Grants and Funding

Building zero-knowledge applications on Kusama can be funded through various grant programs and governance mechanisms. This section covers the two primary funding sources for ZK developers.

Funding Overview

Quick Navigation

OpenGov Treasury

The decentralized governance system controlling the Kusama treasury:

• How it works: Community voting on treasury proposals
• Tracks: Small (<100 KSM), Medium (100-1000 KSM), Large (>1000 KSM)
• Voting: Conviction voting with token locks
• Timeline: 7-28 days depending on track

Best for: General projects, infrastructure, ecosystem development

→ Read the OpenGov Guide

Zero Knowledge and Advanced Cryptography Bounty

Part of the Kusama Vision Program (10M DOT pool):

• Managed by: Community-trusted curators
• Independent from: Web3 Foundation and OpenGov
• Focus: Privacy apps, ZK infrastructure, research, developer tools, advanced cryptography
• Categories: Runtime, Contracts, Applications, Identity, DeFi, Governance, Quantum-resistant
• Apply: zk.kusama.vision

Best for: Zero-knowledge and advanced cryptography projects that integrate with Kusama ecosystem

→ Read the Zero Knowledge and Advanced Cryptography Guide

Key Differences

Which Should You Apply For?

Choose OpenGov if:

• Your project has broad ecosystem appeal
• You want community-driven decision making
• Your project isn't strictly ZK-focused
• You prefer transparent on-chain voting

Choose Zero Knowledge and Advanced Cryptography if:

• Your project is specifically about zero-knowledge proofs or advanced cryptography
• You want expert curator review (not popularity vote)
• You're building ZK infrastructure or privacy applications
• You want to be part of the Kusama Vision program

Can I Apply for Both?

Yes! Different components of a larger project can be funded separately, but you cannot double-fund the same work.

Example:

Privacy Pool Project
├── Zero Knowledge and Advanced Cryptography: Circuit development (ZK-specific)
└── OpenGov: Frontend and marketing (general)

Application Processes

OpenGov Treasury Process

1. Prepare Proposal

   • Technical details
   • Budget breakdown (in KSM)
   • Timeline with milestones
   • Team information

2. Submit via OpenGov

   • Use Subsquare or Polkassembly
   • Select appropriate track (Small/Medium/Large Spender)
   • Pay decision deposit

3. Campaign for Support

   • Share on social media
   • Engage with delegates
   • Answer community questions

4. Vote and Enact

   • Community votes (7-28 days)
   • Confirmation period
   • Automatic enactment if approved

→ Read the full OpenGov Guide

Zero Knowledge and Advanced Cryptography Bounty Process

1. Join the Community

   • Visit ZK SPACE
   • Discuss your ideas with other developers
   • Visit the community forum at: https://forum.polkadot.network/
   • Get feedback on your proposal concept
   • Figure out why Kusama and PolkaVM is great for your project

2. Prepare Proposal

   • Technical approach (ZK proof system, integration point)
   • Privacy guarantees
   • Kusama integration plan
   • Open source contributions
   • Budget (in DOT)

3. Submit Application

   • Apply at zk.kusama.vision
   • Click "APPLY NOW"
   • Fill out the application form

4. Curator Review

   • Community curators evaluate technical merit
   • 2-4 week review period
   • Independent from Web3 Foundation

5. Decision and Funding

   • Curators make funding decisions
   • Approved projects receive funding up to 180 000 USD
   • Regular progress updates required

→ Read the full Zero Knowledge and Advanced Cryptography Guide

Writing a Successful Proposal

Key Elements (Both Programs)

# Proposal: [Project Name]

## Summary
[2-3 sentence overview]

## Problem
[What are you solving?]

## Solution
[Your approach]

## Technical Details
[Architecture, tech stack, ZK components]

## Budget
[Itemized breakdown]

## Timeline
[Milestones with dates]

## Team
[Credentials and experience]

## Milestones
[Payment schedule tied to deliverables]

Best Practices

Do:

• ✅ Be specific about deliverables
• ✅ Tie payments to verifiable milestones
• ✅ Engage community before submitting
• ✅ Include links to previous work
• ✅ Budget realistically with contingency

Don't:

• ❌ Make vague claims
• ❌ Request full payment upfront
• ❌ Ignore feedback
• ❌ Underestimate timeline
• ❌ Forget maintenance costs

Resources

OpenGov Platforms

• Kusama Subsquare - Primary interface
• Polkassembly - Discussions and tracking
• Polkadot.js Apps - Direct submission

ZK Bounty Platforms

• zk.kusama.vision - Apply here
• ZK SPACE - Community discussion hub

Documentation

• OpenGov Guide - Detailed OpenGov information
• Zero Knowledge and Advanced Cryptography Guide - Bounty-specific guidance
• Polkadot Wiki: OpenGov

Community

• Discord: Kusama Official Discord - ZK channels
• Matrix: #Polkadot-Direction:parity.io, ZK SPACE
• Forum: Kusama Forum governance and ZK sections

Getting Help

For OpenGov Proposals

1. Read OpenGov Guide
2. Share draft in Discord/Matrix
3. Contact OpenGov delegates for feedback
4. Learn from previous applicants

For Zero Knowledge and Advanced Cryptography Proposals

1. Read Zero Knowledge and Advanced Cryptography Guide
2. Join ZK SPACE community
3. Discuss ideas with curators and community
4. Review funded project examples

Previous: Why Kusama for ZK | Next: OpenGov