Key Takeaways:
- Bitcoin Scholars Fund launched April 15, 2026, targeting $21 million redirected from federal taxes into K-12 Bitcoin education by 2027.
- The OBBBA grants donors a 100% federal tax credit on up to $1,700 annually, making Bitcoin Scholars Fund contributions net-zero cost to individuals.
- Scholarship operations go live January 3, 2027, with Phil Geiger of Metaplanet among the advisors backing the Texas-registered nonprofit.
Bitcoin Scholars Fund Uses One Big Beautiful Bill Act to Fund Bitcoin and Financial Literacy
Bitcoin Scholars Fund officially launched April 15, 2026, as a 501(c)(3) Scholarship Granting Organization operating under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, also known as Public Law 119-21, signed into law July 4, 2025.
The federal law created a tax credit scholarship program for elementary and secondary education, effective for tax year 2027, with credits claimed in 2028. It is the first federal program of its kind.
Under the program, individual donors can contribute up to $1,700 per year to a qualified SGO and receive a 100% dollar-for-dollar nonrefundable federal tax credit. Couples can contribute up to $3,400. The net cost to a donor giving the maximum individual amount is zero.
Bitcoin Scholars Fund is structured as a qualified SGO under the law. Federal regulations require SGOs to direct at least 90% of donations to scholarships. The fund says it is targeting near-100% efficiency.
Scholarship funds support eligible K-12 students attending private or participating schools, covering qualified education expenses tied to bitcoin and financial literacy programs. Scholarships are tax-free to recipients under related provisions of the law.
The fund describes its operational model as “Zero-Leakage.” To achieve that, the organization is building a treasury that includes an allocation to STRC, the perpetual preferred stock issued by Strategy Inc., which the fund describes as a high-yield, low- volatility instrument tied to bitcoin accumulation. Bitcoin donations earmarked for operations will be held in Bitcoin.
Phil Geiger, Head of Business Development at Metaplanet and a former Unchained Capital executive, is listed among the fund’s board and advisors. Jessy Gilger, a certified financial planner, founder of Gannett Wealth Advisors, and known on social media as @idahohodl, helped announce the launch. Lisa Neigut, a registered agent and recognized Bitcoin developer, is also connected to the organization.
Scholarship operations are set to go live January 3, 2027. Donors can contribute to the 2026 operations budget now, in either bitcoin or fiat, through the fund’s website at bitcoinscholars.org.
The launch announcement on X framed the fund as an alternative to the traditional public education funding model. “Today, you’re sending your hard-earned capital to the government,” the post read. “You don’t get a receipt. You don’t get a progress report. You don’t get a choice.”
Bitcoin Scholars Fund is separate from the Bitcoin Scholarship Foundation at btcsf.org, which focuses on time-locked $500 Bitcoin scholarships for underprivileged youth combined with financial literacy programs. States can opt in to the OBBBA scholarship program, which is administered by the Secretary of the Treasury.
