Hi, I’m Feems,
and I’m conducting research to examine how EF’s grant funding system can better support builders by reducing dependency, improving coordination, and aligning with its Subtraction Philosophy. This research will explore structural inefficiencies in EF’s current funding model and propose an Ecosystem Support Framework (ESF) to create a more sustainable, decentralized approach to funding and builder support. From this it would provide a framework model also for Allo to use, as grants and funding will be introduced.
If you are a past EF grantee (no including Community catagory) please feel free to post if your willing to be interviewed 
Research Project
This research will explore how EF can decentralize its grant funding and support systems to align with its Subtraction Philosophy and reduce long-term grantee dependency. Currently, EF’s funding programs—ESP, EFI, Ecodev, and Next Billion—operate in silos, creating fragmentation, redundant funding cycles, and limited off-ramping for builders.
Through this study, I will develop the Ecosystem Support Framework (ESF)—a grant coordination and support model designed to align EF teams, structure funding processes, and create pathways for grantees to transition from EF support to independence.
This research will outline how EF can shift from a central funding entity to an orchestrator, ensuring builders receive mentorship, funding alternatives, and structured support for long-term sustainability beyond EF grants.
Problem Statement
EF’s grant funding system is highly centralized, fragmented across multiple teams, and lacks structured pathways for grantees to transition beyond EF support. Despite its Subtraction Philosophy, EF remains the primary funding gatekeeper, contributing to dependency cycles, inefficiencies, and misaligned resource allocation in ecosystem growth. Below are some EF key challenges that will be explored;
- Centralized Decision-Making & Lack of Transparency: EF retains full control over grant allocations, with limited external participation in funding decisions. The opaque selection process makes it difficult for builders to understand funding criteria or secure long-term support.
- Fragmentation Across Teams & Siloed Operations: EF’s grant-related teams (ESP, EFI, Ecodev, and Next Billion) operate independently, without a shared grantee lifecycle. This results in overlapping funding, redundant efforts, and inconsistent support structures. There is no database that contains grantee progress outside of milestones or clear post-grant pathways for sustainability.
- Grantee Dependency & Lack of Off-Ramping: Many projects rely on recurring EF grants due to limited alternative funding pathways. Without formalized off-ramping strategies, grantees struggle to transition toward ecosystem-based funding models, independent revenue streams, or long-term sustainability.
Why EF as a Case for ESF First
The Ethereum Foundation (EF) is the best case study for the Ecosystem Support Framework (ESF) because it is the largest and most influential grant distributor in the Ethereum ecosystem, yet its funding remains centralized and fragmented. As stewards of Ethereum, EF has a unique responsibility to ensure its funding mechanisms foster sustainability, aligning with its Subtraction Philosophy while supporting builders in ways that reduce long-term dependency.
For Allo, studying EF’s challenges provides critical insights into funding inefficiencies, grantee support gaps, and ecosystem coordination failures. By analyzing EF’s structural issues, Allo can design more effective, decentralized funding systems from the outset, ensuring sustainable capital allocation, better builder support, and reduced long-term dependency in its own funding initiatives.
What is the Ecosystem Support Framework?
The Ecosystem Support Framework (ESF) is an organizational and funding coordination model designed to improve EF’s grant-making by aligning internal teams, decentralizing funding decisions, and structuring grantee support lifecycles. Rather than treating grants as isolated transactions, the ESF integrates funding into a broader ecosystem of mentorship, technical assistance, and transition pathways, ensuring builders move toward long-term sustainability without relying on recurring EF grants.
What Does it Do?
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Decentralizes Funding & Support Structures – Shifts decision-making power from EF leadership toward structured internal teams and external support providers, ensuring funding is distributed through a network of subject matter experts (SMEs) and decentralized decision-making mechanisms rather than being controlled centrally.
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Maps Grantee Experience To Reduce Dependency: Creates a data-driven foundation for structured grant pathways by identifying support gaps, funding dependencies, and transition points. As the ESF evolves, this mapping will enable EF to implement tailored support models, align funding with project maturity, and establish clear off-ramping mechanisms that empower builders to thrive independently.
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Aligns EF’s Structure with Subtraction Philosophy – Enhances EF’s ability to step back from direct grant administration by introducing structured coordination, transparent funding pathways, and externalized support roles. This aligns with EF”s Subtraction philosophy as it by defining where EF’s role ends and where ecosystem-driven funding and support mechanisms take over, ensuring that EF enables rather than controls long-term builder success.
What Does it Intend to Achieve?
- Identify coordination gaps between ESP, EFI, Ecodev, and Next Billion, providing a roadmap for a unified grantee support model.
- Define structured off-ramping pathways and recommend ecosystem-based support models that reduce reliance on EF grants.
- Develop a framework for EF to decentralize support systems and funding decisions by incorporating subject matter experts and external growth support…
Research Methodology
This research employs desk research, qualitative interviews, and case study analysis to examine EF’s grant funding structure, grantee experience, and external support models. The goal is to identify inefficiencies, gaps in lifecycle support, and opportunities for decentralized decision-making within the proposed Ecosystem Support Framework (ESF).
- Desk Research: Analyze the funding recipients, focus areas, and operational structures of EF’s Ecosystem Support Program (ESP), Ethereum Funding Initiative (EFI), Ecodev, and Next Billion. This includes reviewing publicly available grant allocations to assess funding distribution trends, grantee patterns, geographic reach, and alignment with EF’s decentralization goals. By mapping these elements, I will identify overlaps, fragmentation, and opportunities for improved coordination, ensuring funding structures support long-term sustainability rather than dependency.
- Qualitative Interviews Gather insights from grantees and support operators to understand funding challenges, off-ramping barriers, and ecosystem gaps. These interviews provide direct perspectives on grant dependency and structural inefficiencies in existing funding models.
- Case Study Analysis: Examines external models—Odisea, Mantle Flagship, Mantle Scout, and Polygon Grant Allocator—to evaluate structured grantee support, decentralized funding approaches, and operational best practices. These insights will inform how the ESF can be designed for better coordination, sustainability, and long-term impact.
Deliverables
- Intelligence Briefing
I will publish three research articles to share key findings, provide a foundation for applying insights to Allo, and invite community feedback. Each article will serve as an intelligence briefing, analyzing EF’s challenges while extracting actionable insights for Allo to design a more effective and sustainable funding system. These briefings will help shape Allo’s approach to grant coordination, builder support, and decentralized funding mechanisms.
The three focus areas for the articles (with learnings for Allo) :
- Mapping EF’s Grant Structure & Its Organizational Challenges
- EF’s Funding Decisions, Transparency Gaps & Grantee Lifecycle
- The Role of External Support in Decentralized Grant Systemss.
2. FInal report to the EF with actionable recommendations