First published
Last updated
4/8/2026

For bitcoin savers looking to create impactful change in the world, bitcoin presents an innovative way to contribute to causes that align with their values. Understanding how to effectively donate bitcoin to nonprofit organizations that support, accept, and promote bitcoin can unlock a new dimension of giving.

This guide is designed to provide bitcoin donors with a comprehensive overview of the prominent organizations in the bitcoin nonprofit sector. This list has been selected based on the organization's mission, bitcoin programs, or their intentions to maintain a bitcoin treasury. It will introduce a variety of organizations and how they intend to use bitcoin donations to enact change in the world. The organizations have been broken down into a few different categories: 

  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Human Rights 
  • Policy 

Let’s explore the transformative potential of bitcoin for the nonprofits that support and promote it—and for the donors who help bring about positive change.

Education

University of Wyoming - Bitcoin Research institute

The University of Wyoming Bitcoin Research Institute (BRI) exists to produce and promote informed academic research on bitcoin in all relevant areas including philosophy, economics, finance, computer science, law, energy resources, tourism, and more. The institute is focused on high-impact-factor interdisciplinary research, and also actively develops and supports bitcoin curriculum.

Biggest accomplishments:

  • Establishment:  The BRI is the first bitcoin-only academic institute. Other crypto projects spend millions of dollars each year on academic grants and research.
  • Curriculum development: The BRI has contributed to developing open-source educational content, including courses and events that integrate bitcoin studies into philosophy, economics, and other disciplines. These efforts enhance student understanding of bitcoin.
  • Publications: The BRI was founded shortly after the publication of Resistance Money: A Philosophical Case for Bitcoin, the first academic monograph on bitcoin. Founding members and affiliated faculty have authored more than a dozen articles and white papers on bitcoin, exploring topics such as bitcoin's environmental impact, its role in bringing about financial justice, and its philosophical foundations.
  • Mentorship: The BRI is partners with the Bitcoin Policy Institute to run a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program, an 8-week virtual research internship designed to provide mentors and hands-on experience in cutting-edge Bitcoin research.
    Policy: BRI-affiliated faculty have provided research to the Bitcoin Policy Institute on mining, human rights, monetary policy, and other areas relevant to public policy.

These achievements highlight the University of Wyoming Bitcoin Research Institute's role in advancing academic understanding of bitcoin, promoting educational and economic growth in Wyoming and beyond, and challenging misconceptions about bitcoin through scholarly research.

Bitcoin treasury strategy:

The University of Wyoming accepts bitcoin donations, and has a portfolio allocation of up to 4% bitcoin. Bitcoin donations to the BRI will be held as bitcoin.

Satoshi Nakamoto Institute

The Satoshi Nakamoto Institute is dedicated to advancing and preserving knowledge of bitcoin's economics, history, and technology, with the vital mission of cultivating and transmitting bitcoin's rich intellectual tradition to new bitcoiners now and in future generations.

SNI meticulously curates comprehensive archives of essential literature illuminating bitcoin's history, technology, economics, and philosophy, including the writings of Satoshi Nakamoto, and seminal works from the Cypherpunks, the Austrian school, and other intellectual traditions related to bitcoin. SNI also promotes further economic and social analysis of bitcoin building on these foundations through blogs like the SNI Mempool and podcasts like The Reorg.

Biggest accomplishments:

  • Preservation of Satoshi's legacy: SNI maintains a complete archive of the public writings of Satoshi Nakamoto, including emails and forum posts, some of which are no longer otherwise easily accessible.
  • Curating Bitcoin's intellectual foundation: SNI houses an unparalleled and comprehensive library of foundational essays, books, and articles that define the intellectual traditions that bitcoin is built upon. This includes the Cypherpunks, the Austrian school of economics, the free software movement, and many more. This library has been an essential font of knowledge for everyone from curious newcomers to pioneering researchers..
  • Early and influential bitcoin analysis: Since 2013, the visionary SNI Mempool blog has engaged the bitcoin community with remarkably prescient analysis of bitcoin's transformative social and economic potential. These articles have had great influence on bitcoiners' understanding of the monetary technology and its potential as a new global reserve currency, exemplified by enduring articles such as "Hyperbitcoinization," "Speculative Attack," and "Everyone's a Scammer." Coinages such as "hyperbitcoinization" have become common terminology in global mainstream discourse on bitcoin.
  • Wide citations: The Satoshi Nakamoto Institute archives and analyses have been widely cited in academic works, popular publications, and government documents around the world, demonstrating the development of SNI as a trusted resource for access to important texts.

These accomplishments underscore the Satoshi Nakamoto Institute's crucial role as a steadfast guardian of the bitcoin intellectual heritage and tradition, providing access to foundational texts and educational resources that help deepen the appreciation of bitcoin's technology and philosophy. By ensuring the future transmission of these resources and understanding, SNI is helping build generational knowledge for generational wealth.

Bitcoin treasury strategy: SNI hodls all contributions in a bitcoin treasury, maintaining only minimal fiat reserves for immediate operational needs.

My First Bitcoin 

My First Bitcoin provides Open Source Bitcoin Education for the World. The non-profit aims to speed up the timeline for independent bitcoin adoption from all over the world, by providing tools for those that want to teach financial literacy for the Bitcoin era. The core foundation of the organization is built around the principle that Bitcoin education must be independent, impartial, and community-led.

Their work centers around providing educational resources, various curricula, digital learning environments and a community for projects, meetup organizers and circular economies that teach about Bitcoin in their local communities.

Biggest accomplishments:

  • Bitcoin Diploma: They created the world's first Bitcoin Diploma, an open sourced comprehensive 10-week educational program, teaching the history of money, how it is broken, and how Bitcoin is a solution. The workbook has been translated to dozens of languages by the community.
  • Global Expansion with the Node Network: From a humble beginning with one student in 2021, My First Bitcoin has grown to educate tens of thousands of students in-person. Besides that, the open source resources have been implemented by over 60 projects in more than 35 countries with our Independent Educators Node Network, reaching many thousands more students.
  • Online School: They've introduced an Online School, making Bitcoin education accessible to educators and students globally via the means of online classes and cohorts, enhancing their reach beyond physical classrooms.
  • Grassroots crowdfunding and support: Education will be captured by those who fund it. This also applies to Bitcoin education. My First Bitcoin works for the public, in public. From the early beginning, it has only accepted donations without strings attached, funding that mainly came from the grassroots Bitcoin community, which enabled them to remain independent and impartial.

These accomplishments highlight My First Bitcoin's significant role in not only educating individuals about Bitcoin but also in fostering a global community dedicated to the adoption and understanding of what Bitcoin can bring us: the empowerment of every individual. Their efforts have been instrumental in changing perceptions and practices around how Bitcoin education could be.

Bitcoin treasury strategy: My First bitcoin is bitcoin-only. They teach that bitcoin is a better money for the purpose of spending, but also that saving it helps you look farther into the future and plan ahead. They practice that internally as well. They hold all their value in bitcoin, save whenever they can and are aiming to increase their runway to 12 months by the end of this year in order to plan farther into the future, insulate themselves from market swings and strategically increase capacity.

Base58 School of Engineering

Base58 is a software engineering school built on a bitcoin standard. We aim to democratize access to bitcoin's technical knowledge through hands-on exercises and code implementations. It offers both online and in-person classes to teach developers and enthusiasts about the intricacies of the bitcoin protocol and related technologies like the Lightning Network.

The school provides education on bitcoin's core protocol, transaction mechanisms, wallet protocols, and advanced topics like covenants and mempool management. It's designed for a wide range of learners, from beginners with no coding experience to seasoned developers.

Biggest accomplishments:

  • Curriculum development: Base58 has developed courses that span the spectrum of bitcoin technology, from fundamental concepts to advanced topics, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the bitcoin protocol. Courses include how Lightning Network operates, bitcoin transaction structures, and has future courses planned for wallet designs and mempool management.
  • Community engagement: Led by Lisa Neigut (@niftynei), a renowned bitcoin and Lightning Network developer, Base58 has become a hub for bitcoin education, with classes held at Bitcoin Park Austin and PlebLab in Austin, Texas, and online through platforms like Udemy. They've also organized events like bitcoin++ conferences, fostering a community of learners and developers.
  • Innovative teaching methods: Base58 employs interactive and accessible teaching methods to make bitcoin's technical side understandable, which has been praised by students for its clarity and depth. Their approach has helped many get jobs in the bitcoin industry by providing practical, hands-on experience.
  • Online and in-person classes: By offering both online and physical classes, Base58 caters to a global audience, making bitcoin education accessible regardless of location. This has included courses on Udemy and planned in-person sessions in various cities.
  • Contributions to open source: Base58's involvement in open-source bitcoin development, with instructors like Lisa Neigut contributing to projects like Bitcoin Core and Core Lightning, ensures that the education provided is directly linked to real-world bitcoin development and innovation.

These accomplishments highlight Base58's role as a key educational institution in the bitcoin ecosystem, dedicated to enhancing technical understanding and promoting bitcoin's growth through education.

Bitcoin treasury strategy:

Base58 is a bitcoin first institution. They hold bitcoin on their balance sheet and accept Bitcoin as payment for their in-person and online courses* (*except for Udemy hosted classes).

Operation Bitcoin 

Operation Bitcoin is an initiative aimed at educating, equipping, and empowering U.S. military veterans to engage with and lead in the Bitcoin ecosystem. It seeks to leverage veterans' skills and discipline to contribute to Bitcoin's adoption and development, while also creating pathways for new career opportunities.

The program concentrates on Bitcoin education, career development, and community building among veterans, with an emphasis on practical skills like running nodes, understanding blockchain technology, and participating in the Bitcoin economy.

Biggest accomplishments:

  • Veteran education: They have developed a multi-stage education program that includes in-person training, online courses, and interactive platforms like apps and games to teach veterans about Bitcoin's fundamentals, security, economic impact and implications on self-sovereignty and freedom.
  • Career opportunities: Operation Bitcoin has established relationships with Bitcoin companies to facilitate internships and employment opportunities for veterans, helping them transition from military service to roles within the burgeoning industry.
  • Business incubation: They've extended their program to include a stage for Bitcoin-specific small business incubation, encouraging entrepreneurial veterans to start businesses that leverage bitcoin technology or services.
  • Community building: By fostering a community of Bitcoin-savvy veterans, Operation Bitcoin has created a network for mutual support, learning, and advocacy, positioning veterans as leaders in the Bitcoin space.
  • Advocacy and outreach: Through events, workshops, and public speaking engagements, Operation Bitcoin has worked to spread awareness about Bitcoin among veterans, emphasizing its potential for financial empowerment and independence.

These accomplishments demonstrate Operation Bitcoin's unique approach to veteran reintegration, focusing on a niche but rapidly growing sector, thereby offering veterans both educational and economic opportunities within the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Bitcoin treasury strategy: At this early stage, their treasury strategy is to HODL at least 75% of donations and build. For their operational expenses, they’ll use donations to provide hands-on technical training for veterans entering the mining industry, build an applicant tracking system for career support and fund the launch of their veteran entrepreneur incubation program.

The Progressive Bitcoiner 

Harnessing Bitcoin to advance economic justice, climate action, and social good — for a future that works for everyone. The Progressive Bitcoiner, Inc. is the only progressive think tank focused on bitcoin. One of their main goals is to influence public opinion (with everyday people including progressives and mainstream media) and public policy (including progressive lawmakers), shifting the narrative of bitcoin that still skews more partisan and right leaning/libertarian, to a nonpartisan, open technology approach for everyone. They do this in a number of ways:

Biggest Accomplishments:

  • ‍Podcast/Media: They publish original media via our podcast, videos, X spaces, and more featuring guests discussing bitcoin with progressive values in mind - focusing on financial inclusion, environmentalism, social good and beyond‍
  • Articles: Their website is a self-hosted publishing house for news, opinion pieces, policy and beyond focusing on bitcoin as a progressive tool.‍
  • Research: Original research and policy proposals focusing on bitcoin as a progressive tool 
  • Events: Their own events and small gathers in Boston and elsewhere, as well as featured talks and presentations they give at various events and conferences in the U.S. and around the world‍
  • Grants, Scholarships and Community Funds: Established funding to support grants and scholarships for folks engaging in research and study around bitcoin and areas that fall under their areas of focus (financial inclusion, human rights, environmentalism, and other progressive topics). They also focus on community based funding in a philanthropic way, giving direct financial support to those in need with a human rights and social justice focus.   ‍
  • Success: The Progressive Bitcoiner started as a small podcast in December 2021. Since then they have grown their media presence and community to thousands worldwide and transformed this once small podcast into a full-fledged 501c3 nonprofit in January 2025. They have always been mission driven, focusing on bitcoin for everyone.‍
  • Bitcoin Treasury Strategy: They currently operate from a volunteer staff only with very limited funding. All donations will be deployed to support full time staff needs (including for their Executive Director, Policy team, Media/marketing team, and publishing/indirect costs).  

With increased funding they will be able to publish more original research, travel and meet key stakeholders including lawmakers, mainstream media, nonprofits, activists, and beyond.

Bitcoin Bay

"Build a Prosperous, Resilient, Community on a Sound Money Standard" The Bitcoin Bay Foundation is a 501(c)3 serving the Tampa Bay community through free education and business onboarding. Bitcoin Bay provides a trusted source of information for the Tampa Bay area. Bitcoin Bay serves the Tampa Bay community; encompassing Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota, and the surrounding towns. Bitcoin Bay also supports meetups in Florida and around the country with free resources and administrative help to reduce the burden of running a grassroots Bitcoin meetup. All of the educational material Bitcoin Bay produces is open source and freely shared to anyone looking to chart a similar course.

Biggest accomplishments:

  • Internships: Bitcoin Bay has provided several internships to local university students and assisted with job placements for graduates
  • Bitcoin Games: Bitcoin Bay was awarded 1 BTC as the declared winner of the Grassroots Bitcoin Games at Bitcoin Miami 2023. A follow up competition was held for the runner up organizers distributing 0.5 BTC to meetups around the country. 
  • 501(c)3 Formation: Bitcoin Bay became the first Bitcoin meetup to incorporate as a 501(c)3 and has advised on the formation of nearly a dozen other meetups exploring similar options.
  • Community Engagement: Bitcoin Bay has held weekly meetups with very few exceptions since January of 2022 touching thousands of individuals, over a hundred businesses, with chapters in 3 cities.

Bitcoin Treasury Strategy: Bitcoin Bay holds any all funds received in Bitcoin unless they are to be dispersed within 30 days of receipt.

256 Foundation

The 256 Foundation aims to lower the barriers to entry in Bitcoin mining by developing and advocating for free and open-source software, firmware, and hardware solutions. Beyond mining, the foundation provides educational resources and support to demystify Bitcoin and freedom technologies, empowering individuals to engage with and benefit from these systems. All projects are released under open-source licenses, ensuring transparency and community-driven development . (The 256 Foundation)

Focus Areas

Notable Accomplishments

  • Telehash Fundraiser: In January 2025, the 256 Foundation hosted its first annual fundraiser, Telehash, where supporters directed their combined hashrate to a self-hosted pool running on a FutureBit Apollo miner. The event successfully mined block 881,423, earning 3.146 BTC and showcasing the viability of decentralized, community-driven mining . (First-Ever Bitcoin Hashrate Fundraiser Mines Full Block for Non-Profit)

  • Partnership with Proto: The foundation partnered with Block's Proto mining team, receiving a donation of up to 256,000 BZM2 ASIC chips to support open-source mining development. This collaboration aims to lower the barriers to entry for Bitcoin mining and promote decentralization . (Block's Proto Partners with The 256 Foundation to Support Open-Source ...)

  • Grant-Funded Projects: The 256 Foundation has received support from the Human Rights Foundation's Bitcoin Development Fund for initiatives like Bitaxe, a low-cost home mining solution designed for individuals in authoritarian regimes. The grant supports the development of free & open Bitcoin mining solutions and associated educational materials. (Human Rights Foundation Awards 10 Bitcoin to 20 Global Projects)

Bitcoin Treasury Strategy

Donations are accepted in Bitcoin and other forms, with a commitment to transparency and accountability. Supporters can contribute through various tiers, from 0.01 BTC to 1 BTC, and can also participate by donating their mining hashrate to support the foundation's projects . (256-Foundation/Ember-One-website - GitHub, The 256 Foundation)

Engineering

OpenSats 

OpenSats is a 501(c)(3) public charity that provides transparent, donor-directed funding to support free and open-source software (FOSS) development and education. The organization focuses on bitcoin, nostr, and related technologies that advance decentralization, privacy, and individual freedom. Through its 100% pass-through model, all donations to the General Fund and The Nostr Fund go directly to developers and projects, with operating expenses covered separately by the Operations Fund.

Biggest Accomplishments:

  • Sustained Funding of Bitcoin Development: Through Long-Term Support (LTS) and short-term project grants, OpenSats provides consistent and independent support to Bitcoin Core contributors, protocol researchers, and adjacent infrastructure projects.
  • Catalyzing Growth in the Nostr Ecosystem: As of December 2024, OpenSats has committed nearly $9 million in grants to nostr client developers, relay operators, protocol researchers, and tooling efforts, helping the protocol grow into a global, censorship-resistant communications network.
  • Supporting Advancements in Key Technologies: OpenSats backs open-source work that pushes forward bitcoin’s usability and privacy. This includes work on splicing, testing tools, and developer frameworks (Lightning); and advancements in Payjoin, Silent Payments, and Coinswap (bitcoin on-chain privacy), among others.
  • Investing in Developer Education: Recognizing the importance of growing the open-source contributor base, OpenSats funds global initiatives focused on developer education that provides structured training and mentorship for new Bitcoin and Lightning developers worldwide.
  • Consistent and Scaled Grantmaking: As of May 2025 and counting, OpenSats has reviewed over 1,000 applications and awarded approximately 270 grants, totaling $24 million in allocated funding. Currently distributing roughly $1 million per month to open-source on independent developers and projects working on freedom tech, OpenSats is proud to have a role in sustaining bitcoin, nostr, and developer-focused initiatives through predictable and transparent grantmaking.

As OpenSats continues to scale its impact, it has established itself as a leading and trusted nonprofit dedicated to sustaining bitcoin, nostr, and free and open-source development for the long term.

Bitcoin Treasury Strategy:

OpenSats maintains a bitcoin-first treasury approach. All donations, whether received in bitcoin or fiat, are held in bitcoin. Fiat donations are promptly converted into bitcoin, ensuring that grantmaking funds preserve their value in sound money.

Brink 

Summary:

Mission: “Don’t let Bitcoin break” Brink is a 501c3 dedicated to strengthening the Bitcoin protocol, software, and network through research and development. Brink provides Bitcoin developer funding, mentoring, and education.

Focus: 

All of Brink’s work focuses on the Bitcoin Core software and the Bitcoin protocol, with a focus on security.

Brink has a program to fund existing engineers critical to Bitcoin’s security. We are currently funding 7 of these established engineers.

Brink also has a unique Fellowship program to help onboard new engineers to Bitcoin development through a one-year, onsite mentorship program in our London office. Gloria Zhao was our first Fellow and has a security engineer currently in London on the fellowship as well.

Brink also contributes to Bitcoin educational efforts through contributions to Bitcoin Optech, Bitcoin Core PR Review Club, and various Bitcoin development mentorship programs.

Biggest accomplishments:

  • ‍Fellowship program: Brink has successfully mentored new contributors through its intensive one-year fellowship, onboarding exceptional software engineers into Bitcoin protocol development. This program has been pivotal in cultivating new talent for Bitcoin Core and related projects include Gloria Zhao who is now a Bitcoin Core maintainer.
  • ‍Grants program: Brink provides both employment and remote grant options for established developers, focusing on enhancing the security, stability, and functionality of the Bitcoin protocol. Developers affiliated with Brink have responsibly disclosed several vulnerabilities they discovered in the Bitcoin codebase. Notable grantees include Michael Ford (fanquake), working on Bitcoin Core's build system and security, Gloria Zhao, focusing on mempool and P2P aspects of Bitcoin Core, and Niklas Gögge leading up Bitcoin Core security efforts.‍
  • Funding and sponsorship: Brink has garnered significant support from the Bitcoin community, including donations from high-profile individuals and organizations including River, VanEck, Coinbase, Tim Draper, Wences Casares, John Pfeffer, Xapo, OKX, Bitwise, among others. Jack Dorsey's $5 million donation highlights the trust and commitment in Brink's mission.‍
  • Community engagement: Through newsletters, workshops, and participation in conferences like Bitcoin 2022, 2023, and 2024, Brink actively engages with the Bitcoin community, promoting collaboration and education. They've also partnered with various entities to amplify their impact, like Marathon Digital Holdings matching donations. Brink engineers also regularly contribute to Bitcoin Optech and Bitcoin Core PR Review Club.‍
  • Developer support: Beyond financial support, Brink provides an environment for Bitcoin developers to collaborate, learn, and work together, exemplified by their London office where developers can work full-time on Bitcoin Core. They also sponsor cloud computing services for the Bitcoin Core project as well as their engineerings. Additionally, Executive Director Mike Schmidt fundraises and helps organize the in-person Bitcoin Core developer meetings.

These accomplishments underscore Brink's critical role in supporting the Bitcoin ecosystem, particularly by fostering both the current and future generations of Bitcoin developers, ensuring the protocol's resilience, innovation, and security.

Bitcoin treasury strategy: Brink holds all Bitcoin contributions in Bitcoin and holds any contributed USD for operational expenses.

Human Rights 

Human Rights Foundation - Financial Freedom Program

HRF's Financial Freedom program exists to highlight how authoritarian regimes engage in financial repression to crack down on dissent and opposition and to support individuals pushing back through the use of open source Bitcoin software.

The program is dedicated to advocating for financial freedom for billions of people living under authoritarian regimes that use financial repression to maintain control. It provides resources and grants (through its Bitcoin Development Fund) to projects and individuals working to improve Bitcoin freedom worldwide. Additionally, it hosts events to educate and inspire action on these critical issues.

Biggest accomplishments:

  • ‍Bitcoin Development Fund (BDF): The BDF empowers human rights defenders by supporting projects that strengthen Bitcoin’s utility in providing a lifeline against financial repression. In 2024, BDF backed key events like the Africa and Indonesia Bitcoin Conferences, supported vital open-source non-profit infrastructure like BTCPay Server and RoboSats, and funded translation efforts such as Exonumia (putting Bitcoin content into ten African language) and Bitshala in India, where HRF helped establish a local community center focused on financial freedom training inside an increasingly authoritarian regime. In 2024, HRF awarded $2.5 million to 70 projects improving financial privacy, security, mining decentralization, education, community-building and global Bitcoin adoption. These projects are helping Bitcoin thrive as a tool for freedom in regions like Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. ‍
  • Bitcoin Education for Nonprofits: Led by Russian activist Anna Chekhovich, this program equips nonprofits worldwide to counter financial censorship. Through quarterly webinars, workshops, and in-person trainings, participants from more than 50 countries learned Bitcoin essentials, such as receiving donations, wallet setup, security practices, financial privacy, and managing payroll. This education is crucial to helping nonprofits strengthen their activism under the grip of dictators.‍
  • The Finney Freedom Prize: Created to honor Hal Finney, a pioneer in privacy and electronic cash, this prize celebrates exceptional contributions to Bitcoin and human rights. Awarded every four years on Bitcoin’s halving day, recipients receive 1 BTC and a trophy. With a 33 BTC treasury ensuring sustainability for over a century, the prize incentivizes long-term thinking, innovation, and global impact at the intersection of financial freedom and human rights.‍
  • The Financial Freedom Report: This weekly newsletter exposes the weaknesses of traditional financial systems, particularly in authoritarian regimes where governments and banks often collaborate to weaponize financial repression against dissent. It delves into critical issues such as surveillance, censorship, asset confiscation, and currency instability. The newsletter also educates readers on how Bitcoin can serve as a safeguard for civil liberties and human rights and shares updates on developments in the Bitcoin and open-source technology space.‍
  • Bitcoin & Stablecoin Adoption Index: In collaboration with The Reynolds Foundation and led by Professor Sarah Kreps at Cornell University, this research project maps global digital asset adoption. The study, analyzing data from more than 20 countries, including India, Nigeria, and El Salvador, will seek to identify trends and demographic patterns to provide insights into how Bitcoin and stablecoins are being used globally, especially under authoritarian regimes. It is the first high-level research of its kind.‍
  • Bitcoin Bounties: HRF awarded nine bounties in 2024 to incentivize open-source developers to solve real challenges faced by human rights activists, including Oslo Freedom Forum speakers. The results of these bounties have been remarkable. One notable achievement is the development of Encrypted Chat for Nostr, with HRF’s bounty leading to the creation and adoption of NIP-17 by Bitcoin legend Martti Malmi, along with prominent Nostr developers Vitor Pamplona, hodlbod, and Paul Miller. A code library for Silent Payments was integrated into some of the largest Bitcoin wallets following threats on Bitcoin privacy services earlier this spring.‍
  • Global Events: HRF’s Financial Freedom program continues to inspire through public events like the Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) and the Global Bitcoin Summit (GBS). OFF’s “Freedom Tech” track highlights how citizens push back against authoritarian regimes using open-source tools, features speakers from over a dozen countries, and offers workshops, such as Bitcoin 101 for Activists. At GBS, over 125 human rights defenders, developers, educators, and designers from over 60 countries came together to collaborate and solve financial repression worldwide.‍
  • Advocacy and Policy Influence: HRF has championed Bitcoin as "freedom money," shaping policy discussions and emphasizing its role in the fight for human rights. Through impactful op-eds, public speeches, and collaborations with other human rights organizations, HRF has highlighted Bitcoin’s potential to empower individuals and resist oppression.

Public Education: HRF’s work gained recognition in prominent media outlets such as Forbes, the Journal of Democracy, Reason, Wired, and Coindesk, among others. These platforms highlighted HRF’s initiatives to advance financial freedom, human rights, and promote Bitcoin as a tool for positive change. Additionally, HRF’s Financial Freedom staff spoke at 34 conferences across 25 countries, reaching tens of thousands of people in person. HRF staff also appeared on podcasts and short videos, generating more than 3 million views. Our work on financial freedom was even profiled in the best-selling book “Tracers in the Dark” by WIRED journalist Andy Greenberg.

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These accomplishments illustrate HRF's unique position at the intersection of human rights and financial technology, leveraging Bitcoin to empower those under authoritarian rule with tools for financial independence and resistance against financial censorship.

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Bitcoin treasury strategy: HRF operates with a dual USD and BTC monetary standard. They use both for their treasury as well as operations. They are proud to conduct many of their payments in BTC including all BDF grants.

Students for Liberty - Bitcoin Academy

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Summary

Mission: Students For Liberty’s Bitcoin Month Project is an annual initiative that mobilizes young people to explore Bitcoin as a catalyst for human rights, financial sovereignty, and resistance to authoritarianism. By framing Bitcoin within the classical liberal tradition, the project educates, empowers, and connects a new generation of pro-liberty advocates across the globe.

Focus: The project combined educational events, social media outreach, and global engagement to highlight Bitcoin’s role in a free society, particularly targeting college students worldwide. 

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Biggest accomplishments

Massive Social Media Reach: The last campaign achieved 16.8 million impressions (vs. a target of 500,000) and 79,741 engagements (vs. a target of 25,000), significantly surpassing its original goals. The content focused on Bitcoin’s impact on human rights, the economy, and energy infrastructure.

Global Event Participation: Events took place in 10 countries, engaging a total of 2,489 attendees through both in-person and virtual formats. Themes ranged from “Bitcoin and the Economy” to “Bitcoin and Consumer Rights.”

BTCPrague Engagement: At BTCPrague, SFL hosted a booth visited by over 750 attendees. The event featured 12 volunteers from 7 countries and 5 staff, who gave talks and built connections with over 7,000 conference-goers.

High-Profile Digital Event: A live conversation between Wolf von Laer and Alex Gladstein attracted 1,130 live viewers across platforms, exploring Bitcoin’s origins and its relevance to liberty.

Localized Impact: Events in places like Nepal, Malawi, and Bolivia offered discussions tailored to local economic and regulatory contexts, deepening awareness and peer-to-peer education among students.

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The Bitcoin Month Project empowered young people worldwide to see Bitcoin as a tool for liberty, financial inclusion, and resistance to authoritarianism by sparking real-world discussions and building vibrant communities. SFL has used Bitcoin since 2015, with over 20 staff paid in Bitcoin, and CEO Dr. Wolf von Laer has spoken at major events including Bitcoin Miami, Amsterdam, Nashville, and other industry forums.

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Bitcoin treasury strategy: Students for Liberty intends to deploy any bitcoin grant towards significantly scaling their Bitcoin-focused work, including: 

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  • Scaling the Bitcoin Month initiative, reaching more students with content linking Bitcoin to liberty and financial inclusion.
  • Launching BitcoinLabs, a startup incubator for student-led Bitcoin projects.
  • Running 100+ localized Bitcoin educational events around the world.
  • Creating high-impact Learn Liberty videos on Bitcoin’s role in resisting inflation and authoritarianism.
  • Recruiting and training future Bitcoin developers via our “Shadowy Super Coder Pipeline.”
  • Hiring a Director of Orange Pilling to lead these efforts full-time and develop new initiatives.

Policy 

Bitcoin Policy Institute 

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  • Mission: The Bitcoin Policy Institute educates policymakers and the broader public about bitcoin through rigorous, non-partisan research and advocacy. By highlighting bitcoin’s alignment with American interests and values, they promote informed policies that advance US leadership and support bitcoin’s growth.
  • Vision: A world where bitcoin and other decentralized technologies empower individuals, protect fundamental freedoms, and foster a more open, transparent, and innovative society.

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Their Work:

  • Bitcoin Policy Summit: The Bitcoin Policy Summit is BPI’s flagship event, designed to bring together leaders from government, industry, and academia to shape the future of American bitcoin policy. By creating space for serious, high-signal dialogue in the heart of Washington, the Summit advances BPI’s core mission: to ensure the United States leads in harnessing Bitcoin’s economic, strategic, and democratic potential.
  • Fellowship Program: BPI supports nearly two dozen economists, technologists, climate scientists, lawyers, and philosophers within our fellowship program. Through rigorous research that moves beyond hype and cynicism alike, they work to provide relevant insights to policymakers, journalists, and the public. Throughout the year, they awarded grants to support their academic research, conference travel, and various initiatives that further our mission.
  • Peer-to-Peer Rights Fund: They launched the Peer-to-Peer Rights Fund to protect the decentralized integrity of the Bitcoin ecosystem by defending non-custodial tools and their developers from regulatory overreach. The fund supports strategic litigation—including the Samourai Wallet case—provides regulatory guidance, and works to establish legal precedents that safeguard innovation, privacy, and user autonomy.
  • Key Policy Initiatives:
    • Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: As Bitcoin matures into a globally recognized digital asset, a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve presents the United States with a forward-looking opportunity to enhance monetary stability, counter geopolitical rivals, strengthen energy and climate resilience, and promote democratic values in an increasingly digital world. BPI has prioritized the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in its policy research because it represents a powerful convergence of national security, economic resilience, and digital innovation—domains where Bitcoin can meaningfully advance US strategic interests.
    • Bitcoin Mining: Their mining and energy research is a core pillar of BPI’s work, aimed at countering widespread misconceptions among policymakers by demonstrating how bitcoin mining can strengthen US energy infrastructure, support grid stability, and advance national economic and security interests.
    • Peer-to-Peer Rights: BPI is committed to preserving the right to use Bitcoin in a peer-to-peer, non-custodial manner—a foundational principle of the technology. Through initiatives like the P2P Rights Fund and ongoing research into financial privacy, we are working to raise awareness and defend against regulatory overreach that threatens open, user-controlled networks like bitcoin. 

As a nonprofit, they rely solely on donations to operate and pursue their mission. By donating, you enable them to: 

Empower their Fellows to produce original analysis on bitcoin 

Educate lawmakers, journalists, and the public through research, briefings, and events 

Advocate for sensible public policy

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Bitcoin treasury strategy: Since January 2024, BPI has been building a bitcoin reserve — this has given them the firepower to decisively shift the strategic landscape during a moment of acute political opportunity.

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As their bitcoin endowment grows, their capacity to shape policy scales in turn, creating a positive loop between our efforts and the adoption of the network. Donations in dollars fuel immediate efforts. Donations in bitcoin underwrite BPI as an institution determined to secure bitcoin's enduring success.

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Texas Bitcoin Foundation 

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Summary:

  • Mission: The Texas Bitcoin Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to promoting research and education about bitcoin, focusing on its social, economic, and scientific impacts. Their aim is to foster a deeper understanding and adoption of bitcoin within Texas and beyond. Donations to the Texas Bitcoin Foundation are fully tax deductible.
  • Focus: The Texas Bitcoin Foundation funds and disseminates interdisciplinary research and education about Bitcoin and related scientific, economic, and historical issues. They publish original research that can be drawn upon by academic and research institutions, public and private organizations, and the broader public.

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Biggest accomplishments:

  • Launch and establishment: Officially launched in November 2021, the foundation has quickly established itself as a key player in bitcoin advocacy, research, and education, particularly within Texas.
  • Educational partnerships: They've partnered with academic institutions like Texas State Technical College to launch the state's first professional certification programs in bitcoin mining, aiming to equip Texans with the skills needed in this burgeoning industry.
  • Research and policy influence: In 2025, the Foundation published its first book, The Satoshi Papers: Reflections on Political Economy after Bitcoin. The book brings together essays by ten interdisciplinary social scientists to examine how bitcoin impacts the relationship between the individual, state, and society.
  • Community engagement: Foundation Directors and authors regularly speak at policy conferences, universities, and bitcoin community hubs around the world. Their reach extends beyond explicitly bitcoin-focused events to reach a wider audience of academics and policymakers who may be unfamiliar with bitcoin.
  • Advocacy for bitcoin mining: They've been vocal in defending bitcoin mining operations in Texas, highlighting their benefits to the state's energy grid, particularly in managing surplus renewable energy and providing economic benefits to rural areas.

These accomplishments showcase the Texas Bitcoin Foundation's significant role in promoting bitcoin's growth in Texas, emphasizing education, research, and policy advocacy to integrate bitcoin into the state's economic and technological landscape.

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Bitcoin donations: All bitcoin donations are deployed towards furthering the Texas Bitcoin Foundation mission. 

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Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is dedicated to promoting individual liberty, economic freedom, and accountable government to expand opportunities and lower the cost of living. Its work focuses on housing, healthcare, taxes, government transparency and removing barriers to economic opportunity, such as for cryptocurrency.

Accomplishments:

  • ‍Adopted a bitcoin treasury strategy: The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is the first nonprofit organization in Hawaii to embrace incorporating bitcoin into its financial strategy. In 2024, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii allocated a portion of its cash reserves to bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and other macroeconomic uncertainties, and as a way to support transformative innovation. Thanks to generous donors, the fund now constitutes a significant portion of Grassroot’s fund balances.‍
  • Policy changes: Until 2024, cryptocurrency exchanges in Hawaii were heavily regulated — to the point that some companies refused to open offices in the state. However, due in large part to research and lobbying by Grassroot, the state finally lifted its restrictions, instantly transforming Hawaii from one of the least to one of the most favorable places for cryptocurrency businesses to operate.‍
  • Educational outreach: The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii educates the public through its constantly updated website; its bi-weekly newsletter emailed to more than 40,000 residents, including to journalists and all of Hawaii state and county lawmakers; the publication of policy reports and briefs; TV, radio and online interviews with both local and national journalists; its social media presence on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube; its statewide seminars; and its frequent community speaking engagements, including to business groups, trade organizations and students at virtually all levels, from elementary to college. Grassroot also has an active lobbying presence at the state Legislature and Hawaii’s four county councils.

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