# How to apply for Web3 grants: a step-by-step guide

> How to apply for Web3 grants in 11 steps, from checking a program is open to KYC and milestone payouts, with real processes from SCF, Zcash and Solana.

Last reviewed 2026-10-31. Dates are UTC.

How to apply for Web3 grants, in short: pick a program that is open and funds your kind of work, read its rules and past grants, scope a project you can ship in a few months, and submit a proposal with milestones and a budget through the program's own form or forum. Expect a decision in about four weeks, then KYC and an agreement before payment.

## Key takeaways

- As of October 31, 2026, 80 of the 99 programs in web3grant's directory are always open, 7 have an open round and 12 are closed between rounds, so checking status comes first.
- 55 of the 99 programs (56%) pay in milestone tranches, which is why a costed budget and milestones with acceptance criteria weigh as much as the idea.
- The median time to a decision is 4 weeks. 21 programs usually decide in 3 weeks or less and 14 take 8 weeks or more, mostly estimated from each program's published process.
- Payment comes after identity checks and a signed agreement at most programs: the Stellar Community Fund requires every contributor to pass KYC or KYB.
- web3grant never takes applications. You always apply on the program's official site, forum or repository.

## The 11 steps at a glance

Applying for a Web3 grant takes 11 steps in three phases: research before you write, the application itself, and the review, paperwork and delivery that follow.

| Step | What you do | What you have at the end |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Check status and eligibility | A shortlist of open programs you qualify for |
| 2 | Read past grants and priorities | Notes on what each program funds now |
| 3 | Talk to the community | Feedback, sometimes a referral or sponsor |
| 4 | Scope the project | One deliverable you can ship in months |
| 5 | Write the proposal | A draft in the program's format |
| 6 | Build the budget | Costed line items |
| 7 | Set milestones | Milestones with acceptance criteria |
| 8 | Submit | A submission on the official channel |
| 9 | Review and interview | Answers to reviewer questions |
| 10 | Agreement and KYC | A signed agreement, verified identity, a wallet |
| 11 | Deliver and report | Milestone payments |

## Before you write: steps 1 to 4

### Step 1: Check that the program is open and that you qualify

Confirm a program's status and eligibility before anything else, because many programs still listed around the web no longer take applications. In our October 2026 check of 222 candidate programs, 123 did not make the directory: 26 were discontinued, 23 paused, 2 replaced, 2 closed, 48 had no way to apply that we could find, and 22 were left out for other reasons.

Even listed programs change. As of October 2026 the Ethereum Foundation's Ecosystem Support Program (ESP) has no open Wishlist or RFP items, so there is nothing to apply to until it posts new ones, and Filecoin Open Grants has not answered proposals filed since April 2026. Every program page on web3grant shows the date we last checked it and the sources we used.

Then read the eligibility rules line by line. They are specific:

- **Chain:** Gravity Developer Grants want projects that run only on Gravity or treat it as a primary network, and the form asks for a contract address.
- **Stage:** Starknet Seed Grants want an MVP or proof of concept, but not a product live on mainnet for over three months.
- **Location:** Tezos Commons Small Grants are for US and Canada residents; the Bitshala Fellowship is for India and South-East Asia.
- **Compliance:** Tether's grants require applicants to be 18 or older and to pass KYC where required.

To build the shortlist, use the "Open now" and "Always open" filters in the [Web3 grant directory](https://www.web3grant.com/grants), and see [how to find Web3 grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/how-to-find-web3-grants) and [how to choose a Web3 grant program](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-web3-grant-program) for the criteria.

### Step 2: Read past grants and current priorities

Programs fund what they say they fund this year, which is often narrower than what they funded before. The Graph Foundation says its 2026 grants go to work that directly advances the core protocol, expands data services or drives adoption in strategic markets. The Stacks Endowment asks applicants to check its public grants tracker so they don't duplicate work it already funded. 1inch's Aqua incubator says novelty is its first screen.

Read the past grantees on the program page, then find two or three funded proposals. DAO programs publish them: Zcash Community Grants, CoW DAO and Rocket Pool's Grants Management Committee (GMC) all review applications in public forum threads, so you can see what passed and what reviewers asked.

### Step 3: Talk to the community before you apply

Several programs build an early conversation into the process. Akash asks you to join its Discord, talk to the relevant working group and present your draft at the monthly Steering Committee meeting before you go on-chain, though no outside team has won a pool vote there since August 2025. The Graph Foundation suggests posting your idea on its forum first. ESP runs Office Hours, a 20-minute call for feedback that comes with no funding.

Some programs make contact a formal step. The Canton Development Fund requires outside applicants to have a Champion who sponsors the proposal, and the Stellar Community Fund (SCF) says a referral code helps its interest form. Rocket Pool's GMC has said it favors applicants who engaged with the community before applying.

### Step 4: Scope a project you can finish

Reviewers fund a deliverable, not a vision, so scope the smallest version that is useful on its own. Program timelines point to three to six months: Starknet Seed Grants ask how you will use the money over the next three months, and SCF Build awards cover up to about four months of development, with each tranche submitted within 90 days.

Match the ask to your record. The median published grant ceiling in our directory is $50,000, and a first grant near the top of a program's range is a harder sell than a smaller, well-evidenced one.

## Writing the application: steps 5 to 8

### Step 5: Write the proposal

Most forms ask for the same content: a summary, the problem, your solution, why this ecosystem, the team, milestones, budget, metrics, risks, sustainability and license (see [open source licenses for grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/open-source-license-for-grants) if the program requires one). Our guide on [how to write a Web3 grant proposal](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/how-to-write-a-web3-grant-proposal) covers each section, and the [Web3 grant proposal template](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grant-proposal-template) gives you a copyable starting point.

Use the program's own template when it has one. Conflux requires its Integration Grants template in full, and CoW DAO, Rocket Pool and TRON Builders League have forum templates. Formats vary widely: OpenSats wants about one page, two reference letters and a video of exactly two minutes, while the Tezos Foundation wants a single PDF with team, technical plan, roadmap and full budget.

Public governance posts and RFP responses need a different shape; see [writing a DAO funding proposal](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/dao-funding-proposal) and [Web3 RFP grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-rfp-grants). If you draft with AI, edit hard: the Compound Grants Program says it rejects low-quality or LLM-generated proposals (its main Dapps domain has been paused since April 2026, and the program's future is under review). More in [AI grant proposal writing](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/ai-grant-proposal-writing).

### Step 6: Build the budget

Cost the work line by line instead of naming a round number. Akash's community pool asks for a breakdown of hours, hourly rate and other costs, and the Uniswap Foundation asks for milestones mapped to deliverables and line-item costs (note that the Foundation is spending down its remaining grants budget and plans to close once it is committed).

Check what the program refuses to pay for. Ink's Spark grants do not cover salaries, runway, routine hosting or subsidized trading. Many programs set the budget in USD and pay in a token, so plan for price moves. The [Web3 grant budget](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grant-budget) guide has a worked example.

### Step 7: Set milestones

Write milestones a reviewer can check: each names a deliverable, acceptance criteria, the evidence you will submit, a date and the amount it releases. Programs set the shape: Compound asks for three to five milestones mostly tied to measurable outcomes, Filecoin Open Grants for 2 to 4, and TheDAO Security Fund puts at least a third of each budget on adoption milestones.

See [milestone-based grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/milestone-based-grants) for structure and [grant impact metrics](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/grant-impact-metrics) for the numbers to promise.

### Step 8: Submit through the official channel

Submit only where the program says to. The channel tells you a lot about what comes next:

- **Forms** (Airtable, Typeform, Google Forms, HubSpot): most foundation programs, such as Solana Foundation grants and Starknet Seed Grants.
- **Questbook:** Compound and Circle review proposals there.
- **Forum posts:** Rocket Pool's GMC takes applications as replies to a monthly call thread, due the 7th at 23:59 UTC.
- **GitHub:** Filecoin Open Grants take issues, the Canton Development Fund takes pull requests, and Zcash Community Grants use a GitHub form linked from the forum.
- **On-chain:** treasuries such as Akash need a deposit; its 1,000 AKT is returned unless the vote ends in "no with veto".

Round-based programs have hard deadlines, so keep the [Web3 grant deadline calendar](https://www.web3grant.com/deadlines) open. Before you press submit, run the [grant application checklist](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/grant-application-checklist). If you send the same project to several programs, disclose it; [applying to multiple grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/applying-to-multiple-grants) explains how.

## After you submit: steps 9 to 11

### Step 9: Review, questions and interview

Most reviews run screening, then a technical review, then a call. The dYdX Grants Program screens within about seven days and rejects off-topic or duplicate applications, then interviews applicants to agree deliverables, milestones, KPIs and cost before a 48-hour committee review. Analog holds a call for requests of $10,000 or more.

Public programs review in the open. Zcash Community Grants give the community at least a week to comment before a five-person committee votes. Reply fast and specifically; [questions grant reviewers ask](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/grant-reviewer-questions) lists what to prepare.

### Step 10: Sign the agreement, pass KYC and set up a wallet

Approval is not payment. ESP grantees complete identity verification and sign a formal grant letter. Starknet pays STRK only after KYC and a signed grant agreement. Filecoin Open Grants require the agreement to be signed before any work starts, and the agreement and payments must go to the same party. At the Tezos Foundation the legal paperwork takes about four more weeks.

Some programs check the wallet too: Rocket Pool's GMC pays only to a recipient address and cannot pay invoices. Read [KYC for crypto grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grant-kyc) and [Web3 grant agreements](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grant-agreements) before you sign, and ask a professional about tax and entity questions.

### Step 11: Deliver, report and get paid

Payment follows delivery. SCF pays 10% on acceptance, then 20%, 30% and 40% as each tranche is verified. Zcash grantees post forum updates to release each milestone payment. OpenSats grantees send a progress report every 90 days, and ESP grantees publish a public report at the end. See [grant milestone reports](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/grant-milestone-reports) and [what happens after you get a Web3 grant](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/after-you-win-a-web3-grant).

## Four real application processes, side by side

The same 11 steps look different at a foundation, an elected committee and a DAO. These four programs show the range, using the process each one publishes.

| Program | Where you apply | Who decides | How you are paid |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Stellar Community Fund](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/stellar-community-fund) | Interest form, then an invited full submission | SDF staff and delegates; Open Track adds a community vote | 10%, then 20%, 30%, 40% by tranche |
| [Zcash Community Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/zcash-community-grants) | GitHub form, linked on the forum | Elected committee, 3 of 5 votes | By milestone, after forum updates |
| [Solana Foundation grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/solana-foundation-grants) | Online form with a milestone budget | Grants team, after an expert call | As milestones are completed |
| [Rocket Pool GMC grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/rocket-pool-gmc-grants) | Reply on the monthly forum thread | Seven-member committee, by rubric | On your application's schedule |

Timing differs too. SCF #46 closes on November 8, 2026; you send an interest form first and are invited to a specific round, as its [Build Award handbook](https://stellar.gitbook.io/scf-handbook/scf-awards/build-award) explains. The Solana Foundation reviews within about a week and decides about three weeks later. Rocket Pool's Round 42 closes November 7, 2026, but funds are tight: Round 41 declined every application, Round 40 approved 1 of 10, and nothing above $7,500 has been approved since May 2026.

## How long does it take to get a Web3 grant?

The median time from application to decision in our directory is 4 weeks, though only a few programs publish a figure and the rest are estimates from their process descriptions. 21 programs usually decide in 3 weeks or less, and 14 take 8 weeks or more; OpenSats is estimated at 13 weeks.

Add research before and paperwork after. Starknet says you hear back, including on a rejection, in about four weeks, and Tezos Foundation agreements take about four weeks more after acceptance. Two to three months from first research to first payment is a sensible planning assumption.

## What if your application is rejected?

Rejection is the common outcome, so plan for it. The Arbitrum D.A.O. Grant Program approved 190 of 1,262 applications in Season 3, which closed in March 2026 with no Season 4 proposed. The Stacks Endowment's first cycle funded 18 of 325, and its Q4 2026 dates have not been announced. The Tezos Foundation approved 8% of applications in 2023, mostly because they were incomplete or did not match the ecosystem's needs.

Read [why grant applications get rejected](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/why-grant-applications-get-rejected), then [how to reapply after a rejection](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/reapplying-after-grant-rejection). A rejection is rarely the end: the Human Rights Foundation's Bitcoin Development Fund says outright that applicants who were turned down before may apply again.

## Next steps

1. Filter the [directory](https://www.web3grant.com/grants) to "Open now" and "Always open" for your chain and category.
2. Sign up for [deadline alerts](https://www.web3grant.com/#alerts): one email when a round opens and one when it has three days left.
3. Draft from the template, cost it with the budget guide, and check it against the checklist.
4. If you are new to grants, start with [what Web3 grants are](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/what-are-web3-grants).

## FAQ

### Can you apply for a Web3 grant as an individual?

Yes. Many Web3 grant programs fund individuals without a company. Zcash Community Grants fund independent individuals and teams, OpenSats welcomes pseudonymous applicants, and VeChain's VeBetter grants make a legal entity optional, though VeBetter activity was very low in 2026. Individuals still usually pass KYC before payment, and some programs, such as Filecoin Open Grants, require the agreement and the payments to go to the same party.

### Do you need to hold tokens to apply for a Web3 grant?

Foundation grant programs usually ask for no tokens, but DAO and treasury programs often do. Metaplex DAO requires 200 MPLX to submit, RootstockCollective requires 1,000 stRIF staked, and Akash's community pool requires a 1,000 AKT deposit, although no outside team has won a pool vote since August 2025. Cardano's treasury takes a 100,000 ada deposit that is refunded after the vote. Check the Web3 grant program's rules before you budget your time.

### Can you apply to more than one Web3 grant program at the same time?

Usually yes, if you disclose it. Tezos Commons asks whether you have requested funding for the same project from other Tezos organizations, VeBetter allows other funding if disclosed (though it processed no applications in Q2 2026), and Maelstrom caps a developer's total grant income from all funders at $400,000 a year. The Uniswap Foundation, which is spending down its remaining budget, wants work that could not be submitted unchanged to another protocol, so tailor each Web3 grant application.

### Does web3grant accept grant applications?

No. web3grant is a directory of 99 Web3 grant programs and never takes applications or payments. Each program page links to that program's official site and application channel, along with the date web3grant last checked it and the sources used. Be wary of anyone who offers a grant through a different channel or asks for a fee to process a Web3 grant application.

### How much should you ask for in a first Web3 grant?

Ask for what the scoped work costs, inside the program's published range. In web3grant's directory of 99 programs, the median published ceiling is $50,000, with a 25th percentile of $25,000 and a 75th of $100,000. A first Web3 grant request well below a program's ceiling, backed by line items and milestones, is easier to approve than one at the maximum.

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From web3grant: https://www.web3grant.com/guides/how-to-apply-for-web3-grants. Program details change often: confirm on each program's official site before applying.