# Grant eligibility

Some projects on OnlyDust may be eligible for grant funding. We work with sponsors who support high-impact open source projects and want to see them grow. Grants can reach up to $5,000 (*it can be higher*) over a period of 3 months, based on: 

* **Consistent activity**: regular progress on issues, merged PRs, and updates
* **Contributor engagement**: welcoming and onboarding contributors effectively
* **Clear direction**: execution on a roadmap, even if lightweight

We also keep a few grant spots open for promising early-stage projects -especially those that show initiative, strong structure, and responsiveness.

### Where do the grants come from?

The grants come from our sponsors. 72% of these grants go into projects and [fellowship program](/contributors-hiya/onlydust-fellowship.md).

Currently, we have ongoing grants from Starknet, Stellar and Flare Network. 

### How to increase your chances

Participation and visibility go hand-in-hand. Here’s what can help you get noticed: 

* **Join the OSS Wave**: Projects in Waves are featured more prominently and reviewed more frequently
* **Engage with contributors**: Be responsive, present, and communicative during contributor activity
* **Structure your repo (check out the** [**Best Practices section** ](https://app.gitbook.com/o/MQQDjhOXRySQPsao0aZ0/s/FetEvDuVEZkpYJ6kurbf/~/changes/5/contributors-hiya/best-practices)**for more info)**:
  * Write a clear README
  * Maintain a roadmap
  * Label and scope your issues
  * Include onboarding and contribution docs
* **Show that you're active**: Regularly open and close issues, merge PRs, and summarize progress monthly. 

> **Visibility is earned**, not automatic. We manually review activity and engagement across the platform on a rolling basis.

### What we look for

We assess projects using a combination of visibility signals and contribution quality:

* **Activity**: merged PRs, issue velocity, responsiveness to contributors
* **Structure**: clear roadmap, well-described and tagged issues
* **Community-building**: onboarding, mentoring, and inclusive practices
* **Relevance**: alignment with real-world use cases and ecosystem maturity

Consistent quality and contributor experience matter most.

### New vs. Existing Projects

Being new is not a disadvantage. Mature projects may have more data and traction, but newer projects can rise quickly if they:

* Ship consistently
* Onboard contributors clearly and kindly
* Present a compelling, structured vision

Visibility and funding eligibility are reassessed monthly - if you're not hitting the marks, you can be dropped out.

### Not Eligible Yet? We still have your back

If your project isn’t yet eligible for a grant, you may still benefit from a **Fellow Contributor (more info in the** [**OnlyDust Fellowship** ](https://app.gitbook.com/o/MQQDjhOXRySQPsao0aZ0/s/FetEvDuVEZkpYJ6kurbf/~/changes/5/contributors-hiya/onlydust-fellowship)**section)**.

Fellows are selected developers, funded by OnlyDust, who contribute actively to projects we (and the sponsors) believe in. They bring:

* High-quality engineering support
* Increased project velocity
* Mentorship for other contributors
* A commitment to open source values

Fellows are matched with projects based on skills, needs, and potential impact. We handle the logistics and the introduction - your job is simply to collaborate and integrate them into your team.

### FAQ

**Do top projects get all the funding?**\
Funding is prioritized for top-ranked, high-quality projects, but it's not exclusive. Projects showing consistent growth, strong community engagement, and good structure can still be selected for grants in future cycles.

**How is a “top-ranked” project defined?**\
Through a mix of quantitative signals and manual review, including:

* Contribution history and recent trends
* Roadmap and issue quality
* Contributor onboarding success
* Relevance and real-world utility

**How can smaller or less visible projects attract contributors?**\
Focus on being contributor-friendly:

* Write clear, scoped, and labeled issues
* Respond promptly to PRs and questions
* Offer documentation to onboard newcomers
* BE ACTIVE. In general. Not just during the OSS Wave. Show that you care about your repo.

**Still have questions? Go into our** [**Discord**](https://discord.gg/sVDvdKqPqN) **and ask there.**<br>


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.onlydust.com/maintainers-hello/grant-eligibility.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.