Tezos Foundation Grants
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Quick Answer
Milestone-based grants from the Swiss Tezos Foundation for teams building apps, tools, DeFi, games and infrastructure on Tezos and Etherlink. Apply any time.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- Tezos Foundation
- Application deadline
- Rolling
- Location
- International
About this grant
The Tezos Foundation Ecosystem Grants Program is run by the Tezos Foundation, a Swiss foundation that deploys resources to organisations and initiatives supporting the long-term success of the Tezos blockchain. It funds projects on Tezos and on Etherlink, Tezos's smart rollup Layer 2. You can submit a proposal at any time, with no fixed deadline, and teams from anywhere in the world can apply. The page publishes no grant size.
This is a crypto-ecosystem grant, not a general startup grant. It suits teams already building on, or willing to build on, Tezos or Etherlink. A founder with an unrelated business should look elsewhere.
What the program offers
The page states no grant amount, so the size depends on your proposal and budget. Grant agreements and payments are usually structured around milestones: you submit a report for each completed milestone, and after the Foundation approves it, that milestone's payment is issued. The Foundation's FAQ, as recorded on this listing, says it sometimes allocates tez (XTZ), the Tezos token, as part of grants. Part or all of an award may therefore be paid in crypto, whose value can move. This is a risk to plan for in your budget.
Besides money, grantees get regular follow-up check-ins after the project, and the Foundation may connect them with others in the ecosystem. The Foundation's grants fall within its wider ecosystem funding, which also includes a bounty program.
Who can apply
According to this listing, teams, entities and projects anywhere in the world can submit a proposal, as long as the project helps the Tezos or Etherlink ecosystem. The official page itself does not set eligibility rules beyond saying that applicants and projects are diligently evaluated and that proposals should show familiarity with the Tezos ecosystem. The listing adds that DeFi projects must have all smart contracts audited by a reputable third-party firm, and that core development projects should ensure regular security and reliability audits.
The listed areas of interest are core development, tools and support for bakers, builders and integrators, infrastructure and tooling, arts and culture, DeFi, business development, and gaming. You can also propose your own idea. For an Indian blockchain team, this means you can apply from India. It is a good fit for developers building real Tezos or Etherlink products and a poor fit for projects with no connection to the chain.
How to apply
The grant process has three phases: proposal, award and post-award. For the proposal, describe the project's purpose, technical details, roadmap, team, expected value to Tezos and how it will last beyond the grant. The listing records that applicants create an account on the Foundation's grants portal, fill in personal, organisation, project and proposal details, and upload one PDF with team background, technical detail, roadmap and a full budget for the amount requested. The language is not stated. A practical tip: read the areas-of-interest pages before writing, and make your milestones small and checkable, since payments follow milestones.
How applications are judged and what happens next
The Foundation first vets the proposal and may ask for more information, send it for in-depth review or decline it. Strong proposals are reviewed by ecosystem experts under the Technical Advisory Committee, whose recommendation goes to the Executive Committee or the Foundation Council. They accept, decline, or ask you to revise and resubmit.
Proposals sent during a quarter are reviewed in the month after that quarter ends, so proposals sent in the first three months of a year are reviewed in April. Reviewing a successful proposal takes about four weeks on average, and the legal paperwork about another four weeks. After the project ends, the Foundation holds regular check-ins.
About the Tezos Foundation
The Tezos Foundation is a Swiss foundation whose key activity is deploying resources to support the long-term success of Tezos. Its ecosystem funding includes grants and a bounty program, and it also runs a bug bounty program. Final grant decisions are made by its Executive Committee or Foundation Council.
Things to check before you apply
- Part of a grant may be paid in XTZ, a volatile token, so the rupee value you receive can differ from the amount agreed.
- The page publishes no amounts, so decide your budget from your own costs.
- Eligibility rules such as the audit requirement for DeFi come from the listing, not the short official page.
- The source does not say whether the application is free, so check the grants portal.
- Expect about two months from review to a signed agreement, based on the stated timelines.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
Benefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
What You Get
A grant agreement with payments usually structured along milestones: when you complete a milestone you submit a report, and the payment for that milestone is issued once the report is approved. No grant size is published; you request an amount backed by a full budget. After the project ends, the Foundation checks in with you and may connect you with other teams in the Tezos ecosystem.
- Disbursement
- Milestone Based
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Applications
Rolling basis
Selection Process
The Tezos Foundation first vets each proposal. Strong proposals are reviewed in depth by ecosystem experts under the Technical Advisory Committee, which makes a recommendation. The Executive Committee or the Foundation Council then decides to accept, decline, or ask you to revise and resubmit.
Application Process
- 1
Submit proposal
Fill the portal form and upload a PDF with team, technical plan, roadmap and budget.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for a Tezos Foundation grant?
Per this listing, teams, entities and projects anywhere in the world can submit a proposal if the project helps the Tezos or Etherlink ecosystem. The official page asks for evidence of familiarity with the Tezos ecosystem. DeFi projects must have smart contracts audited by a reputable third party.
Can Indian startups apply for Tezos Foundation grants?
Yes, the listing records that applicants anywhere in the world can submit proposals. The page does not name any country as excluded. You must be building something that helps Tezos or Etherlink.
How much is a Tezos Foundation grant?
The official page does not publish a grant size. The amount depends on the budget in your proposal, and you request the figure you need. Do not assume a fixed range.
How are Tezos Foundation grants paid?
Payments are usually tied to milestones: you submit a report for each completed milestone, and after approval the Foundation issues that payment. The Foundation's FAQ, as recorded on this listing, says it sometimes allocates tez (XTZ) as part of grants, so part may be paid in crypto whose value can move.
What is the deadline for Tezos Foundation grants, and what if I miss it?
There is no fixed deadline, and proposals can be submitted at any time. Proposals sent during a quarter are reviewed in the month after the quarter ends. If you just miss a quarter, your proposal is reviewed in the next review month.
Is a Tezos Foundation grant equity or a grant?
The page describes grants and does not mention any equity being taken. Payments follow approved milestone reports. Read the grant agreement carefully for the exact terms.
What documents do I need for a Tezos Foundation grant proposal?
The listing records one PDF with team background, technical detail, a roadmap and a full budget for the amount requested. The official page asks the proposal to cover purpose, technical details, roadmap, team, expected value to Tezos and plans beyond the grant. You also fill in details on the grants portal.
Do I have to travel for a Tezos Foundation grant?
The source mentions no travel requirement. The process is a proposal, a review and a signed agreement, all of which appear to be remote. Check the grant agreement for any events.
Is it free to submit a Tezos Foundation grant proposal?
The source does not state a fee, and nothing on the page asks for payment. Check the grants portal before you submit.
How long does a Tezos Foundation grant decision take?
Proposals are reviewed in the month after each quarter ends. Reviewing a successful proposal takes about four weeks on average, and the paperwork about another four weeks. So plan for roughly two months or more after review begins.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
