NGI Fediversity open call (2026-02F)

The NGI Fediversity open call (2026-02F) is an EU-funded opportunity aimed at fostering innovation in open-source internet technologies, particularly around the Fediverse and NixOS. The initiative is part of the Horizon Europe framework and offers grants to support research and development projects focused on creating secure, user-friendly cloud services that prioritize service portability and personal freedom.

Eligible participants include a wide range of applicants such as individual developers, nonprofits, startups, and established organizations, as there are no restrictions on the type of entities that can apply. Proposals must align with the goals of the Next Generation Internet initiative and demonstrate a clear European dimension.

The total funding available for this call is €450,000, with individual grants ranging between €5,000 and €50,000. The opportunity seeks projects in development and research stages, encouraging activities such as scientific research, the development of open-source software and hardware, validation of technical solutions, and documentation creation. All project outcomes must be made publicly accessible, and outputs must be released under recognized free and open-source licenses.

Submissions will be evaluated based on three criteria: technical merit (30% weight), strategic relevance to NGI objectives (40% weight), and overall value for money (30% weight). A minimum score of 5.0 out of 7 is required for selection. The application process is simplified into a single stage, allowing continuous submissions through a designated portal, and the proposal should ideally be concise, not exceeding two pages.

The call is specifically tailored to support projects enhancing the Fediverse ecosystem with services like Mastodon, PeerTube, and similar platforms, as well as traditional services like email servers and VPNs. The deadline for project proposals is set for February 1, 2026, with a flexible participation duration ranging from 1 to 9 months.

Overall, this initiative aims to advance the development of an open, trustworthy, and reliable internet through innovative solutions in the Fediversity ecosystem, particularly leveraging the strengths of the NixOS platform. The program is designed to lower barriers for participation, making it accessible for diverse contributors committed to shaping the future of internet technologies.

The NGI Fediversity open call (2026-02F) is a funding opportunity under the HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-12 topic, which focuses on Pilots for the Next Generation Internet (IA). The call aims to support research and development projects that contribute to the Fediversity project's goals of bringing easy-to-use, hosted cloud services with service portability and personal freedom to everyone. Fediversity is based on NixOS, a Linux distribution with a unique approach to package and configuration management.

The opening date for submissions is December 1, 2025, and the deadline for submission is February 1, 2026, at 12:00 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation is flexible, ranging from 1 to 9 months. The total funding available is 365,000.00 EUR. The project acronym is Fediversity, and the full name of the EU-funded project is Fediversity. The grant agreement number is 101136078.

Projects can be submitted through https://NLnet.nl/propose. Applicants should review this page and the guide for applicants before preparing their proposal. Anyone can apply, including private individuals and organizations of any type. Project proposals should align 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 will be scored on a 7-point scale based on 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 call seeks project proposals between 5,000 and 50,000 EUR. If a project is successful, there is potential to scale up in other programs funded by NLnet, such as the NGI0 Commons Fund.

The following types of activities qualify 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.

Fediversity aims to provide high-quality, secure IT systems for everyday use without tracking or exploitation, running everywhere and scaling effortlessly. It is based on NixOS, which offers a declarative approach to package and configuration management, making system upgrades reliable and suitable for complex deployment scenarios.

The call encourages contributions to help reshape the state of play and create an open, trustworthy, and reliable internet for all. Example use cases include running state-of-the-art services for the Fediverse, such as PeerTube, Mastodon, Owncast, or Lemmy, and more traditional services like modern e-mail servers, VPNs, private cloud storage, and wikis.

If a project is not related to the Nix functional package management system, applicants are advised to submit to another open call, such as the NGI Zero Commons Fund.

In summary, this NGI Fediversity open call is a funding opportunity for projects that can contribute to the Fediversity project's goal of creating easy-to-use, secure, and portable cloud services based on NixOS. It seeks to address the challenges of deploying and maintaining internet services, particularly within the Fediverse, by supporting research, development, and deployment activities related to open-source software and hardware. The call welcomes proposals from individuals and organizations with innovative ideas that can help make the internet more open, trustworthy, and reliable. The funding ranges from 5,000 to 50,000 EUR, and successful projects may have the opportunity to scale up through other NLnet programs. The focus is on projects that align with the NGI vision and contribute to the objectives of NGI Fediversity, with a strong emphasis on technical merit, strategic relevance, and value for money.

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 is also mentioned.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are preferred. It is open to any type of applicant, suggesting both single applicants and consortia could be eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The proposal should have a clear European dimension, suggesting eligibility is primarily for entities within Europe.

Target Sector: ICT, specifically focusing on the Next Generation Internet (NGI), cloud services, service portability, personal freedom, open-source software and hardware, and the Fediverse. The call is particularly interested in projects related to NixOS, a Linux distribution with a unique approach to package and configuration management.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the requirement for a "clear European dimension" implies that the opportunity is targeted towards entities within Europe.

Project Stage: Research, development, validation, and software engineering aimed at adapting to new usage areas or improving software quality. The call seeks to bring the next generation of mobile solutions closer, implying a development and validation stage.

Funding Amount: Between 5,000 and 50,000 euros. A total of 450,000 euros is allocated for these grants, and the total funding available is 365,000 euros.

Application Type: Open call. Projects can be submitted through https://NLnet.nl/propose.

Nature of Support: Money, in the form of grants.

Application Stages: Single-stage.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is an open call for small to medium-sized R&D grants, ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 euros, focused on projects that contribute to the NGI Fediversity initiative. The Fediversity project aims to create easy-to-use, hosted cloud services with service portability and personal freedom at their core, based on the NixOS Linux distribution. The call is open to any type of applicant, including private individuals and organizations, provided their proposals align with the NGI vision and have a clear European dimension. The total funding available is 365,000 euros.

Projects should focus on research and development activities, such as scientific research, open-source software and hardware development, validation of technical solutions, software engineering, security audits, documentation, standardization, usability improvements, and activities supporting deployability. All scientific outcomes and novel software/hardware must be published under open access and free/open-source licenses, respectively.

The deadline for submissions is February 1, 2026, at 12:00 Brussels time. Proposals will be evaluated based on technical merit (30%), strategic relevance to NGI and Fediversity (40%), and value for money (30%). A minimum score of 5.0 out of 7 is required for selection.

The call specifically encourages projects that enhance the Fediverse, which includes services like PeerTube, Mastodon, Owncast, and Lemmy, as well as more traditional services like email servers, VPNs, and private cloud storage. Projects not related to the Nix functional package management system are advised to consider other open calls like the NGI Zero Commons Fund.

In essence, this is a funding opportunity for individuals and organizations to contribute to the development of a more open, trustworthy, and reliable internet by creating innovative solutions within the Fediversity ecosystem, particularly those leveraging the NixOS platform.