Builder Guide · 9 min read · Updated 2026
How to Apply for an NLnet Foundation Grant
The most builder-friendly EU grant. Up to €50K. Reasonable applications.
NLnet Foundation is the easiest EU grant to apply for and one of the most generous to builders. Up to €50K per project, 2-month review cycles, a 6-question form instead of a 50-page proposal. They fund open-source projects that benefit the open internet — privacy tech, decentralized systems, open standards. If you're an open-source builder in Europe (or globally), this is often the first grant worth applying for.
Quick Facts
- Funding Amount
- Up to €50K (typical: €5K-€30K)
- Equity Required
- None — pure grant
- Success Rate
- 15-25% (high for EU grants)
- Process Length
- ~2 months application to decision
- Eligibility
- Individuals, teams, companies — worldwide
- Application Length
- 6-question form (1-2 pages)
Step 1: Understand What NLnet Funds
NLnet has one strict requirement: your project must be open source AND must benefit the open internet. Within those rules, they fund a remarkable variety of work.
Projects NLnet actively funds
- Privacy technology — encryption tools, privacy-preserving protocols, anonymous communication
- Decentralized infrastructure — federated systems, P2P networks, alternatives to centralized platforms
- Open standards — protocol implementations, reference codecs, IETF/W3C contributions
- Internet security — security research, audit tools, vulnerability scanners
- Open hardware — open-source hardware designs benefiting the internet stack
- Identity & sovereignty — self-sovereign identity, decentralized identifiers (DIDs)
- Distributed systems — federation protocols (ActivityPub, Matrix), distributed databases
- Search & discovery — open search engines, content discovery alternatives
- Accessibility tools — open-source accessibility tech, internationalization
- Critical libraries — maintenance and improvement of widely-used open-source libraries
What NLnet doesn’t typically fund
- Closed-source products
- Token-launched projects (similar to ESP — see our Ethereum Foundation guide)
- Pure research with no software output
- Projects with no internet/networking angle
- Academic research (use Horizon Europe instead)
- Commercial products where the funded work is private
Step 2: Choose the Right NLnet Fund
NLnet manages multiple themed funds — pick the one that matches your project:
- NGI Zero Commons — Open-source commons software for the internet (the largest, most general fund). Up to €50K.
- NGI Search — Search and discovery technologies. Up to €50K.
- NGI Sargasso — EU-US collaboration on internet technology. Up to €50K.
- NGI Mobifree — Mobile-first internet technology, often emphasizing African/Asian/Latin American contexts.
- NGI Assure — Identity, trust, and assurance technologies.
- NGI Taler — Privacy-preserving payment systems.
Each fund has its own focus and deadlines. The NLnet website lists current open funds at nlnet.nl/themes.
Step 3: Write the Application (It’s Genuinely Short)
Unlike most EU grants (which require 30-50 page proposals), NLnet asks 6 simple questions. The whole application is 1-2 pages total. Here’s what they ask and how to nail each one:
1. Project description
What you’re building. Technical, specific, with citations to prior art where relevant. 200-400 words. Avoid marketing language entirely — NLnet reviewers are technologists.
2. Why it’s relevant to the open internet
Connect your work to NLnet’s mission. Which open-internet problem does this solve? Who benefits? Why now? 150-250 words.
3. Team/individual
Who’s doing the work. Link to GitHub profiles, papers, prior projects. NLnet funds individuals — you don’t need a company. 100-200 words.
4. Budget
Simple breakdown: developer time (number of person-months × hourly rate), infrastructure costs, any specific expenses. NLnet pays standard contractor rates, not consultant rates. Be realistic; padded budgets get cut.
5. Milestones & deliverables
2-4 concrete milestones with specific outputs. NLnet pays per milestone. Each deliverable should be something verifiable — a released library version, a published paper, a working demo, documented code.
6. Open-source license & repo
State the license (GPL, MIT, Apache, etc.) and where the code will live. NLnet prefers permissive licenses but accepts GPL. Code must be public from day one of the grant — not at the end.
Step 4: What Makes Applications Win
Strong open-source ethos
NLnet reviewers can tell whether you’re an authentic open-source builder or a commercial team trying to extract free funding. Authentic builders show: existing GitHub contributions, public technical writing, IRC/Matrix/Discord presence in open-source communities, attendance at relevant conferences (FOSDEM, RIPE, IETF).
Specific technical scope
“Improve privacy on the internet” fails. “Implement and document a reference Tor pluggable transport based on protocol X for use in country Y’s adversarial network environment” succeeds.
Realistic budget
NLnet doesn’t mind small grants — they fund many €5K-€15K projects. Apply for what you actually need. Bigger requests need stronger justification.
Public goods orientation
Frame deliverables in terms of broader community benefit, not just your own roadmap.
Connection to existing communities
Letters of support from existing open-source projects, maintainers, or relevant organizations help significantly.
Step 5: Common Rejection Reasons
- Project isn’t actually open source. Submitting closed-source projects with vague open-source promises gets rejected.
- Weak internet/networking connection. NLnet funds internet infrastructure, not generic software.
- Reinventing existing work. If a well-funded open-source project already does what you propose, you need to justify why a new effort is needed.
- No prior open-source contributions. First-time grant applicants with no GitHub history face skepticism. Contribute small things publicly before applying.
- Token/commercial angle. Even subtle commercial monetization plans (premium features, hosted version) raise flags.
- Vague milestones.“Research and develop X” isn’t a milestone. “Release v0.1 of X with documented API, supporting tests, on PyPI” is.
Step 6: Tactical Tips
NLnet is fast — apply when ready, not for an artificial deadline
Unlike most grants with 6+ month review cycles, NLnet rounds run every 2 months. If you miss one round, the next is right around the corner. Apply when your project is actually clear, not rushed to meet a deadline.
Build credibility with small grants first
First-time applicants often do better starting with a small (€5K-€15K) NLnet ask for a focused project rather than going for €50K immediately. Successful delivery of a small grant builds NLnet trust for larger future grants.
Use plain language
NLnet reviewers value clarity. Avoid jargon. Explain technical concepts in accessible terms. Reviewers may be expert technologists or generalist NGI program staff.
Reference related work honestly
Showing awareness of related open-source projects (and how yours differs or builds on them) is a credibility signal. Pretending no related work exists is a credibility killer.
Don’t over-engineer the application
NLnet’s short form is intentional. Don’t pad your application with marketing language or excessive detail. Reviewers prefer focused 1-2 page applications over rambling 5-page ones.
An AI Drafter saves real time on first pass
Even for NLnet’s short application, a structured first draft saves 3-5 hours. GrantChain’s AI Drafter generates a tailored NLnet application draft for $35 — useful especially if you’re applying for multiple grants in parallel. As always, replace generic AI prose with your specific technical voice and project details before submitting.
Need help drafting your NLnet application?
AI Drafter generates a tailored NLnet application draft for $35 — much cheaper than the European grant consultants who charge €1,000+ even for small grants like this. You'll customize with your project's technical specifics.