The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has unveiled its latest philanthropic initiatives as part of the Bitcoin Development Fund. In this latest round of funding, HRF has generously supported 15 projects, with a strong emphasis on global education, Bitcoin Core development, Discrete Log Contracts (DLCs) related to the Lightning Network, ecash technology, and providing financial aid to developers hailing from oppressive regimes, notably in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.

The grant program encompasses seven substantial grants, each valued at $50,000, five grants worth $25,000 each, and three grants amounting to $10,000 each. The total contribution surpasses half a million U.S. dollars or approximately 19 BTC, based on the value at the time of this announcement.

This announcement builds upon the recent launch of the 20 Bitcoin bounty challenge a few months ago, bringing HRF’s cumulative contributions to Bitcoin’s improvement and the well-being of its developers to nearly 40 BTC since July.

As of now, only the “Open Sourcing the Design Guide” bounty has been successfully claimed, and half of the “End-to-End Encrypted Nostr Group Chats” bounty has been disbursed. These bounties will remain open for submissions until December 31st, 2024, with additional updates and detailed information available on the organization’s website.

Regarding the recipients of the newly announced grants:

1. Gee Deer is set to receive $50,000 for their noteworthy contributions to Bitcoin Core and the development of Lightning Network native stablecoins. Their focus is on minimizing counterparty risk and enhancing decentralization through the use of Discrete Log Contracts (DLCs).

2. Jarol Rodriguez will be granted $50,000 for his valuable contributions to Bitcoin Core, which include evaluating pull requests, troubleshooting issues, enhancing the Bitcoin Core App, and making it compatible with mobile devices.

3. Furszy will be awarded $50,000 for its dedication to Bitcoin Core, which involves analyzing pull requests, addressing bugs, suggesting performance and code improvements, and actively participating in public discussions.

4. Summer of Bitcoin is set to receive $50,000 in support of their summer fellowship program. This program introduces college students worldwide to Bitcoin programming and design.

5. Justin Moeller will be granted $50,000 to advance his work on Fedimint. His focus includes implementing a database migration system and improving the utilization of ecash.

6. The Kawaakibi Foundation will receive $50,000 to establish a MENA Bitcoin Hub. This hub aims to educate activists, journalists, and organizations in repressive regions on the secure use of Bitcoin for transactions and fundraising.

7. Vinteum will be provided with $50,000 to further open-source Bitcoin development in Brazil and Latin America. Their efforts will support developers and nurture Bitcoin communities.

8. D++ will be awarded $25,000 for her work on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) projects and global educational initiatives. These include talks, workshops, and maintaining Bitcoin Core.

9. Bitcoin Ekasi will receive $25,000 to create a self-sustaining Bitcoin economy in South Africa. This involves onboarding local businesses to Bitcoin usage and providing education and skills development.

10. Amiti Uttarwar will be granted $25,000 for her commendable efforts in Bitcoin mentoring, ADDRMAN, and Bitcoin Bytes.

11. Ben Perrin will receive $25,000 to bolster his channel for global Bitcoin education through instructional materials, in-person and online training, and workshops.

12. La Librería de Satoshi (Library of Satoshi) will be provided with $25,000 to offer technical education in Spanish. This initiative aims to empower Spanish-speaking developers to become Bitcoin Core contributors and educators.

In addition to these grants, HRF will allocate $10,000 in travel awards to three events, facilitating the participation of Bitcoin developers from challenging political environments.

Christian Keroles, the Financial Freedom Director for HRF, underscores the foundation’s unwavering commitment to expanding access to financial technology. He notes that this round of grants serves dual purposes, encompassing both technical advancements and educational initiatives, ultimately making Bitcoin more accessible worldwide, particularly for those who need it most.