The Chainlink community has been instrumental in advancing DeFi smart contracts by providing a widely-used oracle network that facilitates the implementation of universally connected smart contracts. As the Chainlink network and its technical community rapidly expand, the Chainlink Community Grant Program aims to sustain this growth by enhancing the availability and security of on-chain data. This involves creating virtuous cycles that increase the volume of oracle-verified data usable across various industries, fostering new smart contract applications in areas like decentralized insurance, blockchain gaming, and financial contracts. The initiative seeks to make smart contracts the standard form of digital agreements, ultimately contributing to an economically equitable ecosystem. By accelerating the on-chain data cycle and promoting the security cycle through the grant program, Chainlink intends to improve data accessibility and security, thus supporting the development of more sophisticated smart contracts. The program provides grants in cash or LINK to support data providers, node operators, and developers, aiming to integrate high-quality data into the blockchain ecosystem and encourage the creation of universally connected smart contracts.