[European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en)

February 1, 2026 (Full application deadline)

€5,000–€50,000 per project (max €60,000 per third party; total call budget €365,000); project duration 1–9 months.

Supports R&D projects advancing open, portable, secure cloud services (built on NixOS) and open source infrastructure for the Next Generation Internet.

All outputs must be open access and under recognized free/open source licenses.

--- ## Description This call funds projects that make significant contributions to open, user-friendly, and portable cloud services, with a focus on service portability, personal freedom, and secure IT systems for widespread, everyday use. Projects must be aligned with the [Next Generation Internet (NGI) vision](https://nlnet.nl/NGI/vision) and leverage or support NixOS and related open source technologies. All outcomes, including software and hardware, must be released as open access and under recognized free and open source licenses. The program aims to simplify the deployment and maintenance of internet-based services, reduce reliance on proprietary solutions, and empower users to control and port their data and services. Example target areas include packaging, configuration management, deployment automation, security, usability, and federation/interoperability. --- ## Due Dates - February 1, 2026: Full application / submission deadline (12:00 CET / Brussels time) --- ## Funding Amount - Typical grant size: €5,000–€50,000 per project - Maximum per third party (over the program lifetime): €60,000 - Total available for this call: €365,000 - Expected project duration: 1–9 months (flexible) --- ## Eligibility - **Who can apply:** Individuals, companies, NGOs, academic institutions, and other legal entities. Both EU and non-EU applicants are eligible; priority is given to applicants from the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, but exceptional proposals from outside these regions are considered. - **Age:** Young people under the age of legal consent may apply, but legal guardian consent is required before funding is awarded. - **Project requirements:** Proposals must have research and development as the primary objective, be written in English, and demonstrate a clear European dimension. - **Exclusions:** Employees and leadership of consortium partners and NLnet Foundation are not eligible. There are strong conflict-of-interest safeguards for reviewers. --- ## Application Process - **Submission:** Proposals must be submitted via the [NLnet application portal](https://nlnet.nl/propose). - **Format:** Main application should not exceed two pages; concise and focused answers are encouraged. - **Required information:** Project abstract, requested amount and budget breakdown, technical challenges, ecosystem engagement, and prior relevant experience. - **Attachments:** Optional, for additional technical details or endorsements. - **Review process:** Two-stage review—initial eligibility and scoring (technical merit, strategic relevance, value for money), followed by a potential second stage with Q&A and proposal refinement. Independent review committee validates final selection. - **Selection criteria:** Technical excellence, strategic relevance to NGI/Fediversity, value for money. Minimum weighted score of 5/7 required. --- ## Additional Information - **Eligible activities:** Scientific research, open source software/hardware development, validation, software engineering, security audits, documentation, standardization, usability improvements, community event participation, project management, and essential infrastructure costs. - **Open source requirement:** All results must be published under recognized free/open source licenses and be open access. - **Resubmission:** Teams may reapply or seek additional funding in future calls if prior work is completed and publicly released. --- ## External Links - [Call information and FAQ](https://nlnet.nl/fediversity/) - [Guide for Applicants](https://nlnet.nl/fediversity/guideforapplicants) - [Eligibility criteria](https://nlnet.nl/fediversity/eligibility/) - [Application portal](https://nlnet.nl/propose) - [Official EU call listing](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/competitive-calls-cs/12562?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=12&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [Fediversity project website](https://fediversity.eu/) --- ## Contact Information | Type | Details | |-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | General inquiries | [European Commission contact page](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/contact_en) | | Application help | [NLnet contact page](https://nlnet.nl/contact) | | Phone | +32 2 299 11 11 (European Commission) |

NGI Fediversity open call (2026-02F)

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