# Web3 grant programs closed or paused: the 2026 list

> Web3 grant programs closed, paused or replaced as of October 2026: 53 programs we checked, with dates, what happened and where to apply instead.

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

These Web3 grant programs closed, paused or were replaced as of October 2026. Of the 222 programs web3grant checked between October 1 and October 29, 2026, 53 had stopped taking applications: 26 discontinued, 23 paused, 2 replaced and 2 with a closed call. They include Aave Grants DAO, the Chainlink Grant Program, Optimism's Grants Council, Web3 Foundation's grants and every Superteam Instagrant.

## Key takeaways

- From our check of 222 grant programs between October 1 and October 29, 2026, 99 are listed in web3grant's directory and 123 are not; of those 123, 26 are discontinued, 23 paused, 2 replaced and 2 closed.
- Several well-known programs closed in 2026: Web3 Foundation closed its Grants Program in January, the TON Foundation paused grants on May 20, and both the Optimism Grants Council and Aave Grants DAO were confirmed over on July 15.
- Chains that shut down or changed direction took their grants with them: Kadena, Moonbeam, Lisk, Radix and Scroll among them.
- Ten programs still in the directory are flagged as paused or winding down, including the Ethereum Foundation's ESP, Optimism Retro Funding, Gitcoin Grants and Project Catalyst.
- Open options remain: as of October 31, 2026, 80 of the 99 programs in the directory accept applications at any time.

## How many Web3 grant programs have closed?

From our October 2026 check of 222 candidate programs, 53 had no open way to apply because they ended, paused, were replaced or had closed their only call. Another 48 were unclear: no way to apply could be found, but nothing said they had ended either. Of the rest, 99 are listed in the directory and 22 are active but left out for another reason, such as paying in credits instead of cash.

We use five labels, based on what each program's own site, docs, forum or GitHub said:

- **Discontinued:** the program has ended, and nothing says it will return.
- **Paused:** it stopped taking applications but may return.
- **Replaced:** it turned into a different program.
- **Closed:** a single call or yearly cycle has closed.
- **Unclear:** there is no way to apply, and no statement that it ended.

Dates below are what each program published, or the day we checked when no date was published. Programs in these tables are not in web3grant's directory, so we link our status guide where one exists and the program's own page otherwise.

## The 2026 timeline

The table lists the dated closures and pauses from 2026, in order.

| Date | Program | What happened |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jan 6 | [Web3 Foundation Grants Program](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-foundation-grants) | GitHub README marked closed to new applications |
| Jan 9 | [Polygon Community Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/polygon-grants) | Community Treasury Board moved to an advisory role |
| Mar 20 | [Polkadot Open Source Developer Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/polkadot-fast-grants) | Final report published; bounty closed |
| Apr 20 | [Interchain Foundation funding](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/interchain-foundation-grants) | Funding repository archived |
| Apr 30 | [Scroll Community Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/scroll-grants) | Most Scroll DAO contributor roles end; no second edition |
| May 20 | [TON Grants Program](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/ton-grants) | TON Foundation stops taking grant and bounty applications |
| Jun 30 | [ENS Public Goods grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/ens-grants) | Public Goods Working Group ends with Term 6 |
| Jul 15 | [Optimism Grants Council](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/optimism-grants) | Token House vote to dissolve the council ends |
| Jul 15 | [Aave Grants DAO](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/aave-grants-dao) | Sunset confirmed on the Aave forum |
| Jul 31 | Moonbeam treasury grants | Moonbeam and Moonriver parachains stop |
| Aug 15 | SSV Network Grants | Suspended indefinitely by Grants Committee vote |
| Sep 1 | Secret Labs grants | SCRT Labs ends official support for Secret Network |
| Sep 29 | Balancer Grants | BIP-928 passes: Balancer winds down |
| Oct 31 | Lisk grants | Lisk Chain scheduled to shut down; Lisk DAO winding down |

Superteam Instagrants also paused in 2026, most likely in April or May, but no date was published. See [Superteam grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/superteam-grants) for details.

## Ethereum and its layer 2s

Ethereum, its L2s and Ethereum DeFi protocols account for the largest group: 20 programs.

### Discontinued or replaced

| Program | What happened | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Aave Grants DAO](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/aave-grants-dao) | Paused all grants and disbanded its team; later sunset | Aug 19, 2024; confirmed Jul 15, 2026 |
| [Balancer Grants](https://forum.balancer.fi/t/bip-928-orderly-winddown-of-balancer-and-distribution-of-the-treasury/7107) | Last wave was Wave 14 (Q4 2024); protocol now winding down | BIP-928 passed Sep 29, 2026 |
| [ENS Public Goods Builder Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/ens-grants) | Working group ended; new ENS Foundation grants have no application process yet | Jun 30, 2026 |
| GnosisDAO grants | No standing program; funding only one GIP at a time | Last Gnosis Builders report Nov 2023 |
| [Next Billion Fellowship](https://nxbn.ethereum.foundation/) | Site says the programs have concluded; Cohort 6 did not run | Last intake closed Jan 12, 2025 |
| [Optimism Grants Council](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/optimism-grants) | Dissolved; Foundation makes only select strategic grants | Vote ended Jul 15, 2026 |
| [Polygon Community Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/polygon-grants) | Grants replaced by treasury investments | Last open season ended Apr 15, 2025 |
| [Scroll Community Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/scroll-grants) | Pilot closed; Scroll becoming an app-specific network | Dec 19, 2025 |
| [Sky (MakerDAO) grants](https://forum.skyeco.com/t/the-maker-foundation-development-grants-program-sunsets/7165) | Maker Foundation Development Grants ended; no new program | Mar 23, 2021 |
| [ZKsync RFP pool](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/zksync-grants) | Last RFP posted; no builder grants | Mar 9, 2026 |
| [Zircuit Grants Program](https://docs.zircuit.com/build/grants) | Docs mark it deprecated and closed | Checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| [Lisk grants](https://lisk.com/blog/posts/introducing-the-new-lisk/) | Lisk becomes a finance operations product; DAO Fund closed in May 2026 | Chain shuts Oct 31, 2026 |
| [Base Builder Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/base-grants) | Retroactive 1 to 5 ETH grants replaced by an application program of up to $5,000 | Round 1 closed by Oct 1, 2026 |

Base is the one to watch. Its new Builder Grant Program's Round 1 was closed when we checked on October 1, and a post on X around October 27, 2026 reportedly announced Season 2 with $5,000 grants. We had not confirmed it on an official Base page as of October 29.

### Paused

| Program | What happened | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [BuidlGuidl Community Grants](https://grants.buidlguidl.com) | "Currently paused"; reopening to be announced | Last grants completed Dec 2025 |
| [Safe ecosystem grants](https://safefoundation.org/grants) | SafeDAO resource allocation paused under SEP-54; only Foundation RFPs, none open | Since Aug 4, 2025 |
| [SSV Network Grants](https://forum.ssv.network/t/2154) | New grants paused, then suspended indefinitely | Nov 25, 2025; Aug 15, 2026 |
| [Obol Grants Program](https://docs.obol.org/community-and-governance/community/grants-program) | Paused while redesigned, no restart date | One pilot wave, May to Jun 2025 |
| [Flashbots Research Proposals](https://github.com/flashbots/mev-research) | $15,000 fellowship grants paused; FRPs still posted | Checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| [Cartesi Grants Program](https://governance.cartesi.io/t/505) | Wave 2 closed; no Wave 3 proposed | Jun 2, 2025 |
| [Livepeer Network Engineering SPE](https://forum.livepeer.org/t/proposal-network-engineering-spe/3240) | $95,000 pilot ended on schedule; follow-on not yet approved | Retrospective Aug 11, 2026 |

## Polkadot and Kusama

Polkadot lost most of its builder-facing grant routes between November 2025 and May 2026. The OpenGov treasury is now the main way in.

| Program | Status | What happened | When |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Web3 Foundation Grants Program](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-foundation-grants) | Discontinued | Closed to new applications; W3F points builders to the treasury | Jan 6, 2026 |
| [W3F Decentralized Futures](https://futures.web3.foundation/) | Discontinued | Application period ended | Jun 30, 2024 |
| [Open Source Developer Grants (bounty #59)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PolkadotOpenSourceGrants/apply/master/final_report.md) | Discontinued | 59 proposals, 10 approved, $220,500 paid | Final report Mar 20, 2026 |
| [Polkadot Fast-Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/polkadot-fast-grants) | Paused | Intake closed; curators to reassess | Nov 3, 2025 |
| [Moonbeam treasury grants](https://moonbeam.network/news/moonbeam-strategic-update-moonbeam-network-relaunches-on-base) | Discontinued | GLMR moved to Base; parachains stopped | Jul 31, 2026 |
| Astar Unstoppable Community Grants | Discontinued | Replaced by a staking program that is not a grant | Approved Apr 2026 |

The open routes for Polkadot builders are the [Polkadot OpenGov Treasury](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/polkadot-opengov-treasury), the Kusama OpenGov Treasury and the Kusama Vision bounties. See [Polkadot grants](https://www.web3grant.com/ecosystems/polkadot) for all three.

## Cosmos

| Program | Status | What happened | When |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Interchain Foundation funding](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/interchain-foundation-grants) | Discontinued | Spun down; ICF funds teams it owns, mainly Cosmos Labs | Announced Dec 11, 2024; repo archived Apr 20, 2026 |
| [ATOM Accelerator DAO](https://www.atomaccelerator.com/) | Discontinued | Winding down; only existing milestones paid | Wind-down thread Aug 7, 2025 |
| Osmosis Grants Program | Paused | No outside applications since January 2024; maintenance mode | By Aug 2025 |
| [Secret Labs grants](https://github.com/scrtlabs/Grants) | Paused | Last cohort call Q2 2025; SCRT Labs ended support | Sep 1, 2026 |

The Interchain Foundation's only new program in 2026 is a targeted grant program, announced September 1, for chains hit by the Cosmos EVM exploit. On Secret Network, a community-run Secret Network Foundation says an Ecosystem Fund and a Builder Program will return, but it had published no application process as of October 1, 2026. Open Cosmos programs are on [Cosmos grants](https://www.web3grant.com/ecosystems/cosmos).

## Solana

| Program | Status | What happened | When |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Superteam Instagrants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/superteam-grants) | Paused | All 21 regional Solana Foundation listings show "Applications Paused" | Checked Oct 1, 2026 |
| [Jupiter DAO grants](https://earn.superteam.fun/grants/jupiter-dao-grants/) | Paused | Listing shows "Closed" after about $136,100 approved | Checked Oct 2, 2026 |

The Solana Foundation's own grant program is open, along with five other Solana programs on [Solana grants](https://www.web3grant.com/ecosystems/solana).

## Other chains

| Program | Status | What happened | When |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Sui Foundation grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/sui-grants) | Discontinued | Foundation offers "long-term support", not grants | Last RFP closed Mar 17, 2025 |
| [NEAR Foundation grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/near-grants) | Replaced | No direct grants; NEAR Protocol Rewards has no 2026 cohort | Last deadline Jul 7, 2025 |
| [TON Grants Program](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/ton-grants) | Paused | Applications stopped during a review; site says "Coming soon" | May 20, 2026 |
| [DFINITY Developer Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/dfinity-grants) | Paused | Form closed; staff say no DFINITY funding program is active | Nov 2025; confirmed Sep 14, 2026 |
| [XRPL Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/xrpl-grants) | Paused | No open calls; "new programming" promised for October 2026 | Checked Oct 29, 2026 |
| [Codebase by Avalanche](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/avalanche-foundation-grants) | Paused | "Applications Closed"; no Season 5 | Checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Avalanche research proposals | Paused | Up to $50,000; "applications currently closed" | Checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| [MultiversX Growth Games](https://multiversx.com/growthgames) | Paused | Only Season 1 shown; every track closed | Checked Oct 1, 2026 |
| Oasis grants | Paused | No apply form; Foundation refocused on its own apps | Apr 29, 2026 |
| [0G Guild](https://guild.0gfoundation.ai/) | Paused | "Applications Closed", no new intake date | Checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| [IOTA Business Innovation Program](https://www.iota.org/build/business-innovation-program) | Discontinued | Up to EUR 100,000; "Program concluded" | Ran to Dec 31, 2025 |
| [Kadena grants](https://kadena.io) | Discontinued | Kadena LLC ended business operations | Oct 21, 2025 |
| [Concordium Free & Open Grants](https://github.com/Concordium/Concordium-Free-Open-Grants-Program) | Discontinued | Application repository archived | Last update Sep 23, 2023 |
| [Radix grants](https://www.radixdlt.com/blog/foundation-update-moving-to-maintenance-mode) | Discontinued | Foundation in "maintenance mode"; future grants from a planned DAO | From May 2026 |

Two of these may return. The TON Foundation lists its grants program as "Coming soon", after Telegram announced it would replace the Foundation as TON's main steward. XRPL Grants promised new programming in October 2026, but none had appeared by October 29.

## Multichain and infrastructure programs

| Program | Status | What happened | When |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Chainlink Grant Program](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/chainlink-grants) | Discontinued | Grants page 404; last awards announced in 2022 | 404 since Jul 11, 2025 |
| Lit Protocol grants | Discontinued | Grants repo and page return 404; last promoted 2023 | Checked Oct 1, 2026 |
| [Protocol Labs Research grants](https://research.protocol.ai/outreach/) | Paused | Page links to no application form | Repo last updated Aug 2023 |
| [Olas Accelerator](https://olas.network/accelerator) | Paused | Not accepting applications; Dev Rewards also paused | Checked Oct 1, 2026 |
| [Shift Grants](https://www.shiftgrants.org/) | Paused | Sign-up for Round 003 only; no dates | Checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Interledger Open Payments SDK Grant | Closed | Grant cycle closed for 2026 | Checked Oct 29, 2026 |
| AUDDapt Grant Program | Closed | Round 1 (AUD 10,000 to 50,000) closed | Apr 7, 2026 |

## Programs that look dormant

Some programs have not ended officially but show no way to apply or no activity. We counted 48 as unclear. Four have their own status guides:

- [MetaMask Grants DAO](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/metamask-grants-dao): the site is online, but its last Snapshot grant vote was created on December 22, 2023.
- [Celestia grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/celestia-grants): no program found; grant pages return 404.
- [Linea grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/linea-grants): Linea's docs say it does not currently offer grants or stipends to apps that are not live.
- [Monad grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/monad-grants): no grant program; builder funding comes as investment, prizes and credits.

## Still listed, but paused or winding down

Ten programs in web3grant's directory are paused or winding down. They stay listed with a notice on their page, so read it before you apply.

| Program | Notice, as of October 2026 |
| --- | --- |
| [Ecosystem Support Program (ESP)](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/ethereum-foundation-esp) | No Wishlist or RFP items open, so nothing to apply to |
| [Optimism Retro Funding](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/optimism-retro-funding) | Paused since January 2026 for at least 12 months |
| [Gitcoin Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/gitcoin-grants) | No round since GG24; a local-money pilot is targeted for November |
| [Arbitrum D.A.O. Grant Program](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/arbitrum-foundation-grants) | Season 3 closed Mar 17, 2026; new program "coming soon" |
| [Project Catalyst](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/cardano-project-catalyst) | Fund15 voting paused since Jan 13, 2026; no next round |
| [Octant](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/octant-funding-epoch) | Epoch 13 closed; Epoch 14 has no date |
| [FIL-RetroPGF](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/fil-retropgf) | Paused in 2026; return expected late 2026, no dates |
| [Filecoin Open Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/filecoin-open-grants) | Proposals filed since April 2026 have had no reply |
| [Compound Grants Program](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/compound-grants-program) | Dapps domain paused since Apr 14, 2026 |
| [Uniswap Foundation Open Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/uniswap-foundation-grants) | Spending down its budget; plans to close once committed |

For more on the Cardano case, see [Cardano funding](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/cardano-funding).

## Why grant programs closed

The notes behind these tables point to a few repeated causes. Each is drawn from what the programs themselves published:

- **The chain shut down or changed direction.** Kadena ended operations, Moonbeam moved to Base, Lisk became a finance product, Radix went into maintenance mode, and Scroll is becoming an app-specific network.
- **The foundation moved from open grants to its own priorities.** Web3 Foundation now funds a few strategic initiatives, the Interchain Foundation funds teams it owns, and the Sui Foundation offers long-term support instead of grants.
- **Governance closed the grant body.** Optimism's delegates dissolved the Grants Council, the ENS DAO ended its Public Goods Working Group, and Aave Grants DAO was sunset.
- **Funding was held back.** SSV paused new grants in November 2025 to conserve funds and suspended them indefinitely in August 2026, and SafeDAO has paused all resource allocation since August 2025.

## Where to apply instead

Plenty is still open. As of October 31, 2026, 80 of the 99 programs in web3grant's directory accept applications at any time, 7 have an open round and 12 are closed between rounds. Start with the [full directory](https://www.web3grant.com/grants), filter by your chain or field, and check the [deadline calendar](https://www.web3grant.com/deadlines) for rounds closing soon.

If you were relying on one of the programs above, the most direct replacements by ecosystem are:

- **Ethereum DeFi:** Lido Ecosystem Grants, CoW DAO Grants and the 1inch DAO's Aqua incubator; see [DeFi grants](https://www.web3grant.com/categories/defi).
- **Ethereum L2s:** Ink Spark and Unichain Grants for live apps, and audit subsidies from Ethereum and Arbitrum; see [layer 2 grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/ethereum-layer-2-grants).
- **Polkadot:** the Polkadot OpenGov Treasury and the Kusama Vision bounties.
- **Solana:** the Solana Foundation, Solana Mobile, Metaplex DAO, Nosana, Render and DoubleZero programs.

Our guide on [how to find Web3 grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/how-to-find-web3-grants) explains how to check that a program is live before you apply, and [what Web3 grants are](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/what-are-web3-grants) covers the basics if you are new to grant funding. To hear when a closed program reopens, sign up for [email alerts](https://www.web3grant.com/#alerts).

## FAQ

### How many Web3 grant programs closed in 2026?

web3grant checked 222 Web3 grant programs between October 1 and October 29, 2026, and found 53 with no open way to apply: 26 discontinued, 23 paused, 2 replaced and 2 closed. Not all of them closed in 2026; some, like Aave Grants DAO and the Chainlink Grant Program, stopped earlier but are still described as open on outdated pages.

### What is the difference between a paused and a discontinued grant program?

A discontinued grant program has ended, and nothing says it will return, like Web3 Foundation's Grants Program or Aave Grants DAO. A paused grant program has stopped taking applications but has said, or left open, that it may come back, like Polkadot Fast-Grants, Superteam Instagrants or the TON Grants Program. Neither accepts applications today.

### Can a closed Web3 grant program come back?

Yes, some closed Web3 grant programs have said they may return. As of October 2026, the TON Foundation lists its grants program as "Coming soon", XRPL Grants promised new programming for October 2026, Polkadot Fast-Grants' curators said they would reassess, and the new Secret Network Foundation says a Builder Program will return. None had published an application process when we checked.

### How can I tell if a Web3 grant program is still open?

Check the program's own site, not a third-party list. A live program has a working application form linked from its official page, recent award announcements or rounds, and a page that appears in the site's navigation. Many closed programs, including Aave Grants DAO, still have pages with outdated text saying applications are open, so look for dated activity.

### Which large Web3 grant programs are still open?

As of October 31, 2026, open programs with large grant sizes in web3grant's directory include the Polkadot OpenGov Treasury, Zcash Community Grants (past awards up to $750,000), TheDAO Security Fund (open until January 31, 2027), The Graph Grants Program (past awards up to $325,000) and Gravity Developer Grants (up to $200,000). In total, 80 of the 99 programs in the directory accept applications at any time.

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From web3grant: https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grant-programs-closed-2026. Program details change often: confirm on each program's official site before applying.