Funding

Community-Directed Funding

The argument engine includes a funding system that lets the community direct resources toward research. Donations aren’t just financial support — they also give donors a voice in deciding what gets funded.

Making a Donation

When you donate, you choose from preset amounts or enter a custom amount. A live preview shows exactly how your money breaks down before you confirm.

Your first donation in a cycle splits into two parts:

• Direct amount — goes straight to the organization (equal to the minimum donation amount)
• Pool contribution — anything above the minimum goes into a matching pool, creating matching slots

For example, if the minimum donation is $5 and you donate $20, then $5 goes directly to the organization and $15 goes into the matching pool, creating 3 matching slots.

Subsequent donations in the same cycle go entirely into the matching pool.

The Matching Pool

The matching pool lets donors amplify each other’s impact. Here’s how it works:

1. Your first donation creates matching slots in the pool — one slot per minimum donation amount in your pool contribution
2. Other donors’ subsequent donations fill those slots, matching your contribution
3. Matching is first-come, first-served — the oldest unfilled slots get matched first

The donation page shows the current pool status in real time: how many matching slots are available, how many donors have slots waiting, and whether a match is ready for your next donation. This updates live as other donors contribute.

Voting

Your first donation in a cycle earns you one vote. Votes let you weigh in on how matched funds are allocated to research priorities. Each vote lasts for a configurable period, and you can see your active vote count and when each vote expires.

Subsequent donations in the same cycle still create matching slots but don’t earn additional votes — the voting power comes from showing up each cycle, not from donating more.

How It Fits Together

1. Donate — choose an amount, see the breakdown, confirm
2. Match — your pool contribution creates slots; other donors fill them (and vice versa)
3. Vote — use your earned votes to direct funding toward the research you care about

The landing page shows community-wide funding stats — total donated, available matching slots, and member count — so you can see the collective impact at a glance.