# Submitting Proof of Achievement (PoA)

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## Overview

Projects receiving Milestone-based-funding are required to follow their planned milestones throughout the lifespan of their project as set forth by a Statement of Milestones (SoM). When individual milestones are met, funded-proposers submit a Proof of Achievement (PoA), Which is not to be confused with a monthly report (MR).

### When to submit SoM form

* Approved Funded-projects submit SoMs once voting has concluded during onboarding,&#x20;
* Followed by a Milestone Review process before the first milestone-based funds are distributed
* Typically within 2-4 weeks of the results of voting being announced

### When to submit PoA form

* **Cadence:**
  * Upon completion of a milestone which generally varies depending on the project.<br>
* **PoA Submission Window:**
  * By the 20th (midnight UTC) to be considered for primary distribution in a month following
  * Monthly deadline is intended to allow time for review in order to be included in the next primary monthly distribution
    * Submitting information on the deadline day or very imminently close to it risks delays in review due to volume of projects
    * The sooner project submits PoA, the faster the review can process it

### **Which projects produce SoM and PoA**

* All projects in the F9 Dapps & Integrations challenge regardless of value
* Projects with nominal value equal or more of $75K across entire F9

### **Why SoM & PoA**

* Accountability of fundees to voters and the Cardano community
* Funding controls prevent the treasury from being misused
* Projects must demonstrate completion of the current milestone before receiving next milestone’s budget

### How to submit PoA

* Use the [Milestone module](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/) for submitting evidence each milestone reached
  * One milestone = one PoA form submission
  * <mark style="color:red;">**PLEASE REMEMBER:**</mark> to submit your regular MR even if you have submitted a PoA within the same month. Both serve a different purpose.&#x20;

### Where to find each project's SoMs and PoAs

* Please check the [Milestone module](https://milestones.projectcatalyst.io/)

## Reviews

### Dual Approvals

* PoA approval is a joint exercise between members of the Milestone Reviewers and Catalyst Team Reviewer
* Incomplete/inadequate submissions risk delay in verifying evidence and next payment distribution

### Expectations

* Monthly disbursements to reach the next milestone will resume once project has demonstrated achievement of milestone completion and the reviewers have documented the verifications
* PoA submission is for every individual milestone needs to be documented for public accountability:&#x20;
  * Evidence of Outputs and acceptance criteria as per the verified SoM must be addressed
  * More relevant and explicit documented evidence, the higher the likelihood of smooth approval
  * It is recommended to include video walkthrough demonstrations for best chance of approval and contextual understanding as this provides narrative and dynamic visual evidence
  * Project evidence should be considerate of the general public’s level of comprehension
  * Once project submits a PoA, please check your SoM documentation regularly
  * Community reviews of PoA evidence will be published on the SoM
  * In case PoA clarifications are required a follow up submission may be requested&#x20;
  * Please follow up swiftly to address any issues to alleviate any potential delays

### Key factors

* The amount and timing of funding project receives is primarily based on:&#x20;
  * The amount project was approved during vote stage
  * The amount per milestone as agreed in the SoM
  * The proposed end date for each milestone as agreed via SoM documentation during onboarding
  * The quality and timeliness of reporting requirements over the lifecycle of a project
* In case of disagreement, the Catalyst Team reserves the right to break the tie at this time

### Notice

* To support transparency and accountability, PoAs are published for public via
  * [Catalyst Portal](http://projectcatalyst.io/funds)&#x20;
  * Community tools, such as [Lido Nation](https://www.lidonation.com/en/project-catalyst/reports), etc.