Overview of Projects Worth Donating to in Gitcoin Grants Round 21
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Overview of Projects Worth Donating to in Gitcoin Grants Round 21
Old players and new concepts gather once again.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsWritten by: CryptoLeo, Odaily Planet Daily
Gitcoin Grants donations are live again. This round—Gitcoin Grants Round 21 (GG21)—marks Gitcoin’s 21st funding round and is focused on ecosystem and community-driven initiatives. The theme centers around collaboration, new governance processes, and external partnerships. It features nine community rounds, primarily concentrated on the Arbitrum chain, with the earliest donation deadline set for August 21 at 19:00 (Beijing time).
For background information and operational guidance on Gitcoin Grants, please refer to previous coverage such as the "Ultra-Simple Guide to Gitcoin Grants Round 20." In this article, Odaily Planet Daily handpicks 29 projects worth supporting in GG21 based on ecosystems and use cases.
GG21: Thriving Arbitrum Summer (Arbitrum Chain)
This category aims to support growth and development within the Arbitrum ecosystem, with a matching pool of 150,000 ARB and 65 participating projects. Below are recommended donation projects:
NiceNode
NiceNode is an open-source node operation platform that enables users to instantly set up a node on their computer without any technical knowledge. Compared to other node providers, NiceNode emphasizes simplicity and flexibility, backed by the Ethereum Foundation, Gitcoin Grants, CityDAO, and EthStaker.
Revoke.cash
Revoke.cash has been a staple in recent Gitcoin donation rounds—an essential wallet and app token approval management tool. It allows users to manage and revoke token approvals from wallets, enhancing security through regular cleanup of application permissions.
Umbra
Umbra is a privacy-focused transfer tool that uses relay addresses to receive and withdraw cryptocurrencies. It supports both single and batch transfers and is particularly user-friendly for airdrop farmers, minimizing wallet linkability (reducing the risk of mass Sybil detection). Currently compatible with Ethereum mainnet, Arbitrum, Optimism, Gnosis Chain, Polygon, and Base.
DefiLlama
No need to elaborate on DefiLlama—it's a widely used data monitoring and analytics platform. Just support it.
dm3 protocol
The dm3 protocol is a Web3 messaging protocol focused on secure end-to-end encryption, decentralization, scalability, and interoperability. The dm3 registry is built on ENS, with dm3 profiles added as text records to ENS names. Recently received funding from LUKSO’s Layer 1 blockchain Wave 1 grant program.
GiveStation
GiveStation is a multi-chain donation-to-grant protocol designed to incentivize contributions to Web3 ecosystems by rewarding users with tokens. Projects can apply for fundraising campaigns, and donors who contribute to innovation and collaboration efforts receive token rewards.
ethdaily.eth
ETH Daily is an Ethereum-focused news aggregator offering daily summaries via podcasts and newsletters, supported by Firefly—the social app aggregator under Elon Musk.
Blockscout
Blockscout is an open-source blockchain explorer enabling deep search, contract interaction, and contract verification on EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) blockchains. It currently supports transaction data queries across over 600 networks and recently secured a $3 million seed round led by 1kx.
TurtleShell
TurtleShell is a Web3 security tool introducing an on-chain firewall to detect malicious activities and prevent hacks. When abnormal behavior occurs, TurtleShell provides protective measures including transaction blocking, protocol pausing, fund freezing, or controlled withdrawals.
GG21: Real World Builders (Celo Chain)
The Real World Builders initiative supports teams exploring blockchain use cases that positively impact physical communities and environments in areas like financial inclusion, ecological credits, RWA, and DePIN. Matching pool: $75,000 USD, with 37 projects. Recommended projects include:
Glo Dollar
Glo Dollar is a fiat-backed stablecoin funding public goods such as poverty alleviation, decarbonization initiatives, and Web3 open-source projects. Users don't need to donate directly—simply purchasing Glo on-chain funds these causes. Circulating Glo generates yield through off-chain investments in USD or U.S. Treasuries, which is then recycled back on-chain as Glo. Users can allocate a portion of their earned Glo to support specific projects, with all transaction details publicly shared on the donation page.
Pretium
Pretium is an Africa-focused crypto payment platform enabling individuals and businesses to make merchant payments, facilitate cross-border transactions, and settle utility bills using crypto assets while solving merchant payouts in local currencies. Currently operates in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa.
GG21: Asia Round (Optimism Chain)
Asia plays a crucial role in widespread crypto adoption. The Asia Round provides essential funding and resources to innovators, builders, and projects across Asia. Matching pool: 75,000 DAI, with 68 projects. Recommended projects include:
Zuzalu City
Zuzalu City is a Web3 community platform stemming from Vitalik’s “Zuzalu” concept, supported by the Ethereum Community Fund.
CoindPay
CoindPay is a multi-chain DEX supporting 26+ EVM chains, Solana, and ICP, enabling cross-chain payments. It partners with Coinbase Pay and Solana Pay, providing KYC technology to prevent Sybil attacks and malicious transfers. All payments are automatically routed into smart contracts such as Compound and Lido.
Nextme
Nextme is a cross-platform decentralized social economic network supporting 27+ EVM chains and Solana, emphasizing creator economies—similar to Farcaster integrating PayPal’s Venmo. Its BETA app already has over 140,000 users.
DeFiHackLabs
DeFiHackLabs is a blockchain security research community dedicated to strengthening on-chain security ecosystems and talent development, focusing on smart contract security, on-chain monitoring, user asset protection, anti-money laundering, CTF challenges, incident response, and rescue operations.
Hey.xyz
Hey.xyz (formerly Lenster) is a decentralized, permissionless social media application powered by Lens Protocol—a decentralized social graph developed by Aave.
MiniBridge
MiniBridge is a zero-fee cross-chain application offering multi-chain support and fast confirmations, developed by the Chaineye team. Chaineye was a winner at the 2023 Shanghai Ethereum Developer Conference and has received funding from Gitcoin, Optimism, and Arbitrum.
GG21: Public Good in The Metaverse (Arbitrum Chain)
This round supports the development of truly decentralized metaverses based on open standards, promoting interoperable, open dApps and experiences that position the metaverse as a public good. Matching pool: 350,000 ARB, with 5 projects. Recommended project:
Pairwise
Pairwise is an open-source voting dApp that creates AA wallets via Web2 login methods. Users connect these wallets to their existing OP mainnet address, where ZK proofs preserve their on-chain reputation. Voters create votes through AA wallets and verify them using EAS attestations.
GG21: Climate Solutions Round (Arbitrum Chain)
This round funds climate solution projects with real-world impact globally. Matching pool: 125,000 USDGLO (the aforementioned Glo Dollar stablecoin), with 71 projects—many of which have participated in previous rounds. Recommended projects:
GainForest
GainForest is a nonprofit organization protecting forest resources by applying existing AI algorithms to species identification and biodiversity assessment. Using drones based on decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), it collects forest data and aims to build the world’s largest and most valuable drone-captured forest image dataset—transforming our understanding of Earth's biological resources and improving conservation. Additionally, the project provides sustainable income for forest data collectors.
Litter Token
Litter Token is a "collect trash, earn rewards" application. Its token, LTK, rewards users for collecting litter. By gathering waste and uploading photos as proof, users can claim LTK on the project’s Discord, which is sent directly to their wallets and redeemable for USDC. Each cleanup also contributes open-source images verifying user activity.
Solar Foundation
Solar Foundation offers decentralized solar energy solutions, aiming to accelerate access to off-grid solar power for underserved communities in emerging markets. Using decentralized small-scale solar units, it delivers reliable and affordable electricity while reducing CO₂ emissions to protect the climate.
GG21: OpenCivics Collaborative Research Round (Arbitrum Chain)
The OpenCivics Collaborative Research Round supports critical research contributions to the public domain, shared collaboratively and directly empowering community organizers. Matching pool: 42,000 USDC, with 16 projects. Recommended projects:
P2P Foundation
The P2P Foundation is a network researching the societal impacts of peer-to-peer technologies and public-infrastructure-based systems. Often seen as a Web3 Wikipedia, it hosts authoritative and educational content and publications. The platform also adapts Web2 mechanisms to produce significant Web3 research, covering topics such as crypto governance and crypto economics (PS: Sun Yuchen follows its X account).
Stephen Reid
Stephen Reid is a multidisciplinary tech expert researching technological metamodernism. This grant application supports his course research, inviting experts to explore topics involving AI, Web3, DAOs, and tech communities.
GG21: CollabTech Round (Arbitrum Chain)
This round focuses on advancing on-chain organizations and B2B SaaS, shaping the future of work by supporting projects related to identity and reputation, governance and decision-making, operations, and community/contributor tools. Matching pool: 30,000 USDC, with 29 projects. Recommended projects:
ZKT Network
ZKT Network is a blockchain compliance infrastructure supporting compliant cross-chain transactions. Leveraging ZK proofs and developer tools, it simplifies integrating regulatory standards into blockchain applications—ensuring compliance without compromising privacy or decentralization.
Meet with Wallet
Meet with Wallet is a Web3 remote meeting application blending Web2 user experience with Web3 principles of decentralization and privacy—akin to a Calendly for Web3. It connects via wallet, eliminating the need for email or phone registration. Only during meetings are details visible; otherwise, all agendas remain encrypted and accessible solely to the user.
RnDAO
RnDAO is a research-led venture ecosystem and R&D DAO supporting early-stage Web3 collaboration software startups. It provides research support and builds collaborative technologies such as organizational tools, community platforms, and DAO operations and governance systems.
Several projects in this CollabTech round, including Meet with Wallet, are supported by RnDAO.
GG21: Web3 Grant Ecosystem (Arbitrum Chain)
This round advances high-quality projects in Web3 grants and news aggregation. Matching pool: 125,000 ARB, with 57 projects. Recommended projects:
welcomeonchain.eth
welcomeonchain is a Web3 data aggregation platform compiling industry education sections, project information, KOL profiles, and tutorial content on Web3 skills. Users simply search to find relevant information. The platform currently curates and maintains data for 1,500 projects and includes social features allowing comments in any section.
CharmVerse
CharmVerse is a developer-oriented on-chain grant management platform where projects can publish proposals, conduct community voting for governance, or raise funds. Previously raised a $3.8 million seed round with participation from Spartan Group, Cultur3, Red Building Capital, Opensea Ventures, Alliance DAO, Orange DAO, Builder Capital, and POAP Ventures.
GG21: QuantumStake (Scroll)
QuantumStake
This round is named after the applicant project QuantumStake, with a matching pool of 100,000 USDC. QuantumStake is a staking platform boasting advanced technical integration, scalability, user-friendly interfaces, community-driven development, and audited smart contracts, according to its official website.
Conclusion
The above project selection was made based on factors such as backing teams, current donation amounts and donor counts, social media metrics, and website design/completeness. Many projects participate across multiple rounds rather than being limited to one. Project recommendations are for reference only—please conduct your own research before donating.
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