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

April 1, 2026

€14,000,000 total available; typical project duration 1–12 months (flexible)

Supports open source and digital commons projects to advance a resilient, trustworthy, and sustainable internet, with all results openly licensed.

Open to individuals and organizations globally; all outputs must be openly licensed.

--- ## Description The NGI Zero Commons Fund, under the European Commission's Horizon Europe programme, is designed to create, mature, and grow internet commons across the full technology stack. The fund aims to address gaps in the digital commons ecosystem by supporting projects in free and open source software and hardware, open standards, open data and AI, open science, creative commons, and open educational resources. The initiative takes a holistic approach to foster collective action and public investment, ensuring the public nature and long-term resilience of the internet. All funded project outcomes must be openly licensed, promoting transparency, reusability, and the development of robust, interoperable digital infrastructure. --- ## Due Dates - April 1, 2026: Submission deadline (single-stage full application) — 01 April 2026, 12:00 Brussels time --- ## Funding Amount - Total available funding: €14,000,000 - Expected project duration: 1–12 months (flexible) - Cascade funding: Projects receive direct financial support --- ## Eligibility - Open to private individuals and organizations of any type, worldwide. - Proposals must align with the NGI vision and focus on research and development. - All project results must be published under a recognized free and open source license (software/hardware) or open access (scientific outcomes). - Projects should have a clear European dimension. --- ## Application Process - Submit proposals via [https://nlnet.nl/propose](https://nlnet.nl/propose). - Review the [guide for applicants](https://nlnet.nl/commonsfund/guideforapplicants) before preparing your proposal. - Proposals should be concise (main application no longer than two pages). - Evaluation criteria: - Technical merit - Strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet - Overall value for money - Projects are scored on a 7-point scale; a total weighted score above 5.0 is required for selection. --- ## Additional Information - Eligible activities include scientific research, open source software/hardware development, validation and security audits, documentation, standardization, usability improvements, packaging, community events, and project management. - All outputs must be openly licensed for maximum transparency and reuse. - The fund is co-financed by the European Commission and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). --- ## External Links - [NGI Zero Commons Fund call page](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/competitive-calls-cs/12565?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=8&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [Official project website](https://nlnet.nl/commonsfund) - [Submission portal](https://nlnet.nl/propose) - [Guide for applicants](https://nlnet.nl/commonsfund/guideforapplicants) - [NGI vision](https://nlnet.nl/NGI/vision) --- ## Contact Information | Contact | Details | |------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | European Commission | [Contact page](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/contact_en) | +32 2 299 11 11 | | Project information | [NGI Zero Commons Fund](https://nlnet.nl/commonsfund) |

NGI Zero Commons Fund - European Commission

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