Send in your ideas. Deadline December 1, 2024

Open call for funding

Deadline for submission: April 1st 2022 (noon CES)

Submit a proposal

Do you have a valuable idea in the area of networking and internet technology, that will contribute towards achieving a more open information society? For instance help fix the internet through technology that provides strong technical assurances on security, privacy or other internet capabilities, real-time collaboration or on empowering technologies that can help to create a more robust and open internet by and for users?

And are you looking for financial means to make your ideas come to life? Or do you have an existing project that requires additional means to enable further development? Then submit your proposal to NLnet foundation before the next following deadline and see if we can help you.

We put any money we can get our hands on (including yours if you give it to us) where our mouth is: that is to increase the use of open technologies for society. What is important for us is that the technology you develop or help promote is usable for others and has the potential for real impact. For us, this means by definition that your project is available under a free and open source license.

We are looking forward to your proposals! Note that we are also interested to hear your inspiring ideas if you are unable to manage them yourself.

Open themes

Currently we are particularly interested in project proposals for the following themes:

In addition there are a number of smaller themes you could have a look at. Uncertain? You can always submit through the open call.

About NLnet Foundation

NLnet Foundation (in Dutch: Stichting NLnet) is a philanthropic (private) not-for-profit organisation that invests its own trust funds as well as funds that it manages on behalf of other organisations such as the European Commission to bring the open information society closer. The foundation supports strategic initiatives that contribute to an open information society, especially where these are aimed at development and dissemination of open standards and (network related) open source technology. Additionally the foundation wants to contribute to the societal debate on these subjects.