> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.boundlessfi.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Escrow and human review
> How Boundless locks funds in on-chain escrow and releases them after a human review step, so both sides are protected.
> **TL;DR:** Money is locked in on-chain escrow up front. A person then reviews the work, an organizer, a panel, a reviewer, or a community vote, and only then does the escrow contract release the payout. On-chain mechanics meet human review.
## What you'll learn
* What escrow is and why Boundless uses it
* How **fund โ work โ review โ settle** works
* What this means for you as a contributor, backer, or organizer
* Where to go if something goes wrong
***
## What is escrow?
Escrow is a secure holding place for money. On Boundless, escrow runs on **Boundless's own Soroban smart contracts on the Stellar network**: no single person or company can quietly move the funds. Only the actions defined in the contract (release on award, refund on cancel, partner top-up) can touch the balance.
The flow is the same across every pillar:
1. **Fund**: the payer (organizer, backer, or grant program) locks funds in USDC into escrow when the program is published.
2. **Work**: you apply, submit, or ship your work.
3. **Review**: a human decides the outcome: the organizer picks a winner, a panel scores submissions, a reviewer approves a milestone, or the community votes.
4. **Settle**: once the review passes, the contract releases the payout to your wallet, usually within about a minute.
You don't have to trust the other party to pay, and they don't have to pay before the work is done. The contract enforces what was agreed; the people decide what gets funded.
***
## How it works in each pillar
**Bounty**
The organizer locks the reward. You submit work. The organizer (or a panel) selects the winner. Escrow sends the reward to your wallet.
**Hackathon**
Prize funds are locked when the event is published. Judges score submissions. When the organizer selects winners, escrow pays out to each winner at once.
**Grant**
The grant program locks the budget. You deliver milestone 1; the program manager approves it. Escrow releases that milestone's amount to you. This repeats for each milestone.
**Crowdfunding**
Backers' contributions go into escrow. You (the creator) complete a milestone and submit proof. A delegated reviewer approves it, and that portion of the funds is released to you.
***
## Why a human review step?
On-chain escrow guarantees the money is real and the payout is automatic once conditions are met. But deciding whether work is actually good, whether a submission wins, whether a milestone is complete, is a judgment call. Boundless keeps a person in that seat:
* The contract enforces **what was decided** (who gets paid, how much, when).
* People decide **what counts** (which work wins, which milestone is done).
That's the balance: no "hope they pay," and no bot deciding whether your work is good enough.
***
## What if something goes wrong?
If you disagree with a rejection or an outcome, you can raise a dispute and the evidence is reviewed. See [Disputes and moderation](/help/disputes-and-moderation).
***
## Next steps
* [How Boundless works](/start-here/how-boundless-works)
* [Tokens and wallets](/reference/tokens-and-wallets)
* [Disputes and moderation](/help/disputes-and-moderation)
***
## Need help?
* **Platform:** [Boundless](https://www.boundlessfi.xyz)
* [Discord](https://discord.gg/cNabHsV7PN) ยท [Support](mailto:support@boundlessfi.xyz)