Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQ

Who can apply for a Grant?

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and not a citizen of, or located in, a country or territory on a OFAC Sanctions List. Individuals should have technical development skills or expertise. The primary target for this grants program is software developers.

What personal information do I need to provide?

You will be required to share full legal names and bios of all team members, as well as a copy of a government-issued ID (front and back). If considered for a finalist interview, we will complete additional compliance, legal, and sanctions screenings.

Do I have to receive a grant in order to build on the XRP Ledger?

No, XRP Ledger is an open source, public, permissionless and decentralized blockchain that anyone can develop on. We encourage you to build and develop your project using the technical resources on XRPL.org and in the wider XRP community. The XRP Ledger Developers Discord is also a great place to connect and engage with others in the XRPL community. If you are new to the XRPL, the Learning Platform is a great place to start and learn the basics of crypto, blockchain and coding on the XRPL.

What is the application period?

Wave 5 applications are open from February 7th to March 24th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Additional applications will be announced throughout the year. To get notified when applications open, click to subscribe to our latest updates.

What information will I need to provide on the application?

To apply, you will need to provide:

A public GitHub repository with a proof-of-concept or prototype (more information below)
A detailed description of your project
Project roadmap and Key milestones (view template here)
A plan for licensing your work
An explanation of how your project will benefit the XRPL community

Click here for a PDF preview of the full application.

Does the Github repository need to be public?

Yes, we require that your submitted Github repo is public and accessible, in order to make the review process smooth and as fast as possible.

What is the range of award amounts?

Awards range between $10,000 and $200,000 per project.

Awards of $100,000 and greater are typically for developers who have already successfully completed a comparable project.

How should I determine what size of an award to apply for?

The award amount you request should be determined by the scope of work that you wish to complete using your grant. Your application must contain milestones/scope of work and a budget breakdown detailing how you intend to spend any awarded funds. Your budget should include estimates for conversion rates and taxes.

Can I apply for a follow-on grant?

While the opportunity for additional funding from either the Grants program or other Ripple funding programs is a possibility, it is not a guarantee. Part of the application process is sharing your plan for project sustainability, i.e. how will you support the project past funding from the XRPL Grants program.

The Grants program will not fund a single project more than twice.

Are there restrictions on what I can apply awarded funds toward?

We are looking to support technical project development and related expenses. Projects requesting funding for general infrastructure (including validators) and overhead may not be funded. Your budget may include salaries, legal fees, external audits, etc.. You are responsible for figuring out tax rates and any estimated conversion and including them in your budget estimations. (See below FAQ for additional information on Tax Implications.)

Can I submit an Application in a language other than English?

At this time, all applications must be submitted in English and interviews will be conducted in English.

Can I apply with more than one project?

No. We will only consider a single project per organization/team/project lead. We recommend putting effort into submitting your strongest proposal, instead of submitting multiple proposals.

What types of projects will be considered for funding?

All projects must add value to the XRPL ecosystem and involve a technical component. See the Grantees page for examples of awarded projects.

How mature does a project need to be in order to apply for funding?

All projects must have a prototype or proof-of-concept that we can review on GitHub. The minimum is at least a few days of work (e.g. a proof of concept created over the course of a weekend or during a hackathon). We will not fund projects that are just an idea or do not show sufficient initial work. Additionally, the reviewers are looking for overall effort, not just base code.

What are the tax implications of receiving funding?

Often this money is treated as taxable income, but recipients are responsible for determining the tax implications of receiving an award based on their respective countries’ tax laws and compliance requirements. You should factor in and include the estimated taxes in your submitted budget document.

Do I have to have a company in order to receive funding?

No. We will fund individuals and small teams, as well as companies. See above question regarding tax implications. If a team is awarded, funds are paid to one individual (the project lead) and the project lead will be responsible for disbursing and managing the funds for the project.

Do I need to have prior experience building on XRP Ledger to apply for funding?

Previous XRPL experience is not required, but highly encouraged. In order to receive funding judges will be evaluating your genuine interest, understanding of the XRPL and technical ability to execute the project by your core team. If you are new to blockchain and the XRPL we recommend you take the free courses on the Learning Platform and/or review the documentation at XRPL.org.

How do I start building on XRPL?

There are many ways to interact with the XRP Ledger, including client libraries (SDKs) in JavaScript, Python, and Java. There are also APIs available over HTTP (JSON-RPC) and WebSockets. For a tutorial on how to send money, look here. For reference docs, see XRPL.org. We also recommend the free Intro to the XRPL and Code with the XRPL courses.

I don’t know if XRPL Grants is the right program for me.

There are other funding mechanisms to build on the XRPL. See the XRPL Funding Page to see if Grants is the proper funding mechanism for your project.

What are the XRPL Grants Terms & Conditions?

Terms and Conditions for XRPL Grant can be viewed here. Grantees are expected to adhere to the Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct, and to support making the XRPL community welcoming and harassment-free.

How can I learn more?

If you have any other questions, please contact us at info@xrplgrants.org.

FAQ