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The Fictional Project

Project Name: ForgeBTC

Category: Trading

What it does: A Stacks-native liquidity protocol that enables Bitcoin-denominated markets using sBTC

Status: Live, production usage

All three applications below describe the same fictional project. What changes between them is how clearly the team explains their work, evidence of impact, and long-term commitment to the Stacks ecosystem.

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🔥 Exceptional Application

🆗 Middle-of-the-road Application

👎 Weak Application

How We Review Applications

Strong applications stand out not because the idea is perfect, but because the work, impact, and intent are clearly communicated.

In general, reviewers look for applications that:

• Clearly explain why Stacks and how Stacks and Bitcoin primitives are essential
• Provide specific, verifiable evidence of impact
• Request funding that is proportional to what has already been delivered
• Acknowledge risks transparently, with context and timelines
• Show a clear plan to remain active in the Stacks ecosystem over time

Middle-of-the-road applications often have real work behind them, but fall short due to vague metrics, limited verification, or unclear long-term plans.

Weak applications are typically declined not because the idea is bad, but because impact, evidence, or ecosystem fit is not clearly demonstrated.

These examples are meant to help you self-assess and strengthen your application before submitting. You don’t need to look like the “Exceptional” example to apply. Clarity, evidence, and thoughtful execution go a long way.

👈 Go back to Application Examples

Go to Stacks Grants Hub 👉