For the last four years, Polkascan Foundation has been maintaining the Substrate Python API: [py-substrate-interface](https://github.com/polkascan/py-substrate-interface), [py-scale-codec](https://github.com/polkascan/py-scale-codec) and [several Python bindings](https://github.com/orgs/polkascan/repositories?q=&type=all&language=rust&sort=) for cryptographic RUST crates used by Substrate.

The Substrate Python API is a library, with similar features as [Polkadot-JS API](https://wiki.polkadot.network/docs/polkadotjs#polkadot-js-api). With this API, Python developers can build apps that interact with any Polkadot, Kusama or other Substrate based chain. There are [APIs for different programming languages](https://wiki.polkadot.network/docs/build-tools-index#rpc-and-api-tools) and our API library is at the moment the only one available for the Python programming language.

As of writing [297 Github repositories and 23 Python packages](https://github.com/polkascan/py-substrate-interface/network/dependents?package_id=UGFja2FnZS04OTc2NTczNTM%3D) are depending on the Python API.

With this treasury proposal, we are asking retroactive funding for our activities in the period October until December 2023.  

Requested funding: 19,208.75 EUR

For more details, see [our full proposal](https://github.com/polkascan/social-contract/blob/master/polkadot/treasury-proposal-008-report-2023Q4.md).

Problem Statement:
- The Polkascan Foundation has been maintaining the Substrate Python API and other Python bindings for Substrate-based chains, but they require retroactive funding for their activities.

Significance:
- The Substrate Python API is the only available API library for Python developers to build apps that interact with Polkadot, Kusama, and other Substrate-based chains.
- There are currently 297 Github repositories and 23 Python packages depending on the Python API.

Proposed Solution:
- Requesting retroactive funding of 19,208.75 EUR for the activities of the Polkascan Foundation in the period of October to December 2023.

Expected Outcomes:
- Continued maintenance and development of the Substrate Python API and Python bindings for Substrate-based chains.

#600 Maintenance & Support Substrate Python API (Oct-Dec 2023)