This policy sets clear expectations for how contributors communicate during the payment evaluation period for PocketPay Mobile issues. It exists to keep community channels useful, keep evaluators focused on reviewing work, and give every contributor a fair, predictable process.
Merging a pull request does not trigger or guarantee payment. Payment is decided by the GrantFox evaluation process, not by the act of merging. Please read this policy in full before raising any payment-related question.
This policy applies to all community channels associated with PocketPay Mobile, including issue threads, pull request discussions, chat channels, and any GrantFox-managed communication spaces. It applies to every contributor working on a paid mobile issue.
Contributors are expected to:
- Let the evaluation process run its course. Merging is one step. The GrantFox Evaluation Readiness Checklist and the Issue Approval Readiness Checklist describe what evaluators look for and when. Approval depends on evaluator review — not on how often a contributor asks about it.
- Self-review before raising a payment concern. Before posting about payment, complete the self-review steps in the Self-Review Checklist and the Contributor Self-Assessment. Most payment questions are answered by confirming that the work actually meets the issue's acceptance criteria, tests, and CI requirements.
- Communicate professionally. Keep messages respectful, specific, and constructive, consistent with the project Code of Conduct.
To keep channels usable for everyone, the following behavior is not permitted during the payment period:
- Repeated or duplicate messages asking for a payment status update ("any update?", "when will I be paid?", "please respond") across one or more channels.
- Tagging maintainers or evaluators repeatedly to demand a faster response.
- Complaints or pressure directed at maintainers because a merge did not result in immediate payment.
- Posting the same payment question in multiple channels (issue, PR, and chat) at the same time.
- Hostile, accusatory, or demanding language toward reviewers, evaluators, or other contributors.
Repeated spam or pressure of this kind slows evaluation for everyone and may result in a message being removed, a warning, or — for persistent behavior — temporary removal from community channels.
Work through this list first. In most cases it resolves the question without any message being needed:
- Re-read the linked issue. Confirm that your implementation matches the requested scope and every acceptance-criteria item.
- Confirm tests and CI pass. A merged PR with failing or missing checks is not evaluator-ready. See the CI Troubleshooting Guide.
- Complete the readiness checklists. Run through the Evaluation Readiness Checklist and confirm every box honestly.
- Check the stated evaluation timeline. Evaluation happens on a defined schedule, not immediately after merge. Allow the full period to elapse.
- Confirm your PR description is complete. It should link the issue, describe what was tested, and include screenshots or recordings where the change is visible.
If, after all of the above, you have a genuine and specific concern (for example, evidence that an evaluation was missed), raise it once, in the relevant issue or PR thread, with the specific details attached. Then wait for a response before following up.
Payment for mobile issues is governed by the GrantFox evaluation process, not by merge status. Approval depends on evaluator review, passing checks, adequate testing evidence, issue compliance, meaningful implementation, and overall quality. The relevant references are:
- Evaluation Readiness Checklist — what evaluators expect before the payment evaluation period.
- Issue Approval Readiness Checklist — the pre-approval gate for implementation, tests, CI, and acceptance criteria.
- Contributor Self-Assessment — the form to complete before requesting review.
Following this process is the fastest and most reliable path to a fair evaluation. Messages that pressure or spam channels do not speed it up.
- Merging does not mean payment. The GrantFox evaluation process decides approval.
- Do not spam, duplicate, or pressure maintainers about payment.
- Self-review against the checklists before raising any payment concern.
- Raise a genuine concern once, with specifics, in the correct thread — then wait.
- Keep every interaction professional and respectful.