OpenSats Nostr Fund
OpenSatsBitcoinOpen
OpenSats grants paid in bitcoin for open-source nostr work: clients, relays, libraries, design and protocol development.
Time left to apply
98% of the window left, 59 days of 61
Apply to OpenSats Nostr Fund
Applications go through opensats.org. Expect a decision in about 13 weeks.
Grant stats
- Grant size
- Undisclosed
- Largest grant
- Not published
- Paid in
- BTC
- Payout
- One payment
- Funding model
- Round
- Fixed application window, reviewed as a batch.
- Typical decision
- 13 weeks
- From submission to an answer
- Round
- Q4 2026
- Ecosystem
- Bitcoin
Checked Oct 1 against 6 sources. Confirm amounts and dates on opensats.org before you apply.
About OpenSats Nostr Fund
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.
Resources
Categories
Funded before
- Zapstore
- Routstr
- Jumble
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
Tick what applies to you. Saved on this device only.
How applying works
- 1
Prepare your application
Use the OpenSats template, keep it to about one page, and line up two written reference letters.
- 2
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.
- 3
Committee and board review
The nostr technical committee reviews the application, and a board majority decides.
- 4
Sign and report
Approved grantees sign a grant agreement, are paid in bitcoin, and send progress reports every 90 days.
Similar programs
More in Public goodsFAQ
- When does OpenSats Nostr Fund close?
- Applications close on Nov 30, 59 days from now.
- How much can I get?
- The program doesn't publish a range; amounts are set per proposal.
- How long until I hear back?
- About 13 weeks from submission to a decision, going by the program's own process or past rounds.
- Where do I apply?
- On the official site, opensats.org. web3grant links there directly and never takes applications itself.
Sources
Checked on Oct 1 against these pages. Programs change often, so confirm the details on opensats.org before you apply.