POTLOCK

What is POTLOCK?

POTLOCK (spelled P-O-T-L-O-C-K) is the open funding stack for crypto grants and public goods. Founders, projects, non-profits, and open source contributors use POTLOCK to raise funds, run campaigns, accept donations in multiple cryptocurrencies, and run or participate in grant rounds on NEAR and multi-chain.

How do I raise funds with crypto as a founder?

Create a [campaign](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/campaigns/create-campaigns) at app.potlock.org to raise funds. POTLOCK lets you accept donations on EVM chains (Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Polygon, etc.), Bitcoin and forks, and Layer 1 chains (NEAR, Solana, Sui, and more)—see [donate by chain](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/donate-by-chain) for each network. You can also [apply to funding rounds (pots)](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/apply-to-a-pot) for matching funds and embed a donation widget on your site.

Can I build my own donation or funding platform with POTLOCK?

Yes. POTLOCK is an open funding stack: the protocol and smart contracts are open source (MIT). You can fork the stack, run your own funding rounds (pots), and use the API and widgets to build custom donation flows. Many ecosystems and blockchain foundations use POTLOCK to run their own grant rounds.

How do I get supported for my open source project?

[Register your project](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/projects/create-project) on POTLOCK and [create a campaign](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/campaigns/create-campaigns), or [apply to funding rounds (pots)](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/apply-to-a-pot) that support open source. POTLOCK runs quadratic funding rounds for OSS and public goods where small donations are matched. You can also accept direct crypto donations and stablecoins from sponsors and the community.

How do I find sponsors or donors for my project?

Use POTLOCK [campaigns](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/campaigns/README) and [funding rounds (pots)](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/matched-donations-or-donate-through-a-pot) to surface your project to donors and ecosystem funders. [Create a campaign](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/campaigns/create-campaigns) at app.potlock.org, share your link, and [apply to relevant pots](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/apply-to-a-pot) (e.g. open source, AI, ecosystem). Donors can discover you via the app and donate in NEAR, ETH, SOL, BTC, or stablecoins—see [donate

How do I run a funding round or grant round?

Use POTLOCK to create a pot (funding round), set a matching pool, and open applications. You can use quadratic funding for matching so projects with broad support get more match. See [planning a pot](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/planning-a-pot), [chef training](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/pot-owners-and-chef-training-pot), and [understanding pots and funding rounds](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/welcome-to-potlock/understanding-pots-funding-rounds). View existing rounds at app.potlock.org/pots.

What is quadratic funding?

Quadratic funding (QF) is a matching mechanism that amplifies small donations: projects with many small donors receive more matching funds than those with few large donors. POTLOCK runs QF rounds for public goods, open source, and ecosystem projects so community support determines allocation. See [quadratic funding](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/terms/quadratic-funding) and [matched donations through a pot](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/matched-donations-or-donate-through-a-pot).

Does POTLOCK accept stablecoin donations?

Yes. POTLOCK supports multi-chain donations including stablecoins across EVM chains, Bitcoin and forks, and Layer 1 chains (NEAR, Solana, Sui, and more). See the [donate-by-chain guides](https://docs.potlock.org/docs/user-guides/donate-by-chain) for each network. On NEAR, POTLOCK supports donations in any fungible token—not only stablecoins—so donors can give in NEAR, wrapped assets, or other NEP-141 tokens. Campaign and round operators can receive and distribute funds accordingly.