Neutron Grants Program (NGP) Renewal Proposal
Summary
The Neutron Grants Program (NGP) was established to advance the application ecosystem and support public goods on Neutron by funding high-impact initiatives. Since late 2023, the program has received over 130 applications and awarded grants to 36 projects. This proposal seeks formal approval to continue the NGP through 2025 without requesting further funding or support from the Neutron DAO. No additional funding is requested, and grants will remain milestone-based (up to $50,000 per project). In addition, at a later date, a further governance proposal will be used to vote on any structural changes to the Neutron Grants Foundation — as alluded to in the previously published annual report.
Background
The NGP began under Proposal #14, which allocated 20,000,000 NTRN to support ecosystem growth. Over the past year, these funds have helped launch and expand key use cases on Neutron and helped make it a better place for users and developers. You can learn more about the NGP’s work over the last year in the annual report and on our website.
Plan
Under this renewal, the NGP will continue to issue milestone-based grants to projects that directly support Neutron’s mission. As part of our learnings, each grant will be capped at $50,000, contingent upon measurable KPIs that allow us to release funds based on the success of grantees in ways that align with Neutron’s long-term priorities. The explicit focus of the NGP will be primarily on supporting applications on Neutron, especially those that align with our vision of Integrated Finance.
Aside from reworking the grant-giving priorities, no governance or structural changes are proposed here; the NGP will retain its current framework until any future transition plan, if adopted, is ratified through a separate vote.
Grant Review Committee
Lanre Ige will continue as Grants Lead, overseeing daily activities and strategic direction alongside his role as Head of Ecosystem for Neutron. The other grant reviewers currently are Emir Izaddeen and EffortCapital. David Park, one of the grant reviewers, will step down, and we will begin recruiting a new technical reviewer to replace him.
Lanre, the Grants Lead, will receive no compensation from the NGP, given his role as Head of Ecosystem at Neutron. The other reviewers will be compensated at $100 p/h, with a maximum contribution of 10 hours per week. Unlike last year, this will solely be paid for in USDC. The technical reviewer will be compensated at $100 p/h with a maximum contribution of 5 hours per week.
Funding and Budget
The NGP Grants Fund holds approximately 13.77M NTRN and $177,630 USDC, worth around 1.68M, which is sufficient for grant-giving activity in 2025. Up to 50% of these resources may be deployed in the coming year, balancing the need to fund impactful initiatives with caution against adverse selection. Any future proposal to alter the NGP’s funding model or organizational structure—such as creating a formal Foundation subsidiary—will be submitted separately for DAO consideration.
The NGP Operations Fund holds $467.72k USDC and 1.09M NTRN, worth around $587.72k, which will more than cover expected operational expenses for the foreseeable future.
Estimated Annual Budget (2025)
| Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Maximum Grants Allocation (50% of funds) | Up to $800,000 (USD) |
| Legal Expenses | $50,000 |
| Reviewer Compensation (3 members) | Up to $130,000 |
| Operational Costs | $50,000 |
| Total Estimated (Maximum) Budget | Around $1M (USD) |
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The NGP will measure its effectiveness through four primary KPIs:
- Number of Grantees Raising Follow-on Funding: Gauges external validation of funded projects.
- Total Value Locked (TVL) of Grantees: Reflects the on-chain adoption and capital efficiency of DeFi solutions supported by the NGP.
- Number of Applications: Indicates the program’s attractiveness to new builders and entrepreneurs.
- Number of Grants Funded: Highlights the scale of NGP activity and demonstrates how swiftly capital is deployed.
Monitoring these KPIs fosters accountability and ensures community resources are directed toward impactful initiatives.
Governance Considerations
This proposal does not request new funding or introduce changes to the program’s governance framework. The DAO retains oversight of resource allocation and operational performance through the NGP’s BORG structure and the on-chain veto mechanism. Should the NGP undergo structural changes in the future, a dedicated governance proposal will detail those modifications for community review.
Conclusion
Over the past year, the NGP has proven its capacity to drive meaningful progress in the Neutron ecosystem by selectively supporting projects that align with Neutron’s vision for integrated finance. The renewed mandate of the grants program will be a key aspect of supporting leading projects entering the ecosystem as we mature as a leading blockchain.
Voting Options:
- A YES vote approves the continuation of the Neutron Grants Program.
- A NO vote rejects the continuation of the Neutron Grants Program.
- An ABSTAIN vote expresses no preference for the proposal’s outcome.
Note that this proposal will not ask for any additional funding from the Neutron DAO.