rewrite this title Ethereum’s $3M grassroot grant program suddenly paused as Foundation rethinks priorities

The Ethereum Foundation has paused new grant applications to its Ecosystem Support Program (ESP) as it reconsiders how it funds builders and projects.

The pause, announced Aug. 29, comes as the Foundation restructures its approach to ecosystem development and looks to align its grantmaking with longer-term priorities.

A detailed roadmap outlining new funding priorities is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.

While the open grants channel is temporarily paused, ESP will continue supporting existing grantees and funding public goods. The team also pledged to maintain Office Hours, where builders can receive guidance, feedback, or connections to non-financial resources.

Why the Ethereum Foundation is pausing grants

The organization said Ethereum’s rapid growth in size and complexity has created pressure to adapt its funding model. Instead of continuing with a system that reacts to grant requests as they come in, the Foundation wants ESP to shift toward proactively backing projects that address strategic needs.

This transition will ensure resources are deployed where they can have the most lasting impact on Ethereum’s usability and resilience.

It added:

“This change will enable us time to redesign in a way that redirects our focus toward strategic initiatives, moving from a reactive model to a more proactive one that also supports the priorities of other EF teams.”

Meanwhile, the Foundation emphasized that its values remain unchanged. These include funding open-source infrastructure, research, and developer tools; supporting community initiatives; and strengthening resources that benefit the wider Ethereum network.

Since its creation in 2018, ESP has evolved from a simple grants program into a broader initiative providing financial and non-financial backing for Ethereum builders.

In 2024 alone, it distributed nearly $3 million across 105 projects, spanning developer tooling, data analytics, education, research, and community events.

Some of the past beneficiaries include Commit-Boost, BundleBear, Web3Bridge, ZK Playbook, and the Ethereum Cypherpunk Congress.

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