Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at 10:00am ET
Hosted by: Rena COO at Stacks Endowment
Duration: ~1h
1. Agenda Overview
- Stacks Endowment Grants Program Launch
- Payment Structure and Legal Framework
- Learnings and Program Improvements
- Community Questions and Responses
- Program Focus and Next Steps
2. Key Meeting Highlights
Stacks Endowment Grants Program Launch
- Newly Launched Grants Program:
- The grants program is the first under Stacks Endowment, transitioning from the Stacks Foundation.
- Two main tracks are available:
- For teams with proven traction, this track rewards measurable impact across TVL, growth, and network adoption.
- For early-stage builders on Stacks, this track supports pre-PMF teams with prototypes or concepts, prioritizing creative innovations not seen before on the Stacks chain.
- No specific requirements or TVL thresholds are set for the Getting Started track.
- Applications are submitted via an encrypted Google Form, covering team details, app specifics, and the impact on the Stacks chain.
- Support from Stacks Labs:
- The Stacks Labs team is providing additional resources beyond funding to support the program.
Payment Structure and Legal Framework
- Milestone-Based Contracts:
- All grants are structured as milestone-based, done through contracts - to comply with Cayman legal requirements.
The payment structure could includes an upfront payment, milestone-based tranches, and a final payment upon completion. Depends on the project and amount.- All funding is distributed on-chain, collated for transparency reporting.
- KYC is required for all grant recipients.
- Public-Facing Grant Tracker:
- Collaboration with ZeroAuthority to develop a public-facing grant tracker dashboard.
- Process logistics:
- Application and project feedback will no longer be public due to the Cayman legal structure.
- Applications will no longer be processed via GitHub.
Learnings and Program Improvements
- What Key Learnings over past few months- asked by TripnMonkey:
- Grant sizing has been increased based on builder feedback.
- A Getting Started track was created as a graduation path from hackathons and DevRel programs. Keep builders active.
- Quarterly application cycles have been established, with 6 weeks open for applications and 2 weeks for review.
- Minimum funding thresholds for DeGrants have been set to ensure meaningful rewards and impact.
- TripnMonkey was happy to hear weekly X space engagement happening.
Community Questions and Responses
- Thecambist: Collaborations and Milestone-Based Disbursements
- Asked if a non-developer community member can collaborate with a developer from another ecosystem and apply as a team.
- Collaborations and cross-ecosystem teams are encouraged.
- Neutron / BlockLift: Cash-Flow Strain and Education Initiatives
- Shared feedback from DeGrants Cohort 3, noting cash-flow strain due to milestone-based disbursements without upfront payments.
- Rena clarified that the new Endowment grants program could includes an upfront tranche.
- Discussed potential collaborations with T3kit on Web3 education initiatives.
- Geezonchain: Growth and Collaboration for Content Creators
- Sought tips and opportunity as a new Web3 video content creator.
- Rena suggested connecting with existing Stacks video creators and focusing on highlighting gaps and showcasing live Stacks apps.
- Connect directly with content creators already on Stacks to learn more.
- Paper2screen: Bespoke Project Needs and Payment Structure
- Asked about bespoke project needs and whether early costs things like “financial analysis” should be self-funded before milestones are paid.
- Rena explained the payment structure, could include an upfront payment, a second tranche at the halfway milestone, and a final tranche at completion.
- The Engineer: Eligibility and Developer Access
- Asked about eligibility and application requirements, specifically regarding TVL thresholds.
- Rena clarified that the Getting Started track does not have TVL requirements and is suitable for earlier projects.
- Mentioned that capital isn’t their main bottleneck; they need access to trusted developers.
- T3kit: Web3 Education Platform Opportunities
- Discussed opportunities for a Web3 education platform and potential fits within the Stacks ecosystem.
- Rena offered to follow up via X DMs.
- Ayomi: Appropriate Track for Project Progress
- Inquired about the appropriate track for their project, given their progress in deploying smart contracts.
- Rena recommended the Getting Started track due to their early user-acquisition/product-market-fit phase.
- Kennie.btc / TruthChain: Application Window and Development Help
- Asked about the application window and offered development help to other builders.
- Rena confirmed the 6-week application period, closing on March 13.
- Stacks Africa: Continuing Projects and Long-Term Value**
- Asked on behalf of “StacksWorks” whether projects funded in DGrants Cohort 3 can continue in the new grants program.
- Rena confirmed that ongoing projects delivering long-term value can apply.
- Tinderly: Gratitude and Encouragement to Contribute**
- Expressed gratitude to the stewards, DeGrants, and the endowment.
- Encouraged others to contribute to Stacks and praised Cohort 3 as “amazing.”
Program Focus and Next Steps
- Priority on Sustainable, Long-Term Value Projects:
- The program prioritizes projects that offer sustainable, long-term value rather than one-off builds.
- Support is available beyond funding, including human resources, marketing, and BD team assistance. Request in the application form.
- Thanks to the Treasury Committee, consisting of 8 members (expanding to 9 soon), prioritized builder funding in budget preparation.
- Weekly Office Hours:
- Office hours will continue weekly, with plans to include slots for other timezones.
- The schedule is available on the Stacks Events Calendar.
Resources & References
Call to Action
- Join the Stacks Endowment Office Hours:
Participate in weekly discussions and collaboration. Share your project, ask questions.
Check the → Stacks Events Calendar for schedule. - Apply for Grants:
Submit your application by
March 13 to be considered for the current quarter.