Standard · 02
Verifiable legitimacy
Legitimacy is earned in stages, by evidence anyone can audit — not by who shouted loudest on launch day.
Why this matters
An initiative does not become 'real' because a founder declares it real. It moves through five visible layers, each gated by checks anyone can inspect.
Reviewers themselves are accountable: every verdict they sign carries their name on their public profile.
Weighted authenticity means a pledge from a verified user with a track record counts more than an anonymous one — without locking new pledgers out.
How GROUNDWORK implements it
Five legitimacy layers
L1 Declared → L2 Structured → L3 Verified → L4 Established → L5 Eligible for fundraising.
Reviewer history
Every approval, denial, and appeal a reviewer signs is listed on their public profile.
Weighted pledges
Verification status and fulfillment history quietly raise the weight of a pledge over time.