The Stacks Endowment is committed to helping bold ideas take off—supporting builders with capital, guidance, and ecosystem reach. Whether you're launching your first protocol, scaling an established project, or bringing creative energy to the community, our grant programs are here to fuel your journey.
We're backing three types of builders: those who've already proven traction, those just getting started with novel ideas, and those strengthening our community through creativity and culture. Here's everything you need to know about who's eligible and how to apply.
What We're Looking For
Every track follows core principles that define what makes a strong grant application. Whether you're applying for retroactive rewards, seed funding, or community support, these are the qualities we value:
Ambitious Builders with Execution Ability
We back founders and teams who can build exceptional products. Your track record, demonstrated expertise, or early proof of concept should demonstrate that you're ready to execute.
Clear Roadmaps & Measurable Milestones
Show us how funding translates into progress. Whether it's TVL targets, user metrics, code deliverables, or community engagement, we need to see specific milestones, realistic timelines, and honest budget breakdowns.
Built on Stacks
Your project should leverage what makes Stacks unique: Bitcoin security through Proof of Transfer, Bitcoin Staking with Stacks, sBTC's potential, or our growing dapp ecosystem. We're looking for ideas that couldn't exist anywhere else.
Ecosystem First
The best projects make everyone stronger. Whether you're building infrastructure that others can build on, creating liquidity that protocols can tap into, or producing tools that make developers' lives easier, we prioritize applications that create composable, long-term value for the entire ecosystem.
How We Evaluate
Every application goes through a structured evaluation using a 0-5 scoring framework across six core criteria along with additional category-specific criteria. The core criteria scores the following:
- Strategic alignment (does this advance Stacks' mission?)
- Ecosystem impact (how meaningful is the benefit?)
- Feasibility (can this realistically be delivered?)
- Budget reasonableness (is funding proportional to value?)
- Risk profile (what could go wrong?)
- Ecosystem commitment (will this team stick around?).
The scoring guides our decisions, but it's not mechanical. We also consider broader ecosystem needs, budget constraints, and portfolio balance across project types. Reviewers can provide written summaries and feedback notes to teams. Our goal is to fund work that helps the Stacks ecosystem grow sustainably and responsibly over the long term.
More on this here.
What Everyone Needs to Know
KYC/B & Compliance
The Stacks Endowment operates under Cayman Islands law, which means all grant recipients go through KYC/KYB verification.
- For individuals: Valid government ID and liveness photo check.
- For organizations: Legal entity documents, proof of beneficial owners, and KYC for all UBOs and key officers (Valid government ID and liveness photo check)
- All receiving disbursement wallet addresses will be screened using Chainalysis.
What You Can't Do
Grant funds can't be used for:
- Activities unrelated to the Stacks ecosystem growth
- Market manipulation, wash trading, or metric inflation
- Governance manipulation, vote buying, or forum spam
- Anything illegal or promoting harm
Any violation of the terms results in immediate suspension of funding, and we will claw back any disbursed funds.
Projects We Won't Fund
- Idea-only applications with zero proof-of-concept or effort
- Straight forks of existing projects without meaningful innovation
- Projects from teams previously sanctioned or in violation of terms
If You're Approved
You'll receive a grant agreement outlining milestones, disbursement schedule, and reporting requirements. You’ll have regular check-ins with our Program Manager.
If You're Declined
We'll explain why and provide actionable feedback. Most declined applications can be revised and resubmitted. Sometimes it's just about timing, scope, or needing more proof of concept. We're here to help you get it right.
Get Help With Your Application
We know grant applications can feel daunting, especially if it's your first time. That's why we've built support directly into the program:
- Regular office hours: Sessions will be announced on X and added to the Stacks events calendar
- Builder mentorship: Connection with experienced Stacks builders once you're funded
- How Grants are evaluated: Grants scoring criteria
- Sample Applications: we have examples for all types here.
- Community channels: forum support
Ready to Build?
Whether you're already live with traction, just starting with a serious idea, or bringing creative energy to the community, there's a home for you.
