# Web3 grants Africa-based builders can apply for > Web3 grants Africa-based developers can apply for in 2026: Btrust's Bitcoin grants for Africa and the Global South, HRF, and programs open worldwide. Last reviewed 2026-10-31. Dates are UTC. Web3 grants Africa-based developers can apply for fall into two groups. Btrust is the only funder in web3grant's directory whose rules name Africa: its developer grants pay monthly in BTC for open-source Bitcoin work, and its education grants fund training programs for African and Global South developers. Beyond that, programs such as OpenSats, Brink, Kusama Vision Bounties and Reactive Network accept applicants worldwide. ## Key takeaways - Btrust Developer Grants name developers in Africa, India, Latin America, MENA and Southeast Asia, with six-month Starter Grants and renewable one-year grants paid monthly in BTC. - Btrust Education Grants fund programs that train developers in Africa or the wider Global South; the first 2026 round gave $904,000 to five programs. - OpenSats and Brink accept developers "anywhere in the world", and Kusama Vision Bounties and Reactive Network say they fund applicants worldwide, apart from sanctioned persons and jurisdictions. - Superteam's Solana Foundation listing for Nigeria, like every other regional Superteam listing, showed "Applications Paused" when we checked on October 1, 2026. - Sanctions rules, not geography, are the main limit for global programs: OpenSats cannot fund grants tied to countries on the OFAC sanctions list. ## Which Web3 grants are for builders in Africa? Only Btrust's two programs in web3grant's directory name Africa in their eligibility. Btrust was set up in 2021 with a 500 BTC donation from Jack Dorsey and Jay-Z to grow the number of Bitcoin open-source developers in Africa and the wider Global South. We found no other program in the directory with a stated African focus as of October 2026. ### Btrust Developer Grants [Btrust Developer Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/btrust-developer-grants) pay developers monthly in BTC to work full-time on open-source Bitcoin projects such as Bitcoin Core, LDK, BDK, rust-bitcoin and Stratum V2. Eligibility names developers in Africa, India, Latin America, MENA and Southeast Asia, and other Global South applicants are considered case by case. There are two tracks: - **Starter Grant:** six months of full-time funding and mentoring for newer contributors. You need at least one merged, non-trivial code PR (not a "good first issue"), meaningful reviews, a six-month plan and a positive word from a project mentor or contributor. - **Open-Source Cohort:** a one-year contract, renewable for a second year, for contributors with an established record. You need a proposal on Btrust's template and three references, and you get a mentor, a manager, daily standups, hardware stipends and travel support. Btrust does not publish grant amounts. In 2025 it awarded more than $2 million in grants, with 39.7% going directly to developers, and it announces new recipients each quarter; the Q3 2026 cohort was announced on September 23, 2026. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and we estimate about 10 weeks to a decision. The [Btrust developer grants page](https://www.btrust.tech/grants/developer) has both application forms. ### Btrust Education Grants [Btrust Education Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/btrust-education-grants) fund workshops, courses, internships and hackathons that move developers in Africa and the wider Global South into open-source Bitcoin work. They are for experienced organizers: individuals or organizations must have already run similar programs, and Btrust does not accept first-time educators or brand-new programs. All content must stay open-source and free, and your program must start at least 16 weeks after you apply. Btrust's first 2026 round gave $904,000 to five programs: Hack4Freedom, Summer of Bitcoin, Bitshala, Vinteum, and Librería de Satoshi with B4OS. ## Which global programs accept African applicants? Many programs accept applicants from any country, and several say so explicitly. These are the clearest cases in web3grant's directory as of October 2026: - **[OpenSats](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/opensats-general-fund):** developers, designers, researchers, reviewers and educators "anywhere in the world", with pseudonymous applicants welcome. The Q4 2026 window is open until November 30, 2026. - **[Brink](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/brink-grants):** year-long grants for established Bitcoin protocol developers "anywhere in the world". Brink's separate fellowship requires moving to London for a year. - **[Kusama Vision Bounties](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/kusama-vision-bounties):** individuals, teams and collectives worldwide, except sanctioned persons and jurisdictions, for zero-knowledge, proof-of-personhood and art projects. - **[Reactive Dev Fund](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/reactive-network-dev-fund):** "individual developers and teams worldwide" building event-driven dApps on Reactive Network. - **[Sentient Open Source AGI Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/sentient-open-source-agi-grants):** open worldwide, and the panel says it reaches into multilingual and underserved markets. Its product requests include open-source AI apps for health, scam prevention, education and agriculture. - **[Galaxy Bitcoin Quantum Readiness Grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/galaxy-bitcoin-quantum-readiness-grants):** no published restrictions on location or entity type. Two more Bitcoin funders are worth knowing. The [BDK Foundation](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/bdk-foundation-grants) says it weighs whether a candidate would bring a new region onto its team, alongside public open-source work and Rust or mobile skills. Spiral says its grantees so far span more than a dozen countries. ### Human rights and freedom tech HRF's [Bitcoin Development Fund](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/hrf-bitcoin-development-fund) has no regional rule. It funds developers, activists, educators, community builders, translators and UX designers whose Bitcoin work helps people living under authoritarian regimes, wherever they are. Its Q3 2026 round gave more than 500 million sats to 16 projects, and HRF says to expect more information within 4 to 6 weeks of applying. - [Solana Foundation grants](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/solana-foundation-grants): Solana Foundation. Grant size: Not published. Always open: no deadline, applications reviewed as they arrive. - [The Graph Grants Program](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/the-graph-grants): The Graph Foundation. Grant size: $1K–$325K (USD equivalent). Always open: no deadline, applications reviewed as they arrive. - [Tether Grants and Bounties](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/tether-developer-grants): Tether. Grant size: $1.5K–$5K (USD equivalent). Always open: no deadline, applications reviewed as they arrive. - [Nym Squad League](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/nym-squad-league): Nym. Grant size: Up to $2.7K (USD equivalent). Always open: no deadline, applications reviewed as they arrive. - [MAGIC Monero Fund](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/magic-monero-fund): MAGIC Grants. Grant size: Up to $55K (USD equivalent). Always open: no deadline, applications reviewed as they arrive. - [Polkadot OpenGov Treasury](https://www.web3grant.com/grants/polkadot-opengov-treasury): Polkadot OpenGov. Grant size: Up to $12M (USD equivalent). Always open: no deadline, applications reviewed as they arrive. The programs above accept individuals and state no regional limit in their eligibility rules, though KYC and sanctions checks may still apply. Each funds work for its own network, so pick the chain you already build on. The guide to [crypto grants for individuals](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/crypto-grants-for-individuals) covers them in more depth. ## Which Africa-focused programs are paused or gone? Several programs that served African builders were not taking applications when we checked in October 2026: - **Superteam Nigeria (Solana Foundation Instagrants):** small grants of up to $10,000, run by local Superteam chapters for builders who live in the listing's country. Every regional listing, including Nigeria's, showed "Applications Paused" on October 1, 2026, with no restart date. The [Superteam grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/superteam-grants) guide tracks the pause. - **Mercy Corps Ventures' Crypto For Good Fund:** gave equity-free grants of up to $100,000 to blockchain startups in emerging markets. The last round we found closed on December 20, 2024, and as of October 2, 2026 no new round was listed. - **UNICEF Venture Fund:** active, but it makes equity-free investments in for-profit startups registered in a UNICEF programme country, and its dedicated blockchain call closed on March 10, 2026. ## What should African applicants check before applying? Eligibility by country is rarely the problem. Sanctions, identity checks and payment logistics are, so check these before you write a proposal: 1. **Sanctions lists.** OpenSats cannot fund grants tied to countries on the OFAC sanctions list, Tether excludes prohibited jurisdictions, and dYdX lets applicants in restricted jurisdictions apply but reviews them more strictly and may not pay them in DYDX. 2. **KYC documents.** Many programs verify identity before paying. Have a valid ID ready; [KYC for crypto grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grant-kyc) explains what is usually asked. 3. **How you will be paid.** Btrust pays monthly in BTC, and 33 of the 99 programs in web3grant's directory can pay in stablecoins or USD. Plan how you will hold or convert funds under your country's rules; [how to receive grant funds in crypto](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/receiving-grant-funds) covers the basics. 4. **Proof of work.** Btrust's Starter Grant needs a merged pull request, and OpenSats asks for two written references. Public contributions and someone who will vouch for you matter more than where you live. Taxes on grant income depend on your country, so check with a local tax professional. ## Next steps Start with [Bitcoin grants](https://www.web3grant.com/ecosystems/bitcoin) if you contribute to Bitcoin open source, then search the [full directory](https://www.web3grant.com/grants) for your chain. Note the OpenSats window on the [deadline calendar](https://www.web3grant.com/deadlines), and follow [how to apply for Web3 grants](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/how-to-apply-for-web3-grants) for the application itself. Builders in India and Latin America should also read [Web3 grants for India and Latin America](https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grants-india-latin-america). ## FAQ ### Are there Web3 grants only for African developers? Btrust's Developer Grants come closest: they name developers in Africa, India, Latin America, MENA and Southeast Asia, and Btrust was founded to grow Bitcoin open-source developers in Africa and the Global South. Btrust Education Grants fund training programs for African and Global South developers. As of October 2026, web3grant's directory lists no Web3 grant program limited to African applicants alone. ### Can Nigerian developers apply for Web3 grants? Yes. Nigerian developers can apply to Btrust Developer Grants and to global programs that accept applicants worldwide, such as OpenSats, Brink, Kusama Vision Bounties and Reactive Network, subject to each program's sanctions and KYC checks. Superteam Nigeria's Solana Foundation grant listing, a common route in the past, showed "Applications Paused" when we checked on October 1, 2026. ### Do African grant recipients get paid in crypto? Usually yes. Btrust Developer Grants pay monthly in BTC, OpenSats pays grants in bitcoin, and many chain foundations pay in their own token, some in stablecoins. In web3grant's directory, 33 of the 99 programs can pay in stablecoins or USD. Plan how you will hold, convert and record the funds under local rules before accepting a grant. ### What do Africa-based applicants need to win a Bitcoin developer grant? Public proof of work matters most. Btrust's Starter Grant needs at least one merged, non-trivial code PR, meaningful reviews and a positive word from a project mentor, and its one-year cohort needs three references. OpenSats asks for two written references and a two-minute video. Contributing to projects such as Bitcoin Core, BDK or LDK first gives reviewers something concrete to check. --- From web3grant: https://www.web3grant.com/guides/web3-grants-africa. Program details change often: confirm on each program's official site before applying.