The nonprofit Gear Foundation is doubling-down on its efforts to grow Vara Network’s ecosystem of decentralized applications with the newly announced Vara Grants Program. It said it’s inviting proposals from developer teams now. 

The new program is said to be a conduit for individuals and developer teams alike, providing support, technical expertise, community outreach and marketing support. 

It’s aimed at boosting Vara Network, the L1 blockchain that leverages the capabilities of Gear Protocol to enable more flexible, intelligent smart contracts and rapid transaction fees at lower costs. Vara has ambitions to build an ecosystem to match that of more established blockchains such as Ethereum, Solana, Polygon and Binance Smart Chain, and the offer of funding is a key part of its growth strategy. 

What Kinds Of Projects Can Apply?

The Grants Program is said to be focused on multiple aspects of Web3, including blockchain infrastructure, gaming projects, Web2 to Web3 transition, DeFi, developer tooling and more. 

For example, the Gear Foundation said it sees big potential in the blockchain gaming sector. That’s because Vara Network supports automated, on-chain and decentralized experiences that can enhance every blockchain game. 

It also wants to attract Web2 to Web3 projects, or legacy apps that wish to transition to a Web3 environment to benefit from decentralization. Developers of tooling and infrastructure are also being sought in order to encourage the development of vital tools including messengers, block explorers and crypto wallets for the Gear ecosystem. 

Other areas of interest include technical support projects that can facilitate blockchain interoperability, strategic advisory initiatives that contribute essential services and APIs to bring more utility to Vara Network.

How To Apply?

The Gear Foundation has created a step-by-step process for applications, which begins with teams being asked to outline their project concept. They’ll also need to explain how they can contribute to the growth of Vara and the Gear Protocol, and suggest potential development milestones, which will be the basis of the grant payouts. 

The review process involves an extensive assessment of the project’s aim, technology, business feasibility and team members, and teams can expect to be quizzed on their roadmap, how they’ll use the funds and more. A decision will be made after four-to-six weeks, the Gear Foundation said. 

Successful applicants will be notified via email, and once accepted, will attend an initial onboarding meeting and benefit from ongoing guidance and support from Vara Network’s experts. 

The program is about more than just funding. To ensure every project has the best chance of succeeding, Vara will provide support in the form of technical expertise, marketing, social media engagement, introductions to ecosystem partners and prospective mentors, with the aim being to foster growth through collaboration.