My First Bitcoin, a nonprofit targeted on grassroots Bitcoin training, simply introduced they’re receiving a $1 million grant from Begin Small. This funding will assist scale efforts to offer free, open supply Bitcoin training for the world.
“The revolution of Bitcoin education is that it teaches students HOW to think, not WHAT to think,” mentioned Founder and Govt Director of My First Bitcoin John Dennehy. “Funding from sources with their own incentives is the greatest vulnerability that threatens that. Education will be captured by whoever funds it. We will never take any government money and frequently turn down funding from corporations and companies. The subtle influence of funding has ruined fiat education and we need to create alternative models for the revolution of Bitcoin education to realize its full potential.”
This grant provides My First Bitcoin the power to increase its attain and enhance instruments just like the Bitcoin Diploma, Intro Course, and trainer coaching workshops. It additionally strengthens their On-line College and Neighborhood Hub, making Bitcoin training extra accessible to individuals in every single place.
This funding isn’t just a milestone—it’s an announcement. As Dennehy added, “My First Bitcoin is a proof-of-concept for all independent Bitcoin educators that if you stay on the mission, even when it’s challenging, then you will come out the other side even stronger.”
My First Bitcoin began in 2021 as a small native challenge. Since then, it’s grown into a worldwide motion. Through the years, the workforce has taught tens of 1000’s of scholars in-person, testing and refining supplies primarily based on real-world suggestions.
In 2022, My First Bitcoin awarded Bitcoin diplomas to 38 highschool college students in El Salvador. As a part of this system, the scholars had 10 classes which included the introduction to financial techniques, the results of fiat, financial historical past, understanding bitcoin, wallets and the Bitcoin community, the double-spend drawback and nodes, safety and mining, the worth of bitcoin, the Lightning Community and Bitcoin’s future, and the ultimate challenge.
In 2023, the group launched the Unbiased Bitcoin Educators Node Community—now with over 65 initiatives throughout greater than 35 international locations. These embody round economies, meetup teams, and different native Bitcoin initiatives. What unites them is their shared dedication to 6 core values: “that their education is independent, impartial, community-led, Bitcoin-only, quality, and focused on empowerment over profit.”
“Open source money deserves open source education. Over the past few years, we’ve seen growing demand for our resources around the world, and we remain committed to serving everyone in the Bitcoin space who needs support,” mentioned Director of Communications at My First Bitcoin Arnold Hubach.