NGI Fediversity open call (2025-12F)

The NGI Fediversity open call is a funding opportunity under the EU's Horizon program, aimed at supporting research and development projects that align with the Next Generation Internet vision, particularly in relation to decentralized, user-controlled internet infrastructure. This initiative prioritizes the development of easy-to-use, hosted cloud services that emphasize service portability and personal freedom, utilizing the NixOS Linux distribution known for its unique package management capabilities.

The call is open to a broad range of applicants, including individuals and all forms of organizations. It offers funding ranging from €5,000 to €50,000 per project, with a total budget of €365,000 available. The application period opens on October 1, 2025, and closes on December 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time, with project durations flexible from 1 to 12 months.

Applications undergo a single-stage evaluation process, assessed based on technical merit, strategic relevance to the Next Generation Internet vision, and value for money. A minimum score of 5.0 out of 7 is required for consideration. Eligible activities for funding include scientific research, open-source software and hardware development, security audits, usability improvements, and necessary infrastructure costs. All outcomes must be published as open access, and any developed software or hardware must be released under a recognized open-source license.

The call encourages projects associated with NixOS, particularly those that address the complexities of software deployment and service management, including applications for decentralized social networks like PeerTube and Mastodon, e-mail servers, VPNs, and private cloud solutions. Successful projects may find opportunities for additional funding through related initiatives.

This open call represents a significant chance for those focused on advancing accessible, secure, and user-friendly internet services to contribute to a more open and reliable online ecosystem.

The NGI Fediversity open call (2025-12F) is a funding opportunity focused on research and development projects that contribute to the Next Generation Internet (NGI) vision, specifically within the Fediversity project. The call aims to foster the development of easy-to-use, hosted cloud services with service portability and personal freedom at their core, making high-quality, secure IT systems accessible to everyone. The initiative is based on NixOS, a Linux distribution known for its unique approach to package and configuration management.

The opening date for submissions is October 1, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is December 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time. The call employs a single-stage submission model. The expected duration of participation in projects can range from 1 to 12 months, offering flexibility to applicants.

A total of 365,000 euro is available for funding. The project acronym is Fediversity, and the full name of the EU-funded project is also 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 the provided link: https://NLnet.nl/propose. Applicants are advised to review this page and the guide for applicants before preparing their proposals.

The call is open to anyone, including private individuals and organizations of any type. Project proposals should align with the NGI vision and prioritize research and development. Proposals should be complete, concise (no more than two pages for the main application), and demonstrate a clear European dimension.

Proposals will be 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.

Eligible activities for financial support include:

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., covering 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.

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

The call addresses the challenges associated with deploying internet-based services, particularly the complexity of maintaining and updating software, managing vulnerabilities, and achieving high availability. Fediversity aims to simplify these processes by providing easy-to-use, hosted cloud services that prioritize service portability and personal freedom. The project leverages NixOS to ensure reproducibility, stability, and configurability in complex deployment scenarios.

Specific use cases include running state-of-the-art services for the Fediverse, such as PeerTube, Mastodon, Owncast, and Lemmy, as well as more traditional services like e-mail servers, VPNs, and private cloud storage. Fediversity seeks to make these services as convenient to use as hosted services.

A total of 450,000 euro will be awarded in small to medium-size R&D grants to support solutions that advance the next generation of mobile solutions. Project proposals should request between 5,000 and 50,000 euro. Successful projects may have the opportunity to scale up through other NLnet-funded programs, such as the NGI0 Commons Fund.

Projects not related to the Nix functional package management system are advised to submit to another open call, such as the NGI Zero Commons Fund.

In summary, the NGI Fediversity open call is a funding opportunity for projects that contribute to the development of a more open, trustworthy, and reliable internet by building upon the Fediversity project and the NixOS ecosystem. It seeks to support innovative solutions that simplify the deployment and maintenance of internet services, enhance user privacy and control, and promote the adoption of open-source technologies. The call is particularly relevant for researchers, developers, and organizations working on cloud services, package management, and distributed systems. The goal is to reshape the current state of internet services by making them more accessible, secure, and user-centric.

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

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

Consortium Requirement: Single.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The proposal should have a clear European dimension.

Target Sector: ICT, Software services, Innovation, DeepTech, Security/Cybersecurity, Open Source Software, Cloud Services, Internet Technologies.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but a clear European dimension is required.

Project Stage: Research, Development, Validation.

Funding Amount: €5,000 to €50,000. Total funding available is €365,000. The text also mentions a total of 450,000 euro in small to medium-size R&D grants.

Application Type: Open call.

Nature of Support: Money.

Application Stages: 1.

Success Rates: Not specified.

Co-funding Requirement: Not specified.

Summary:

This is an open call for proposals under the NGI Fediversity initiative, funded by the EU's Horizon program. The call aims to foster the development of easy-to-use, hosted cloud services with service portability and personal freedom at their core, based on the NixOS Linux distribution and Nix package manager. The goal is to provide high-quality, secure IT systems for everyday use, without tracking or exploitation, that run everywhere and scale effortlessly.

The call is open to anyone, including individuals and organizations of any type, with project proposals that align 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 two pages.

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

The call supports a range of activities, including scientific research, open source software and hardware development, validation of technical solutions, software engineering, security audits, documentation, standardization activities, usability improvements, packaging, participation in relevant events, project management, and essential infrastructure costs. All scientific outcomes and novel software/hardware must be published under open access and free/open source licenses, respectively.

The funding ranges from €5,000 to €50,000 per project, with a total of €365,000 available. Successful projects may have the opportunity to scale up in other NLnet-funded programs like NGI0 Commons Fund. The call specifically encourages projects related to the Nix functional package management system. The opening date for submissions is October 1, 2025, and the deadline is December 1, 2025, at 12:00 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation is flexible, ranging from 1 to 12 months. The project acronym is Fediversity, and the full name of the EU-funded project is Fediversity, with grant agreement number 101136078. The topic is HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-12 - Pilots for the Next Generation Internet (IA).