OpenSats Nostr Fund

OpenSats grants paid in bitcoin for open-source nostr work: clients, relays, libraries, design and protocol development.

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Time left to apply

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Opened Oct 1Closes Nov 30

98% of the window left: 59 of 61 days.

Grant size: Size not published; No published ceiling
Paid in: BTC; Paid in one go
Funding model: Round; Fixed application window, reviewed as a batch.
Typical decision: 13 weeks; From submission to an answer

Checked Oct 1 against 6 sources. Confirm amounts and dates on opensats.org before you apply.

About the program

The Nostr Fund is the part of OpenSats earmarked for nostr, the open protocol for censorship-resistant social and messaging apps. It started in 2023 with a contribution from Jack Dorsey's #startsmall and pays relay operators, client developers, library maintainers, designers and protocol contributors.

You apply with the same OpenSats form used for Bitcoin work, and the board routes your application to the right fund. The rules are the same: free and open-source work built in public, two written references, a two-minute video, and a grant of 3 to 12 months. Applications are open in the first two months of each quarter.

Grants are set in USD and paid in bitcoin, and amounts are private by default. OpenSats says it has allocated over $10 million from the Nostr Fund since 2023, with about 35% going to long-term support for senior nostr developers. The May 2026 wave funded 44Billion, NosCall, Routstr, Wisp and a renewal for Zapstore.

What they fund

Nostr clients on iOS, Android, web and desktop
Relay implementations and relay operations
Developer libraries and protocol-level work
Design that makes nostr usable for newcomers
Apps that extend nostr, such as private calls, app stores and AI access

Who can apply

Check yourself0 of 4

Developers, designers and other contributors anywhere in the world; pseudonymous applicants are welcome
All code and material must be free and open-source and developed in public
General grants run 3 to 12 months and need at least two written references
OpenSats cannot fund grants tied to countries or programs on the OFAC sanctions list

Tick what applies to you. Saved on this device only.

How applying works

Prepare your application
Use the OpenSats template, keep it to about one page, and line up two written reference letters.
Submit in a window
Apply at opensats.org/apply in the first two months of a quarter, with a video that runs exactly two minutes.
Committee and board review
The nostr technical committee reviews the application, and a board majority decides.
Sign and report
Approved grantees sign a grant agreement, are paid in bitcoin, and send progress reports every 90 days.

Sources

Checked on Oct 1 against these pages. Programs change often, so confirm the details on opensats.org before you apply.

About the program

What they fund

Who can apply

How applying works

Prepare your application

Submit in a window

Committee and board review

Sign and report

Sources

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