Over the past five years of running Grant Programs, we've figured out that ecosystems need more than one-off grants to grow—they need momentum. A single funding round can spark interest, but a coordinated, multi-round strategy is necessary to build sustained engagement and attract long-term builders. By sequencing funding rounds with specific goals, ecosystems can attract a steady stream of builders and creators while continuously adapting to meet evolving needs.
Sei made a bold bet on empowering creators and developers alike, working closely with its community to drive impactful, community-led fundraising initiatives. Through a $10M commitment, Sei partnered with Gitcoin to launch the Creator Fund, transforming the ecosystem with strategic, phased funding that supports innovation and growth across all fronts.
The results?
Over 13,000 creators and builders joined the ecosystem in the first few months.
"Community-centric grants set a new standard for transparency and impact by bringing people together to support the projects and initiatives they believe in. This approach has cultivated a strong sense of shared purpose and collaboration, driving the Sei ecosystem to grow together." - Phillip Kassab Community Lead Sei FDN
Sei is a Layer 1 blockchain that combines the dominant development standard of Ethereum (EVM) with the performance of Solana. The v2 update for Sei in July 2024 makes it the first parallelized EVM, serving as a new scaling approach for the Ethereum ecosystem while achieving even faster speeds than Solana. This sets the stage for an influx of new projects into the ecosystem. Their focus—creators—is an important differentiator from typical developer-focused programs and a strategic choice to fill the gap in the crypto ecosystem that is heavily builder-focused.
Sei's approach to funding goes beyond financial support, with a focus on driving long-term ecosystem growth. The $10M Creator Fund was created to empower builders and creators by channeling funding to areas with the most potential to drive growth. To make this vision a reality, Sei needed a strategic partner who could ensure that funded projects make a lasting impact and align with Sei’s mission.
As Sei’s Head of BD, Justin Barlow, said, “Our goal was to empower creators and builders in a way that aligned with our long-term vision—Gitcoin gave us the strategy and tools to make that happen.”
Gitcoin helped Sei to develop and execute a strategic campaign to allocate funding, starting with a multi-round campaign to distribute $1.3M across four rounds focusing on the Sei gaming ecosystem and developer relations. A clear roadmap was provided for the campaign, defining specific goals with measurable outcomes for each round.
Sei and Gitcoin launched four rounds between July and October. The initial Pilot Round aimed to test the framework, establish the criteria, and engage Sei's creator community. The second round was a Community Round that expanded the scope to include a wider range of creators and community members while refining processes based on the pilot's lessons. Round 3, the Developer Round, aimed to build infrastructure on Sei with technical solutions and development tools that could enhance Sei's blockchain ecosystem. Round 4, focused on Sei’s Developer and Gaming Ecosystems, funded 198 projects.
Throughout the campaign, Sei ensured fair, Sybil-resistant fund distribution with Gitcoin’s help implementing Connection-Oriented Cluster-Matching (COCM). COCM ensures that projects with authentic, diverse community backing receive the most matching funds.
Sei’s multi-round campaign was a strategic, data-driven effort that delivered concrete results.
Over the four rounds, $1.3 million was distributed to various projects, from media and NFTs to gaming and infrastructure. Each round saw increasing engagement and project support levels, resulting in cumulative funding of 515 projects, beginning with 63 in the pilot round and reaching 198 in Round 4, a 103% increase.
Community involvement was a core success factor, with over 22,000 unique contributors collectively raising $223,000 through crowdfunding. Round 2, in particular, drew a significant boost in donations, with 13,000 unique contributors participating, reflecting the momentum generated by the program’s early creator-focused rounds and expanding scope. The campaign raised an average of 20% crowdfunding matching from the community. This means that for every $100 invested by Sei, the community invested a significant $20 into the projects, a testament to the power of quadratic funding to drive awareness and active participation in Sei’s ecosystem.
Sei's TVL saw substantial growth between July and October, more than doubling and reaching over $200 million. This period was marked by a dramatic rise in active users, peaking at around 65,000 daily. This surge can be attributed to various factors, such as Sei’s performance-optimized design for decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and several user incentives.
During this period, Sei's first grants campaign with Gitcoin was complementary to raising awareness and attracting new users, further strengthening Sei's ecosystem alongside its other initiatives.
"The results so far have been inspiring. Partnering with Gitcoin has proven to be a game-changer for empowering our community, and we’re excited to continue this journey to allocate the rest of the $10M Creator Fund to further ecosystem growth."
Phillip Kassab Community Lead Sei FDN
Gitcoin campaigns are a structured, multi-phase engagement designed to build momentum over time. Unlike one-off grants, campaigns are goal-oriented, often aligned with specific KPIs defining success. With campaigns, our ecosystem partners can articulate what impact means to them and leverage tailored tools and services to drive these outcomes.
Campaign strategies are both a growth engine and a marketing tool for ecosystems. They don’t just fund projects—they attract developers, inspire creativity, and foster a sense of community ownership. Campaigns allow ecosystems to adapt quickly, engage diverse contributors, and unlock long-term value from every dollar spent.
Gitcoin starts by understanding your ecosystem’s goals and running workshops to define clear outcomes for each phase. For Sei, the early rounds focused on social engagement, building a strong foundation for media and developer projects.
Campaigns are broken into distinct rounds, each with evolving focus areas. In Sei’s case, Round 1 tested participation models and expectations. Round 2 capitalized on momentum, supporting creative media and IP development, including everything from vlogs and podcasts to animations and community lore.
Gitcoin’s use of Quadratic Funding (QF) ensures that projects with grassroots support receive more funding. The COCM model developed by Gitcoin adds an extra layer of fairness, ensuring projects appealing to diverse groups receive higher funding levels. This model balances cooperation and independence, fostering both engagement and trust within the community.
A campaign isn’t just about launching rounds; it’s about keeping the community excited and connected. Gitcoin provides marketing and engagement support, recommending key strategies and communication tactics to maintain momentum and strengthen ties between participants and the ecosystem.
Ongoing analysis and action are key to driving round-by-round growth within a campaign. Once each round concludes, Gitcoin conducts a wrap-up session to analyze campaign outcomes and offer actionable insights for the next steps. These reviews enable strategic adjustments to maximize engagement and campaign results.
“As we progress, we're collaborating on future rounds, continuously refining our approach to maximize impact and support Sei's evolving ecosystem needs.”
Sov, Head of Grants, Gitcoin
The impact of Gitcoin’s campaign strategy is clear: Momentum builds over time. Each round achieved specific, measurable outcomes aligned with Sei’s evolving goals. This structured approach ensured funds were optimized, and every participant became part of Sei’s broader mission to lead in DeFi and gaming.
Additionally, Sei’s success wasn’t just about grants—it was about positioning the ecosystem as the place to build and create. By focusing on multiple rounds rather than isolated efforts, Sei created a flywheel effect where developers and creators stayed engaged beyond initial funding.
Get started today and turn your grants into a growth engine.