Author: Marco González

Editor: Randall Roland

EOS can do it all. In its few short years, EOSIO proves durable, secure, fast, and completes more transactions than any other blockchain software. Why should funding be any less amazing?

In the new era of Antelope (EOSIO 3.0), several organizations stepped up to fund community projects. Through the amazing features of quadratic funding, support becomes available for technical development, creativity, and all types of projects that support mainnet public goods. Incubator programs further position EOS as a leader in Web3 development.

Of all the ways to get funding on EOS, Pomelo is by far the most popular. Individual donations pool together alongside matching funds from organizations. The more unique contributions a grant receives, the greater percentage of matching funds an applicant receives. EOS Support is, in part, a product of a Pomelo grant.

Applying for a grant requires submitting a proposal for a public good. Applicants then wait for approval. The Pomelo team meticulously checks to see that every grant meets the conditions for a public good. Also, before any funds are distributed, funding allocations are rechecked to ensure fair play. Approved grants may be assessed a penalty or disqualified if found to be in conflict with the rules.

Pomelo’s user interface is impressive. It’s refined and a pleasure to use. A key factor in Pomelo’s success is community engagement. By design, each Pomelo season helps promote projects via social media, chats, and blogs. Sometimes there’s even collaboration that combines team efforts. Taken together, Pomelo makes the magic of quadratic funding all that more powerful.

The ENF contributes to both matching funds for Pomelo as well as its own independent grants. Most ENF funds go to the working groups it sponsors. However, projects that successfully complete a Pomelo round can apply to the ENF. Besides funding, maybe the greatest advantage in applying directly to the ENF is the recognition and respect of the developer community. Note that Helios has been known to favor new projects that successfully deploy ENF funds. Aspiring applicants may contact the ENF to work through a proposal.

Team Helios sort of took over the enterprising arm for EOS when B1 departed. Make no mistake, the ENF leads the development of the mainnet. However, B1 spent a lot of time networking with outside businesses. Helios presents EOS in similar mainstream arenas, as well as offers an incubator program that builds upon B1’s early initiative.

Like B1, Helios helps new companies become self-sufficient by leveraging EOSIO (now Antelope) technology. The Helios team appears to be more committed to EOS than B1. Helios’ founder, and former Eden Chief Delegate, has a lot at stake in the mainnet’s success.

In the brief time since the departure of Block.one, the EOS community came together to offer various types of funding. Taken together, mainnet projects have access to a full spectrum of funding needs. It’s probably too early to say that EOS offers all-inclusive funding. A live Leap 3.1 is one step closer to making funds available for any dedicated EOS project.

Pomelo helps new projects get noticed. The Helios incubator works to help teams become independently financed. ENF grants fall somewhere in between. While the ENF funds working groups, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee instruction and comprehensive advice for its grant recipients.

The EOS mainnet and greater community no longer dream of a bright future. That future is here now. Average users may not see it yet, but developer commits like Antelope Leap v3.1 (released in September 2022) offer proof of EOS’ progress.

These past few months far exceed the progress made all of last year (and likely even the prior year). Now factor in the many Pomelo projects applying for new grants, as well as increased matching funds for season 3. There’s also privately distributed grants and incubator programs for impact projects. Not too early to say: EOS has arrived.