The Zcash Foundation’s directive is to ensure that the Zcash protocol and the open network it powers remain an open and diverse community. This means making Zcash, a digital privacy-protecting coin, easier to use without sacrificing its technical excellence, security, or censorship-resistance.
The Zcash Foundation facilitates and maintains the official Zcash discussion forums and polling systems to recognize the various stakeholders within the Zcash ecosystem, ensuring the entire Zcash community’s voice is heard.
The Zcash Foundation is responsible for the operations of the Zcash Community Advisory Panel (ZCAP) and strives to make it more representative and decentralized by regularly expanding the ZCAP and removing inactive members.
In accordance with ZIP 1014, the Zcash Foundation is also responsible for receiving and administering the Zcash Community Grants funds. The Foundation is mandated to disburse these funds as “Major Grants” and the funds must not be used by the Foundation for its internal operations and direct expenses. Additionally, BP, ECC, and ZF are ineligible to receive Major Grants.
Major Grants awards are subject to approval by the Zcash Community Grants committee, which is selected by the Zcash Foundation’s Community Advisory Panel (ZCAP) by approval voting.
The Zcash Community Grants Committee exercises independence in its funding decisions, requiring no approval from the Zcash Foundation’s Board. However, the Committee’s decisions may be subject to the Zcash Foundation’s veto if the Foundation views them to be in violation U.S. law or the Foundation’s reporting requirements and other (current or future) obligations under U.S. IRS 501(c)(3).
The Zcash Foundation is also responsible for the preparation, filing, protection, and maintenance of Zcash trademark applications and registrations included in the Trademark Rights, as well as the preparation, filing, prosecution, and maintenance of any new or additional U.S. and non-U.S. trademark applications and registrations for the Trademark Rights.
