NGI TALER open call (2026-06T)

NGI TALER is a cascade funding open call under Horizon Europe supporting free and open source R&D to advance privacy-preserving digital payments based on GNU Taler, with projects required to publish results under recognised open licences. The call opens 1 April 2026 and closes 1 June 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time, with total funding for this call of €269,173 and individual grants ranging from €5,000 to €50,000 (maximum €60,000 per third party over the programme lifetime). Projects are expected to run roughly 1 to 6 months and must demonstrate a clear European dimension and R&D focus; eligible activities include software development, security audits, documentation, usability and standardisation work. Applications are submitted via NLnet's proposal portal and will be evaluated on technical merit, strategic relevance to NGI TALER, and value for money with a minimum weighted score required to proceed.

What it funds

Focus

Small and medium R&D grants for free and open source projects that advance privacy-preserving, libre digital payments (building on or integrating with GNU Taler). Eligible activities include open source software/hardware development, research, security audits, documentation, usability, standards work, packaging and community events.

Available budget and individual award size:Total cascade funding for this call: €269 173. Individual proposals may request between €5 000 and €50 000 (maximum 60 000 per third party across the TALER programme lifetime). ¹

1. 1Who can apply: anyone — individuals or organisations of any type; proposals must have an R&D objective and a clear European dimension.
2. 2Duration: projects typically 1–6 months (flexible).
3. 3Open-source requirement: all software/hardware must be released under recognised free/open source licenses and scientific outputs as open access.

Selection criteria:scored on technical merit (30%), strategic relevance to NGI TALER (40%) and value for money (30%); projects need a weighted score >5/7 to be selected. Interactive two-stage review with an independent review committee.

How to apply:Submit concise proposals (main form ~2 pages) via NLnet's proposal portal; check the NGI TALER guide for applicants and FAQ before submitting NLnet propose ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Apply and find full call guidance at NLnet's proposal page: nlnet.nl. See NGI TALER call information and Guide for Applicants at nlnet.nl.

Summary

NGI TALER is a cascade grant open call managed by NLnet as part of the HORIZON-CL4 NGI pilot Taxable Anonymous Libre Electronic Reserves (grant agreement 101135475). The call finances small-to-medium R&D projects that advance privacy-preserving, libre digital payments (building on GNU Taler) and related infrastructure, integrations, usability, standards and deployability. The thirteenth call opened 01 April 2026 and closes 01 June 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. Individual proposals may request between 5 000 and 50 000 euro. This particular call advertises a total of 269 173.00 euro available. All outcomes must be open access and any software/hardware must be released under a recognised free and open source licence. Projects are expected to complete within roughly 1 to 6 months (flexible) and the overarching NGI TALER programme runs until November 2026.

Primary submission route:Apply through NLnet's proposal portal at nlnet.nl NLnet propose ¹

Eligibility and who should apply

The call explicitly states that anyone can apply:private individuals and organisations of any type may submit proposals. Proposals must have research and development as their primary objective and must align with the NGI vision and NGI TALER objectives. Projects must demonstrate a clear European dimension and must publish scientific outcomes as open access and any produced software/hardware under a recognised free/open source licence.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: private individuals, startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, nonprofits, NGOs, public sector bodies, community projects and other organisation types. The call documentation explicitly allows private individuals and organisations of any type to apply.
2. 2Geographic Eligibility / Beneficiary Scope: open submissions from any applicant, but proposals must show a clear European dimension. The project is funded by the European Commission and the Swiss State and the programme targets impact within Europe; applicants should therefore propose work with European relevance or deployment. (Applicants outside Europe should ensure a European dimension in the proposal.)
3. 3Consortium Requirement: single applicant projects are allowed; there is no mandatory multi-partner consortium requirement for these grants (the call is structured for third-party single or small-team proposals).
4. 4Funding Type: direct grant (cascade funding / sub-grants awarded by NLnet).

What the fund supports (eligible activities)

The call lists a broad set of qualifying activities provided they are cost-effective and clearly linked to NGI TALER topics. Activities must produce results available as open/free licences and open access research outputs.

1. 1Scientific research relevant to privacy-preserving digital payments
2. 2Design and development of open source software and open hardware
3. 3Validation and constructive inquiry into existing or novel technical solutions
4. 4Software engineering for new usage areas or software quality improvements
5. 5Formal security proofs, security audits, testing and continuous integration setup
6. 6Documentation for researchers, developers and end users, including educational materials
7. 7Standardisation activities and membership fees for standards bodies
8. 8User requirements research, usability and inclusive design
9. 9Packaging and other measures improving deployability
10. 10Participation in developer/community events (hackathons, IETF, W3C, RIPE, FOSDEM etc.) including travel and subsistence
11. 11Project management and necessary out-of-pocket infrastructure costs
12. 12Other activities that support robust software development and deployment practices

Funding details and limits

Individual project proposals should request between 5 000 and 50 000 euro. NLnet determines the exact grant amount based on projected cost and value for money; budgets may be adjusted for ineligible costs and for recommended changes during review. The maximum amount granted per third party across the lifetime of NGI TALER is 60 000 euro. For this specific open call the total allocation shown is 269 173.00 euro. The programme as a whole reserves at least 676 000 euro for these open grants (15% of NGI TALER pilot budget).

Co-funding requirement:Co-funding is not stated as mandatory. The call requires cost-effectiveness and value-for-money; any other funding sources should be declared. NLnet may consider other funding when assessing the proposal but does not require applicant co-funding as a general condition.

Assessment and selection process

The selection is competitive and follows a staged assessment. Submissions undergo an initial eligibility check (hard 'knock-out' criteria) followed by scoring and, for successful proposals, an interactive second stage where reviewers may request clarifications or revisions. Final selections are validated by an independent review committee.

1. 1Deadline model: single-stage submission (applicants submit full proposals by the deadline); subsequent review has multiple assessment steps.
2. 2Scoring: proposals are rated on a 7-point scale across three criteria with weights: Technical merit or feasibility (30%), Strategic relevance to NGI TALER and expected contribution to NGI goals (40%), and Value for money / cost-effectiveness (30%). A total weighted score above 5.0 out of 7 is required to pass to the second stage.
3. 3Second stage: reviewers may ask questions, request clarifications or minor plan changes; proposals may be adjusted and re-scored. NLnet performs independent verification of facts where needed.
4. 4Final validation: an independent review committee of experts validates eligibility, frugality of budgets and strategic fit before awards are finalised.
5. 5Resulting award: NLnet negotiates a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with grantees specifying the grant amount and deliverables.

Number of application stages:Conceptually 2 main assessment stages plus final independent validation: (1) eligibility and written scoring from the proposal, (2) interactive clarification/revision and re-scoring, (3) independent review committee validation. For applicants the submission process itself is single-stage (one submission by the deadline).

Application mechanics and templates

Applications are submitted using NLnet's online proposal form at nlnet.nl. The form is lightweight but expects concise, self-contained answers (the main application should be no longer than approx. two pages equivalent). Applicants may attach supporting documents (HTML, PDF, ODF, plain text) up to a total of 50 MB. NLnet recommends preparing longer texts offline before pasting into the form.

1. 1Required form elements and suggested structure (as per NLnet proposal form): Abstract summarising the project and expected outcomes; Relevant past involvement or track record; Budget explanation and cost breakdown; Declaration of other funding sources; Main tasks with effort and explicit rates; Comparison with existing projects; Technical challenges; Ecosystem engagement and dissemination plan.
2. 2Attachments: optional detailed task descriptions, full budget spreadsheets, letters of support or endorsements. Attachments should be background only; the proposal must be self-contained without them.
3. 3Generative AI: applicants must state whether they used generative AI to write the proposal (the form contains explicit choices).
4. 4Privacy and data handling: applicants must read and accept NLnet's privacy statement during submission.
5. 5Languages: proposals must be written in English.

What to emphasise in your proposal

Given the scoring and the programme objectives, strong proposals typically:are concrete and concise; specify technical feasibility and milestones; demonstrate clear relevance to the NGI TALER objectives (privacy-preserving, libre payments, GNU Taler integration, open protocols, improved deployability, inclusiveness, standards); present a frugal and realistic budget; show European dimension and community engagement; plan to release outputs under recognised free/open licences.

1. 1Explicitly state the open-source licence you will use and your open access plan.
2. 2Include measurable deliverables (software releases, documentation, security audit report, integration demo, standardisation contributions, user study, packaging/packaged artefacts).
3. 3Give a clear task breakdown with person-months or hours and explicit rates.
4. 4If requesting near the upper grant limit, justify why the scope needs that budget and how it yields value for money.

Technical and thematic focus (Target sector)

Primary target sectors are digital payments, fintech, privacy-enhancing technologies and open source software. The opportunity is highly relevant to ICT, cybersecurity, cryptography, payments infrastructure, standards, accessibility/usability, and digital public goods. Potential project topics include: extensions or integrations of GNU Taler, wallets, merchant backends, micropayment use-cases (publishers, messengers, social media, conferencing), performance and resource optimisation, formal security proofs/audits, packaging and deployability, standardisation contributions and inclusive UX research.

Project stage expected

The call funds R&D-targeted projects:idea to prototype, development, validation and demonstration phases are all appropriate. Emphasis is on research and development; both new features for GNU Taler, auxiliary tools, integrations, audits and deployment readiness work are within scope. Projects should have achievable outputs in a short timeframe (1 to 6 months typical).

Application timing and deadlines

Opening date:01 April 2026. Submission deadline: 01 June 2026 12:00 (Brussels time). Expected duration of participation: 1-6 months (flexible). The wider NGI TALER programme runs until November 30, 2026.

Budget and success metrics

Funding amount per project:applicants should request between 5 000 and 50 000 euro. Total funding for this call: 269 173.00 euro. The programme will award at least 676 000 euro across all NGI TALER open grants (15% of pilot budget). Proposals must score above 5.0/7 weighted to be eligible for funding. The exact success rate is not published and depends on the number and quality of submissions and the remaining budget; the process is competitive.

Nature of support:Monetary grants (donations) paid to successful applicants under an MoU. NLnet describes awards as donations and applies public-benefit organisation rules for taxation. Non-monetary support includes access to the GNU Taler community, visibility, and potential follow-up funding via other NLnet NGI programmes.

Constraints, obligations and conflict of interest

Obligations:all scientific outputs must be open access; any software/hardware must be published in full under recognised free/open licences. Projects must comply with eligibility 'knock-out' criteria (NGI alignment, European dimension, R&D focus). The maximum cumulative amount per third party over the NGI TALER lifetime is 60 000 euro. NLnet and consortium staff are excluded from applying; review committee members and certain project partners are excluded to avoid conflicts of interest. NLnet performs conflict checks; independent review committee validates final selection.

Practical tips for applicants

1. 1Read the NGI TALER Guide for Applicants and the call-specific FAQ on NLnet's site before drafting your submission Guide for Applicants.
2. 2Prepare concise, self-contained answers; the main application should be about two pages equivalent. Use attachments only for background supporting material.
3. 3Be explicit about licences, deliverables, timelines and measurable success criteria.
4. 4Give a compact cost breakdown and justify rates and expenses; be frugal and realistic.
5. 5If unsure about fit, consider contacting the GNU Taler Integration Community Hub for feedback or mention flexibility to allocate to other NGI funds in your submission.
6. 6Declare any prior relevant work and make sure previous deliverables are publicly available if you aim to request follow-up funding.

Mentioned countries and organisations

Explicit funders and stakeholders mentioned:European Commission (Horizon Europe / NGI), Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Implementing grant manager: NLnet Foundation. Technology and community stakeholders: GNU community, Taler Systems SA. The call targets European impact; Switzerland is explicitly acknowledged as a funder.

Succinct answers to categorisation questions

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: individuals, startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, nonprofits, NGOs, public sector bodies, community projects and other organisation types; NLnet explicitly allows private individuals and organisations of any type.
2. 2Funding Type: grant (cascade / sub-granting) delivered as donations by NLnet.
3. 3Consortium Requirement: single applicant acceptable; no mandatory consortium requirement.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): open submissions but projects must demonstrate a clear European dimension. Funders include the European Commission and Swiss State.
5. 5Target Sector: digital payments, fintech, privacy-enhancing technologies, open source software, ICT, cybersecurity, cryptography, standards and usability/accessibility for payment systems.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: European Union (EU) and Switzerland explicitly mentioned; European dimension required (EU impact).
7. 7Project Stage: R&D, development, validation and demonstration (short-term projects aimed at concrete deliverables).
8. 8Funding Amount: per-project requests between 5 000 and 50 000 euro. Total available for this call: 269 173.00 euro. Programme-level allocation of at least 676 000 euro across open calls.
9. 9Application Type: open call, single-stage submission via NLnet propose; competitive evaluation with two interactive review stages and independent validation.
10. 10Nature of Support: monetary grants (donations) plus community and visibility/non-monetary benefits; results must be released open source/open access.
11. 11Application Stages: submission (single-stage), then two principal assessment stages (initial scoring and interactive second stage) plus independent review committee validation — effectively 2–3 review stages.
12. 12Success Rates: not published; selection requires a weighted score above 5.0/7 and is competitive; success rate depends on pool and remaining budget.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: not required as a rule; other funding sources must be declared and proposals judged on value for money.

Templates and structure of application answers (practical outline)

The NLnet submission form expects concise plain-text answers. Below is an outline matching the form and guidance to help prepare a compliant submission.

Final summary and recommendation

NGI TALER open calls are a focused opportunity for short-cycle, open-source R&D projects that advance privacy-preserving, libre payment systems (notably GNU Taler) and the broader Next Generation Internet goals. The call finances a wide range of activities from research, engineering and security audits to integration, documentation, usability research and standardisation. Proposals should be concise, show clear European relevance, commit to open licences and open access, and justify requested budgets between 5 000 and 50 000 euro. Submit via NLnet's proposal portal before 01 June 2026 12:00 (Brussels time) and expect a competitive review: proposals must score above 5.0/7 weighted to proceed. Successful projects gain monetary grants, community exposure and potential follow-on funding opportunities within NLnet's NGI ecosystem.

For complete call texts, the guide for applicants, FAQ and additional resources see the NLnet NGI TALER pages and the GNU Taler community resources: nlnet.nl NGI TALER main, nlnet.nl NLnet propose, taler.net Taler technology.

Footnotes

1. 1Submit proposals via NLnet's application portal: nlnet.nl. See the NGI TALER guide for applicants at nlnet.nl for full submission rules, evaluation criteria and MoU examples.

Overview

The NGI TALER open call is a cascade funding opportunity under the European Commission's Horizon Europe programme, specifically HORIZON-CL4 for Pilots for the Next Generation Internet. It funds free and open source R&D efforts to advance privacy-preserving digital payment systems based on GNU Taler, aiming to create an open, trustworthy internet with enhanced user privacy, low-cost micropayments, and transparency for merchants and authorities.

NGI TALER builds on GNU Taler, developed by the GNU community and Taler Systems SA. It supports payments that offer user anonymity while ensuring merchant accountability, enabling business models beyond advertising or subscriptions, and serving underbanked populations. The project runs until November 2026, with 15% of its budget allocated to open calls.

Key Dates and Budget

Opening Date:1 April 2026.

Deadline:1 June 2026, 12:00 Brussels time (single-stage submission).

Total Funding Available:€269,173.

Grant Size per Project:€5,000 to 50,000. Maximum per third party over NGI TALER lifetime: €60,000.

Expected Duration:1-6 months (flexible). ¹

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Open to anyone, including private individuals, SMEs, academics, non-profits, public sector, communities, and organisations of any type. Proposals must align with NGI vision, have R&D as primary objective, demonstrate a clear European dimension, and be submitted in English. No consortium required; single applicants welcome.

• Proposals must be concise (equivalent of two pages maximum).
• Must release all outcomes under recognised free/open source licenses; scientific results as open access.
• Excludes NGI TALER consortium partners and their paid staff.
• Young applicants under legal age may apply; guardian consent required post-selection.

Funding Conditions and Eligible Activities

Grants are donations under beneficial tax conditions via NLnet Foundation. Funding covers cost-effective activities linked to NGI TALER objectives. Budget determined by necessity, value for money, and review process; finalised in Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

• Scientific research.
• Open source software/hardware design and development.
• Validation of technical solutions.
• Software engineering for new uses or quality improvements.
• Security proofs, audits, testing/CI setup.
• Documentation and educational materials.
• Standardisation activities (including membership fees).
• User requirements, usability/inclusive design.
• Deployability measures (e.g., packaging).
• Event participation (hackathons, IETF, W3C, etc.).
• Project management.
• Essential infrastructure costs.

Application and Evaluation Process

Submit via NLnet Proposal Form. Prepare offline; attachments (HTML, PDF, ODF, text; max 50MB) optional for details. Indicate NGI TALER as call topic. Review NLnet privacy statement and guide for applicants beforehand.

1. 1Knock-out eligibility check (NGI alignment, R&D focus, European dimension).
2. 2Scoring (out of 7): Technical merit (30%), Strategic relevance/NGI TALER impact (40%), Value for money (30%). Minimum weighted score 5.0 to advance.
3. 3Second stage: Clarifying questions, revisions possible; re-scoring.
4. 4Independent review committee validates final selection.
5. 5Ranking until budget exhausted; non-selected notified promptly.

Post-selection:Significant prior work must be delivered openly before amendments/new proposals. WCAG compliance for software; address audit findings.

Scope and Expected Contributions

Multi-topic call focused on GNU Taler ecosystem:new features, auxiliary tools, UX improvements, FOSS integrations (e.g., P2P micropayments in messengers/social platforms/video tools), infrastructure (merchant backends). Out-of-the-box ideas welcome if aligned.

Key Resources

• EU Portal: Primary Opportunity.
• NLnet TALER Page: NLnet TALER.
• Guide for Applicants: Guide.
• Eligibility: Eligibility Criteria.
• GNU Taler: Taler.net.
• Community Hub: Integration Hub.

Additional Notes

Successful projects may scale via other NLnet funds (e.g., NGI0 Commons Fund). Contact via community channels for idea validation. Budget limited; early submission advised.

Footnotes

1. 1Data from EU Funding & Tenders Portal and NLnet sources.