NGI Fediversity open call (2025-08F)

The NGI Fediversity open call is an EU funding opportunity aimed at fostering research and development projects that contribute to the Next Generation Internet (NGI) vision. It focuses on simplifying the deployment and management of self-hosted, privacy-preserving internet services, especially those enhancing the Fediverse, which includes platforms like PeerTube, Mastodon, and Owncast.

Key information includes:

- **Opening Date**: The call opens on April 1, 2025.
- **Closing Date**: Proposals must be submitted by June 1, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time.
- **Funding Amount**: Although the total budget is reported as €380,000, some sources suggest it could be €450,000. Individual grants range from €5,000 to €50,000.
- **Eligibility**: Open to private individuals, SMEs, research institutions, NGOs, and public sector entities across EU member states. Projects should align with NGI objectives and demonstrate a significant European dimension.
- **Applicant Structure**: Both single applicants and consortia are allowed; however, proposals can be submitted by individual applicants without requiring a consortium.
- **Evaluation Criteria**: Proposals will be assessed on technical merit (30%), strategic relevance to NGI and Fediversity goals (40%), and overall value for money (30%). A minimum score of 5.0 out of 7 is required for selection.

The projects are expected to demonstrate compliance with open-source standards and align with Fediversity's focus on service portability, reproducible builds, and privacy-enhancing technologies. The proposal process encourages concise submissions, ideally limited to two pages, emphasizing scientific and technical research, software development, and usability improvements. All outcomes should be published as open access, with software released under free and open-source licenses.

Overall, this initiative seeks to create user-friendly, high-quality IT systems that prioritize security and personal freedom, contributing to a decentralized internet ecosystem. For further details, applicants can visit the official project website and submission portal.

The NGI Fediversity open call (2025-08F) is a funding opportunity for research and development projects that align with the Next Generation Internet (NGI) vision and contribute to the goals of NGI Fediversity. The call aims to bring easy-to-use, hosted cloud services with service portability and personal freedom to everyone. The call specifically targets solutions that enhance the Fediverse, which includes services like PeerTube, Mastodon, Owncast, and Lemmy, as well as more traditional services like email servers, VPNs, private cloud storage, and wikis. The goal is to make these services as convenient to use as hosted services.

The opening date for the call is 01 June 2025, and the deadline for submissions is 01 August 2025 at 12:00 (Brussels time). The expected duration of participation is flexible, ranging from 1 to 12 months. The total funding available is 380,000.00 EUR. The project acronym is Fediversity, and the full name of the EU funded project is Fediversity. The grant agreement number is 101136078. The relevant topic is HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-12 - Pilots for the Next Generation Internet (IA).

Projects can be submitted through https://NLnet.nl/propose. Applicants should review this page and the guide for applicants before preparing a proposal. Anyone can apply, including private individuals and organizations of any type. Proposals should be in line with the NGI vision and have research and development as their primary objective. Proposals should be complete and concise, ideally no longer than the equivalent of two pages for the main application. Proposals should also have a clear European dimension.

Projects are evaluated based on a 7-point scale across three criteria: technical merit (30% weight), strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet and expected contribution to the goals of NGI Fediversity (40% weight), and overall value for money (30% weight). To be selected, projects must achieve a total weighted score above 5.0 (out of 7).

The following types of activities are eligible for financial support, provided they are cost-effective and directly relevant to NGI Fediversity and the call's objectives:

Scientific research
Design and development of open source software and open hardware
Validation or constructive inquiry into existing or novel technical solutions
Software engineering aimed at adapting to new usage areas or improving software quality
Formal security proofs, security audits, setup and design of software testing and continuous integration
Documentation for researchers, developers, and end users, including educational materials
Standardization activities, including membership fees of standards bodies
Understanding user requirements and improving usability/inclusive design
Necessary measures in support of broader deployability, such as packaging
Participation in technical, developer, and community events like hackathons, IETF, W3C, RIPE meetings, FOSDEM, etc., including admission fees, travel, and subsistence costs
Other activities relevant to adhering to robust software development and deployment practices
Project management
Out-of-pocket costs for infrastructure essential to achieving the above

All scientific outcomes must be published as open access, and any novel software and hardware created must be published under a recognized free and open source license in its entirety.

Additional information, including the complete call text, proposal guidelines, and an FAQ, can be found at https://NLnet.nl/fediversity. The official project website is https://fediversity.eu.

The call specifically addresses the challenges associated with deploying internet-based services, highlighting the complexity of maintaining software supply chains and the difficulties users face in keeping up with updates and vulnerabilities. Fediversity aims to provide high-quality, secure IT systems for everyday use, without tracking or exploitation, that run everywhere and scale effortlessly. It is based on NixOS, a Linux distribution with a unique approach to package and configuration management. NixOS is declarative, makes upgrading systems reliable, and is well-suited for complex deployment scenarios.

The call seeks contributions to help Fediversity achieve its goals. A total of 450,000 EUR will be awarded in small to medium-size R&D grants, with individual project proposals ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 EUR. Successful projects may have the opportunity to scale up in other programs funded by NLnet, such as the NGI0 Commons Fund.

In summary, this funding opportunity is for projects that can contribute to the Fediversity initiative, which aims to create an open, trustworthy, and reliable internet by developing easy-to-use, hosted cloud services based on NixOS. The focus is on improving the deployment and maintenance of services within the Fediverse and related technologies, making them more accessible and user-friendly. The call encourages proposals that address the challenges of software supply chains, security, and scalability, with the ultimate goal of empowering individuals with high-quality, secure IT systems that respect their privacy and freedom.

Eligible Applicant Types: Anyone can apply, including private individuals and organisations of any type.

Funding Type: Grant. Specifically, small to medium-size R&D grants. Cascade funding.

Consortium Requirement: It is not explicitly stated whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are preferred. The text suggests that both single applicants and consortia could be eligible, as it does not specify any restrictions on the number of participants.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The proposal should have a clear European dimension, suggesting that applicants should be based in Europe or that the project should have a significant impact within Europe.

Target Sector: ICT, specifically focusing on the Next Generation Internet (NGI), cloud services, service portability, personal freedom, open-source software, open hardware, and the Fediverse. The call targets areas such as package and configuration management, deployment of internet-based services, and improving the security and reliability of software supply chains.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the call emphasizes a "clear European dimension," implying that the focus is on Europe.

Project Stage: The project stage is aimed at research and development, validation, and potentially demonstration. The call seeks contributions to help Fediversity, suggesting projects that can enhance existing efforts and bring mobile solutions closer to deployment.

Funding Amount: The funding ranges from 5,000 to 50,000 euros. The total funding available for this call is 380,000 euros, while the text mentions 450,000 euros in small to medium-size R&D grants.

Application Type: Open call. Projects can be submitted through the provided link.

Nature of Support: Money. Beneficiaries will receive financial support in the form of grants.

Application Stages: Single-stage. The deadline model is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rate cannot be determined from the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is an open call for proposals under the NGI Fediversity project, seeking to award small to medium-sized R&D grants ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 euros. The total funding available is 380,000 euros, although the text also mentions 450,000 euros. The call aims to foster the development of easy-to-use, hosted cloud services with service portability and personal freedom at their core, aligning with the vision of the Next Generation Internet.

The call is open to anyone, including private individuals and organizations of any type, provided their project proposals are in line with the NGI vision and have research and development as their primary objective. Projects should have a clear European dimension and be concise, with the main application limited to the equivalent of two pages.

Projects will be evaluated based on technical merit (30%), strategic relevance to NGI and contribution to NGI Fediversity goals (40%), and overall value for money (30%). A minimum score of 5.0 out of 7 is required for selection.

Eligible activities include scientific research, open-source software and hardware development, validation of technical solutions, software engineering, security audits, documentation, standardization activities, usability improvements, packaging, and participation in relevant events. All scientific outcomes and novel software/hardware must be published under open access and free/open-source licenses, respectively.

The Fediversity project is based on NixOS and aims to provide high-quality, secure IT systems for everyday use, focusing on services like PeerTube, Mastodon, Owncast, and Lemmy, as well as more traditional services like e-mail servers, VPNs, and private cloud storage. The goal is to make these services as convenient to use as hosted services, promoting an open, trustworthy, and reliable internet.

The application deadline is August 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time, and the expected duration of participation is flexible, ranging from 1 to 12 months. The call falls under the topic HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-12 - Pilots for the Next Generation Internet (IA).