I’ll try to answer some of your questions:
We have made a website
detailing what we would like to fund, and come up with comprehensive whitepaper of projects and project ideas to try and make it as clear as possible what we are looking for. As well as hosting hangout meetings with existing Zcash developers and outside developers to drum up ideas and interest to build on Zcash.
Unfortunately no, ZIP-1014 does not allow for ZOMG to fund itself or hire staff for itself.
These funds MUST only be used to issue Major Grants to external parties that are independent of ZF. They MUST NOT be used by ZF for its internal operations and direct expenses.
Major Grants SHOULD be restricted to furthering the Zcash cryptocurrency and its ecosystem
We are reliant on our own time and the support of the Zcash Foundation for administrative needs. The ZF is currently seeking to hire a ecosystem manager who will assist ZF with community work including supporting the ZOMG
We have the list of what we would like to fund (linked above) but we have also discussed a true bounty-style program too. The issue is that it’s difficult to pick and choose what items to set a bounty for, and put a value on that bounty that would not be too little too attract anyone, but not too high that the community feels the funds are wasted.
We would need to go though a process of choosing things to bounty, then a second process of consulting experts in that field to see what an appropriate time/wage would be. Multiply that process x all the items on our wishlist. You can see why we are so focused on getting more support from ZF.
As I have mentioned before, it’s not 100% clear to me where broad R&D (which may or may not have tangible deliverables for Zcash itself) would fit into the ZOMG mandate that:
Major Grants SHOULD be restricted to furthering the Zcash cryptocurrency and its ecosystem (which is more specific than furthering financial privacy in general) as permitted under Section 501(c)(3).
Can you elaborate on what you think this would look like?
Strongly disagree. As I pointed out above, many on ZOMG feel constrained by the wording of the ZIP which does not allow ZOMG to expand much beyond grant setting and reviewing.