The Stacks Endowment has opened its Q2 grant program for Bitcoin builders, offering fresh funding to teams working on Layer 2 infrastructure and decentralized finance applications. Applications are due by June 26, and the program could speed up development of smart contracts and DeFi on the Bitcoin network.
Grant program details
The endowment didn't disclose the total pool or maximum per grant, but earlier rounds have funded projects focused on bridges, oracles, and tooling for Clarity smart contracts. The Q2 call specifically targets teams building on Bitcoin — not just Stacks — reflecting a broader push to make Bitcoin programmable without changing its base layer.
Why Bitcoin L2 matters
Bitcoin's limited scripting language has long kept DeFi activity on other chains. Layer 2 solutions like Stacks aim to change that by adding smart contract capability while settling transactions on Bitcoin. The grants are designed to lower the barrier for developers who might otherwise build on Ethereum or Solana.
Application deadline
Developers have until June 26 to submit proposals. The endowment expects to announce selected grantees in July. For builders working on Bitcoin L2 primitives — think vaults, lending protocols, or cross-chain swaps — this is a concrete chance to secure non-dilutive funding before the next cycle of network upgrades.
