At the Web3 Foundation, we’re constantly evolving our grant programs to better support the projects and teams that will drive the Polkadot ecosystem forward. Today, we’re excited to share updated guidelines that provide clearer insight into what makes us enthusiastic about supporting your project.
Whether you’re a seasoned developer, an innovative startup, or a team with a bold vision for Polkadot’s future, these guidelines will help you understand if the W3F Grants Program is the right fit for your project.
What We’re Looking For
- User-Centric Innovation Matters: We’re passionate about projects that solve real problems for real people. The most compelling applications demonstrate a deep understanding of user needs and show how their solution can serve a broad user base. We want to see projects that don’t just showcase cool tech, but improve actual user experiences in meaningful ways.
- Strengthening the DOT Token Economy: Projects that create tangible demand and usage for the DOT token while strengthening Polkadot’s economic foundation are particularly appealing to us. We’re looking for solutions that don’t just exist on Polkadot, but actively contribute to its growth and sustainability.
- Solutions we can use ourselves: We’re also very interested in projects that allow for “dogfooding”, not only by W3F/Parity, but also the greater community. When you’re building something that solves problems we face ourselves, it creates a natural feedback loop that leads to better products.
- Teams Built to Last: Financial sustainability isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential. We’re drawn to teams that demonstrate strong financial discipline, clear planning, and a realistic path to independence within 12–24 months. It’s important to show us you’ve thought through your business model and resource management strategy.
- Regulatory Responsibility: In today’s evolving regulatory landscape, we prioritize teams that understand and proactively address compliance requirements in their target markets. Regulatory awareness isn’t just about avoiding problems — it’s about building sustainable, trustworthy solutions.
Verticals that Excite Us
We’re particularly interested in projects in these areas:
- Cross-border payments & stablecoins — especially solutions serving LATAM & Southeast Asia
- AI applications — For example: content authentication, verification systems, and AI-powered tools.
- DePIN/IoT Solutions — projects with concrete, marketable products that bridge physical and digital worlds.
- Proof-of-personhood — identity solutions that respect privacy while enabling trust
- Web2 to Web3 bridges — bringing familiar experiences (think HackMD or Spotify-like platforms) to Polkadot
What Doesn’t Align with our Mission
- Generic blockchain projects that could exist on any network without leveraging Polkadot’s unique capabilities
- Projects with unclear sustainability paths, unrealistic expectations or business models, or no roadmap.
- Applications that don’t create genuine and tangible demand for DOT tokens
Ready to Apply?
These guidelines aren’t meant to limit creativity — they’re designed to help you understand what excites us and where you might find the strongest alignment with our mission. If your project resonates with these principles, we encourage you to dive into our full application process. Please also refer to our Grants Page for more info.
We’re particularly interested in seeing:
- Prior work or PoC demo
- Clear technical specifications and implementation plans
- Evidence of team expertise through GitHub profiles, LinkedIn, and past projects
- Realistic timelines and milestone breakdowns
- Sustainability planning beyond the grant period/scope
Questions? We’re Here to Help
Not sure if your project fits? Consider joining our Ecosystem Funding Office Hours for personalized guidance, or connect with our community in the W3F Grants Community Matrix channel.
The future of Web3 is built by teams like yours. We’re excited to see what you’re working on and how we can support your journey in the Polkadot ecosystem.
