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# Grant program guidelines

TON Grants Program is aimed at providing initial support for ambitious teams to kick off product development or migrate a successful existing product to TON from another blockchain.
TON Grants Program is aimed at providing initial support for ambitious teams to kick off product development or migrate a successful existing product to TON from another blockchain.

According to our current strategy, we prioritise projects that have a potential to activate and onboard the mass audience of Telegram into TON and web3 rather than those targeting crypto-natives. It means such products need to have a strong social element, easy onboarding and good UX to effectively attract and retain the web2 user.
According to our current strategy, we prioritise projects that have a potential to activate and onboard the mass audience of Telegram into TON and web3. It means such products need to have a strong social element, easy onboarding and good UX to effectively attract and retain the user.

Apart from that, we always welcome initiatives that help enhance the TON overall infrastructure & DeFi landscape, facilitate the deployment of and interaction across DApps and Telegram Mini Apps, bring a unique value to the ecosystem and attract users and financial value from outside of TON.
Apart from that, we always welcome initiatives that help enhance the TON overall infrastructure & especially the DeFi landscape, facilitate the deployment of and interaction across DApps and Telegram Mini Apps, bring a unique value to the ecosystem and attract users and financial value from outside of TON.

It is important to note that we do not support products that are identical to the ones that already exist on TON, focusing on novel innovative business cases, even if within one product vertical.
It is important to note that we do not support products that fail to show the unique value proposition and are identical to the ones that already exist on TON. Instead, we focus on novel innovative business cases, even if within the same product vertical, but that promise to disrupt the landscape and have a clear marketing strategy to deliver that.

Applicants are thus invited to carefully study the [TON Ecosystem map](https://github.com/ton-society/ecosytem-map) as the first obligatory step in the application process.
Applicants are thus invited to carefully study the [TON Ecosystem map](https://github.com/ton-society/ecosytem-map) as the first obligatory step in the application process.

# Grant Categories

Projects that align with the following priority categories have an increased likelihood of receiving grant support from the TON Foundation:

## 1️⃣ Telegram Mini Apps (TMA): Social Web3 Use Cases inside Telegram
## 1️⃣ Telegram Mini Apps: Social Web3 Use Cases

This category is mostly about social B2C applications inside Telegram with a clear vision of how to achieve virality and retain the user. Please note that the use of TON in your DApp is a mandatory requirement and that your focus should be on activating web2 users and bringing them on-chain.
This category is mostly about B2C applications inside Telegram with a clear vision of how to use the social potential of Telegram, achieve virality and retain the user. Please note that the use of TON in your DApp is a mandatory requirement and that your focus should be on activating web2 users and bringing them on-chain.

This category includes but is not limited to:
This category includes but is not limited to:

- **SocialFi**: TMA that help creators monetize their social media content (e.g., FriendTech-like cases or a tool that helps crypto channel owners earn on sharing successful trades/new token launches)
- **Utility**: daily use TMA that fulfill some functional needs and necessarily use web3 to improve the UX of daily use cases (e.g., Calendar, Task tracker)
- **SocialFi**: Telegram Mini Apps (TMA) that help creators monetize their social media content (e.g., FriendTech-like cases or a tool that helps crypto channel owners earn on sharing successful trades/new token launches)
- **E-commerce:** marketplaces of digital and physical goods with viral social tools for onboarding and retaining the user like sharing, gifting, or group buying (e.g. Kaikai-like platforms)
- **Utility**: daily use TMA that fulfil some functional needs and necessarily use web3 to improve the UX of daily use cases (e.g., Calendar, Task tracker)
- **Community & Brand management**: tools aimed at engaging communities inside Telegram (e.g., Loyalty programs, Ticketing)
- **Onboarding platforms:** Telegram Mini Apps that provide a simple way to web3 for a Telegram user through the use of @wallet and other TON wallets and performing simple actions in other TON DApps (e.g., Quests, Educational apps).

### 1.1. Initial Deployment

Directed to developing and deploying the Proof of Concept with the integration of [@wallet](https://wallet.tg/), [TON Connect](https://docs.ton.org/develop/dapps/ton-connect/overview), and/or [Wallet Pay](https://pay.wallet.tg/).
Directed to developing and deploying the Proof of Concept with the integration of [@wallet](https://wallet.tg/), [TON Connect](https://docs.ton.org/develop/dapps/ton-connect/overview), and/or [Wallet Pay](https://pay.wallet.tg/).

**Grant size: up to $10K in TON**

Expand All @@ -40,34 +42,104 @@ Directed to moving a project that is live on another blockchain to TON in the fo

**Grant size: up to $50K in TON**

## 2️⃣ **GameFi**
## 2️⃣ DeFi

The main criterion for this category is the presence of social mechanics and thus the potential to attract and retain the mass audience of players. There are two subcategories of games we are ready to support:
While TON boasts strong and successful DeFi protocols, DApps and Telegram Mini Apps, there is always space for new innovative solutions in the ecosystem.

- **Social games in the form of a TMA** with viral mechanics and features like sharing with friends, leaderboards, group challenges, and notifications.
- **Standalone games** (PC / mobile), preferably with strong social mechanics too
The list of what we are looking for includes but is not limited to:

**Grant size: up to $10K in TON for initial deployment and up to $50K in TON for an existing game with sustainable metrics.**
- Lending protocols
- Derivatives DEXs
- DEXs with weighted pools (like Balancer.fi)
- Yield aggregators
- Liquidity layers
- Restaking

## 3️⃣ **Other**
The size of grant for this category depends on the TVL of the protocol on the chain where it’s already deployed and on the experience of the team. There are therefore 4 tiers of DeFi grants*:

This broad category consists of open-source technical projects; commercial projects that improve the TON infrastructure, including the deployment and interaction across DApps and Telegram Mini Apps; DeFi projects that significantly improve the current landscape.
<table>
<tr>
<th>Tier 1</th>
<th>Tier 2</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>

We kindly ask the teams applying for this grant category to do very thorough research on the current infrastructural & business landscape of TON before submitting an application. Make sure your solution is technically feasible and can greatly enhance the ecosystem.
**TVL > $300M**
- Up to $200k in grant support
- $300K in pre-committed rewards for protocol users
- $20K in free Telegram ads credits

</td>
<td>

**TVL > $100M**
- Up to $150k in grant support
- $150K in pre-committed rewards for protocol users
- $15K in free Telegram ads credits

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Tier 3</th>
<th>Tier 4</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>

**TVL > $50M**
- Up to $75k in grant support
- $50K in pre-committed rewards for protocol users
- $10K in free Telegram ads credits

</td>
<td>

**For experienced DeFi teams with a new product idea**
- Up to $30K in grant
- $20K in pre-committed rewards for protocol users
- $5K in free Telegram ads credits

</td>
</tr>
</table>


*the above-listed thresholds are indicative and are subject to change.

## 3️⃣ GameFi

The main criterion for this category is the presence of social mechanics and thus the potential to attract and retain the mass audience of players. There are two subcategories of games we are ready to support:

- **Social games in the form of a TMA** with viral mechanics and features like sharing with friends, leaderboards, group challenges, and notifications.
- **Standalone games** (PC / mobile), preferably with strong social mechanics too

**Grant size: up to $10K in TON for initial deployment and up to $50K in TON for an existing game with sustainable metrics.**

## 4️⃣  Developer Education

[to be filled soon]


## 5️⃣ Other

This broad category consists of open-source technical projects; commercial projects that improve the TON infrastructure, including the deployment and interaction across DApps and Telegram Mini Apps, and products of other verticals (trading bots, NFT tooling, AI, etc).

We kindly ask the teams applying for this grant category to do very thorough research on the current infrastructural & business landscape of TON before submitting an application. Make sure your solution is technically feasible and can greatly enhance the ecosystem.

**Grant size: up to $50K in TON**

> 🚫 Please kindly note that we generally do not fund a mere integration of TON into existing solutions like wallets / portfolio trackers / DEXs / NFT marketplaces etc, focusing on proposals that showcase the unique value and clearly state their focus on the TON ecosystem.
# How to raise the chances of being accepted
**How to raise the chances of being accepted**

Anyone is welcome to apply for a grant. To increase your chances of being approved, you should strictly follow these Guidelines. Always remember that your grant application is essentially your pitch.
Anyone is welcome to apply for a grant. To increase your chances of being approved, you should strictly follow these Guidelines. Always remember that your grant application is essentially your pitch.

**What can the funds be spent for?**
**What can the funds be spent for?**

Teams that plan to launch a product on TON from scratch can expect grant support for initial product development. Please note that we do not usually fund marketing campaigns at this stage.
Teams that plan to launch a product on TON from scratch can expect grant support for initial product development. Please note that we do not usually fund marketing campaigns at this stage.

Teams that have a live product with substantial traction on another chain and want to move to TON can get support for both product development and the migration of their user base to TON, based on the agreed milestones.
Teams that have a live product with substantial traction on another chain and want to move to TON can get support for both product development and the migration of their user base to TON, based on the agreed milestones.

**Generally, your project will have better chances to be accepted if:**

Expand All @@ -78,27 +150,29 @@ Teams that have a live product with substantial traction on another chain and wa
- You break down your project into specific milestones with reasonable timelines and expected outcomes and deliverables for each phase. Note that we do NOT provide grants for research, so please make sure not to include research activities among your milestones.
- A detailed and reasonable budget breakdown is provided. Justify each expense and ensure it aligns with industry standards.
- You can demonstrate that the project will be maintained after the completion of the grant, be it through additional funding sources or an existing business model.
- You can clearly present how your project stands out among competitors and implements technology that doesn't exist in the ecosystem yet. Thoroughly think about your unique value proposition for the users of TON and explain how your solution is better than any product that exists either on TON or on other chains (please feel free to mention specific projects). We highlight again that a necessary step before submitting your application is to explore the [TON Ecosystem Map.](https://github.com/ton-society/ecosytem-map) We are happy to support multiple solutions in the same product vertical, but your differentiation must be clear.
- You can clearly present how your project stands out among competitors and implements technology that doesn't exist in the ecosystem yet. Thoroughly think about your unique value proposition for the users of TON and explain how your solution is better than any product that exists either on TON or on other chains (please feel free to mention specific projects). We highlight again that a necessary step before submitting your application is to explore the [TON Ecosystem Map.](https://github.com/ton-society/ecosytem-map) We are happy to support multiple solutions in the same product vertical, but your differentiation must be clear.

# Grant rules

General requirements include the following:

- In case of our interest, we may **contact the team on Telegram** to have a more in-depth dialogue about their product and potential support from our side. The main takeaways and agreements will be reflected in the comment section of the original proposal on Questbook.
- In case we ask an applicant to resubmit the proposal, enriching it with more details, we would expect our request to be completed **within 5 working days** or reject the original proposal otherwise.
- Teams receive funds **upon the completion of each milestone**. No advanced payment is envisioned by this grant program.
- Teams commit to delivering each milestone in no more than **30 days**, and the entire grant scope - in no longer than **6 months** from the moment of approval.
- Teams are asked to **finish a grant before applying for a new one.**
- Apart from grant, we are happy to offer grantees our **technical support** and connect with the relevant players in the ecosystem.
- We do NOT usually award grants to projects that have been the object of a successful **token sale.**
- We do NOT support projects that fail to offer a **real utility** to the end user.
- We do NOT fund projects that actively encourage **gambling, illicit trade, money laundering,** or criminal activities in general.
- A grant **may be cancelled** if the team fails to meet the deadlines indicated above, is not responsive and collaborative or if the delivered milestones do not correspond to what was originally agreed upon.
- In case of our interest, we may **contact the team on Telegram** to have a more in-depth dialogue about their product and potential support from our side. The main takeaways and agreements will be reflected in the comment section of the original proposal on Questbook.
- In case we ask an applicant to resubmit the proposal, enriching it with more details, we would expect our request to be completed **within 5 working days** or reject the original proposal otherwise.
- The accepted Questbook proposal shall have the legal force. If the requirements set forth in these guidelines are not met by the team, the grant committee has the right to cancel the grant.
- A grant **may be cancelled** if the team fails to meet the deadlines or is not responsive and collaborative; if the delivered milestones do not correspond to what was originally agreed upon; as well as if the UX/UI of the presented product is below the average level required by the grant committee.
- Teams commit to delivering each milestone in no more than **30 days**, and the entire grant scope - in no longer than **6 months** from the moment of approval.
- Teams receive funds **upon the completion of each milestone**. No advanced payment is envisioned by this grant program.
- Teams are asked to **finish a grant before applying for a new one.**
- Apart from the grant, we are happy to offer grantees our **technical and marketing support** and connect with the relevant players in the ecosystem.
- We do NOT usually award grants to projects that have been the object of a successful **token sale.**
- We do NOT support projects that fail to offer a **real utility** to the end user.
- We do NOT fund projects that actively encourage **gambling, illicit trade, money laundering,** or criminal activities in general.

Requirements specific to open-source technical projects:

- All code produced as part of this category of grant must be open-sourced, and it must also not rely on closed-source software for full functionality. We prefer Apache 2.0, but GPLv3, MIT or Unlicense are also acceptable.
- Applications must not mention a specific token. Furthermore, the focus of the application should lie on the software that is being implemented/research being carried out as part of the grant, and less on your project/venture/operation. For the purpose of the application and delivery, think about how others might also benefit from your work.


## [Apply now](https://questbook.app/proposal_form/?grantId=65c7836df27e2e1702d2d279&chainId=10&newTab=true)

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