Getting started on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) should be easy, and scaling a project to real-world implementation shouldn’t be slowed by barriers to entry like capital, experience, and resource dependencies.

That’s why Ripple is making a 1B XRP commitment to the XRPL Grants program: to provide long-term resources to support global developer projects built on the XRP Ledger, and continued commitment to fostering this community and supporting their work.

We saw an enthusiastic response from developers in the first two waves of the XRPL Grants program, with $6 million dollars distributed to over 50 open-source projects related to NFTs and Federated Sidechains — Wave 3 of the XRPL Grants Program is still open for applications.

As an extension of the initial program, this 1B XRP will provide amplified financial, technical and business support to all kinds of developers — from those familiar with the XRPL to those new to the technology. The fund will be disbursed over the next two decades to developers eager to build and scale their apps from proof-of-concept to new businesses and use cases based on the XRPL. The fund’s programs are specifically designed to accelerate, train, mentor and scale projects developed by the XRPL community — now and in the future.

Providing the opportunity for any developer to join the XRPL community and leverage the features of this carbon-neutral, public blockchain — speed, cost efficiency, scalability — is a key driver behind these funds. Superior technical capabilities in combination with expert business support will allow developers to scale their apps from just an idea to a new business or use case on the XRPL.

The following goals are top of mind as Ripple moves forward:

• Accelerator program: A multi-month bootcamp that will provide projects on the XRPL with business and financial support, training and mentorship.
• Decentralized finance (DeFi): A program to support DeFi projects on the XRPL.
• Diversity & Inclusion (D&I): A fund to work with university partners to build a pipeline of diverse applicants, as well as partnerships with organizations and affiliation groups supporting underrepresented communities in software development.
• Sustainability: A program to address challenges related to sustainability, e.g. ESG NFTs, carbon credits tokenization.
• Expanded judging committee: Growing the panel of XRPL Grants program judges ​​to ensure diverse viewpoints and expertise when evaluating projects.

Visit XRPLGrants.org for more information on the XRPL Grants program, or check out the XRPL explainer videos to learn more about the XRP Ledger.