Yes.

The other options are also more politically neutral.

Many Nostriches have had frequent prior interactions (or run-ins) with the people dispersing the OpenSats budget. So long as the process is intransparent or unclear, they will worry about accusations of favoritism or a lack of impartiality of the evaluators.

Whereas, if you simply ask for donations or subscriptions, then the other person is spending their own money and it's their own business.

That might help explain why some of the most visible, productive and engaged devs have effectively recused themselves from applying for grants, whereas many relative unknowns apply. This is leading to an increasing bifurcation between the quality and amount of work being done and the grants being spent.