We're delighted to announce [Josi Baker](https://github.com/josibake) as our
newest LTS grantee.
Josi will receive long-term support from OpenSats for his continued work on
Bitcoin Core. His work will consist of pull-request reviews,[^fn-reviews]
supporting major release cycles, and his own contributions.[^fn-prs]
[^fn-reviews]: [PR reviews by @josibake](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pulls?q=is%3Apr+reviewed-by%3Ajosibake)
[^fn-prs]: [PRs by @josibake](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pulls/josibake)
In the next couple of months, Josi plans to work on the [libbitcoinkernel
project](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issues/27587) as a reviewer, tester,
and contributor. The `libbitcoinkernel` project is an attempt at modularizing
the Bitcoin codebase and extracting consensus logic into something other
applications can reuse. This has a number of benefits, namely improved testing
and code separation of consensus code within Bitcoin Core and enabling
application-specific programs to be written outside of the Bitcoin Core project
with increased confidence these applications will be in consensus.
In addition to his work on Bitcoin Core, he will continue to work on [BIP-352:
Silent Payments](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/pull/1458), focusing on
adoption in wallets outside of Bitcoin Core and supporting mobile clients.
Silent Payments are a privacy and UX improvement for Bitcoin wallets that allows
static, reusable payment codes without address reuse. The key improvements over
existing reusable payment code solutions are improved privacy for the sender and
receiver due to eliminating the need for a notification transaction and no
additional cost for senders. The proposal also separates sending and receiving,
which enables broader adoption. These improvements are particularly relevant for
activists wishing to use Bitcoin as a means of raising funds in a private and
censorship-resistant way.
The mission of OpenSats is to support and maintain a sustainable ecosystem of
funding for free and open-source projects and contributors, especially
Bitcoin-related projects and projects that help Bitcoin flourish. Regular
contributors reviewing and maintaining Bitcoin Core are critical to the
project's continued success. Sustainable funding allows contributors to build
expertise over multiple years, which is why we introduced the [OpenSats LTS
program](https://opensats.org/blog/announcing-lts-grant-program-to-support-bitcoin-core-contributors).
You can apply for the program here:
- [opensats.org/apply/lts](https://opensats.org/apply/lts)
Support for Josi's work is sourced from our General Fund and made possible by
generous donors like you. If you would like to support work like Josi's,
consider [donating to the fund](https://opensats.org/projects/general_fund).
