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FAQ

Frequently asked questions:

What are you doing at OpenSats?

Open Sats Initiative, Inc. (EIN 85-2722249) is a 501(c)(3) public charity which aims to fund Bitcoin-related free and open-source projects and associated education and research initiatives.

We want to see contributors to Bitcoin Core and FOSS (free and open-source) tools supported by a sustainable ecosystem and consistent funding, so we set up an initiative to do just that. Donors can come to the OpenSats website and either recommend gifts to specific project areas or contribute to our general fund.

We distribute grants to a wide variety of contributor types (developers, designers, researchers, educators, reviewers...), but only to those working on Bitcoin and open-source projects that will improve public access to Bitcoin infrastructure.

Why the name OpenSats?

Open refers to free and open-source software. Sats refers to satoshis, the base unit of bitcoin. We send sats to open-source developers so they can focus on code instead of worrying about money. Hence: OpenSats.

How are funds distributed?

Donations to the general fund will be distributed periodically by our board. We evaluate and assess applications to make sure any grants are awarded to high impact projects in the Bitcoin space.

You can find a list of past and active grantees, as well as links to our reports at our transparency section.

Why aren't all grant amounts publicly disclosed?

OpenSats awards grants worldwide, independently of the applicant's background or socioeconomic status. In some parts of the world, the news that someone is funded for their work can put them at risk. We therefore announce every grant while keeping grant amounts private by default. Grantees are free to disclose details of their own grant agreement, and some do.

Please refer to our transparency page for detailed financial reports.

How much of my donation goes towards open-source contributors?

100%. Every sat donated to our open-source funds goes in full to OpenSats grant recipients. We do not take a cut from donations and try our best to find donor-matching partners that cover the transaction fees that incur with each donation, regardless of payment method.

Please reach out if you want to help us cover these costs.

How can I donate to OpenSats?

You can donate in several ways:

  • Set up a recurring donation to one or more of our funds at opensats.org/monthly.
  • Make a one-time bitcoin or fiat donation at opensats.org/donate, where you’ll also find details on giving via wire transfer or Donor-Advised Fund (DAF).
  • For nostr users, set opensats@vlt.ge as the lightning address in your profile so that any Zaps you receive are directed to OpenSats.
  • For Podcasting 2.0, add the OpenSats Lightning node as one of your streaming-sats targets.

Do you distribute grants in bitcoin or fiat?

We only distribute grants in bitcoin.

We accept donations in fiat currency, but they are transferred to our exchange partner and used to purchase bitcoin. The bitcoin is then held and eventually distributed to grant recipients.

How do you collect bitcoin donations?

We use BTCPay Server to collect bitcoin donations, both on-chain and lightning. This ensures that we pay as little fees as possible so your funds are stretched even farther.

How can I communicate with you?

The best way to contact us is via email:

You can also write to us at:

Open Sats Initiative, Inc.
42041 Cypress Parkway #4-207
Punta Gorda, FL 33982

How often are funding opportunities announced?

Funding opportunities are announced as they arise, depending on funding availability. Projects that align with our mission statement are encouraged to apply. Board members evaluate each application based on technical merit, potential impact, and the team's ability to execute.

All projects should be free and open-source and related to Bitcoin or an ancillary technology (like Tor, etc.) which helps Bitcoin use. Your project must align with the mission of our charity to be eligible for donations.

How do I apply for funding?

Any project that is free and open-source and is aligned with the OpenSats mission is free to submit an application.

All applications which fulfill the criteria will be evaluated by the Board. Upon board approval and collection of necessary supplemental data, approved projects might be showcased on the OpenSats website. Please refer to our dedicated Application FAQ for additional information pertaining to applications.

When is the best time to apply?

We are continually evaluating applications and are reviewing grant proposals as described in our grant selection process.

You are free to apply at any time except for the months of March, June, September, and December, where we close applications to make internal improvements and do some housekeeping.

If you are helping Bitcoin and FOSS, please submit an application on our website.

How are board members selected?

OpenSats has a public nine-person board. Board members are selected from our volunteer technical committees, which help us review grant applications and progress reports in their respective verticals. A prospective board member first has to serve on one of these committees.

Over time, committee members who consistently show good judgment, technical competence, reliability, and alignment with our mission may be invited to join the board if they are willing to take on the role.

We keep the current board list up to date on our about page.

Do board members benefit financially from donations?

No. Board members are not compensated for their board member duties and do not benefit from donations given to our funds. Board member duties are performed on a volunteer basis.

Tell me more about your board. How does it work?

We have nine board members and we vote by majority. All standard decisions (like which projects will receive grants allocated from the general fund) are made by simple majority (5-4), while board-related changes require a 6-3 supermajority.

The current board list is kept up to date on our about page.

Are you really 100% passthrough?

Yes, really. We have an operational budget to cover lawyers, accountants, and basic operational costs, but they aren't paid from your donations to projects. Our operational costs are covered by generous donors who regularly donate to our Operations Budget.

  • John Pfeffer, Greg Foss, Ten31, #startsmall, and The Bitcoin Company have contributed to our legal and operational overhead or contributed technical development resources so OpenSats can stay 100% passthrough for all donations directed to our General Fund and Nostr Fund.
  • BTCPay Server is a FOSS tool we use to accept bitcoin with no fees.
  • Unchained provides our bitcoin exchange services with reduced fees.
  • Unchained also provides our multi-sig custody services with no fees.

We are committed to remaining a 100% passthrough operation, meaning that we are passing on 100% of donations made to our funds to open-source contributors. To this day our operational, legal, and payment processing fees have been graciously and privately funded.

Please consider donating to the Operations Budget which will help cover our basic operational expenses (which we have kept to a minimum) so we can ensure that all donations intended for Bitcoin and FOSS projects remain 100% passthrough.

Are my donations tax deductible?

Yes, Open Sats Initiative, Inc. (EIN 85-2722249) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All gifts and donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

If you would like to receive a tax deduction, we may need to collect supplementary information like your name and email for required recordkeeping purposes.

OpenSats relies on donors like you to help promote and support a sustainable ecosystem of contributors to Bitcoin and related free and open-source projects. We greatly appreciate your contributions.

Visit opensats.org/donate for more information on donations.