COZ has announced the return of Proof of Working, a community initiative designed to support independent contributors making tangible progress in the Neo ecosystem. Originally introduced to spotlight underfunded but impactful efforts, the initiative is being revived with renewed focus on rewarding builders, educators, analysts, and researchers whose work may not fit into traditional funding streams.

Proof of Working began as a way to document real-time ecosystem activity – including development experiments, research, tools, and documentation – prior to their formalization into funded projects. The program provided visibility for contributors who were shaping the Neo ecosystem but remained outside of grant programs or sponsorships.

According to COZ, the decision to bring back the program comes amid growing grassroots activity that often falls outside the bounds of grants, contracts, and formal partnerships. The organization sees Proof of Working as a way to bridge this gap and encourage continued experimentation and participation.

“If you’re doing meaningful work for the ecosystem, it should be seen, valued, and supported,” COZ said in its announcement.

Weekly token awards

The revived program is open to all ecosystem participants. Each week, the COZ Council will evaluate submissions and distribute a pool of NEO tokens based on completed work. Contributions must include proof of delivery and will be published in a weekly transparency report on the COZ website. COZ emphasized that awards are granted for tangible output – not proposals or future intentions.

Eligible contributions include code, content, dashboards, analytics, documentation, educational resources, and community infrastructure, among other outputs. All submissions must be publicly accessible and submitted via the COZ Discord server. Contributions already funded through grants or contracts are ineligible, and COZ staff members are excluded from participation.

A platform for emerging contributors

Beyond token rewards, Proof of Working aims to create visibility for consistent contributors, foster collaboration, and provide a pathway into longer-term ecosystem roles. COZ noted that many of the Neo ecosystem’s most active participants began by sharing their work publicly through early versions of the initiative.

COZ describes the new Proof of Working as an “on-ramp” that can lead to further opportunities, including GrantShares funding, Neo Foundation sponsored projects, or venture capital engagement.

Getting involved

Community members interested in participating can join the COZ Discord and share their contributions for review. Weekly submissions will be evaluated based on their relevance, impact, and delivery.

The original announcement can be found below:
https://coz.io/blog/proof-of-working-is-back/

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