Layer 12: Founding Contributor Grants

What this means

Before OLN opens to the public, a small number of people have materially contributed to making it exist — collaborators, advisors, early reviewers, people who helped shape the vision or the platform itself. This Layer recognizes that contribution formally.

Founding Contributor Grants are a one-time, individually-calibrated award of Credits given to specific named individuals for work they did before public launch. The Grants are permanent (they do not decay), non-transferable (they cannot be Kudosed to others), and sized to the actual contribution made.

Importantly, these Grants are a form of gratitude, not power. They confer permanent Credits but are subject to the same Power caps, role ceilings, and governance rules as any other Credits. A Founding Contributor with a large Grant still cannot exceed the absolute Power cap; still has no automatic Team membership; still earns ongoing influence only through ongoing contribution.

The asymmetry with Creator Credits is intentional: the Creator is expected to keep contributing, and their Credits decay to enforce that expectation. Founding Contributors may or may not continue to be active — the Grant honors what they did, regardless of what they choose to do going forward.

Formal Text

Article I: Purpose

Founding Contributor Grants recognize individuals who contributed materially to the creation of the Open Lore Network and its first Franchise, LoreDoor, prior to public launch, providing permanent acknowledgment of that foundational work without conferring outsized or permanent control.

Article II: Naming Process

2.1 Founding Contributors are named by the Creator as a matter of Creator prerogative during the pre-ratification period.

2.2 Each named Founding Contributor receives a public justification published alongside the Constitution. The justification identifies:

• Who they are
• What they contributed
• When the contribution occurred
• Why the proposed Grant amount reflects that contribution

2.3 Justifications are permanent public record and published in the Founding Grants Ledger (companion document).

2.4 Anticipated cohort size: approximately 6–15 individuals.

2.5 The Creator's naming authority is paired with the transparency of public justification, ensuring accountability without requiring community ratification of each person. Observers can see who was recognized and why.

Article III: Grant Properties

3.1 Individually calibrated. Each Grant is sized to the specific contribution the recipient made, not a uniform amount across recipients.

3.2 One-time award. Grants are awarded at ratification (Layer 6) and not increased subsequently. Additional future contribution earns additional normal Credits through the standard rubric.

3.3 Non-decaying. Founding Grant Credits do not decay due to inactivity. This is the principal distinction from all other Credits on the platform (which decay per Layer 3 Article V).

3.4 Non-transferable. Founding Grant Credits cannot be Kudosed to others. The recipient's other Credits (earned through standard contribution) are Kudos-eligible per Layer 3 Article VI.

3.5 Subject to Power mechanics. Founding Grant Credits convert to Power through the standard curve (Layer 3 Article III) and are subject to:

• Role ceilings
• The absolute Power cap of 12,000
• All voting and governance rules

3.6 No role conferral. Grants do not confer Team membership, role bonuses, or ceiling elevations. Founding Contributors who wish to serve on Franchise Teams must earn Team membership through ongoing Commons contribution in that Franchise. Network roles must be earned likewise.

Article IV: Dilution

4.1 Founding Grants are permanent. As the Network grows and total Credits across the platform expand, Founding Grant holders' share of total Power naturally shrinks.

4.2 This dilution is by design. Grants recognize what was done, not what will be done. A Founding Contributor whose grant represented 5% of total platform Power at launch may represent 0.01% of platform Power years later — the Grant does not shrink, but the platform grows around it.

4.3 Founding Contributors who wish to maintain or grow their influence should contribute like any other contributor. The Grant is a floor (it does not decay), not a throne (it does not scale with the platform).

Article V: Asymmetry with Creator Credits

5.1 The Creator's own Founding Ledger (detailed in the companion Founding Ledger document) operates differently from Founding Contributor Grants:

• Creator Credits decay under the standard rules of Layer 3 Article V
• Creator Credits are Kudos-eligible
• Founding Grant Credits do neither

5.2 The asymmetry reflects an intentional design choice. The Creator:

• Is expected to continue active contribution
• Bears ongoing responsibility for the platform
• Therefore should be subject to standard decay

Whereas Founding Contributors:

• May or may not remain involved after launch
• The Grant honors past work, not an expectation of future work
• Therefore Grant Credits are non-decaying gratitude, not active stake

5.3 Non-decaying permanent recognition is a form of gratitude. Decaying Power is a form of responsibility. These are different things and are treated differently by the system.

Article VI: Ratification

6.1 Founding Contributor Grants are ratified alongside the Constitution per Layer 6.

6.2 Ratification of the Constitution includes ratification of the Founding Grants Ledger (companion document) as proposed.

6.3 If the Constitution is rejected and revised, Founding Grants may also be revised. Revised Grants are published with revised Constitution drafts and subject to the subsequent ratification vote.

6.4 Post-ratification, Founding Grants are not subject to modification. The Grant Ledger is a historical artifact from the ratification process.

Article VII: Rights and Obligations of Founding Contributors

7.1 Founding Contributors are full contributors on OLN. They may:

• Contribute in any capacity
• Hold any role they earn through contribution
• Serve on the Council or as Arbiter if eligible (subject to eligibility rules)
• Monetize their Home content
• Participate in all governance
• Petition the Arbiters like any other contributor

7.2 Founding Contributors are not exempt from any platform rule. They are subject to the disciplinary framework (Layer 8), the conduct standards, and all other provisions.

7.3 Founding status is visible on the Profile of each Founding Contributor as a permanent recognition.

Article VIII: Death or Incapacity

8.1 Upon the death or permanent incapacity of a Founding Contributor, the Grant remains as a permanent ledger entry in their name.

8.2 The account may be marked as memorial or transitioned to heirs per the contributor's preferences documented during their active participation, within the limits of platform rules.

8.3 Memorial accounts do not vote, do not accrue new Credits, and do not participate in governance. The ledger entry stands as historical record.

Article IX: Retroactive Addition

9.1 After ratification, no new Founding Contributor Grants may be added. The cohort is fixed at ratification.

9.2 Individuals who contributed meaningfully before launch but were not included in the initial Grants may be recognized through:

• Normal contribution Credits earned post-launch
• Contributor Fund awards (Layer 11 Article VII) if a relevant Fund is created
• Formal public recognition by Franchise Teams or Network action

9.3 The Creator is responsible for making the founding Grants list complete and fair at ratification. Omissions cannot be corrected retroactively through Grant mechanism, but other recognition paths remain available.