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Stellar Community Fund (SCF) Build Award
Stellar Development Foundation
The Stellar Community Fund Build Award is a recurring grant program run by the Stellar Development Foundation that funds projects building on the Stellar and Soroban blockchains. Awards go up to $150,000 in XLM, paid in tranches tied to development milestones: initial distribution, MVP, testnet, and mainnet launch. The program runs on a roughly six week cadence, with SCF #44 currently open and a submission deadline of June 14, 2026. Applicants must first submit an interest form before being invited to submit a full proposal. Three tracks exist: Open, Integration, and RFP, each with distinct criteria and review processes. Reviewers assess product market fit, use of Stellar, integration plan, submission quality, and budget structure. Beyond cash, accepted projects receive technical audits and access to accelerators and VCs. The program is genuinely global with no stated geography restrictions. The multi step process (interest form, prescreen, panel review, community vote) puts complexity at a moderate level. Teams with a validated concept and a clear Stellar integration story are well positioned. Projects without a meaningful on chain component or those early in ideation may struggle to pass the prescreen.
AI for Science & Safety Nodes (Foresight Institute)
Foresight Institute
Foresight Institute runs the AI for Science and Safety Nodes program, offering grants of $10,000 to $100,000 to researchers and builders who use AI to advance science and safety. The program distributes roughly $3M annually and pairs funding with office space, community programming, and local compute resources at hubs in San Francisco and Berlin. Individuals, teams, nonprofits, and for profits worldwide can apply, though the program strongly prioritizes applicants who plan to work from one of the two physical hubs. Funding only applications are accepted only in exceptional cases. Focus areas include AI security, private AI, decentralized and cooperative AI, AI for science and epistemics, brain computer interfaces, longevity biotechnology, and molecular nanotechnology. Evaluation weighs impact on existential risk reduction, feasibility within short AGI timelines, team capability, and open source orientation. Applications are reviewed monthly on a rolling basis, with deadlines on the last day of each month. The review process takes approximately two months per cycle. The case for applying is strong for mission aligned teams already based in or willing to relocate to San Francisco or Berlin. Remote or funding only applicants face a higher bar and should expect lower odds of success.
NLnet Foundation Grant Program
NLnet Foundation
NLnet Foundation runs a rolling grant program that funds free and open source software, hardware, data, and standards projects aimed at building a more open, resilient, and privacy respecting internet. Awards range from EUR 5,000 to EUR 50,000 per project, with deadlines on the first of every even numbered month; the next deadline is August 1, 2026. Virtually any entity type can apply, including individuals, nonprofits, research organizations, companies, and public institutions, provided the work is released under a recognized free and open source license and any scientific outputs are published open access. Active funding tracks include NGI0 Commons Fund (broad open internet commons), NGI TALER (GNU Taler electronic payments), and NGI Fediversity (hosted cloud services with service portability). The program is backed in part by the European Commission Next Generation Internet initiative. The case for applying is strong: the application form is intentionally short, intake is continuous, and the scope covers a wide range of open technology work. The main constraint is the strict open source licensing requirement across all outputs, which rules out proprietary or mixed license projects. Teams already building in the open internet or federated infrastructure space will find this a natural fit.
NLNet Foundation Grant
NLNet
NLnet Foundation funds open source software projects serving the public good, offering non dilutive grants between €10,000 and €100,000. The foundation operates a rolling application process with calls reviewed on a quarterly basis, so there is no single hard deadline, but submissions close per funding round and early entry into a cycle improves review timing. Funding is denominated in euros and disbursed in milestones. Eligibility criteria beyond the open source and public benefit framing are not fully stated in the source, though NLnet historically funds individual developers, small teams, and nonprofits globally, with no stated revenue or headcount cap. Projects must release work under an open license. NLnet's core interest is internet infrastructure, privacy, security, and decentralized systems, areas where commercial incentives are weak and public funding fills the gap. They reward concrete technical deliverables over research abstractions. For a founder in crypto or AI building open source tooling, the strategic case is real: NLnet alumni carry credibility in the European technical community, and the foundation connects grantees to the NGI (Next Generation Internet) ecosystem, which can open doors to follow on EU funding. The application is moderately detailed, requiring a project plan and milestone breakdown. At the upper end of the range, the effort is justified. Below €25,000, weigh carefully against opportunity cost.
ECosystem for Leading Innovation in Plasma Science and Engineering (ECLIPSE)
U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
ECLIPSE is a meta-program run by the U.S. National Science Foundation that funds translational research and workforce development at the intersection of fundamental plasma science and real-world engineering or societal needs. No per-grant dollar amounts are published; award sizes follow the norms of the participating NSF programs, which typically range from tens of thousands to several million dollars depending on project scope. Eligible applicants are US-based researchers at universities, HBCUs, minority serving institutions, and EPSCoR-eligible institutions. NSF explicitly welcomes collaborations involving underrepresented groups and institutions. The program spans multiple directorates including Engineering, Geosciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, STEM Education, and Integrative Activities. Proposals must address a plasma science challenge relevant to more than one NSF program and connect that challenge to a concrete societal or technological need. Submissions go to one of the listed related programs (e.g., Plasma Physics, CBET, CMMI) with the title prefix "ECLIPSE:" and are subject to each program's own deadlines, the nearest of which is August 11, 2026. The case for applying is strong for researchers whose plasma work crosses disciplinary lines and lacks a natural home in a single NSF program. The complexity is real: proposers must navigate multiple program offices, match submission windows, and satisfy dual intellectual merit and broader impact criteria.
Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE)
PacifiCan (Pacific Economic Development Canada)
The Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) program is a federal funding stream administered by PacifiCan, the Government of Canada's economic development agency for British Columbia. The program supports the creation, growth, and nurturing of inclusive regional innovation ecosystems across B.C., targeting the full innovation continuum from early stage entrepreneurship through to growth and competitiveness. No specific grant amounts are published on this page; applicants must visit PacifiCan's website for funding details. Eligible applicants include incorporated businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and Indigenous organizations and businesses. The program is open and continuous, meaning there is no fixed deadline and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. PacifiCan's focus is on fostering entrepreneurial environments and diversifying B.C.'s economy. The case for applying is strong for ecosystem builders, accelerators, and Indigenous economic development organizations operating in B.C. The main drawback is the lack of published funding amounts, which makes it harder to assess fit before investing time in an application. Complexity is moderate given the federal government intake process.
Fund for Investigative Journalism Grants
Fund for Investigative Journalism
The Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) runs a multi-track grant program supporting freelance journalists, staff reporters, and media outlets producing high-impact investigative stories for print, online, broadcast, books, documentaries, or podcasts. Regular grants go up to $10,000 and are reviewed three to four times per year, with the next deadline on September 14, 2026. Seed funding grants of $1,000 to $2,500 support preliminary reporting. Follow-up grants of up to $2,500 are available to prior FIJ grantees on an expedited basis. The Alicia Patterson Fellowship awards $20,000 for six months or $40,000 for twelve months of travel, research, and reporting. Applicants for full proposals must provide a Letter of Commitment from a news outlet agreeing to publish the work. International proposals must carry a strong US angle and be published in English in a US outlet. FIJ actively encourages proposals from journalists of color and stories targeting ethnic media. The application is submitted via Submittable and requires a detailed budget with line-item rationale, making complexity moderate. The program is well suited to independent journalists with a concrete story and outlet commitment; those without a publishing home or with a previously declined proposal face meaningful barriers.
Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR)
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBIR/STTR)
The SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunities portal, operated by the U.S. Small Business Administration, aggregates open solicitations from more than a dozen federal agencies including the Department of War (DoD components), NSF, HHS, NASA, DOE, and others. As of today, 337 topics are open for 2026, spanning Phase I and Phase II awards. Grant amounts are not stated on this listing page and vary by agency and phase, but SBIR Phase I awards typically run up to $275,000 and Phase II up to $1.75 million. Eligibility is restricted to U.S.-based small businesses meeting SBA size standards; STTR topics additionally require a formal research institution partner. The current batch of open topics closes September 23, 2026, with new solicitations released on a rolling basis throughout the year across agencies. Topic areas skew heavily toward defense, AI and machine learning, advanced sensors, and dual-use deep tech, though NSF and HHS topics cover a broader scientific range. The application process is multi-stage and document-intensive, typically requiring a technical volume, cost proposal, and company certifications, making complexity high. Teams without prior federal proposal experience should budget significant preparation time. The portal is a directory; applicants must visit individual agency SBIR sites for official forms and rules.
James A. & Faith Knight Foundation Grant Program
James A. & Faith Knight Foundation
The James A. & Faith Knight Foundation, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, runs an annual grant program for nonprofits with a 2026 application window open from January 31 through September 30, 2026, via the NonProfit Portal. Applications received after the deadline are deferred to Q1 2027. No per-grant dollar amounts are published on the page. The foundation funds three priority areas: general operating support, which provides unrestricted funds for nonprofit sustainability and growth; animals and the natural world, covering animal care, ecosystem protection, and ecological education; and women and girls, targeting economic self-sufficiency, public policy advocacy, and human rights. The funder explicitly values general operating support, noting it signals trust between funder and grantee. Eligible applicants are nonprofits, likely with a Michigan or regional focus given the Ann Arbor address, though geography is not formally restricted on the page. The case for applying is strong for Michigan-based nonprofits in these focus areas, particularly those seeking flexible unrestricted funding. The case against is the absence of published grant amounts and the relatively narrow thematic scope. Application complexity appears low, relying on a standard nonprofit portal submission.
Innovation Competitions – Innovation Funding Service
Innovate UK
Innovate UK's Innovation Funding Service is a rolling portal listing active government backed innovation competitions open to UK registered businesses, academic institutions, research organisations, and charities. As of September 2026, 28 competitions are live, with individual program pools ranging from £500,000 (Medicines Manufacturing Data Institute Phase 1) to £25 million (Battery Innovation rounds). Most competitions require collaborative applications with at least one SME in the consortium, though some accept single applicants. Thematic focus spans energy storage, battery materials, engineering biology, advanced materials, farming innovation, semiconductors, and medicines manufacturing. Deadlines vary by competition, with the nearest closing 30 September 2026. Applicants must be UK registered and carry out project work in the UK. The portal is a strong fit for UK based deep tech and industrial innovation teams seeking non dilutive public funding. The main case against applying is the UK only eligibility restriction and the collaborative structure required by most competitions, which adds coordination overhead. Application complexity is moderate, typically involving a structured online form plus technical and financial annexes reviewed by Innovate UK assessors.
Build to Scale Program
U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)
The Build to Scale Program is a federal grant administered by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), offering awards between $500,000 and $5,000,000 per project. The program runs on an annual cycle with the current deadline set for October 25, 2026. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, state and local governments, and institutions of higher education based in the United States. The EDA uses this program to support regional innovation ecosystems, technology commercialization, and entrepreneurial scale up efforts that drive economic development. The funding levels are substantial and the federal review process typically spans three to six months post submission, so applicants should plan accordingly. The case for applying is strong for organizations with established regional innovation infrastructure and measurable economic impact goals. The case against: federal grant applications at this scale require significant preparation, including detailed project narratives, budget justifications, and organizational capability statements, making this a high complexity undertaking. Success rates for federal programs typically fall in the 10 to 30 percent range. Note that this listing appears on a third party aggregator site; applicants should verify all details directly at the official EDA grants portal before submitting.
NLnet Open Calls (Restack, Open Social Fund, Research and Higher Education Technology Fund, CodeSupply)
NLnet Foundation
NLnet Foundation runs back-to-back open grant calls supporting free and open source projects that strengthen the open internet. Grants range from 5,000 to 50,000 euros per project, with room to scale for projects showing strong potential. The next deadline is November 3, 2026, and deadlines recur on the 3rd of every odd month, making this effectively a rolling program with fixed intake points. Currently active funds include Restack (core internet infrastructure and security), the Open Social Fund (ActivityPub and decentralized social media), the Research and Higher Education Technology Fund (internet R&D in academic settings), and CodeSupply (software supply chain security and metadata). Eligibility is broad: individuals, companies, nonprofits, and public institutions worldwide can apply, provided all outputs are published under recognized free and open source licenses. NLnet explicitly keeps the application form short to reduce friction, making this a low-complexity application relative to the funding on offer. The main constraint is the open source requirement, which disqualifies proprietary or closed projects entirely. Grantees also receive support services such as security audits, accessibility reviews, and licensing advice. Backed partly by the European Commission's Next Generation Internet programme.
EIC Funding Opportunities 2026
European Innovation Council (EIC)
The European Innovation Council runs a suite of funding programs targeting breakthrough innovation across the full technology readiness spectrum, from laboratory research to commercial scale-up. The umbrella page covers several distinct instruments: EIC Pathfinder (research and innovation grants for early-stage breakthrough research), EIC Transition (market-readiness grants), EIC Accelerator (grants and investments for commercialisation and scale-up), EIC STEP Scale Up (equity investments catalysing rounds of 50 million EUR or above), EIC STEP Scale Up Defence, EIC Pre-Accelerator (for widening countries), and EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges. As of September 2026, two calls are explicitly open: EIC Accelerator 2026 with a final 2026 deadline of 4 November, and EIC STEP Scale Up with a final 2026 deadline of 25 November. Applicants are typically EU-based SMEs, startups, and research-linked spinouts. The EIC Accelerator combines grant funding with equity investment, so some instruments do involve equity. Application processes are multi-stage and demanding, requiring detailed business plans, pitch evaluations, and jury interviews. Teams with genuine deep tech differentiation and commercial traction are best positioned. The complexity and competition are high, making preparation time a serious consideration.
DOE Office of Science Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs)
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science runs a rolling portfolio of Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) and DOE National Laboratory Announcements covering basic and applied scientific research. As of May 2026, three active solicitations are listed. The Genesis Mission (DE-FOA-0003612) targets AI for science and energy applications and remains open through December 17, 2026, with Phase II applications from FY26 Phase I awardees due that same date. The Accelerator Stewardship FOA (DE-FOA-0003620) closes May 21, 2026. A lab-only announcement on Robotics and Automation Testbeds for Autonomous Scientific Discovery closes July 24, 2026. Award amounts are not stated on the index page and vary by program. Eligibility depends on the specific FOA: universities, nonprofits, and national labs are typical recipients, though some announcements are restricted to DOE laboratories. Applications require pre-applications or letters of intent, full proposals via Grants.gov or PAMS, and multi-stage review, making complexity high. The strongest near-term opportunity for non-lab applicants is the Genesis Mission AI solicitation. Teams without prior DOE relationships should budget significant lead time for PAMS registration and institutional sign-off.
Arbitrum Foundation Grant Program
Arbitrum Foundation
The Arbitrum Foundation Grant Program funds builders working within the Arbitrum DAO ecosystem, with disbursements tied to project milestones. The program is administered by the Arbitrum Foundation and tracked via the community-run ArbitrumHub site. No specific grant amounts are published on this page, and no application deadline is stated, suggesting a rolling or ongoing intake model. Funded projects span a wide range including DeFi protocols (Dolomite, ether.fi), analytics tools (Footprint Analytics), gaming (Footium, GameOn), and fintech (Fiat24), indicating the program welcomes diverse builders as long as they build on Arbitrum chains. The funder prioritizes Arbitrum chain adoption, technical infrastructure improvements, and sustainable community development. The case for applying is strong for teams already building on Arbitrum who can demonstrate clear milestones and ecosystem impact. The main uncertainty is that this page is a listing of accepted projects rather than a live application portal, so prospective applicants should navigate to the Foundation Grants hub directly to confirm current intake status and find the application form.
MetaCartel Grants
MetaCartel DAO
MetaCartel DAO is a non-profit grants fund focused on creation and impact, funded primarily by community members. It funds dApps built on Ethereum, consumer-facing use-case experiments, new DAO creation, and cryptonative experiments. The program does not typically fund developer tooling, infrastructure, or non-user-facing projects. Grants are community-directed and vary in size. The program is well-suited for early-stage teams building novel, user-facing Ethereum applications with a community orientation.
Mozilla Builders
Mozilla Builders
Mozilla Builders is a program run by Mozilla that supports developers building transformative open source AI projects. The homepage does not publish specific grant amounts, but the program provides collaborations, programming support, and community resources to selected builders. Past cohort projects span local LLM tooling (Llamafile, Transformer Lab), vector search (SQlite-vec), open science AI (Ersilia Model Hub), and large language model datasets (Common Corpus), signaling a preference for practical, open source AI infrastructure with a public benefit angle. The program appears to operate on a cohort basis with a rolling or periodic intake; no fixed deadline is stated on the homepage. Builders interested in local AI, developer tooling, or open source model infrastructure are the clearest fit. The case for applying is strong if a project aligns with Mozilla's open internet values and has a working prototype. The case against is that funding amounts are undisclosed, the selection bar appears high given the caliber of past projects, and the program may prioritize established open source contributors over early stage ideas.
Solana Foundation Grants Program
Solana Foundation
The Solana Foundation Grants Program, run by the Solana Foundation (headquartered in Switzerland), provides milestone-based, non dilutive funding to builders creating public goods within the Solana ecosystem. Grant amounts are not publicly fixed and are tailored to each proposal. Eligible applicants include individual developers, teams, and organisations worldwide who produce open-source code or free community offerings that benefit the broader Solana network. The program prioritises software development, mainnet deployment, user onboarding, and community engagement, with funds disbursed as applicants hit clearly defined, measurable milestones. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no stated deadline. The case for applying is strong for teams already building on Solana who can articulate concrete deliverables and milestones. The milestone-based structure means funding is incremental rather than upfront, which suits teams with a clear roadmap but may be a constraint for those needing early capital. The application goes through HubSpot, suggesting a moderate process. Teams outside the Solana ecosystem or building proprietary, closed-source products are unlikely to qualify.
Mozilla Foundation Grantmaking
Mozilla Foundation
Mozilla Foundation runs a suite of grantmaking programs supporting researchers, technologists, and activists working on responsible technology. The umbrella portfolio includes the Democracy x AI Incubator, Mozilla Fellows, the Responsible Computing Challenge, and Collaborative Funds. The foundation has deployed over $35 million over the past decade, though per-grant amounts are not published on this page. Applicants can be individuals or organizations working on AI bias research, digital rights, climate justice tools, tech education with ethics, or encryption advocacy. The funder prioritizes work that builds alternatives to extractive tech rather than incremental reform within existing systems. As of today, the Responsible Computing Challenge has open calls, making this portfolio partially active. The Democracy x AI Incubator and Fellows nominations are closed with announcements expected in May and June 2026 respectively, so those tracks are not currently accepting applications. Teams with a clear public interest angle and demonstrated community partnerships are the strongest fit. The lack of published funding amounts and the multi-track structure add complexity to scoping an application, but a notification signup is available for future cycles.
Enterprise Ireland Funding and Grants
Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government agency for business development, operates a broad portfolio of rolling grants and funding programs for Irish-owned companies at all stages of growth. Individual grants range from small vouchers (Innovation Voucher, Climate Action Voucher) up to €1.2 million for the Innovative HPSU Fund, which supports high-potential start-ups targeting international markets. The Enterprise Emissions Reduction Investment Fund offers up to €1 million for decarbonisation projects. Other notable programs include Key Manager Support and Digital Process Innovation (each up to €150,000), LeanPlus and GreenPlus (up to €50,000), and the Market Research Grant (up to €35,000). Eligibility is restricted to Irish-owned companies, spanning start-ups, SMEs, large companies, and research organisations. The funder prioritises innovation, sustainability, export growth, digital transformation, and workforce capability. The case for applying is strong for any qualifying Irish company: programs are rolling, non dilutive, and cover a wide range of business needs. The main limitation is the Ireland-only eligibility requirement. Applicants should identify the specific sub-program that matches their stage and goal, as each has its own application path and criteria.
Solana Foundation Grants and Funding Program
Solana Foundation
The Solana Foundation runs a rolling grants program open to individuals, teams, companies, universities, nonprofits, and governments building on the Solana blockchain. No per-grant funding range is published, though the program has deployed over $100M across 500+ projects globally. The foundation offers two primary grant types: milestone-based grants for public goods and milestone-based convertible grants for projects with a commercial component. It also issues Requests for Proposals for specific priorities. Applicants submit a HubSpot form covering a project overview, public good rationale, budget, and milestones. Review takes roughly one week, with a decision communicated within three weeks. Key evaluation criteria are public good contribution, open source ethos, Solana-specific rationale, and clear use of funds. The program suits early to mid-stage builders whose work benefits the broader ecosystem rather than purely commercial ventures. Purely commercial projects are directed toward convertible grants instead. Ecosystem alternatives include Superteam microgrants up to $10k for builders in emerging markets and Colosseum hackathons with accelerator follow on. The absence of stated funding caps and the milestone-based structure mean applicants should invest time in a well-scoped budget proposal.
NEAR Ecosystem Grants
NEAR
NEAR's funding page aggregates multiple active grant and incentive programs available to builders on the NEAR Protocol. The page serves as a hub linking to four distinct funding tracks: Ecosystem Grants (the primary NEAR grant program), Protocol Rewards (a metrics-based system tying rewards to development activity and user adoption), Devhub Grants (focused on tooling), and Meta Pool Grants (targeting DeFi, education, TVL growth, and brand awareness). No specific grant amounts or deadlines are published on this page, so applicants must follow individual program links for details. The programs collectively cover a broad range of builder profiles, from protocol-level developers to community-focused projects. Potlock is also listed as a community-driven funding round mechanism. The case for applying is strong for teams already building on NEAR, given the variety of tracks and the rolling nature of intake. The main drawback is that this page is a directory rather than a direct application portal, requiring applicants to navigate to sub-programs for specifics on amounts and eligibility. No equity is taken. Complexity is low given the straightforward application links provided.
Starknet Foundation Grants (Seed & Growth)
Starknet Foundation
The Starknet Foundation runs two non dilutive grant tracks for teams building on the Starknet L2 network, alongside a gas sponsorship program co-run with avnu. Seed Grants offer up to $25,000 for early stage teams, solo developers, or small groups coming out of hackathons who have an MVP or proof of concept and a clear three month roadmap. Growth Grants scale up to $1,000,000 for mature projects with live products, significant on chain usage, and at least 1,000 monthly active users ready to expand. A third track, the Propulsion Program (avnu and Starknet Foundation), reimburses user gas fees in USD up to $1,000,000 for dApps integrating avnu Paymaster infrastructure. All programs are rolling with a stated decision time of roughly four weeks and require zero equity. The breadth of tiers makes this accessible to builders at nearly any stage. The main case against applying is that Growth Grants require demonstrated traction, so pre launch teams should target Seed first. Complexity is low to moderate: applicants submit through dedicated forms on starknet.io with no multi round diligence indicated.
Mantle Scouts Program & Flagship Buildathon Programs
Mantle Network
Mantle Network runs two parallel grant tracks for builders in its ecosystem. The Flagship Buildathon Programs target pre-product teams seeking technical and go-to-market support, with various category and geographic focuses running on a rolling basis throughout the year. The Mantle Scouts Program targets teams with a minimal viable product, connecting them with 40 industry scouts drawn from investors and founders who nominate projects for $MNT token grants. Season 1 onboarded 16 projects across AI, DeFi, gaming, and consumer verticals. Season 2 ran January through June 2025 and focused on consumer, payments, and AI applications, with preference for projects integrating ecosystem assets like FBTC, mETH, cmETH, aUSD, and USDe. Grant amounts are denominated in $MNT tokens with no published USD figures. Nominations are assessed on team competence, product and roadmap feasibility, and unique value proposition. Season 2 has technically concluded as of today's date, but the Buildathon Programs operate on a rolling basis year-round, keeping the overall program active. Teams with strong DeFi or AI products integrating Mantle native assets are the clearest fit. The scout nomination model adds a layer of subjectivity that may disadvantage teams without existing network connections.