The Human Rights Foundation’s (HRF) Freedom Tech project has released a new guide for nonprofit organizations, highlighting how to use Bitcoin as a backup financial infrastructure in cases where bank accounts are frozen, cross-border transfers are blocked, or payment networks are restricted.
This document, titled "Bitcoin for Nonprofits," is aimed at civil society organizations, grassroots groups, and activist networks. The guide frames Bitcoin not as a speculative asset, but as a payment and reserve tool that remains functional even when traditional financial channels fail.
The guide focuses on self-custody.
HRF explains the fundamental mechanisms of Bitcoin in the guide, including how the network is maintained by miners, the significance of its fixed supply in high-inflation environments, and how it differs from digital assets reliant on banking systems or centralized issuers.
The document emphasizes self-custody. The guide recommends that organizations retain control of their private keys rather than leaving assets long-term on custodial exchanges. The rationale is that if funds remain under the control of intermediaries within the same jurisdiction, the independence gained by adopting Bitcoin is diminished.
Wallet and fund tiered management
In practice, the guide recommends combining a mobile hot wallet with a hardware cold wallet. Keep small amounts of operational funds readily accessible, while storing larger reserves offline whenever possible to minimize single-point risks.
The document also mentions passphrase custody, team decentralization, and backup arrangements. The idea is that even if individual devices are seized or individual members go missing, the organization can still recover funds and continue operations.
Deposits, Withdrawals, and Payment Methods
To address the most challenging deposit and withdrawal issues faced by many organizations, the guide outlines multiple pathways, including centralized exchanges, peer-to-peer markets, Bitcoin ATMs, voucher systems, and local brokers. The goal is to balance accessibility, monitoring risks, and counterparty risk when converting between local currency and Bitcoin.
At the payment tool level, the guide mentions that Lightning Network wallets can be used for instant, low-fee microdonations, making them suitable for scenarios such as cross-border crowdfunding. The document also introduces sidechains like Liquid, as well as Chaumian eCash tools such as Fedi and Cashu, noting that these solutions offer enhanced privacy and a simplified user experience in high-pressure or fragile environments.
Also highlight volatility and governance risks.
This guide does not avoid addressing Bitcoin's limitations. The main risks outlined include price volatility, legal gray areas, self-custody errors, internal governance issues, and reputational attacks.
To this end, HRF recommends that nonprofit organizations adopt a more conservative asset allocation, implement the usage process in phases, and establish stricter key management and role segregation. In scenarios requiring short-term price stability or a clearer regulatory environment, the guidelines also mention the optional integration of stablecoins or fiat currency channels.
The article also mentions that some cases have covered evacuation support in war zones and educational programs for individuals with restricted bank accounts, demonstrating that such funding pathways are already being implemented in specific environments.