Rootstock Collective has published a detailed guideline for submitting grant applications.
If you’re planning to apply to one of the grants waves, please do yourself the favor and read it carefully!
https://rootstockcollective.xyz/submitting-a-grant-proposal/
Please use the following template for submitting your Grants proposal!
Grants Off-chain Proposal Template
Please keep the same names for off-chain and on-chain proposals.
Suggested title:
Suggested Title: [YYMM BIG Wave X] Protocol Name
Suggested description:
Project Name:
Submission Date:
Founder Name: Feel free to include the founders’ backgrounds, LI profile
links, short bio, if you think this might help the community to vote for your Project.
Award Amount:
Project Stage:
Sector: Payments / Remittance …etc
Links to Deck / Video / Images: Paste only self-hosted links accessible to community
members.
Links to socials:
Description:
Mission:
Product: Describe your products. What are the main features? How your product adds value to the Rootstock ecosystem. And if there is synergy with other projects on Rootstock?
Team:
Traction: What are some of your key achievements (user count, community numbers, number of trx, TVL)?
Roadmap:
Conclusion:
Updates on Grant Application Process - New Path to BuildingJune 2025
Hey builders! As RootstockCollective grows and more amazing projects join our ecosystem, we’re always tweaking our processes to make things smoother for everyone. This updated framework is all about helping you get the funding you need while keeping our community standards rock-solid. Let’s build the future of Bitcoin together! 
How to Apply for a Grant
Step 1: Complete KYB Requirements
Step 2: Create Your Off-Chain Proposal (Discourse, yes here!)Post your grant proposal on Discourse using this structure:
Title Format: [YYMM Grant] Project Name - Milestone 1
Mandatory Information:
Step 3: Submit Your On-Chain ProposalAfter KYB is approved and community discussion has occurred:
Go to the RootstockCollective dApp
Stake at least 1,000 stRIF
Submit an on-chain proposal requesting only the first tranche
Include a link to your Discourse proposal
Proposal enters voting
How Do I unblock the next tranche of my Grant?After you have achieved your milestone, you can unlock your next tranche!
Requirements
Ready to build at the Collective? Let’s ship it!
Great guidelines. Wanted to hone in a bit on what measurable KPIs for milestones mean.
Generally anything that has an API counts. On-chain is definitely preferred, I would say.
But Google Analytics or other growth-focused analytics providers are also very welcome.
More difficult are hard-to-verify sources like event attendance, mind share or similar metrics where sources boil down to trusting a stated number or metric with no due corse of verification.
If builders find a way to surface verifiable metrics that’s of course a different story altogether.
Just pointing out that easy-to-verify metrics are preferable.
Dear RootstockCollective Community,
I’m thrilled to introduce our refreshed grant guidelines (V3.1), launching alongside our latest dApp update (V7.1)! 
These enhancements reflect our ongoing commitment to supporting innovative builders while ensuring our resources drive meaningful impact across the Rootstock ecosystem.
If you have already passed your KYC, you are ready to create your offchain proposal here. Here is our suggested Template:
Title Format: [YYMM Grant] Project Name.
For example: [2511 Grant 3] Amazing Protocol XYZ
Proposal Content:
A. Project Name:
B. Classification:
- Project stage (MVP, Beta, Growth, Mature)
- Sector (DeFi, Infrastructure, Developer Tools, Consumer Apps, etc.)
- Target audience
Submission Date:
Founder Information:
Founder name(s)
Professional background
LinkedIn profiles
GitHub profiles
Prior blockchain experience
Team:
Key team members and roles
Relevant experience and expertise
Previous blockchain/web3 projects
Pitch deck link (self-hosted)
Demo video/prototype link
Screenshots/mockups
Technical documentation
Traction & Metrics:
Current user base (if applicable)
Transaction volume (if applicable)
TVL (if applicable)
Growth trajectory
Key achievements to date
Grant Request:
Total amount requested
Milestone breakdown with associated deliverables and dates
Amounts per milestone in desired coin/token: USDRIF, rBTC
Mission & Vision:
Product Details:
Core features and functionality
Technical architecture
Integration with Rootstock
Security considerations
Description:
Core problem being solved
Solution overview
Unique value proposition
Competitive analysis
Clear timeline with measurable deliverables
Major milestones and expected completion dates
Key success metrics for each phase
Performance Targets: Specific, measurable goals for:
Transaction volume
TVL (Total Value Locked)
User acquisition
Other relevant metrics
Conclusion:
Summary of key points
Call to action for community support
Social & Community:
Website
Twitter/X
Discord/Telegram
GitHub repository
Note on AI Usage: We encourage applicants to use AI tools to help correct typos or improve narrative flow in their proposals. However, excessive AI-generated content that lacks authentic project voice or specific technical details will be flagged during review. The strongest proposals demonstrate genuine team expertise and project understanding that can’t be fully replicated by generative AI. Use these tools to enhance your communication, not replace your unique project perspective.
Our program focuses on projects delivering measurable value to Rootstock in the near term, with three grant tiers:
Small Grants (up to $10,000) 💡
For early experiments and marketing initiatives
Medium Grants ($10,000 - $25,000) 🌱
For working products seeking growth
Large Grants ($25,000 - $75,000 or more) 🚀
For established projects with significant impact potential
Key performance metrics include transaction volume, TVL, user adoption, developer activity, and community growth.
Key performance metrics include transaction volume, TVL, user adoption, developer activity, and community growth. While these amounts are estimative, please note that community will request detailed justification for all requested funds.
We encourage established projects to consider applying for smaller grants for targeted integrations when appropriate. These tiers are indicative but not mandatory - the focus is on demonstrating clear value relative to the requested amount.
Guidelines on approval: While we support promising projects through the application process, we cannot guarantee positive community votes even when proposals meet all guidelines. The final decision rests with the decentralized community governance process.
Process Order: KYC first → off-chain submission → on-chain proposal
Eligibility: 
U.S.-based companies/UBOs not eligible at this time (updated November 3rd 2025)
Community Period: Allow 1-3 weeks for feedback and delegate engagement on your off-chain proposal (forum).
Sharktank Sessions: Be prepared for potential live presentation opportunities on our X Spaces with moderators from the Collective, Rootstock or KOLs.
We’re excited about empowering builders expanding Bitcoin’s potential through Rootstock. We encourage you to take a good look around our website: https://rootstockcollective.xyz/ for more documentation, and of course, our amazing dapp to check the latest proposals and more! : https://app.rootstockcollective.xyz/.
Have any other doubt? Reach out to the team via the General Channels on our Telegram channels, leave your comment on the Forum thread of interest or tag us on X - we are here to help!
GLHF 
The Rootstock Collective Team
