Cosmos Grants
Cosmos
Description
Cosmos Ecosystem Grants support development across the Interchain Stack through the Interchain Foundation (ICF) and ecosystem partners. The Cosmos network enables sovereign, interconnected blockchains using the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol, CometBFT consensus, and Cosmos SDK framework.
With $26.4M allocated for 2024 ecosystem development, grants fund core infrastructure, IBC expansion, developer tooling, and applications that leverage interchain capabilities. The stack enables builders to create fast, customizable blockchains with 10,000+ TPS and sub-second finality. Over 100 chains currently use the Interchain Stack, with IBC facilitating tens of billions in secure cross-chain value transfer.
For ZHC builders, Cosmos grants support cross-chain automation, sovereign app-chains, and IBC-powered applications that require custom blockchain logic and interoperability.
Eligibility
Priority Funding Areas
- CometBFT: Consensus engine development ($3M allocated)
- Cosmos SDK: Framework modularity and composability ($4.5M)
- IBC Protocol: Cross-chain communication expansion ($7.5M)
- CosmWasm: Smart contract platform ($2.5M)
- CosmJS: JavaScript library improvements ($155K)
- Security audits: Interchain stack validation ($1.5M)
- Strategic reserve: Ecosystem flexibility ($7.2M)
Key Development Teams
- Informal Systems: CometBFT, IBC development
- Binary Builders: Cosmos SDK (formerly ICF team)
- Zondax: Cryptography and Ledger support
- Interchain GmbH: IBC expansion
- Strangelove Labs: IBC tooling
- Confio GmbH: CosmWasm development
Technical Focus Areas
- Core protocol improvements
- IBC light client implementations
- Developer SDKs and tooling
- Cross-chain applications
- Security and auditing infrastructure
- Documentation and education
- Interchain Standards (ICS) development
ZHC-Specific Fit
✅ Excellent for:
- Cross-chain automation workflows
- Sovereign application-specific chains
- IBC-native applications
- Custom consensus and governance
- Multi-chain data aggregation
- Blockchain interoperability solutions
❌ Poor fit if:
- Single-chain architecture only
- No interchain component
- Closed-source development
- Not building on Cosmos Stack
Application Process
Application Process
| Step | Timeline | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Research roadmap | — | Review ICF funding priorities |
| Draft proposal | 2-4 weeks | Technical approach, milestones, budget |
| Community review | 1-3 weeks | Share for ecosystem feedback |
| Submit proposal | — | Via ICF grants portal or GitHub |
| Technical evaluation | 4-8 weeks | ICF and development teams review |
| Funding decision | 2-4 weeks | Award notification |
| Milestone execution | Varies | Deliverable-based payouts |
2024 Funding Allocation ($26.4M Total)
Core Stack Development:
- CometBFT (Informal Systems): $3.0M
- Cosmos SDK (Binary Builders): $3.5M
- Cosmos SDK Crypto (Zondax): $1.0M
- IBC Protocol (Informal, Interchain GmbH, Strangelove): $7.5M
- CosmWasm (Confio GmbH): $2.5M
- CosmJS (Cosmology): $155K
- Security Audits: $1.5M
- Strategic Reserve: $7.2M
Additional Programs:
- Cosmos Hub engineering: $3.5M
- Interchain Builders Program: $1.0M
- Developer Academy: TBA 2024
- Grants Program: Restarting 2024
Grant Types Available
- Development grants: Core infrastructure work
- Research grants: Protocol improvements
- Event sponsorships: Community building
- Security audits: Code verification
- Education: Documentation and training
Funding History
- 2024: $26.4M allocated
- 2023: $40M planned
- 2022: $54.1M spent
Ecosystem Impact
- 100+ chains using Cosmos SDK
- IBC: 2B+ cross-chain transactions
- $13B+ portfolio company valuations
- Zero IBC exploits since launch