Human Rights Foundation Grants 10 BTC to 23 Bitcoin Projects Worldwide

• The Bitcoin Development Fund (BDF) aims to support individuals and projects that enhance Bitcoin and related technologies as tools for human rights defenders in difficult political contexts.
• Since its inception in 2020, BDF has contributed around $7.8 million in Bitcoin to 284 projects across 62 countries.

The latest grantees include:

1. NetBlocks is a digital rights watchdog that monitors and reports on authoritarian Internet shutdowns in real-time, providing critical data to activists and journalists seeking to challenge censorship and bolster civil cohesion and infrastructure. HRF’s support will further its monitoring, documentation, and research capabilities.
2. TollGate turns any WiFi router into a decentralized ISP using bitcoin and ecash, creating a peer-to-peer network to combat authoritarian surveillance and protect digital freedoms.
3. Vinteum is a nonprofit Bitcoin research and development center in Latin America, directed by Lucas Ferreira. It trains and funds developers to enhance Bitcoin as a tool for financial freedom.
4. BTCPay Server offers individuals, nonprofits, and merchants a censorship-resistant method to accept payments. It enables activists and nonprofits to process global payments, launch crowdfunding campaigns, and build movements on Bitcoin without any third parties or restrictions.
5. Africa Bitcoin Institute (ABI) seeks to provide policymakers across Africa with the knowledge and tools to integrate Bitcoin into their economies, promoting financial autonomy and using Bitcoin as a cornerstone of economic freedom.
6. Bitcoin Core Graphical User Interface (GUI) project updates Bitcoin Core to be more accessible and mobile-friendly. This empowers more individuals, particularly in African autocracies where mobile phones are prevalent, to enhance their financial sovereignty.
7. Rkrux, a Bitcoin Core developer, plays an essential role in reviewing code, testing releases, and enhancing documentation to maintain Bitcoin Core's robustness, security, and censorship resistance. His efforts help identify vulnerabilities, refine changes, and bolster Bitcoin's long-term stability.
8. Elsat contributes to Damus, Nostrability, and Zapstore, building and enhancing tools that safeguard free speech and freedom of expression in oppressive environments.
9. Relay Wizard, developed by J the Code Monkey, is a tool that simplifies the process of running a Nostr relay. Running your own Nostr relay reduces reliance on intermediaries and helps ensure that Nostr remains resilient.
10. Waye offers psycho-social support for developers working on freedom tech. Led by Bitcoin Core developer Amiti Uttarwar and operational architect Anna Sides, Waye aims to strengthen the human infrastructure of open source communities.
11. Hashpool is a fork of the Stratum V2 Reference Implementation that replaces traditional share accounting with an ecash mint system. It issues "ehash" tokens for accepted shares, which gain value in bitcoin as the pool finds blocks. Miners can hold tokens to maturity, accepting 'luck risk,' or sell early for a guaranteed payout.
12. Cashu KVAC by lollerfirst is a software upgrade for Cashu. It improves privacy and efficiency by reducing wallet data storage and concealing transaction amounts from third parties. These improvements strengthen ecash functionality, safeguarding financial privacy for individuals and nonprofits alike.
13. Brandon Black (Rearden) is researching the limitations of Bitcoin self-custody and how to make it more broadly accessible. His work documents the obstacles users face today and provides insights into how Bitcoin can evolve.
14. Tony Klausing's Stable Channels integrates stabilized Bitcoin-backed balances into the Lightning Network, letting users self-manage bitcoin pegged to fiat currencies. This allows for transactions without volatile price risks or reliance on centralized stablecoins.
15. Bitsacco by okjodom is a Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization leveraging Bitcoin and Fedimints.
16. The Core by Kenyan Bitcoin educator Felix Mukungu equips Africans with the knowledge and skills of Bitcoin self-custody, Lightning network, Bitcoin nodes, and more.
17. Bitcoin Babies by Naomi Wambui helps mothers under authoritarian regimes access resources to enhance their children's health and achieve long-term financial stability.
18. East Asia Bitcoin Developer Apprenticeship Program by Calvin Kim provides hands-on training and practical experience for aspiring Korean and Japanese Bitcoin developers.
19. At TalentLand 2025, Latin America's largest tech event, Bitcoin Week led by developer Super Testnet and the Bitcoin and Lightning Guadalajara community, will showcase how Bitcoin enables individuals to regain financial sovereignty.
20. Base58's Bitcoin Live Action Role Play (LARP) is a two-hour workshop where participants reenact the Bitcoin network to experience how transactions are processed, reach miners, the role of a Bitcoin node, and how it secures the network.
21. BTCenEspañol has led Spanish-language Bitcoin education. Aiming to reach one million learners and train 100 teachers, it is expanding to improve Bitcoin education accessibility in regions like Nicaragua and Venezuela.
22. Bitcoin researcher Daniel Batten is quantifying Bitcoin’s role as a financial lifeline to help nonprofits overcome financial repression.
23. Bitcoin for Good, led by Hadiya Masieh, is an educational initiative that empowers organizations by teaching them to accept and manage censorship-resistant funding through practical training and direct integration with Bitcoin for donations.

The next round of BDF grants will be announced at the 17th annual Oslo Freedom Forum, taking place May 26-28, 2025, in Oslo, Norway. Apply for funding here.

HRF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. Gifts can be made at HRF.org/DevFund, and proposals for support can be submitted to https://hrf.org/bdfapply.

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