GIP-83: Annual Foundation Budget

Proposals
1

Summary

Approve an ongoing annual Foundation budget of $400K USDC + 200K GFI, which includes an expansion in market making. Also approve an additional $70K USDC + 100K GFI in returnable market-making liquidity.

Motivation

A predictable operating budget avoids piecemeal governance asks and lets the Foundation focus on protocol health: operations, community, marketing, and robust market making. Liquidity across more exchanges reduces slippage, narrows spreads, and improves access for GFI holders.

Specification and Requirements

High-Level Budget

The total annual $400K USDC + 200K GFI budget is allocated as follows:

  • General Operations: $40K USDC
  • Community Management: $85K USDC (already approved and funded through April 2027 in GIP-78)
  • Marketing: $60K USDC + 200K GFI (GFI is for marketing/community incentives)
  • Market Making: $200K (includes $50K expansion for new exchanges)
  • Additional Buffer: $15K

Market Making Expansion

The prior GIP-79 approved $140K USDC in fees as well as $140K USDC + 300K GFI as returnable liquidity capital. This proposal expands that:

  • Additional $50K per year for retainer fees, to support three new exchanges
  • Additional $70K USDC + 100K GFI for liquidity, which will be returned at the end of the engagement.

These expansions are included in the above high-level budget.

Ongoing Budget and Controls

  • The community will treat this as an ongoing annual budget unless amended by future proposals.
  • The treasury will disburse amounts to cover the next 12 months (net of already funded community management and market making), totaling $330K USDC + 300K GFI. This includes the additional market making liquidity that will be returned.
  • Any unused USDC/GFI at year-end rolls forward to the next year, or otherwise returned.

Benefits

  • Stable funding for core operations and community.
  • Clear marketing scope with GFI budget separated from USDC.
  • Stronger market liquidity across more exchanges.

Downside

  • Commits the treasury to a recurring spend

Voting

  • “Yes” - Approve recurring budget and expanded market making.
  • “No” - Do not approve.
2

I made one fix to the proposal to increase the market making USDC liquidity from $40K to $70K since that is what will be needed.

3

I will vote “Yes” since this gives the Foundation predictable resources and improves liquidity for GFI holders

4

I support this GIP with a “Yes” vote, as it aligns with the Foundation’s current funding needs and appears fully justified.

// Yes.

5

I support this budget and these expenses seems reasonable to me