EF’s grant program was launched in 2018 and evolved over time. Ecosystem Support Program (ESP), provides grants and support to builders who help the Ethereum ecosystem flourish. Our mission is to strengthen the foundations of Ethereum and enable work that empowers future builders in domains such as developer tools, research, community building, infrastructure, and open standards.
In 2024 alone, ESP awarded nearly $3 million in funding to 105 projects and initiatives brought through the Open Grant Program Webforms. Part of ESP’s large portfolio, these grants supported a diverse range of work. Commit Boost (Developer Tools), bundlebear (Data and Analysis), web3bridge (education), ZK Playbook (research), and Ethereum Cypherpunk Congress (Community Event).
Over the past three years, we have streamlined our processes to improve efficiency. However, as an open grant program with lean teams and a wide range of scope, large inbound applications consume most of their time and resources, and are limited in their ability to pursue new strategic opportunities. Looking ahead, we enter a new chapter that explores change that can better focus our efforts, support our community in something more meaningful, and continue to grow alongside our ecosystem.
Evolves as Ethereum grows
EF recently made it clear vision And introduced the change Ecosystem development structurereflecting a broader change in how it engages with the Ethereum ecosystem. This moment offers a timely opportunity to explore the next iteration of the ESP. As Ethereum ecosystems grow in scale, complexity and visibility, our funding approach must evolve in addition to that.
We are improving ESP priorities and approaches to better align with EF’s updated ecosystem development strategy. As part of this transition, we temporarily suspended our open grant application. This change allows time to move from a reactive model that supports the priorities of other EF teams to a more aggressive model, and redesign in a way that redirects the focus on strategic initiatives.
We will continue to fund Ethereum public goods and applications, but there is a new approach outlined in future posts. Our core values have not been changed:
- Allocate resources to critical projects and initiatives that enhance Ethereum’s resilience and ease of use
- Supporting public goods and open source jobs that drive the Ethereum ecosystem
- Focus on domains such as developer tools, cores, shared infrastructure, research, community resources, and other public goods
What’s next?
The open grant application will be suspended, but the ESP team will continue to support active grantees, Opening hours– For those looking for non-financial support, including guidance, project feedback, and helping you find useful resources. Please note that we will not review new grant applications during this period.
We share the latest updates on ESP’s sophisticated priorities and approaches for the fourth quarter of 2025. In the meantime, you can follow the latest EF grant announcements on our social and progress on the grant project: @ef_esp X (Twitter), @ef-esp Far caster, @ef_esp Lens, and @ef-esp Blue skiing. For a full list of EF grants, see our published quarterly allocation update posts ESP Blog.
We are deeply committed to supporting the Ethereum ecosystem and the public goods that sustain it. These changes present a new chapter in the ESP, but will energize future opportunities to better support the incredible builders, researchers and contributors who drive Ethereum’s growth. The future of Ethereum is a shared journey and we are excited to move forward with you!
