😇Tooling Sustainability

Applications for Tooling Projects are open! Apply here: https://tinyurl.com/OSC-Tooling

This program is actively being worked on by the tooling working group: https://opensourcecommittee.docs.intersectmbo.org/working-groups/tooling-working-group

Program Overview

The Tooling Sustainability Program is designed to fund and support critical open-source tools that the Cardano ecosystem depends on. Its purpose is to keep these projects healthy, reliable, and maintainable over the long term by providing structured support and accountability.

We focus on projects that:

• Improve developer experience (e.g., better workflows, faster onboarding, simplified tooling).

• Enhance interoperability between projects and across ecosystems.

• Strengthen day-to-day productivity for developers and operators.

• Reduce technical debt across the ecosystem by ensuring tools remain modern, tested, and documented.

Applicants must demonstrate they are ready for sustainability funding by meeting a must-have checklist covering repository hygiene, governance, delivery planning, and baseline risk/security practices.

How the Process Works

Phase 1 — Interest & Eligibility (this form)

• Submit your project through the ClickUp intake form.

• Confirm all required checklist items (using the self-attestation script results as a pdf with submission evidence).

• Only applications that meet all criteria will advance.

Outcome:

• Pass: Invited to Phase 2.

• Fail: Feedback provided with remediation steps. Applicants may re-apply once fixed.

Phase 2 — Evaluation & Demo (with OSC and Tooling WG)

• Qualified projects enter a structured evaluation led by the Open Source Committee (OSC).

• Components include:

  • Concise project demo (~5–10 minutes).

  • Review of repository artifacts, cross-checked with your attestation output.

  • Q&A session covering scope, technical readiness, governance, roadmap, and security posture.

What reviewers look for:

• Clear problem definition and user need.

• Evidence of adoption or demand.

• Defined path to PoC/MVP with acceptance criteria.

• Demonstrated ability to deliver on milestones.

Phase 3 — Selection & Funding Terms

Projects approved by OSC move to funding alignment, which formalizes:

• Milestones (broken into 2–4 measurable deliverables).

• Acceptance criteria for each milestone.

• Reporting cadence (e.g., monthly check-ins, milestone demos).

• Disbursement schedule, tied directly to milestone completion.

• Non-funding support (optional): security reviews, governance consulting, documentation support, community testing, analytics setup.

Outcome:

Projects become formally supported under the Tooling Sustainability Program, with sustained backing for successful delivery and long-term maintainability.

Payment Bands (Guidance Framework)

Band	Work Type	One-Time Payout (USD)	Criticality Level
Band 0 — Exceptional (Ceiling Tier)	Groundbreaking or ecosystem-critical tooling	$35,000- $50,000 (OSC discretion)	🔴 Mission-critical or ecosystem-wide impact
Band 1 — Core Critical Tools	Infrastructure, build systems, or protocol tooling	$15,000 – $35,000	🔴 Essential for Cardano’s operation
Band 2 — High Impact Developer Tooling	SDKs, testing suites, language tools	$5,000 – $15,000	🟠 Widely used by developers but non-core
Band 3 — Ecosystem Utilities & Libraries	Middleware, dashboards, CLI tools	$2,000 – $5,000	🟡 Improves productivity or observability
Band 4 — Experimental / Incubation Tools	New or early-stage repos	$500 – $2,000	🟢 Innovative but unproven

Note: The above bands serve as guidance only. Final award amounts are determined at the discretion of the Open Source Committee (OSC) based on submission quality, impact, and ecosystem priority. Band categories may also change at any time, but notice will be provided. The maximum ceiling for any individual payout is $50,000 USD.

Self-Attestation (Phase 1 Requirement)

As part of the application, projects must complete a self-attestation using the Intersect Open Source Office scripts. This ensures consistent baseline checks before moving forward.

Script location:

Intersect OSO – Self-Attestation Scripts

How to Use the Scripts

1. Follow the Readme: IntersectMBO/Project-Compliance-Attestation: This is a basic script that runs compliance checks for projects in Tooling Program

2. Run the appropriate script against your repository URL or local path. Each script validates critical areas such as:

   • Required files (README.md, LICENSE, CONTRIBUTING.md, SECURITY.md)

   • Governance and maintainer metadata (MAINTAINERS.md, roles, roadmap)

   • CI/CD presence and test coverage

   • Dependency hygiene (lockfiles, SBOM, dependency update tooling)

   • Security reporting and disclosure basics

3. Save the output (console log or generated report).

4. Attach the pdf results to your application form along with links to your evidence (repo files, CI config, SBOM, etc.).

Proposed Funding Rules for Tooling Sustainability Program:

1. Subsidee Style Stipend- Meant to fund valued tools the ecosystem depends on but has no sustainable source of funds.

2. Overlapping of external funds is a typical no go, can be reviewed case by case basis.

3. Cannot be used for proprietary or non-open source friendly licensed projects.

4. Demonstrated use within the ecosystem, can be verified with data or use cases.

5. Recipients must provide quarterly review progress as determined by the WG.

6. Budget does not need to be exhausted, just applied to have maximum impact.

7. Payments will only be provided in ADA.

8. In the event of multiple projects being selected within one given category, the WG with OSC will evaluate the highest impact projects to support its determined category limit.

9. Selections for funded projects will be supported for 1 year cadence per budgetary cycle, provided quarterly evaluations show the project in good standing.

10. There is no grandfather clause, projects are revaluated every budgetary cycle.

11. Funding should promote better open source citizenship, contribution to the listed project and or any potential downstream dependencies.

12. Being involved in other OSC budget sponsored programs does not inherently mean disqualification for funding within this program, but will need to be evaluated on a case by case basis.

13. All projects are subject to the OSC Governance and Security policy as applicable.

14. All rules listed are subject to change based upon experiences throughout the program upon OSC determination.

15. Conflict of Interest disclosures provided by applicable projects and teams, serving in any capacity on this initiative.

Mission: The Tooling Working Group (WG) will serve as the working body that supports the Tooling Sustainability Program, focusing on identifying, funding, and supporting mission-critical open-source tools and libraries that are foundational to the Cardano ecosystem. The WG aims to ensure the long-term sustainability, security, and usability of these tools by providing targeted financial support and structured guidance, enabling both developers and the wider community to build with confidence.

Scope & Objectives:

The Tooling WG will operate under a clear mandate to evaluate, fund, and support essential tooling projects based on community demand, technical merit, and ecosystem impact.

Project Identification & Evaluation:

• Define Key Categories: Focus areas include but are not limited to:

  • dApp Frameworks

  • Voting Tools

  • Education Frameworks

  • Explorers & Monitoring Tools

  • Smart Contract DSLs

  • Wallets & Indexers

  • Community-Suggested Tools (via open submission)

• Community Demand & Adoption:

  • Utilize community feedback loops and data-driven insights (e.g., usage metrics, adoption rates).

  • Integrate Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs) and tools like Bitegria for dependency and impact analysis.

• Licensing & Open Source Compliance:

  • Confirm the open-source status of each project, ensuring adherence to permissive and community-compatible licenses (e.g., MIT, Apache 2.0).

• Program Overlap & Ecosystem Fit:

  • Review existing funded programs to avoid duplication and promote complementarity within the ecosystem.

• Governance & Contribution Proof:

  • Assess the governance structure of projects, focusing on transparency and community involvement.

  • Require proof of contribution, including commit histories, contributor stats, and community engagement.

• Roadmaps & ROI Evaluation:

  • Mandate comprehensive project roadmaps that outline key milestones, timelines, and measurable outcomes.

  • Evaluate contribution opportunities, sustainability plans, and expected return on investment (ROI) for the ecosystem.

Funding & Support Mechanism:

• Establish a transparent funding process with clear selection criteria and reporting requirements.

• Regularly monitor funded projects to ensure adherence to milestones and evaluate the continued impact.

• Implement accountability measures, including periodic reviews, progress reports, and community check-ins.

Provide non-financial support such as mentorship, technical guidance, and integration opportunities within the Cardano ecosystem.

Proposed Budget:

• 2 Million ADA or ($1 Million USD) allocated to fund a diverse set of open-source tooling projects, prioritized based on ecosystem impact and community needs.

• Budget will cover development costs, maintenance, and sustainability efforts for selected projects, with a focus on long-term viability.

Success Metrics:

• Number of funded projects successfully launched and adopted.

• Measurable improvements in ecosystem tooling coverage and usability.

• Increased community engagement and contributions to funded projects.

• Enhanced security and maintainability of critical open-source libraries.