Retroactive Public Good Funding is a unique funding mechanism that rewards impactful contributions after they have been made. Rather than funding projects upfront, Retroactive Public Good Funding looks back at the work that has already been done, recognizing and rewarding those who have made significant contributions to the Optimism ecosystem, also known as the Superchain. This approach ensures that the most impactful work is acknowledged and incentivized, driving continuous improvement and innovation.
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at one of the upcoming rounds of Optimism Retro Funding—Round 5, which focuses on the OP Stack.
But before we dive into the details of Round 5, we'll also give you an overview of what Optimism is doing with Retro Funding throughout the rest of 2024, highlighting the key rounds and how they aim to build a better, more collaborative digital future.
Retro Funding Round 4: Onchain Builders
The fourth round of Retro Funding, which has already taken place, focused on rewarding onchain builders who contribute to the success of Optimism. This round aimed to expand the network's reach and impact by incentivizing builders who increase blockspace demand and drive value to the Collective. Key areas of impact included bringing new users to the Superchain, enhancing network effects, and boosting protocol usage.
If you're interested in the results of Retro Funding Round 4, you can check them out here.
Upcoming Retro Funding Rounds
Retro Funding Round 5: OP Stack
The fifth round centers on contributions to the OP Stack, the core of Optimism and the Superchain. This round will reward efforts that strengthen the foundational elements of Optimism's infrastructure, including protocol enhancements and optimization initiatives. Recent impactful contributions include EIP-4844, Span Batches, fault proof alpha, and the development of client implementations like op-reth, op-nethermind, and op-erigon.
Key Dates:
Sign up: Aug 22nd - Sept 5th
Application Review Process: Sept 6th - Sept 20th
Voting: September 21st - Oct 4th
Results & Grant delivery: October 10th
Retro Funding Round 6: Governance
Round six focuses on improving the capture resistance and resource allocation of Optimism Governance. By rewarding contributions that enhance governance tools, mechanisms, and processes, this round aims to foster a more robust and resilient governance framework. Eligible projects include those improving governance infrastructure, conducting research, and developing analytics tools that provide valuable insights.
Application Submission Period: September 2024
Retro Funding Round 7: Dev Tooling
The seventh round targets developer tooling, supporting Optimism builders with the necessary resources to streamline development. Contributions such as SDKs, testing frameworks, and other tools that enhance the development process will be rewarded. This round aims to create a more efficient and productive environment for developers working on the Optimism platform.
Application Submission Period: October 2024
**Please note that the dates mentioned may be subject to change. We encourage you to follow Optimism closely to stay updated with the latest information and announcements.
Who is Eligible for Retro Funding?
Retro Funding is open to a diverse range of projects and contributors across various categories, including protocol and infrastructure development, end-user experiences, adoption, governance improvements, and enhancements to the OP Stack. Eligible projects span the entire Superchain, including Base, Mode, Zora, Farcaster, sound.xyz, and all OP Chains. Contributions from these projects are encouraged and rewarded, helping to grow the network of contributors.
Diving Deeper: RetroPGF Round 5 - The OP Stack
Let’s take a closer look at what makes Round 5 so special. The OP Stack is the backbone of Optimism, and this round is all about strengthening it.
Here’s everything you need to know:
What Is the OP Stack?
The OP Stack is the set of protocols, tools, and infrastructure that powers Optimism. It’s what allows developers to build on Optimism with confidence, knowing that they have a solid foundation to support their innovations.
What Kind of Contributions Are Rewarded?
Round 5 will reward contributions in three main areas:
Ethereum Core Contributions: These are fundamental enhancements to the Ethereum infrastructure that support the OP Stack. This includes improvements to smart contract languages, execution clients, and other core technologies.
OP Stack Research & Development: This includes work on the OP Stack itself, such as protocol upgrades, client implementations, and any other research or development efforts that make the OP Stack better.
OP Stack Tooling: Finally, this round will reward tools and resources that make the OP Stack more accessible and easier to use. Whether it’s load testing tools, node management scripts, or comprehensive documentation, these contributions are vital to the ecosystem.
How Much Is Up for Grabs?
Round 5 has 8 million OP tokens allocated to it, reflecting the significant impact that contributions to the OP Stack can have on the entire Optimism ecosystem.
How Will Voting Work?
This round introduces some exciting changes to the voting process. Badgeholders will be grouped into smaller teams to focus on specific applications, and guest voters with expertise in the OP Stack will help ensure that the most impactful contributions are recognized.
Apply Now for Retro Funding Round 5
If you’ve been contributing to the OP Stack, now is your chance to be recognized and rewarded for your hard work. Retro Funding Round 5 is dedicated to supporting those who are building and improving the core infrastructure that powers Optimism. Don’t miss out, submit your application starting from August 22 and showcase the value you’ve brought to the OP Stack.
Let’s build the future of Optimism together! 🔴✨
