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Grant Types

The CoW Grants Program offers different types of grants to accommodate various project needs. Understanding the differences will help you choose the most appropriate structure for your proposal.

Milestone-Based Grants​

Milestone-based grants are designed for projects with clearly defined deliverables and outcomes.

Key characteristics:

  • Structured around specific, measurable deliverables
  • Payment tied to completion of defined milestones
  • Suitable for development projects, integrations, or research with clear outputs
  • Each milestone includes detailed descriptions, deliverables, due dates, and funding amounts

When to choose:

  • Your project has clear, measurable deliverables
  • You can break down the work into distinct phases
  • You need funding based on completion of specific objectives

Time-Based Grants​

Time-based grants are not tied to specific deliverables but to the provision of time and effort over a period.

Key characteristics:

  • Based on dedicated time commitment rather than specific deliverables
  • Suitable for ongoing roles, maintenance, or advisory services
  • Can be structured by hours, days, or months
  • Requires clear scope of work and responsibilities

When to choose:

  • Your contribution involves ongoing work or maintenance
  • Value is measured in consistent effort rather than specific outputs
  • Your role requires flexibility in addressing emerging needs

Volume Grants​

As part of the 2026 mandate, a specific allocation of 4,990,000 COW is reserved for volume-based incentives.

Key characteristics:

  • Targeted at partners and integrations that drive measurable protocol volume
  • Deployed only when partner activity demonstrates clear value multiplication
  • Focuses on strategic growth and liquidity depth

Hybrid Grants​

Some projects may benefit from combining aspects of both milestone and time-based grants.

Key characteristics:

  • Combines fixed deliverables with ongoing time commitments
  • Allows for both structured outcomes and flexible contributions
  • Must clearly specify which parts are milestone-based and which are time-based

Bonus & Partnership Incentives​

The Grants DAO Committee utilizes a discretionary incentive structure to reward exceptional performance and ecosystem growth:

  • Performance Bonuses: Committee members may receive up to 1,500 xDAI per month from a quarterly pool, awarded through peer-reviewed evaluation of exceptional contributions.
  • Partnership Incentives: Introduced in CIP-82, committee members or partners who secure external ecosystem funding may receive a 5% success fee (capped at 10,000 xDAI), paid from the received external funds on a cash-on-cash basis.

For complete details on grant types and requirements, refer to the CoW DAO Grant Agreement.