NGI Zero Commons Fund (2026-06Z)

The NGI Zero Commons Fund (call 2026-06Z) is a cascade funding opportunity under Horizon Europe administered by NLnet that aims to fund short R&D projects developing open internet commons; this call has €6,100,000 available and the submission deadline is 1 June 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. Anyone may apply provided proposals are concise, in English, have an R&D focus and a clear European dimension, and all project outputs must be released under recognised free or open source licenses with open access to scientific results. First-time proposals may request up to €50,000, subsequent awards up to €150,000 per proposal, and there is a lifetime cap of €500,000 per third party; projects of 1–12 months are supported. Applications are submitted via NLnet's portal (nlnet.nl/propose) following the guide for applicants and will be evaluated on technical excellence, relevance/impact, and cost-effectiveness with a minimum weighted threshold to progress.

Purpose

What is funded

Grants to develop, mature and scale open internet commons across the technology stack:open source software and hardware, open standards, open data and AI, open science, educational resources and related R&D that advances a resilient, trustworthy and sustainably open internet.

Who can apply:Anyone worldwide including individuals, NGOs, academia and companies; proposals must have an R&D focus and a clear European dimension where applicable.

Funding Range:Typical grants sought are between €5,000 and €50,000 for first proposals; single-project maximum per call is €150,000; maximum per third party over the fund lifetime is €500,000. Total available for this call round: €6,100,000 ¹.

Key deadlines & duration

Opening date 01 April 2026. Submission deadline 01 June 2026 12:00 Brussels time. Expected project duration flexible between 1 and 12 months.

Eligible activities (examples)

1. 1Scientific research and R&D of open source software and hardware
2. 2Security audits, formal proofs, testing and CI setup
3. 3Documentation, education and usability work
4. 4Standardisation and membership fees
5. 5Packaging, deployability and community events (hackathons, conferences)
6. 6Project management and essential infrastructure costs

Selection & assessment

Proposals are short (main application ~2 pages), scored on technical merit, relevance to Next Generation Internet and value for money. Projects must score above 5.0/7 to progress. A two-stage review can request clarifications; awarded outputs must be open access and released under recognised open/free licences.

Submit proposals through the NLnet submission portal (use the propose form) and consult the guide for applicants and eligibility rules before applying NLnet Commons Fund ¹ .

Footnotes

1. 1Full call text, guide for applicants, submission form and example Memorandum of Understanding are available from the NLnet NGI Zero Commons Fund pages: nlnet.nl

Call identity and administrative facts

Core administrative details

Opportunity title:NGI Zero Commons Fund (2026-06Z). Funding instrument: Cascade funding / sub-granting administered by NLnet Foundation as the grant handling organisation on behalf of the NGI Zero Commons Fund, co-funded by the European Commission under Horizon Europe (grant agreement No 101135429) and additional funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Opening date: 01 April 2026. Deadline (single-stage): 01 June 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. Expected duration of funded participation: 1–12 months flexible. Total funding available for this call: €6,100,000 (this call), while the overall NGI0 Commons Fund programme intends to allocate €21.6 million over the lifetime of the programme (2024–2027).

Portal and application URL:Projects must be submitted through NLnet's proposal portal at nlnet.nl. The fund's official information page is nlnet.nl. Full guide for applicants and detailed rules are published on NLnet pages and linked from the NGI0 Commons Fund portal NGI0 Commons Fund Guide for Applicants ¹.

Who may apply and what is funded

Eligible applicant types

Open call:anyone can apply. Explicitly permitted applicant types include private individuals and organisations of any type. Examples and intended beneficiaries drawn from the call text and guide: startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, non-profit organisations and NGOs, community projects, public sector actors (where not in consortium partners), open source projects, and individual researchers or developers. Note that consortium partners and paid staff of the NGI0 Commons Fund consortium (including NLnet Foundation and partner organisations) are excluded from applying; volunteer constituencies of consortium partners are not categorically excluded. The call is unusually permissive: both individuals and legal entities may be third parties / grantees.

Geographic eligibility and scope:Primary scope is European: proposals must show a clear European dimension. The programme is funded by the European Commission (Horizon Europe) and SERI (Switzerland). Applicants from EU Member States, associated countries to Horizon Europe and other European jurisdictions are intended beneficiaries; the call text emphasises European impact and alignment with NGI vision. NLnet submission portal accepts applications from anyone, but eligibility checks include alignment with the European dimension requirement.

1. 1Eligible applicant types: startup, SME, large enterprise, university, research institute, non-profit, NGO, government/public administration (subject to exclusions), individual researcher, public-private partnerships where applicable.
2. 2Geographic eligibility: European dimension required; funded by EU (Horizon Europe) and Swiss SERI — primary beneficiary scope: EU / European and Horizon-associated contexts.
3. 3Target sectors: Internet infrastructure, software, hardware, open standards, open data & AI, privacy & trust technologies, web technologies (including Web 4.0 / XR), cybersecurity, decentralised systems, open education and open science.

Funding, amounts, and financial rules

Financial mechanism and amounts

Primary funding type:grants (cascade funding / financial support to third parties). This is not a loan or equity instrument. Grants are disbursed as donations (NLnet is a public benefit organisation) under memoranda of understanding. Funding amounts have clear boundaries and rules.

Projects that request more than €50,000 must be preceded by one or more smaller successful projects within NGI0 by the same beneficiary. Projects larger than €50,000 may be subject to a full independent security audit and payment may be conditional on satisfactory audit outcomes. Final grant amounts are set during negotiations and recorded in a memorandum of understanding.

What activities and outcomes are eligible

The NGI0 Commons Fund supports R&D and related activities that deliver, mature and scale internet commons across the stack. All project outputs must be published under recognised free and open source licenses and scientific outcomes must be open access.

1. 1Eligible activities (non-exhaustive): scientific research; design and development of open-source software and open hardware; validation and constructive evaluation of technical solutions; software engineering, QA, CI and security testing; formal security proofs and security audits; documentation and educational materials; standardisation and standards body membership fees; usability and inclusive design research; packaging and deployability work; participation in technical events (fees, travel, subsistence); project management; necessary infrastructure out-of-pocket costs.

Selection, scoring, evaluation and process

Submission is single-stage via NLnet's portal. Proposals must be concise (main application no longer than two pages equivalent) and in English. Proposals are checked for hard knock-out eligibility criteria and then scored. The process is a two-stage review (initial scoring from the written proposal followed by clarifying Q&A / revision for strategic projects) with an independent review committee validating final selections.

Second stage reviewers may ask clarifying questions, request revisions or minor improvements. The independent review committee checks final selections and validates eligibility and frugality of budgets. Projects failing committee checks may be pushed to the next call.

Process logistics, timeline and application format

Apply via nlnet.nl. The portal contains an online form with required fields, optional attachments and a privacy acknowledgement. Applicants are advised to prepare longer answers offline. Attachments accepted: HTML, PDF, OpenDocument, plain text; combined size must not exceed 50 MB. Applicants must acknowledge NLnet privacy statement and indicate whether generative AI was used in writing the proposal.

Submission and form structure (template outline):The NLnet submission form expects concise answers. Use the following structure to prepare the application: Abstract (project summary and expected outcomes); Relevant experience (previous related projects or organisations and contributions); Detailed tasks and milestones (work breakdown, timeline, deliverables); Budget explanation (what is requested and how it will be spent; rates and justification; indicate other funding sources); European dimension (explain the European impact and reach); Sustainability and exploitability (how project outcomes will be maintained, reused and sustained); Risks and mitigation (technical and operational risks and plans to address them); Attachments (detailed budget, technical diagrams, endorsements). Keep the main application self-contained and no longer than two pages equivalent; include detailed backup in attachments if needed.

Scoring, success rates and co-funding

Scoring uses a 7-point scale per criterion, with overall weighted thresholds. Exact success rates are not published in the call text; selection depends on score distribution and remaining budget per round. Historically NGI0 rounds have been competitive: only projects scoring above threshold and ranked by strategic potential are funded. Co-funding requirement: no formal co-funding percentage is mandated in the guide; proposals should justify requested budget and demonstrate cost-effectiveness. In-kind contributions and other funding sources are permitted and should be declared.

Consortia and partnership requirement

Consortium requirement:single third-party projects are acceptable; a consortium is not required. Projects can be submitted by individuals or organisations. The fund does not mandate multi-party consortia. However, applicants are encouraged to describe collaborations with public sector, academia, companies and civil society (quadruple helix) where relevant to increase strategic potential and deployment.

Project stage and technology readiness

Target project stage:research and development with a focus on delivering open-source outcomes. Fund supports idea-stage R&D, prototyping, validation, quality improvement, and short demonstration/uptake activities that produce reusable open artifacts. TRL expectations vary — the fund explicitly supports both new disruptive ideas and the evolution/growth of existing open technologies. Duration (1–12 months) and funding bands (5,000 to €50,000 typical for first proposals) indicate support for small to medium R&D increments, with the ability to scale successful efforts via subsequent proposals.

Target sectors and technology areas

The fund targets a broad technology spectrum aligned with the Next Generation Internet vision: libre silicon, open hardware, middleware, peer-to-peer infrastructure, end-user applications, open standards, open data & AI, open science, privacy and trust-enhancing technologies, Web 4.0 paradigms (XR, generative AI, intelligent mediators), security, sustainability and right-to-repair. Projects should contribute to resilient, trustworthy, and sustainably open internet commons.

Mentioned countries and entities:Explicitly mentioned: countries and entities referenced in the call text include the European Union (European Commission, DG Communications Networks, Content and Technology), and Switzerland (Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, SERI). The call is framed by Horizon Europe rules and expects European dimension in proposals.

Reporting, outputs and IP requirements

All scientific outcomes must be published open access. Any software and hardware produced must be released under recognised free and open source licenses in their entirety. Deliverables must be made publicly available and accessible; WCAG compliance is referenced for software artefacts where applicable. The final grant is formalised by a memorandum of understanding specifying deliverables, reporting obligations, and payment conditions (including potential audit outcomes).

Practical guidance and good application practices

1. 1Be concise: keep the main application to the two-page equivalent requested and use attachments for technical depth.
2. 2Demonstrate European dimension: explain how the project benefits EU/European stakeholders or has cross-border relevance.
3. 3Show open licensing and openness-by-design: commit to specific open source/open hardware licenses and open access for research outputs.
4. 4Provide a clear task breakdown, milestones, deliverables and budget justification. Make rates explicit and reasonable.
5. 5If requesting over €50,000, show previous smaller NGI0 project results or demonstrate prior successful deliverables under open licenses.
6. 6Plan for security: for projects > €50,000 be ready for an independent security audit and include security work in tasks.
7. 7Prepare answers offline before using the portal; follow the NLnet privacy and AI usage declarations as requested.

Application stages and decision path

Number of application stages:2 primary stages (initial eligibility and scoring from the written submission; second-stage clarifications and revisions for strategic projects), followed by independent review committee validation and final award decisions. Projects failing eligibility are screened out at stage one (hard knock-out criteria). Successful proposals receive an MoU and subsequent funding.

Success rates

Exact historical success rates are not published in the guide. Selection is competitive and depends on the quality of submissions, strategic fit and available budget for each round. Projects must achieve a weighted score above 5.0/7 to proceed beyond initial screening.

Co-funding and eligible costs

Co-funding:not required as a fixed percentage. The fund judges proposals on value for money and frugality. Applicants should declare other funding sources and in-kind contributions; cost-effectiveness is a scored criterion. Eligible costs include direct project expenses as listed earlier (personnel, travel for community events, infrastructure out-of-pocket costs, standardisation membership fees, documentation). Ineligible costs are not enumerated in the call overview but will be checked during budget finalisation and may be adjusted in the MoU.

Templates and recommended structure for the application

Use the NLnet portal's form fields. A recommended structured template aligned to the portal form: Title; Short abstract (concise summary and outcomes); Main objectives (1–3 sentences); Technical approach and tasks (bullet list with timeline and deliverables); Team and relevant experience (roles and CV highlights); Budget summary (requested amount, breakdown, and justification); European dimension and beneficiaries; IPR and open license commitments; Security considerations (if applicable); Sustainability and follow-up (how results will be sustained or scaled); Attachments (detailed budget, diagrams, endorsements). Keep the main text self-contained and attach longer technical appendices if needed.

How to apply and contact points

Submit via nlnet.nl. Follow the guide for applicants and FAQ on the NGI0 Commons Fund website. NLnet runs office hours and Ask us Anything sessions ahead of deadlines and provides contact methods through their portal for urgent queries. Prepare to read and accept the NLnet privacy statement as part of submission.

Summary: What is this opportunity about?

NGI Zero Commons Fund is a grant programme administered by NLnet as part of the Next Generation Internet initiative (Horizon Europe) to fund short-term R&D projects that create, mature and scale digital internet commons. It targets open source software, open hardware, open standards, open data & AI, privacy and trust-enhancing technologies, and related work across the full technology stack. Grants are small-to-medium (typical first-time proposals from €5,000 to €50,000; per-proposal cap €150,000; lifetime cap per third party €500,000). Projects must publish outputs under recognised free/open licences and open access. The selection process is competitive, scored on technical excellence, relevance/impact and value for money. Applications are single-stage via NLnet's portal, with a two-stage review (initial scoring and clarifying Q&A for candidates that pass thresholds) and independent committee validation. Applicants should align proposals with the NGI vision and demonstrate European dimension, openness, frugality and potential lasting impact. For submission use NLnet's propose portal and the guide for applicants; see the call pages for dates, office hours and detailed rules NGI Zero Commons Fund ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Primary source and detailed guide for applicants are available at NLnet: nlnet.nl and nlnet.nl. Official NGI information at ngi.eu and Horizon Europe grant acknowledgement document at nlnet.nl.

Overview

The NGI Zero Commons Fund (2026-06Z) is a cascade funding call under the European Union's Horizon Europe programme, grant agreement No 101135429. It supports the Next Generation Internet initiative by funding the creation, maturation, and scaling of new internet commons across the technology spectrum, from libre silicon to end-user applications. The fund promotes a holistic, full-stack approach to develop resilient, trustworthy, and sustainably open internet technologies through collective action and public investment.

Total funding available for this call is €6,100,000. The programme overall will distribute €21.6 million in grants until June 2027. Projects must release results under free or open source licenses, enabling scrutiny, reuse, and permissionless innovation.

Key Dates

Opening date:1 April 2026

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

Expected project duration:1-12 months (flexible)

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Anyone can apply, including private individuals and organisations of any type. Proposals must be in English, complete, concise (equivalent of two pages maximum), align with the NGI vision, have research and development as primary objective, and demonstrate a clear European dimension. Priority given to EU and Horizon Europe associated country inhabitants, but exceptional proposals from elsewhere with European relevance are eligible.

Young applicants under legal consent age (typically 18) may apply; guardian consent required for negotiations.

Funding Amounts and Limits

• First-time proposals: up to €50,000.
• Subsequent proposals (after successful prior NGI0 projects): up to €150,000 per proposal.
• Lifetime maximum per third party (individual or organisation): €500,000.
• Grants adjusted for ineligible costs and value; finalised in Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Grants are donations under beneficial tax conditions as charitable gifts from NLnet, a public benefit organisation.

Eligible Activities

• Scientific research.
• Design/development of open source software/hardware.
• Validation/inquiry into technical solutions.
• Software engineering for adaptation/quality improvement.
• Security proofs, audits, testing/CI setup.
• Documentation/educational materials.
• Standardisation (including fees).
• User requirements/usability/inclusive design.
• Deployability support (e.g. packaging).
• Event participation (hackathons, IETF, W3C, etc.; fees, travel).
• Robust development/deployment practices.
• Project management.
• Essential infrastructure costs.

All scientific outcomes open access; software/hardware under recognised FOSS licenses. Projects >€50,000 may require independent security audit.

Evaluation Process

Two-stage assessment plus independent review.

1. 1Stage 1: Eligibility check (knock-out: NGI alignment, R&D focus, European dimension). Scoring (out of 7): 30% technical excellence/feasibility, 40% relevance/impact/strategic potential, 30% cost-effectiveness/value for money. Threshold: >5.0 weighted score.
2. 2Stage 2: Clarifying questions, revisions, re-scoring, ranking by NGI impact/budget. Cut-off based on quality/budget.
3. 3Independent Review Committee: Validates eligibility, budgets, concerns; non-compliant projects deferred.

Submission Process

Submit via NLnet Propose. Review guide for applicants NGI Zero Commons Fund Guide and NLnet privacy statement. Prepare offline; proposals self-contained, concise. Indicate call topic; open to allocation. Attachments (HTML/PDF/ODT/txt, <50MB): detailed tasks, budgets, endorsements. Disclose GenAI use.

EU Funding & Tenders Portal:Primary Opportunity. Official site: NLnet Commons Fund.

Evaluation Criteria

Key objective:breakthrough contributions to open internet. Total weighted score >5.0/7 required.

Programme Context

Part of NGI initiative for resilient, trustworthy, open internet. Supports quadruple helix collaboration (public sector, companies, academia, civil society). Aligns with Web 4.0 vision (VR/AR, generative AI responsibly). Examples in other NGI Zero programmes: PET, Discovery, Entrust, Core.

Additional Resources

• Official EU page: EU Portal.
• Guide: NLnet Guide.
• Propose: Submit.
• Eligibility: Details.
• NGI Vision: NGI.eu.

Footnotes

1. 1Data from EU Funding Portal and NLnet sites as of March 2026. Verify latest on official portals before applying.