## NRC DAO April 2024 Research Grant Application We are now accepting proposals for our second round of research grants to empower alumni of the NEAR Certified Researcher course! If you're passionate about advancing the NEAR ecosystem through innovative blockchain research, we want to support you. We're committed to fostering research in cryptography and key areas that push the boundaries of what's possible on NEAR. ### Grant Details - **Funding**: Five (5) grants of 100 USDC each. Funding will be distributed upon the creation and listing of your research NFT on the Research Collective DAO's [Mintbase store](https://www.mintbase.xyz/contract/nrc.mintbase1.near/nfts/all/0). - **Eligibility**: Must be an alum of the NEAR Certified Researcher course and complete the [NDC KYC](https://near.social/mob.near/widget/MainPage.Post.Page?accountId=research-collective.sputnik-dao.near&blockHeight=114330642) requirements. ### Research Focus Areas We encourage proposals within these key areas: - **[Governance in blockchain](https://www.neardc.org/)**: Research into decentralized governance models, on-chain voting mechanisms, or insights into DAO participation. - **[Blockchain in gaming](https://near.org/ndcdev.near/widget/daos.App?page=dao&id=gaming-dao)**: Game design leveraging blockchain, economic models within NEAR-based games, or tools for game developers. - **[NFTs](https://near.org/ndcdev.near/widget/daos.App?page=dao&id=nft-dao)**: Exploration of novel use cases, standards development, or improvements to NFT experiences on NEAR. - **[DeFi](https://www.proximity.dev/research)**: Innovative DeFi protocols, financial modeling, or security analysis within the NEAR ecosystem. **Open Exploration:** We welcome proposals outside these areas as long as they demonstrate potential value to the NEAR ecosystem. ### Proposal Requirements **1. Project Title**: Clearly state the title of your research project, providing a concise and descriptive summary of your proposal. **2. Research Hypothesis/Questions**: Clearly state the central questions or testable assumptions guiding your research. **3. Methodology**: Describe the methodology and research approach you plan to employ in your project, including data collection methods, analytical techniques, and any relevant theoretical frameworks. **4. Expected Outcomes and Impact**: Describe the anticipated results and how the findings will contribute to the NEAR ecosystem (new knowledge, tools, potential applications, etc.). [Example Proposal](https://near.org/s/c?a=15870c8972a9fe6cdb7dfc2df835740108e8674cc170a091cd0ece0b9e4f6cfa&b=115386221) ### Application Process - **Submission Deadline**: April 30, 2024 - **Submission Format**: Please post your proposal as a reply to this post! ### Evaluation and Selection Process Submitted proposals will be evaluated by NRC council. Each proposal will be assessed for adherence to eligibility criteria and demonstrate potential value to the NEAR ecosystem. Proposals demonstrating clear relevance and potential impact will be accepted, while those not meeting criteria will receive feedback for improvement. Please check your BOS notifications for acceptance/feedback by May 3rd. **Contact Us!** If you have any questions, please reach out in our [Telegram](https://t.me/ResearchWG/4671).