My First Bitcoin, a nonprofit centered on grassroots Bitcoin training, simply introduced they’re receiving a $1 million grant from Begin Small. This funding will assist scale efforts to supply free, open supply Bitcoin training for the world.
“The revolution of Bitcoin training is that it teaches college students HOW to suppose, not WHAT to suppose,” mentioned Founder and Government Director of My First Bitcoin John Dennehy. “Funding from sources with their very own incentives is the best vulnerability that threatens that. Schooling will likely be captured by whoever funds it. We’ll by no means take any authorities cash and often flip down funding from firms and firms. The delicate affect of funding has ruined fiat training and we have to create various fashions for the revolution of Bitcoin training to comprehend its full potential.”
This grant provides My First Bitcoin the flexibility to develop its attain and enhance instruments just like the Bitcoin Diploma, Intro Course, and instructor coaching workshops. It additionally strengthens their On-line Faculty and Neighborhood Hub, making Bitcoin training extra accessible to individuals in all places.
This funding is not only a milestone—it’s a press release. As Dennehy added, “My First Bitcoin is a proof-of-concept for all impartial Bitcoin educators that if you happen to keep on the mission, even when it’s difficult, then you’ll come out the opposite facet even stronger.”
My First Bitcoin began in 2021 as a small native mission. Since then, it’s grown into a worldwide motion. Over time, the staff has taught tens of 1000’s of scholars in-person, testing and refining supplies based mostly 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 programs, 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 mission.
In 2023, the group launched the Impartial Bitcoin Educators Node Community—now with over 65 tasks throughout greater than 35 international locations. These embrace round economies, meetup teams, and different native Bitcoin tasks. What unites them is their shared dedication to 6 core values: “that their training is impartial, neutral, community-led, Bitcoin-only, high quality, and centered on empowerment over revenue.”
“Open supply cash deserves open supply training. Over the previous few years, we’ve seen rising demand for our sources world wide, and we stay dedicated to serving everybody within the Bitcoin area who wants assist,” mentioned Director of Communications at My First Bitcoin Arnold Hubach.