Stacks Endowment opens Q2 grants for Bitcoin builders, applications close June 26

Bitcoin builders have a three-week window to pitch their projects for funding. The Stacks Endowment opened applications for its Q2 2026 Builder Grants on June 5, with the deadline set for June 26 and funding decisions expected by July 1.

The grant program is specifically focused on what the Endowment calls “Bitcoin-native finance,” a category that spans decentralized finance protocols, perpetual contracts, real-world asset tokenization, agentic applications, and privacy-enhancing tools.

What’s on the table

Previous 2026 grant cycles offered two distinct tracks. Builder Grants provided up to $50K for established teams with proven track records. Getting Started Grants offered up to $10K for early-stage projects still finding their footing.

Applications close June 26, and funding decisions land by July 1. That’s a five-day review window.

The Stacks Endowment recently received a 25 million STX donation through SIP-031, which significantly bolsters its capacity to fund builders across the ecosystem.

Why Bitcoin Layer 2 development matters right now

Stacks positions itself as a leading Bitcoin Layer 2 solution, enabling smart contracts and DeFi functionality that settle directly on Bitcoin.

What this means for investors

The Stacks Endowment’s mission is to manage the ecosystem’s long-term treasury and allocate capital toward sustainable growth. The 25 million STX donation through SIP-031 signals that the broader Stacks community is willing to put real resources behind this strategy.

Builders interested in applying have until June 26 to submit their proposals. The rapid funding timeline, with decisions by July 1, means approved teams could be deploying capital before most traditional venture processes even schedule their first call.

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