Alternative funding sources

Over the years NLnet has funded many projects that help to create a more open information society through establishing open standards, security technology, research and development in open source, open hardware and open content. We are proud of our unique approach and our independence, and we think our expertise and attention to detail makes a difference. If you agree: empower us.

But of course our budgets are limited, and we get in a lot of proposals, which means we cannot fund every project we would like to. That is why it is good to know that there are other funding opportunities available elsewhere that may or may not suit your specific plans and activities and could potentially cover (part of) your funding needs.

This page contains a list of some organisations and programmes that have been known to fund previous, parallel or further work within (parts of) projects funded by NLnet. It also includes a number of organisations that provided funding to NLnet itself as a donation, or picked up projects that we would have loved to fund but were unable to ourselves. Inclusion in this list does of course not mean any endorsement from either side, we nonetheless hope this overview may be helpful to you. If you have questions or suggestions please contact contact us.

Grant programmes and organisations

• ARDC
• Awesome Foundation
• Center for Advanced Internet Studies
• Cisco Impact Cash Grant program
• Comcast Innovation Fund
• Digital Defenders
• European AI Fund
• Ford Foundation
• FreeBSD Foundation
• FUTO
• Grant for the Web
• Digital Defenders Program (HIVOS)
• ICANN Grant program
• Internetfonden
• Internet Society Foundation
• Linux Foundation
• Media and Democracy Fund
• Mozilla Technology Fund
• Netidee
• Nominet Trust
• Omidiyar Network
• Open Defense Fund for Cultural Humanity
• Open Society Foundations (OSF/OSI)
• Open Source Technology Improvement Fund
• Open Tech Fund
• Open Technology Institute fellowships (New America Foundation)
• Pizzigati Prize
• Prototype Fund (Germany)
• Reset.tech (javascript needed)
• Renewable Freedom Foundation
• RIPE Community Fund
• SIDN Fonds
• Sovereign Tech Fund
• Unitary Fund (for quantum tech projects)
• Vietsch Foundation
• Wau Holland Stiftung
• Digital Rights by Design/4D award

Feel free to also check the list of funding sources maintained by Renewable Freedom Foundation.