Project Close Out Video.
Once a Statement of Milestones has been completed, the Funded Project must submit the same for review and approval using the [Catalyst Milestone Module Interface](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/).
* **Expected outcomes**:
* Milestone 1: Publish public repository of required assets and the smart contract
* Milestone 2: Connect smart contract to user interface (UI), make assets available into the repository , and have documentation
* Milestone 3 (Final Milestone): Proof of Concept UI demonstrated in the Project Close Out Video, testing suite complete, and Project Close Out Report
### Approval of the Statement of Milestones
* Once a Statement of Milestones is submitted, Milestone Reviewers will receive email notification that a Statement of Milestones is ready for review.
* At least 2 Milestone Reviewers will be assigned to verify that the Statement of Milestones is in line with the project proposal and complies with the requirements set out in these Guidelines concerning outputs, acceptance criteria, and evidence of milestones completion.
* A Milestone Reviewer may ask for clarifications from Funded Projects if the deliverables or requirements set out in the Statement of Milestones are unclear or incomplete. Funded Projects will be able to refine the Statement of Milestones and address any clarifications accordingly.
* If one Milestone Reviewer does not approve the Statement of Milestones, the Funded Project has to resubmit it considering the comments provided and go through the review process again. Once both Milestone Reviewers reach a consensus, the Catalyst team will provide their final review and approval.
* Funded Projects are only considered LIVE once the Statement of Milestones has received all approvals from Milestone Reviewers and the Catalyst team. Funding disbursements cannot commence until a Statement of Milestones is approved, and the project is LIVE.
* Once a Statement of Milestones has been approved, it can only be changed by following the [Change Request Process.](/previous-funds/fund13-docs/general-information/requesting-a-change-to-funded-project-on-milestone-module) Milestones can be delivered out of sequence if Funded Projects submit a [Change Request ](/previous-funds/fund13-docs/general-information/requesting-a-change-to-funded-project-on-milestone-module)to amend the delivery schedule and expected deliverables at each milestone review checkpoint.
* The Catalyst Team and Milestone Reviewers approve the Statement of Milestones as part of the onboarding process.
* Once the onboarding process is complete, Funded projects will receive the first monthly Milestone Funding Amount allocated to Milestone 1.
### Approval and payment of Milestones
* Upon completion of the Onboarding process the project is considered LIVE and the project can begin. After the receipt 80% of the 1st Milestone Funding Amount, Funded Projects may submit Proof of Achievement as evidence that one or more Milestones in their Statement of Milestones have been completed.
* Proof of Achievement must be submitted using the [Milestone Module](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/catalyst-tools/milestone-module/statement-of-milestones-som) Interface. It must provide (a) evidence of the outputs to be delivered for that Milestone, and (b) evidence that the acceptance criteria in the Statement of Milestones for that Milestone have been fulfilled. Funded Projects are responsible for coherently and comprehensively demonstrating that a Milestone has been completed.
* Upon submission of a Proof of Achievement, Milestone Reviewers will receive notification that a new Proof of Achievement has been submitted for review.
* Milestone Reviewers will verify that evidence supplied for Proof of Achievement meets the expected achievements stated in the Statement of Milestones, considering expected outputs, acceptance criteria, and evidence of completion. If achievements have not been met, the Reviewers will record what is missing from the Proof of Achievement submission.
* Once all reviewers form consensus, the Catalyst Team makes a final check and provides final approval. Approval by the Catalyst Team unlocks the Milestone Funding Amount attributed to the next Milestone on the Statement of Milestones.
* 80% of Milestone Funding Amounts will be paid in equal monthly installments depending on the proposed Milestone Achievement Date for each Milestone. In other words, if a Milestone is scheduled to be completed over a period of 3 months, the Milestone Funding Amount for that milestone will be paid in 3 equal monthly installments. The remaining 20% will be paid upon Milestone completion.
* As a general rule, 80% of Milestone Funding Amounts are paid in advance to support Funded Projects in the delivery of a Milestone and 20% upon completion. **By way of exception, the Milestone Funding Amount associated with the Final Milestone is paid in arrears upon achievement of the Final Milestone**.
* The first Proof of Achievement submitted by Funded Projects must prove that Milestone 1 has been completed.
* Funded Projects may submit more than one Proof of Achievement in the same month if required.
# Funded Proposers guides
Onboarding Funded Projects - A guide with actions, checklists, key dates and deadlines
Welcome to Catalyst Funded Projects! Now that voting has ended, your Funded Project (FP) will join hundreds of other Catalyst projects innovating and developing new solutions with the help of Catalyst funding from Cardano Community.
Your project has three important phases as part of Catalyst:
1. Phase 1: Onboarding: Statement of Milestones, Due Diligence, Test Transactions
2. Phase 2: Project Delivery
3. Phase 3: Project Completion
This document covers Phase 1: Onboarding. Once you have completed onboarding more information will be provided to you about phases 2 & 3 in the weeks and months following.
Let’s get started
{% content-ref url="/pages/DxwOPbDJvjsn0vdlCGKL" %}
[Key dates](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/key-dates)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/CaQld68C6rJ1BgnSTO7c" %}
[Onboarding Sessions - Presentation & Recordings](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/onboarding-sessions-presentation-and-recordings)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/ynHfI36dlMIvzenSAJPW" %}
[What do you need to do next?](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/what-do-you-need-to-do-next)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/d0m5jhV6CelPcMsOYFWi" %}
[How to create a Statement of Milestones - guide for Funded Proposers](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/how-to-create-a-statement-of-milestones-guide-for-funded-proposers)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/GcSXuVmQwfgZXntdzCch" %}
[Statement of Milestones submission](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/statement-of-milestones-submission)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/MoTOrssJef9UaZ0l75Bf" %}
[How Milestone payments work](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/how-milestone-payments-work)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/eLriwIA9IWjhxJjeGC29" %}
[Creating your milestones - need to know](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/creating-your-milestones-need-to-know)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/PI3nDjGwLBHANr5xMBeE" %}
[How to use the Milestone module as a Funded Proposer?](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/how-to-use-the-milestone-module-as-a-funded-proposer)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/a6LoVWf5x8Gne8EZDKQn" %}
[Formal Due Diligence Process](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/formal-due-diligence-process)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/1WB5ka1UwCw4q84HIltK" %}
[Test Transaction (Tx)](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/test-transaction-tx)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/CzoWjZGc5Ddy8vsp83fU" %}
[What else further down the line?](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/what-else-further-down-the-line)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/A3CO3l7WKCbBrPGT6YvN" %}
[Funded Project Checklist](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/funded-project-checklist)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/jpzKhh1SpUzL8jh7vDih" %}
[Requesting a change to funded project](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/requesting-a-change-to-funded-project)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Key dates
Onboarding Funded Projects - A guide with actions, checklists, key dates and deadlines
| 29 January 2026 | F15 Results Announced |
| -------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 30 January 2026 | Intro email to Funded Projects (FP) |
| 5 February 2026 | Deadline FP onboarding form |
| 4 February 2026 |
Attend one FP onboarding celebration meeting
F15 Onboarding Session A - February 4, 2026 - 9 AM UTC
F15 Onboarding Session B - February 4, 2026 - 3 PM UTC
|
| 30 January 2026 - 1 March 2026 |
To complete formal due diligence requirements
|
| 30 January 2026 - 1 March 2026 | Test transaction confirmation |
| 30 January 2026 - 1 March 2026 EOD UTC | Statement of Milestones formulation |
| 1 April 2026 | Deadline for the onboarding process |
# Onboarding Sessions - Presentation & Recordings
{% content-ref url="/pages/zpRPIEoUn5IQsyQnSfsB" %}
[Onboarding session A](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/onboarding-sessions-presentation-and-recordings/onboarding-session-a)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/sE5ydlxwyRoM9xPXKZtB" %}
[Onboarding session B](/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/onboarding-sessions-presentation-and-recordings/onboarding-session-b)
{% endcontent-ref %}
# Onboarding session A
# Onboarding session B
# What do you need to do next?
#### What do you need to do next?
1. You will need to complete the onboarding form by noon UTC on 5 February 2026.
* The form will capture relevant details to help with your onboarding into the Catalyst post-vote steps so you can receive your funding. You're now part of the Catalyst Network - the name given for all the cohorts of projects, where all the funded proposals interact with each other.
* This onboarding form should be submitted using an email address that belongs to either the lead proposer or a co-proposer that is listed in your original proposal submitted on [app.projectcatalyst.io](https://app.projectcatalyst.io)
2. After the submission of the onboarding form you will receive an email with a link to reset the password and create a new one in the Milestone Module within 24 hours.
3. By 1 March 2026 noon UTC you should inform Catalyst Team if you would like to have additional milestones in the Milestone Module by submitting a ticket [here](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new).
4. You should submit your Statement of Milestones between 30 January 2026 and 1 March 2026 noon UTC.
* Each funded project must submit a Statement of Milestones before the project goes live and before first payment is received.
* Your Statement of Milestones will need to be submitted for review by no later than noon UTC on 1 March 2026.
\*The FP user account in the Milestone Module allowing FPs to submit their SoM is created once the FP has completed and submitted their onboarding form.
5. Attend one of the Catalyst Celebration Onboarding Meetings on 4 February 2026 (not mandatory, but recommended). You will get the opportunity to ask questions and clarify any outstanding doubts.
* [F15 Onboarding Session A ](https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ygLdvQfKQliY-Nw9mG2ylQ#/registration)- February 4, 2026 - 9 AM UTC
* [F15 Onboarding Session B ](https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h_-7yCU4TduoLarT4QayFQ#/registration)- February 4, 2026 - 3 PM UTC
6. Once you submit your onboarding form, a formal due diligence request will follow to your email box to complete necessary steps.
7. Complete formal due diligence requirements by 20 November 2025 and confirm Test Transaction
by 1 March 2026.
# How to create a Statement of Milestones - guide for Funded Proposers
### How to create a Statement of Milestones
Statement of Milestones (SoM) is a list of milestones in the project created by Funded Proposer in the Milestone Module with deliverables, milestone achievement dates, milestone funding amounts, and the expected Proof of Achievements. Milestone is a specific point within your project that marks achievement of the progress.
As a Funded Proposer (FP) you are obliged to submit SoM in the Milestone Module during the onboarding process. Completion of the milestone moves your project towards the next one. Number of milestones in SoM depends on the budget you request for the project.
Below you may find information on how to write each section of a Statement of Milestones, so that it would be successfully approved.
#### Milestone outputs
Milestone outputs is a description of what you will produce, e.g. new UIUX designs, customer/user-centered research, work package technical outputs, documentation, prototypes, demonstrators/pilots, white-paper, business/tokenomics model, events, research papers, measurable engagement, reference/production software implementation or any other outputs you will provide.
Below you may find useful tips on how to describe outputs:
* Provide a straightforward list of the things you will make / the tasks you will do in this milestone.
* Use a numbered list. In acceptance criteria and evidence of milestone completion sections number things in a corresponding way.
* Provide only outputs for which you can provide evidence of completion.
* Make sure your outputs match your original proposal as stated in the Ideascale.
* Make sure that you are able to provide evidence for the output within a given time frame, don’t underestimate/overestimate the timeline.
#### Acceptance criteria
Acceptance criteria is linked to the outcomes you described in the outputs section. It should describe a way by which it could be judged that output has been achieved, e.g. for a milestone relating to creation of video lectures, acceptance criteria might be to release 10 instructional videos per month.
Below you may find useful tips on how to describe acceptance criteria:
* Use target numbers to understand when the task is achieved, e.g. how many people you will onboard, how many views your social media post will get.
* Include at least one acceptance criteria for each output to show how certain output is measured to be achieved. If it is not possible to provide that, then probably it shouldn’t be included as an output at all.
* Do not provide qualitative measures e.g. “Our written material will be well-organized”. Such statements are impossible to assess, as everyone can perceive qualitative measures in different ways, and as a result, lead to possible disapproval.
* Use the same number as used in the output section, so that it would be easy to understand that this acceptance criteria refers to this specific output.
#### Evidence of milestone completion
Evidence of milestone completion is a way, by which you prove, that the milestone has been completed. Evidence is linked to your output and acceptance criteria, e.g. output is video lectures, acceptance criteria is to release 10 instructional videos per month and evidence for it will be instructional videos posted on Youtube channel.
Below you may find useful tips on how to describe acceptance criteria:
* Make sure your evidence proves what you stated in outputs and acceptance criteria sections.
* Use the same number for evidence of the specific output as you used in the outputs and acceptance criteria section, so that it would be easy to understand that all of them are connected.
* Remember to include a piece of evidence for each output. If you can’t evidence something, you should remove it.
* Be realistic. Don’t commit yourself to more evidence than you need to demonstrate that you’ve achieved your milestone.
* Secure permission to share sensitive data (e.g phone numbers, emails etc). Milestone Module is publicly accessible and data against GDPR policy can’t be published.
* If a piece of your evidence is confidential, it can be submitted via a video call with Milestone Reviewers and this fact should be described in the evidence section.
**General rules**
* Keep it succinct and focus on the most important details.
* If you have significantly changed the milestones in your original proposal, add a note to explain why. In some cases it may require submission of a [Change request.](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/requesting-a-change-to-funded-project)
* Be specific and do not leave any room for interpretation.
Example of acceptable SoM:
Project[ 1100206](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/projects/1100206/milestones/1)
Project[ 1100074](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/projects/1100074/milestones/1)
This guideline was crafted with insights from the[ ](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FEvKkE1LzroNZAKxfY7V7JzNCFIXxPrPb09CWXgTpiQ/edit#heading=h.jvfizrumu24w)[document](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vry7RHaX-NjjuMtX4EZbZV0ABdQjvW54/view?usp=drive_link) provided by Catalyst Milestone Reviewers. It's a high valueable resource, carefully capturing all the essential details from their perspective. We're truly grateful for the collaborative effort within the community.
# Statement of Milestones submission
### Submitting your Statement of Milestones
All projects will be following reporting requirements based on clear milestones submitted in the [Milestone Module](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/project-onboarding/milestone-reviewers-guides/a-good-example-of-som-formulation), reviewed by two Milestone Reviewers throughout project delivery. Funding will be linked to demonstrating that you have achieved your specified milestones. More information in the next section.
Your original Catalyst proposal provided some details on the project roadmap, budget, and timeline of deliverables. This should help you translate into milestones, however please do not simply cut and paste from your Catalyst Proposal.
You will also have the opportunity to correlate your project proposal to specified milestones with potentially new and relevant data to add for example you will be required to specify:
* What each milestone is
* What outputs will be delivered and the success criteria for each milestone outputs
* The projected budget to reach each milestone
* The projected month to reach each milestone
* What final capabilities will be demonstrated at the end of the project
* This final output should demonstrate that the product or service works and can bring tangible value
By shifting to milestone-based deliverables your projects are able to reflect tangible and demonstrable progress to the community.
To gain a better understanding of how to submit your milestones in the best way, On this [page](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/project-onboarding/milestone-reviewers-guides/milestone-reviewer-process-examples), you can better understand the process from the perspective of a Milestone Reviewer.
**Please note:**
* Only once both the Milestone Reviewers have agreed your Statement of Milestones and the Catalyst Team has signed off on it, your project will go Live and your first payment will be released.
* Payments to reach the next milestone will be made once you have demonstrated your achievement of completion of the current milestone so it is very important that the milestones you submit are clear as these milestones are the measure by which your funds will be released.
* If your Statement of Milestones is not agreed to by both Milestone Reviewers you will have the opportunity to submit a revised Statement of Milestones for agreement. This process will however delay the release of your first payment so please do take time when working on this.
The Milestone Module can be found[ ](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/projects)[here](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/). FP will receive an email with a link to reset password and create a new one in the Milestone Module within 24 hours from completing the onboarding form.
This[ ](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/current-fund/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/statement-of-milestones-submission)[module](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/) is for you to list in detail the key project milestones which will be used to measure the progress of your project.
# How Milestone payments work
Each individual Milestone is paid 80% of its budget before completion (equally divided by Milestone length) and 20% upon completion (on submission and approval of the PoA for that specific milestone). The Final Milestone is 1-month long and is paid upon completion.
Below can be found high level overviews of monthly batches calculation based on the length of each milestone.
#### Each milestone lasts 1 month
#### Each milestone lasts 2 months
#### Each milestone lasts 3 months
# Creating your milestones - need to know
* A milestone is the planned completion of a significant event in the successful delivery of your project. It is a signal to demonstrate progress.
* Funds are only released on satisfactory completion and delivery of each milestone.
* Each milestone must be clearly described. For each milestone you must also explain how you intend to evidence the completion of the milestone.
* Your Statement of Milestones will be made available to view to the Community.
* When you have completed a milestone and wish funds to be released you will be asked to provide clear visible evidence of the completion of the milestone. The Milestone Reviewers are reviewing milestones, and you should expect the Cardano community will also be interested in reviewing these proofs.
**IMPORTANT:** Each FP will have a number of milestones in the[ Milestone Module](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/how-to-create-a-statement-of-milestones-guide-for-funded-proposers) according to requested funds (more information below). FP should inform via [ticket ](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)Catalyst Team by March 1, 2026 EOD UTC if they would like to have additional milestones in the [Milestone Module](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/project-onboarding/funded-proposers-guides/how-to-create-a-statement-of-milestones-guide-for-funded-proposers). \
It applies only to Cardano categories, as Midnight category proposals have to have 3 milestones. More information can be found [here](/current-fund/project-onboarding/milestone-based-proposals).
* Your project should have at least 2 milestones and an additional final Milestone: below there is a breakdown of the milestones requirements based on the project grant funds:
1. For Grant Amounts of up to 75k ada, at least 2 milestones must be included plus a final Milestone
2. For Grant Amounts between 75k ada and 150k ada, at least 3 milestones must be included plus a final Milestone
3. For Grant Amounts over 150k ada up to 300k ada, at least 4 milestones must be included plus a final Milestone
4. For Grant Amounts exceeding 300k ada, at least 5 milestones must be included plus a final Milestone
* Final Milestone must include submitting a [Project Closeout Report and a Project Closeout Video.](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/general-information/project-close-out-report-and-project-close-out-video-pcr-and-pcv)
* Your final payment will be made at the completion of the final milestone including submission of a [Project Closeout Report and Project Closeout Video](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/general-information/project-close-out-report-and-project-close-out-video-pcr-and-pcv).
* Your [Project Closeout Report and Project Closeout Video](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/general-information/project-close-out-report-and-project-close-out-video-pcr-and-pcv) will be made [available to the Cardano community.](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bfnWFa94Y7Zj0G7dtpo9W1nAYGovJbswipxiHT4UE3g/edit?gid=416498551#gid=416498551)
# How to use the Milestone module as a Funded Proposer?
All information can be found[ here](https://docs.projectcatalyst.io/catalyst-tools/milestone-module/milestone-module-roles-and-responsibilities/funded-proposer-using-the-milestone-module).
# Formal Due Diligence Process
# Test Transaction (Tx)
Test Tx confirmation is part of your onboarding process. You can confirm Test Tx once Formal Due Diligence process is completed. The goal of it is to make sure that FP receives funds in the correct wallet. The test Tx is made in the following way:
1. Catalyst sends 1 ADA to the wallet provided in the onboarding form (IMPORTANT: The wallet address you provide in the onboarding form is the wallet address that will be used for the test transaction, If for any reason the wallet address needs to be changed from the one submitted in the onboarding form this will delay your onboarding and initial fund release).
2. Catalyst sends an email with Google form where FP confirms obtaining of 1 ADA
# What else further down the line?
It is very important that you submit your PoAs at the end of each milestone on time as scheduled in your SoM as this impacts when funds are released to you.
The amount of funding your project receives will be based on the amount you have been accepted to receive and the proposed end date for each milestone.
The final batch of funding is only released once the project has submitted a proof of [Project Closeout Report and proof of Project Closeout Video](/previous-funds/fund14-docs/general-information/project-close-out-report-and-project-close-out-video-pcr-and-pcv). The report and video will need to be reviewed and approved by both your assigned Milestone Reviewers and the Catalyst team.
Privacy and Confidentiality
If you wish to remain completely confidential through your Catalyst process then please submit a [ticket ](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)with your full details including your IdeaScale link and the reason for requesting privacy. At this stage of Catalyst development, it is NOT guaranteed that your identity will remain anonymous.
#### Conflict of Interest
Conflicts of Interest (CoI) can take form in various ways. In general, a CoI is defined as:
* A conflict of interest occurs when a person's or entity's vested interests raise a question of whether their actions, judgment, and/or decision-making can be unbiased.
* In business, a conflict of interest arises when a person chooses personal gain over duties to their employer, or to an organization in which they are a stakeholder, or exploits their position for personal gain in some way.
* Conflicts of interest often have legal ramifications.
Declaring any CoI’s are important for transparency and auditability purposes. CoI’s can exist at the start of your project and also appear during delivery so it’s important to bear that in mind as your project progresses. If you have any legitimate concerns regarding a potential conflict please submit a ticket [here ](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)with full details of your concerns so the Catalyst team can review. Honesty and transparency are valued here.
# Funded Project Checklist
Have you…
* Submitted your onboarding form?
* Completed and submitted your Statement of Milestones in the[ Milestone Module](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/)?
* Completed the due diligence process?
* Confirmed Test Transaction (Tx)?
* Raised any conflict of interest concerns to IO by submiting a ticket [here ](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)with full details? (optional)
* Secured approval for your Statement of Milestones?
# Requesting a change to funded project
**Overview**: Sometimes plans may change, and that’s okay. However, Catalyst needs to account for these changes transparently. For this purpose, there's a Change Request (CR) process. Only well-argued CRs with adequate supporting information will be approved.
**Applicable scenarios**
* A change to any deliverable, any form of pivot to the project, KPI, or output that was included in
* Statement of Milestones
* A change to the timelines (duration and project completion date) set out in the original proposal and at onboarding specifically
* A change to the funding schedule and payment structure that was agreed with Catalyst at the onboarding stage
* A change to the payment address where project receives their tranche allocations
**How to submit a Change Request?**
1. In writing on the project's letterhead (using the information that is tied to your onboarding information)
2. Submit a ticket with CR request [here](https://catalystiog.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)
3. The document should include the following information:
* Project ID and Title in the letter and in the subject line of your email
* What exactly is the change you want to make?
* What is the need for this change?
* Are there any changes to the approved deliverables stated in either the original proposal or SoM (Y/N)?
* If yes, please describe the changes and why the original deliverables cannot be achieved
* What is the impact of this change on the ability to complete the project as set out in the original proposal?
* If the change is financial in any way, please lay out in clear detail the BEFORE and AFTER of your change request in a table as part of your CR.
Example for guidance below:
4. Once a project's change request is received, it will be reviewed and assessed by the Catalyst team
5. Project will then receive an email notification from the Catalyst team informing the project whether their change has been accepted or if further information is required.
6. If change request was approved, Catalyst will unlock FP SoM resubmission in the Milestone module and will insert link to change request on the proposal dashboard (it will become public)
7. FP resubmits SoM via the Milestone Module once received email from Catalyst team that SoM submission is reopened
8. Milestone Reviewers receive notification to review resubmitted SoM
9. Milestone Reviewers compare SoM against change request
* If SoM and CR is different, Milestone Reviewers won’t approve it and FP will have to submit SoM again
* If SoM and CR is the same, Catalyst Team sign off user locks SoM
**IMPORTANT:**
**Change request can be submitted only for milestones where PoAs are not signed off yet**
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