tea (https://tea.xyz) is shaking up the digital world by addressing the long-standing issue of inadequate compensation for open-source developers. Solving this issue is more urgent than ever, which is why we have decided to deploy $250K in grants ahead of the launch of the protocol. This initial stage aims to support maintainers of open-source projects that have a material impact on the open-source software ecosystem and a teaRank greater than 30 ahead of the tea Protocol Incentivized Testnet.

Don’t know what teaRank is and unsure if your project qualifies? You can check your project’s teaRank here (https://tea.xyz/rewards-for-oss-contributions) and learn more about what this represents on the protocol here (https://docs.tea.xyz/tea/i-want-to.../learn-about-proof-of-contribution/what-is-tearank)

*The Unsung Heroes*

Despite forming the backbone of the internet and modern technology, open-source developers like Max Howell, the creator of Homebrew, have historically received little to no compensation. This discrepancy is particularly stark when compared to the massive profits generated by corporations built on open-source software.

*The Urgent Need for Change*

The lack of proper incentives has led to decreased motivation and potential abandonment of projects, posing a threat to the very infrastructure of our digital lives.

*The tea Protocol: Empowering Developers*

The tea protocol strives to establish an environment where open-source contributions are not only acknowledged but also appropriately rewarded, ensuring a sustainable future for the unsung heroes of the digital world. Central to the *tea* protocol is its vibrant community of project supporters and vulnerability reporters, who are incentivized to actively participate in identifying and addressing software vulnerabilities.

tea's $250K grant is a step towards a future where open-source developers are celebrated and rewarded, marking the beginning of a new, more equitable era in open-source.

If your open-source project meets the requirements mentioned earlier such as it having an impact on the OSS ecosystem and having a teaRank greater than 30, then we would love to have you apply for the grant (https://wkf.ms/48UDBLy).