ENS Ecosystem Working Group Funding Request
Abstract
The ENS Ecosystem Working Group requests funding of 470,000 USDC to support operations through April 2026. This is the only funding request of Term 6.
The ENS Ecosystem Working Group is responsible for growing and improving the ENS Ecosystem by funding builders and projects that are ENS-specific or ENS-centric.
This social proposal is submitted to satisfy the requirements set out in Rule 10.1.1 of the Working Group Rules (EP 1.8). If this proposal is passed, the funding request will be included in a collective executable proposal put forward by all three Working Groups.
Specification
| USDC | ETH | $ENS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENS Ecosystem Main Multisig | 470,000 | – | – |
Description
ENS Ecosystem Multisig Balances - As of October 22, 2025
The ENS Ecosystem Working Group multisigs:
| Multisigs | USDC | ETH |
|---|---|---|
| Main Multisig | 172k | 25 |
| IRL | - | - |
| Hackathon | 42k | 10 |
| Newsletter | 1k | - |
| Total | 215k | 35 |
Reserved for Initiatives
Ecosystem reserves ensure we can cover key initiatives, but reserving is not the same as spending. For example, we’ve set aside $55k for the bug bounty program. The actual amount spent will depend on whether any bugs are discovered.
| Initiatives | USDC | ETH |
|---|---|---|
| Hackathons | 350k | - |
| Grants | 100k | 10 |
| Ecosystem Support | 50k | - |
| Bug Bounty | 55k | - |
| IRL | 30k | - |
| Total | 585k | 10 |
Reconciliation
| Initiatives | USDC | ETH |
|---|---|---|
| Current Balance | 215k | 35 |
| Reserved | (585k) | (10) |
| Buffer | (100k) | (25) |
| Total | (470k) | 0 |
The ENS Ecosystem Working Group is requesting 470k in USDC and zero ETH. This request ensures that there are sufficient resources to meet the expected future needs of the ecosystem working group. The buffer is an additional reserve to cover unforeseen expenses or opportunities.
Initiatives Description
| Initiative | Description |
|---|---|
| Hackathons | For our main partner, ETHGlobal, payments are made in January for the calendar year. Early commitment and payment provide better terms. |
| Grants | Grants support active builders in the ecosystem, including funding for hackathon winners. Examples of typical projects can be seen here. |
| Ecosystem Support | Support for open-source dependencies and funding for smart contract audits. This will become increasingly important with the launch of Namchain, which will require updates across the ecosystem. |
| Bug Bounty | Supports the official bug bounty program of ENS administered by Immunefi. At the time of writing, the balance is 197k, and a top-up to the max limit of 250k is expected to occur this year. |
| IRL | Funding relates to events that coincide with conferences, such as EthCC & Devconnect. |
Historical Spending
For historical spending, please consult the ENS Working Group Spending Summaries. This thread provides a consolidated overview of spending across all working groups, not just the Ecosystem Working Group.
This proposal was prepared by slobo.eth, Lead Steward of the Ecosystem Working Group.