Suggested Title:
Gitcoin on Bitcoin using Rootstock
Suggested Description:
Integrating Rootstock smart contracts into Geyser Grants to enable trustless, matching-based grant disbursements for the Bitcoin ecosystem.
X: @ metamick14
Mick is a serial entrepreneur and Bitcoin advocate with deep experience in launching Bitcoin-native products. Previously, he worked in product strategy and growth roles in both startups and NGOs across Europe and Latin America.
Award Amount:
$20,000
Project Stage:
Working product with active users; expanding functionality through Rootstock integration.
Description:
Geyser Grants is a Bitcoin-native grant platform enabling decentralized, non-custodial funding for grassroots projects. With over 4 BTC distributed to 286 projects, 15 sponsors, and 1,500 community voters, it’s a proven concept.
We now want to take it to the next level by:
Creating Grants as a Service: turning this into an actual product that anyone can use to launch their grants. This could be any player in the Bitcoin or Rootstock ecosystem.
Integrate Rootstock smart contracts for trustless matching grants. This integration will allow funds to be escrowed in a Rootstock smart contract and released only when matching or milestone conditions are met. Contributions will be bridged between RBTC and Lightning, ensuring non-custodial, global disbursement to creators.
Mission:
To build a decentralized, transparent, and global funding layer for Bitcoin adoption and innovation.
Product:
Geyser Grants is a permissionless grant platform built on Bitcoin and Lightning. The new feature powered by Rootstock will:
Enable anyone to create a grant and pledge funds towards it.
Escrow grant funds in a smart contract.
Enable milestone-based disbursement.
Bridge funds from Bitcoin to RBTC and back to Lightning.
Ensure trustless and fair release of matched funds.
Value to Rootstock:
Demonstrates real-world use of Rootstock smart contracts.
Drives visibility and developer interest in RBTC.
Offers Rootstock a ready-made platform to distribute its own grants in a trustless, transparent way.
Synergies:
Potential to integrate with other Rootstock-native identity or DAO governance tools.
Could serve as infrastructure for Rootstock community grants and hackathons.
Team:
Mick Morucci (CEO) – Strategy, product, and Bitcoin ecosystem expert.
Month 3: Deploy to Rootstock mainnet, open public testing, and execute first milestone-based disbursement
Conclusion:
Geyser Grants is already empowering Bitcoin adoption through decentralized crowdfunding. This proposal will unlock a new layer of trustless, smart contract-based funding powered by Rootstock. It’s a proven project with a clear path to impact—and this grant will turn a working idea into a working system that the entire Bitcoin and Rootstock ecosystem can benefit from.
Really like this proposal. Bringing a Gitcoin-style grants model to Bitcoin using Rootstock smart contracts is a strong idea, and the Geyser team clearly has both traction and experience. The video demo was great. That kind of communication sets a great example for future applicants.
Given the mid-sized ask, some light accountability (like milestone updates or a short post-launch report) would be helpful. It’s important we keep setting good standards for future grants.
Would love to see more voices join the conversation before this moves forward. This integration could be especially relevant for active builders within Rootstock Collective, so it’d be great to hear what others have in mind.
Definitely agree that this could be valuable to builders within Rootstock collective, to leverage additional grants, or even create different types of grants.
Keen to keep getting feedback on the idea, as we start doing more user/product research. Also keen to explore Rootstock Collective to learn more, so the application process here has been really helpful.
Looking forward to more feedback and hearing what might be the next steps.
Fully support this proposal. Saw this team at BTC Prague. Very Bitcoin aligned and supporting some really important initiatives. Will throw my support behind the project once live in voting.
Update:
It’s been great getting all of your feedback, folks! We’re still carrying out some user research to see if there is indeed a major pain point that we’d be solving through this. Blockers
Ensuring the user pain point is real enough, not only for creating a Grants platform (Grant as a Service), but also one that uses smart contracts to receive and deploy capital.
As a small startup, we need to be brutal with prioritization, so we have not been able to dedicate that much time to this as we’d like to.
Will be keeping you guys up to date on the progress.
I’d love to see GeyserFound connect with Rootstock and help accelerate grant-funded projects using stablecoins, RBTC, or other Bitcoin-native assets.
In particular, I think the use of Dollar on Chain — DOC - The decentralized stablecoin collateralized with BTC. — a 100% Bitcoin-backed stablecoin, makes a lot of sense for a Bitcoin-based grants platform, especially in emerging markets.
Many NGOs prefer giving and receiving grants denominated in USD, and with DOC that’s exactly what you get — only using Bitcoin as collateral.
I say this from personal experience, as I’ve been supporting fundraising efforts at ONG Bitcoin Argentina https://bitcoinargentina.org/ for years. Practically all financial contributions we’ve received have been USD-denominated (even though a good part of the treasury is later converted to BTC).
Very interesting insight from an insider in NGO funding.
And I totally agree Dollar on Chain can be a strategic primitive to compose with a variety of projects and ideas, as it allows interesting interactions between Bitcoin and USD dynamics over time.
For reference, we are the treasury manager of Gitcoin, including their Matching Pool which is used for grants funding, and work closely with their Grants team, so if and when the time comes we’d be happy to contribute and assist where possible.
Likewise here, we think having a thoughtful cash-flow structure and stable denomination asset for grants distribution makes a lot of sense, and would be happy to work with both @metamick, the Geyser Grants team and @Manu to support this program where we can to make this happen.
Would welcome further discussion over a call when the time is right.
We have submitted a proposal for a project that would proceed the one above:
We believe the best first step for Rootstock integration is through the All-or-Nothing functionality, which addresses a highly requested user feature and has stronger immediate product-market pull. Once this foundation is in place, we can revisit deeper integration of Geyser Grants as a follow-up phase.