Written by Table of contents
- Start with a useful issue
- Add funding and choose a contributor
- Review and release
- If plans change
- Teams and organizations
- Next steps
A project owner or sponsor can fund a GitHub issue so a contributor has a defined opportunity to deliver work and be paid. The issue remains the source of truth for requirements and review.
Start with a useful issue
Describe the current problem, expected result, scope boundaries, and how you will decide whether the work is accepted. Include reproduction steps or examples when useful. See Funding issues for a template.
Add funding and choose a contributor
- Select an existing GitHub issue and add it as a task on Gitpay.
- Set the amount and review the payment details before funding.
- Respond to contributor questions and confirm who is assigned to the underlying issue.
- Agree on the delivery route, usually a Pull Request, and any review timing.
Funding makes a task visible and payable, but acceptance still depends on the project reviewing the delivered result. If a contributor began contributing before a bounty existed, discuss scope and payment expectations explicitly. Do not imply an unapproved contribution is automatically payable.
Review and release
Review the Pull Request against the agreed criteria, request specific changes where needed, then record acceptance. Confirm the recipient and amount before releasing the payment through the task flow. Validating work and Releasing bounties give detailed checklists.
If plans change
If scope expands, agree on the extra work and funding before it is done. If the contributor cannot continue, communicate in the issue and follow the task’s assignment and refund options. Keep payment decisions tied to recorded acceptance.
Teams and organizations
Name the person who can approve the contribution and the person who controls funding. A shared project can have many reviewers, but contributors need one clear decision on acceptance and payment.
