Budget
A single proposal may request up to €50,000. The maximum amount granted per third party over the lifetime of NGI Fediversity is €60,000. The exact amount is determined by NLnet based on projected cost, estimated value, value for money and strategic potential. Grants are handled as donations / charitable gifts, and the final amount is established in a memorandum of understanding between NLnet and the grantee.
Key dates and deadline
June 1, 2026 — Opening of the call August 1, 2026, 12:00 CEST — Submission deadline Project duration — up to 12 months
Details
NGI Fediversity – 2026-08F funds research and development projects aligned with NGI Fediversity and the Next Generation Internet vision. The call targets projects that can deliver significant contributions to the open internet through free and open source technologies, platforms, applications and infrastructures. Eligible activities include: • Scientific research • Design and development of open source software and open hardware • Validation of existing or novel technical solutions • Software engineering for new usage areas or software quality improvement • Security audits, formal security proofs, software testing and continuous integration • Documentation for researchers, developers and end users • Standardisation activities • Usability and inclusive design improvements • Packaging and other activities supporting deployability • Participation in technical, developer and community events • Project management • Direct infrastructure costs essential to the project Scientific outcomes must be published as open access, and any software or hardware developed must be released entirely under a recognised open source licence.
Eligibility
Individuals, companies, NGOs and other types of legal entities may apply. Proposals must be written in English. Projects must be aligned with the NGI vision and the NGI Fediversity call, have research and development as their primary objective and meet the call-specific eligibility criteria. Where applicable, projects must have a clear European dimension.
Additional information
Target domains include free and open source mobile platforms, applications and frameworks, open internet technologies and projects with strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet and NGI Fediversity. The funding rate is not specified in the call guidelines. Detailed payment instalments are not specified in the call guidelines.
How to apply?
https://nlnet.nl/propose/