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The [Urbit Foundation](https://urbit.org/blog/first-steps-towards-urbit-org/)
runs a [Grants program](https://grants.urbit.org), where you can earn address
space ([stars](/docs/glossary/star)) in exchange for contributing to the
project.

Grants come in four different flavors at present: [bounties](#bounties),
[proposals](#proposals), [scholarships](#scholarships) and [gifts](#gifts).

If you're curious about grants, join the conversation in Landscape at
`~wolref-podlex/foundation` or book some time to [talk with
us](https://calendly.com/wolref/30min).

### Bounties {#bounties}

[Bounties](https://grants.urbit.org/bounties) are specific, tightly-scoped
pieces of work that we at the Urbit Foundation think are of high value to the
ecosystem at large. They're frequently development-focused, but also often
relate to marketing, community-building or technical writing.

Bounties are usually competitive—worker requests should provide plenty of
information about why the requester is right candidate for the job.

### Proposals {#proposals}

Where Bounties are put forward by the Foundation,
[Proposals](https://grants.urbit.org/proposals) come from the community. These
are things that our community thinks Urbit needs, and span a wide range of
topics: we've got [books being
written](https://grants.urbit.org/proposals/1590647060-a-book-about-urbit),
[videos being
produced](https://grants.urbit.org/proposals/1350087489-urbit-explainer-video),
help with [production of
events](https://grants.urbit.org/proposals/1751024973-urbit-event-series),
[marketing](https://grants.urbit.org/proposals/1395578140-smol-future-sustained-knowledge-sharing-and-marketing)
and
[documentation](https://grants.urbit.org/proposals/1888977136-graph-store-documenation-guide),
and
[ambitious](https://grants.urbit.org/proposals/21131866-webrtc-gall-agent-and-external-app)
[development](https://grants.urbit.org/proposals/1760204192-urbit-lfs)
[projects](https://grants.urbit.org/proposals/337545546-urbian-a-customized-linux-distribution-for-urbit-appliances)
all happening. If you've got skills and time to put into Urbit, we'll put you to
work.

Proposals are more likely to be approved if their relevance to the project is
made clear, their scope is clearly defined, the proposer is qualified, and it's
obvious that a lot of thought has gone into the idea.

If you've got an idea and want some help turning it into a proposal, book some
time with us [here](https://calendly.com/wolref/30min).

### Scholarships {#scholarships}

Scholarships are the newest addition to the grants program that pairs
contributors with core Urbit developers to tackle infrastructure projects. These
generally take the form of contributions to
[Arvo](/docs/system-overview/arvo) or
[Vere](/docs/system-overview/vere).

Tackling a scholarship requires an advanced understanding of Urbit. It's
expected that you've got a demonstrated command of the Hoon language or other
part of Urbit through existing contributions on our repositories or successfully
completed grants.

New scholarships are posted within the Foundation group in Landscape
(`~wolref-podlex/foundation`), and you can sign up for the waitlist using [this
form](https://airtable.com/shr6Xmo55h8dZ0O46).

### Gifts {#gifts}

Not every contribution is made with a plan or according to a specification.
Sometimes people just fix issues, help newcomers, or promote the project because
they want to.

Roughly every six months we [give
out](https://urbit.org/blog/urbit-grants-and-mid-2019-gifts/) a [bunch of
address space](https://urbit.org/blog/gifts-q3-2020/) to those that have helped
the project without asking for anything in return, just because we want to. It
just feels good, man.