NLnet Foundation funds projects that release software, hardware and content under free/open licenses and apply open standards where possible.
Key Details
- New calls for several funds open 3 September 2026.
- Deadline: 3 November 2026, 12:00 CEST (noon). Deadlines are hard.
- The submission form is published in advance so applicants can prepare.
- NLnet is taking stock of a decade of NGI Zero and preparing the transition to the new Open Internet Stack effort and other programmes.
- Upcoming funds listed on the site: Restack and CodeSupply.
Focus Areas
Each fund has its own scope and conditions; applicants select the call topic they are responding to and should read the call-specific guide for applicants before submitting.
Eligibility
- Releasing software, hardware and content under libre/open licenses, and the application of open standards where possible, are transversal requirements for all calls.
- NLnet publishes a policy on the use of generative AI; applicants must declare whether generative AI was used in writing the proposal.
Application Process
- Select a call — indicate the call topic being responded to from the list of current calls.
- Contact information — name, email address, phone number, organisation, country.
- General project information — proposal name and website/wiki.
- Abstract — explain the whole project and its expected outcomes, and describe prior involvement with relevant projects or organisations.
- Requested support — requested amount in Euro, what the budget will be used for, other funding sources past and present, a breakdown of main tasks with associated effort and explicit rates, comparison with existing or historical efforts, significant technical challenges expected, and how the project will engage the ecosystem.
- Attachments — background information only; the proposal must be self-contained without them. Accepted formats: HTML, PDF, OpenDocument Format and plain text. Total size must not exceed 50 MB.
- Response — NLnet contacts applicants within a few days after the deadline.
Rules and Conditions
- Answers should be short and to the point, focused on the what and how rather than the why; longer descriptions go in attachments.
- Submissions must be in English; reviewers do not assess spelling.
- Applicants are advised to prepare longer answers offline in case the browser session fails, and not to wait until the last hour before the deadline.
- Applicants must acknowledge NLnet's privacy statement before submitting.
Resources and Contact
