tl;dr: This RFP is shared as part of the recently launched Citizens Forward program. The program seeks to involve the Gitcoin community in assisting with pre-defined projects through Request for Proposals (RFPs). You can find more information about the program on the portal here. If you’re interested in applying, you may submit your application on Grants Stack before the submission deadline (see section 5 for details).
1. RFP Objective:
We aim to develop a system that not only simplifies the discovery of public goods but also personalizes the experience for users, fostering greater engagement, transparency, and accessibility. This initiative is central to our mission, embodying our dedication to supporting public goods through innovative technological integration.
This objective is divided into two separate RFPs. Pathway 2, this post, focuses on open innovation and creative uses of LLMs. To submit applications for Pathway 1 focusing on specific LLM-enabled features for grant discovery, click here.
2. Pathway 2: Open Innovation
In recognizing the vast potential of LLM technology, we invite proposals under our Open Innovation pathway. This segment of the RFP is dedicated to groundbreaking ideas that push the boundaries of what’s possible in grants discovery and management. We are looking for unique, creative uses of LLMs that can offer fresh perspectives and solutions to existing challenges, enhancing the accessibility, efficiency, and impact of discovering public goods.
Vision for Innovation
We believe that innovation thrives on diversity and creativity. Therefore, we encourage proposals that:
- Demonstrate Originality: Proposals should explore novel applications of LLM technology in the grants space, offering new ways to engage users, streamline the discovery process, or enhance the management of grants.
- Prioritize User-Centric Design: Solutions must be designed with the end-user in mind, ensuring that they are intuitive, accessible, and effective for a diverse range of users, from donors to grantees.
- Address Ethical and Bias Considerations: It’s crucial that proposals consider the ethical implications of LLM use, including strategies for bias detection and mitigation, to promote fairness and inclusivity.
- Showcase Scalability and Adaptability: We value solutions that can grow and evolve over time, adapting to different types of grants, user needs, and technological advancements.
- Incorporate Impact Measurement: Proposals should include clear methods for evaluating the effectiveness and impact of the solution, ensuring that it contributes positively to the grants ecosystem.
Encouraged Areas for Innovation
While we are open to all ideas, areas that are particularly of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Advanced Analytics for Grant Matching: Using LLM to analyze and match grants and donors with unprecedented accuracy and personalization.
- Interactive Tools for Grant Exploration: Development of LLM-powered tools that offer interactive and engaging ways for users to discover and learn about grants.
- Enhanced Communication Channels: Leveraging LLMs to facilitate better communication and collaboration between donors, grantees, and the broader community.
- Fraud Detection Mechanisms: Innovative uses of LLMs in identifying and preventing fraudulent activities within the grants ecosystem.
3. Proposal Requirements
All proposals should include the following:
- Project Description: A detailed description of the proposed project, including objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.
- Team Qualifications: Information about the project team, including relevant experience and expertise.
- Timeline and Milestones: A proposed timeline with key milestones and deliverables.
- Budget: An itemized budget outlining the funding requirements.
- Risk Assessment and Mitigation Strategies: Analysis of potential risks and challenges, with strategies for mitigation.
4. Other Info to include
- What makes your team best suited to execute this proposal?
- Describe your team’s experience building modular web applications, preferably open source.
- Please describe your proposed solution based on the above Solution Criteria
- Based on your understanding of the project specifications and your team’s past experiences, outline the top one or two technical risks you anticipate encountering during the build.
- Please describe why you consider these risks to be the most significant and outline your preliminary strategies for mitigating them to ensure the project’s success.
- Please specify your requirements (resources, documentation, or any other support) from the Gitcoin team to ensure the success of your project.
5. How to Apply
To apply for this RFP, please submit an application before Thursday, March 14th, 11:59 pm UTC (note the round will open for receiving applications on Thursday, February 22nd).
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STEP 1: Create a project on Grants Stack Builder with project description (including objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes)
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STEP 2: Complete the application by submitting your project created in step 1 for the grant using this link (you will be required to submit information outlined in sections 5 and 6 above)
For detailed steps on submission guidelines, click here.
6. Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Alignment with Gitcoin’s Essential Intents and the RFP’s goals.
- Feasibility and Practicality: The practicality and feasibility of implementing the proposed solution.
- Impact Potential: The potential for positive impact in the grants discovery and management space.
- Cost-Effectiveness: The budget and resource efficiency of the proposal.
- Alignment with Specific Deliverables: How well the proposal addresses the defined outcome, including the sophistication of the branching logic and the comprehensiveness of filters.
- Innovative Use of LLM: Creativity and effectiveness in employing LLM technology for grants discovery and user guidance.
- Data Integration and Fraud Detection: The proposal’s approach to integrating diverse data sources and using them to enhance the discovery process and detect fraud.
7. RFP Support
Check the Citizens Forward portal for details on the RFP workflow, submission guidelines, and milestone creation guidance. Write to rohit [at] gitcoin [dot] co for queries unique to your submission. You may use the comments on this post for all other questions.
