Call For CtCe Research Proposals
The Crypto and Blockchain Economics Research (CBER) Forum and Uniswap Foundation invite researchers to apply for the CBER Crafting the Cryptoeconomy research grants. Each grant proposal application must identify a research question of contemporary relevance to blockchain and cryptoeconomics and provide a rigorous methodology to answer the question. Topics of interest include but are not limited to Maximal Extractable Value, Restaking, Layer 2s, Order Flow Auction Design, Uniswap v4 and DeFi Regulation. Funding will be determined on a competitive basis and will be up to $50,000 per funded proposal. This funding corresponds to a time period of a year, and funded grants may apply for renewal in the following year.
GRANT APPLICATION CONTENTS
All grant applicants must submit one PDF document consisting of the following components:
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Abstract: Lay out the scope of inquiry and clarify the methodological approach.
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Contribution: Clarify the relevant literature and how the proposal fills a gap in the literature.
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Methodology: Explain the methodological approach. In more detail, this section should mathematically state the baseline model of analysis and explain the research inquiry within the context of that model. Empirical papers should also clarify the data sources, how they will be acquired and state the estimation methodology.
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Budget: Provide the amount of funds being requested and the breakdown of items justifying the request. The request should not exceed 50,000 USD. Reasonable expenses include data expenditures, research assistant expenses and travel expenses (associated with presentations or co-author meetings).
Grant submissions are not intended to be lengthy. For example, the contribution section should not include references to broader literature that is not directly relevant to clarifying why the proposed study is a contribution. Moreover, applicants need not provide high-level motivation for the study since the selection committee will be familiar with the topics of interest. Ultimately, applicants will be judged wholly on whether they can identify an important research question that has not been addressed by the literature and then formally lay out a rigorous methodology to address that question. If you have any questions regarding the format of the grant application, please email contact@cber-forum.org.
GRANTEE RESPONSIBILITIES
Funded grantees must present preliminary findings at a CBER event in May or June 2025 and polished findings at the CBER Crafting the Cryptoeconomy Conference in October 2025. Funding will be paid out sequentially subject to grantees successfully completing milestones. Specific milestones are the following:
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Preliminary Draft Submission (May 1st, 2025)
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CBER May/ June 2025 Presentation (Date TBD)
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Polished Draft Submission (September 15, 2025)
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CBER 2025 CtCe Conference Presentation (Date TBD)
SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND HOW TO APPLY
The application deadline is November 24th, 2024. The submission portal will be available on this page and will open after the CBER Crafting the Cryptoeconomy conference. Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis and applicants are therefore encouraged to apply as soon as feasible once the portal opens. Applicants will be notified of decisions by January 6th, 2025.
SELECTION COMMITEE
Brad Bachu, Uniswap Labs
Agostino Capponi, Columbia University
Barnabé Monnot, Ethereum Foundation
Kenneth Ng, Uniswap Foundation
Andreas Park, University of Toronto
Fahad Saleh, University of Florida