# Project Eligibility ## Overview To qualify for funding through the Glow program, a project must align with the program's goal of supporting core protocol development and tools within the XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem. Projects must be freely available to the community and demonstrate clear value to the broader XRPL ecosystem. ## Project Categories The Glow platform recognizes contributions across multiple categories as implemented in the nomination process. When creating a nomination, Scouts can select from the following project categories: ### 1. Solving Technical Debt Projects aimed at improving the maintainability and reliability of the XRPL codebase by addressing technical debt are eligible. This includes: * Removing unused or redundant code * Simplifying complex code structures for better readability and performance * Writing unit, integration, and end-to-end tests to ensure code robustness * Providing tools for code analysis, debugging, or optimization ### 2. Improving the Core Protocol Contributions that enhance the underlying protocol of XRPL itself are eligible for funding. This can involve: * Optimizing consensus algorithms for speed or efficiency * Implementing security improvements or fixing protocol vulnerabilities * Adding new features to the XRPL core that improve scalability, stability, or performance ### 3. Improving Existing Standards Eligible projects may also focus on enhancing current XRPL-related standards, such as: * Refining existing standards (e.g., transaction formats, account structures) * Improving security, interoperability, or performance of established standards ### 4. Creating New Standards Participating in the creation of new standards for the XRPL community is also fundable. This includes: * Drafting and proposing new standards * Collaborating with the community to define best practices ### 5. Improving Documentation or Creating Example Code Educational and community-building contributions are essential for expanding XRPL adoption and understanding. Eligible projects include: * Enhancing existing documentation to make it more accurate, comprehensive, or easier to follow * Creating detailed tutorials, guides, or walkthroughs on XRPL functionalities * Developing example code to help developers understand best practices or new features ### 6. Creating Community Tools Tools that provide value to the wider XRPL community are considered fundable. Some examples are: * Blockchain explorers that provide transparency and accessibility to data on the ledger * Wallets or tools for managing XRP and other assets on the XRPL * Analytical tools that provide insights into transaction patterns, account activity, or ledger performance ### 7. Supporting Infrastructure Contributions to infrastructure that supports the XRPL ecosystem: * Node deployment and scaling solutions * Developer environments and testing frameworks * Monitoring and alerting systems for XRPL networks * Interoperability solutions with other blockchains ## Nomination Process When submitting a nomination in the Glow platform, Scouts must: 1. Identify one or more existing projects in the platform or create new project entries 2. Provide a detailed description of the specific contribution being nominated 3. Select the appropriate project category that best describes the contribution 4. Explain how the contribution provides value to the XRPL ecosystem ## Evaluation Criteria Judges evaluate project eligibility based on several factors: * **Alignment with XRPL Ecosystem**: The project must contribute directly to the XRPL ecosystem * **Open Access**: The contributions must be freely available to the community * **Quality**: Code, documentation, or other contributions must demonstrate high quality * **Impact**: The contribution must demonstrate meaningful impact or utility * **Recency**: Contributions should have been made within the last 6 months * **Unpaid Work**: The contribution should not have been previously funded or eligible for the Glow program. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://glow-docs.xrpl-commons.org/project-eligibility.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.