If you're an open-source developer building privacy tools, decentralized protocols, or internet infrastructure — there's a quiet European foundation that might fund your work. NLnet Foundation has distributed millions of euros to individual developers and small teams over the past few years, and most of the developers who could apply have never heard of it.
This guide covers everything: what NLnet funds, how to apply, what makes a winning proposal, and the real differences between their two main programs in 2026.
What is NLnet Foundation?
NLnet is a Dutch nonprofit foundation that has supported the open internet since 1997. Today it administers significant European Commission funding through the Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative — a multi-year program backing technologies that strengthen privacy, decentralization, and digital sovereignty in Europe.
Unlike most EU funding bodies, NLnet is built for developers. The application is short. The bureaucracy is minimal. They genuinely care about whether your code will exist and be useful — not whether your consortium has 12 partners across 8 member states.
This is why open-source maintainers love NLnet. It's the closest thing to "indie funding for the European internet."
What NLnet funds
NLnet's funded projects skew toward:
- Privacy and security — encrypted messaging, anonymous payments, zero-knowledge protocols
- Decentralized infrastructure — peer-to-peer networks, distributed storage, federated systems
- Open standards — implementations of new internet RFCs, interoperability bridges
- Web3 and blockchain commons — protocol-level work, not speculative DeFi
- Trustworthy AI tools — open models, reproducibility infrastructure, audit tooling
- Hardware and operating systems — RISC-V, free firmware, OS-level privacy improvements
If your project makes the internet more open, more secure, or more decentralized — NLnet probably funds something like it.
The two main NLnet programs in 2026
Both programs offer up to €50,000 per project, both are equity-free, and both are administered by NLnet. The difference is geographic scope and emphasis.
NGI Zero Commons Fund
The flagship program. Funds projects that strengthen the open internet commons globally. Ideal for individual developers building reusable infrastructure that benefits everyone.
What makes a strong fit:
- Open-source license (MIT, Apache, AGPL, etc.) — not optional
- Project that other developers or projects can build on
- Clear documentation and willingness to maintain it
- Realistic milestones over a 6–12 month period
Browse the NGI Zero Commons Fund detail page for full eligibility and the application link.
NGI Sargasso
The transatlantic program. Funds projects that bridge European and US open-source communities. If your work has natural relevance on both sides of the Atlantic — interoperable protocols, privacy tooling, federated identity — this is your program.
What makes a strong fit:
- Collaboration component with US-based contributors or projects
- Interoperability or standards work
- Same open-source requirements as NGI Zero
- Slightly more emphasis on standards-track work
Full details on the NGI Sargasso page.
Who can apply
NLnet is unusually flexible on this point. You can apply as:
- An individual developer — no company, no incorporation, no problem
- A small team — informal collaboration is fine
- A registered company — yes, but it doesn't help you compete
- A nonprofit or research group — common applicants
- A university student or PhD researcher — yes, with project relevance
You do not need:
- An EU passport or residency (though projects benefiting Europe are prioritized)
- A registered legal entity
- A consortium of partners
- A track record of previous grants
- A university affiliation
The bar is your project, not your credentials. A solo developer with a working proof-of-concept beats a Fortune 500 employee with a slide deck.
How much you can get
Up to €50,000 per project, paid in tranches against milestones. The typical breakdown:
- 30% on signing the agreement
- 40% on hitting the mid-project milestone
- 30% on final delivery + verification
You set the milestones in your application. NLnet works with you to make them realistic. The milestones are practical (working code, documentation, tests, deployment) — not bureaucratic.
There is no equity component. NLnet does not own any part of your project, your code, or any IP you create. The grant is genuinely a grant.
The application process — step by step
1. Open call check
Both NGI Zero Commons Fund and NGI Sargasso run rolling calls with regular cut-off dates roughly every 2 months. Check the official NLnet website for the next deadline before you start writing.
2. The application form
Surprisingly short — typically 10–12 questions. The core ones:
- Project name and one-line description — write this last, after everything else
- What problem does it solve? — be specific, name the pain
- What will you build? — concrete, technical, code-level
- Who benefits? — name the user, the project, the standard
- Why is this useful for the EU/internet commons? — connect to NLnet's mission
- Milestones — 3–5 concrete, time-bound deliverables
- Budget — how the €50K (or less) gets spent
3. Evaluation
NLnet typically responds within 6–10 weeks. They use a small panel of experts who actually read open-source code. Decisions are made on technical merit and fit with NLnet's mission, not committee politics.
4. Onboarding
If approved, you sign a grant agreement (a few pages — readable, not corporate boilerplate). Your contact at NLnet is usually the same person throughout the project. They check in, but they don't micromanage.
What makes a winning NLnet proposal
After reading through dozens of successful applications, the pattern is clear.
Lead with the technical problem, not the tech
Bad opening: "We're building a decentralized identity protocol using zero-knowledge proofs and blockchain technology."
Good opening: "Web users currently have no way to prove credentials online without revealing them. Existing systems require trusted third parties. This project removes that requirement."
The reviewers know the tech. They want to see if you understand the problem.
Show the code
If you have a prototype, link to it. Even an unfinished GitHub repo with 200 lines of working code beats a detailed white paper with no code. NLnet funds builders.
Be specific about milestones
Bad milestone: "Improve the user interface."
Good milestone: "Implement WebAuthn registration flow with passwordless login, covering Chrome and Firefox, with E2E tests achieving 90% coverage."
Specific milestones are easier to evaluate, easier to deliver, and signal that you've actually thought about the work.
Don't pad the budget
If your project genuinely needs €15K, ask for €15K. Don't pad to €50K because you can. Reviewers see hundreds of applications — the ones with realistic budgets stand out as honest and well-planned.
Connect to existing standards or projects
If your work touches IETF RFCs, W3C specs, IEEE standards, or established open-source projects — name them. NLnet loves projects that strengthen existing ecosystems rather than create another isolated thing.
Common reasons applications get rejected
Based on patterns from the NLnet open-source community, the typical rejection reasons:
- Project is closed-source or proprietary — instant rejection. NLnet only funds open source.
- Too speculative — pure research with no clear deliverable. NLnet wants working code.
- Doesn't connect to the open internet commons — your project is great but only benefits your company.
- Vague milestones — "build a system" is not a milestone.
- Already funded — duplicating an existing well-funded project without clear differentiation.
- No technical depth — application reads like a marketing pitch.
Tips from successful grantees
A few patterns from people who've received NLnet funding:
"I applied with one feature, not a platform." Most rejections are over-scoped. Pick one specific problem and solve it well.
"My GitHub link mattered more than my CV." Reviewers checked the code and the commit history before the application text.
"Be honest about what you don't know." A proposal that says "I'll need to research X before milestone 2" is more credible than one claiming you have everything figured out.
"Apply early in the cycle." Reviewers are fresher, less rushed, and more likely to read carefully.
What happens after you're funded
Approved projects get:
- Direct funding — euros to your bank account, milestone-based
- Mentorship — NLnet often connects you with relevant maintainers and projects
- Visibility — your project gets listed on NLnet's site, sometimes featured
- Network access — invitations to NGI events, NLnet meetups, sometimes EU policy discussions
You commit to:
- Open-sourcing the work — under an OSI-approved license
- Documenting it — at least at a level another developer could use it
- Reporting on milestones — short written updates, not bureaucratic forms
- Crediting NLnet/NGI — a line in your README is fine
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a US developer apply for NLnet grants? Yes. NLnet funds projects globally, though projects benefiting the European open internet are prioritized. NGI Sargasso explicitly welcomes US-EU collaboration.
Do I need to release my code under a specific license? Any OSI-approved open-source license works — MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL, AGPL, BSD, MPL. Proprietary, source-available-but-not-OSS, or "open-core" licenses do not qualify.
Can I apply with an existing project? Yes. Many funded projects are extensions or new modules of existing open-source work. You'll need to clearly describe what specifically the NLnet grant will fund.
How long do projects typically take? 6 to 12 months is the typical project length. Shorter or longer timelines are negotiable based on your milestones.
Can I apply for both NGI Zero Commons Fund and NGI Sargasso? Yes — for different projects. You can't double-fund the same work. If you have one project that fits both programs, NLnet will guide you to the right one.
Is there a maximum number of applications I can submit? No formal limit, but NLnet expects each application to be a serious, distinct project. Spamming applications hurts your reputation with the foundation.
Start your application
NLnet is one of the few European grants designed specifically for individual open-source developers. If you're building something useful for the open internet, you should be applying.
Browse the NGI Zero Commons Fund and NGI Sargasso detail pages on GrantChain.eu for current deadlines, eligibility, and direct application links.
Or use the grant matching tool to find the best NLnet program for your specific project type.