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Grant Details

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/data/topicDetails/11088COMPETITIVE_CALLen

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

NGI TALER aims to reshape digital payment systems by funding free and open-source research and development efforts, focusing on privacy-preserving solutions at internet scale. It targets private individuals and organizations of any type that can contribute to the GNU Taler ecosystem and the broader vision of a human-centric internet. - Single, clear statement of grant's core objective: To introduce privacy-preserving and libre digital payment methods at internet scale, building on GNU Taler. - Explicit identification of target recipient type and size: Private individuals and organizations of any type. - MUST state if grant is 'SECTOR-SPECIFIC' or 'SECTOR-AGNOSTIC': SECTOR-SPECIFIC (digital payments, open-source technology). - Geographic scope and any location requirements: Clear 'European dimension' required, funded by the European Commission and the Swiss State. - Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Focus on R&D, open-source output, privacy, and digital payments; clear European relevance. - Grant frequency and program context: Recurring open calls (this is one of them) under the Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative, specifically NGI TALER program.

Financial Structure

  • Funding amounts: Project proposals are sought between 5,000 EUR and 50,000 EUR.
  • Total budget for this specific call: 396,000 EUR.
  • Eligible costs (provided they are cost-effective and clearly linked to NGI TALER topics and objectives):
    • Scientific research.
    • Design and development of open-source software and open hardware.
    • Validation or constructive inquiry into existing or novel technical solutions.
    • Software engineering aimed at adapting to new usage areas or improving software quality.
    • Formal security proofs, security audits, setup and design of software testing and continuous integration.
    • Documentation for researchers, developers, and end-users, including educational materials.
    • Standardisation activities, including membership fees of standards bodies.
    • Understanding user requirements and improving usability/inclusive design.
    • Necessary measures in support of broader deployability (e.g., packaging).
    • Participation in technical, developer, and community events like hackathons, IETF, W3C, RIPE meetings, FOSDEM (admission fee, travel, and subsistence costs).
    • Other activities relevant to adhering to robust software development and deployment practices.
    • Project management.
    • Out-of-pocket costs for infrastructure essential to achieving the project's goals.
  • Co-financing requirements: Not explicitly stated as required.
  • Payment schedule and mechanisms: Grants are awarded as small to medium-sized R&D grants. Specific payment schedules are not detailed but are part of financial support for project activities.
  • Financial guarantees required: Not specified.
  • Indirect cost policies: Not specified in the provided materials.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Type and Status
  • Any type of organization is eligible, including private individuals.
  • No specific legal structure preferences are stated.
Geographic Location
  • Applicants must demonstrate a clear 'European dimension'.
  • Eligibility extends to entities in EU Member States and Switzerland, as the project is funded by the European Commission and the Swiss State.
Project Scope and Nature
  • The primary objective of the proposal must be research and development (R&D).
  • Project proposals should align with the NGI vision and contribute to the specific goals of NGI TALER.
  • Project results, including all scientific outcomes, novel software, and hardware created, must be published under a recognized free and open-source license in their entirety.
  • All scientific outcomes must be published as open access.
Technical Expertise
  • Projects require demonstrated technical merit and expertise relevant to the proposed solution (e.g., software development, cryptography, security, payment systems).
Exclusions
  • Projects not focused on free and open-source efforts aligned with the topics and approach of NGI TALER.
  • Proposals lacking a clear 'European dimension'.

Application Process

Application Deadlines and Submission
  • Application deadline: October 1st, 2025 at 12:00 UTC.
  • Submission platform: Projects should be submitted through the dedicated portal at https://NLnet.nl/propose.
Required Documentation and Materials
  • Proposals must be complete and concise.
  • The main application should be no longer than the equivalent of two pages; applicants should refer to the submission form for details.
  • It is recommended to prepare longer answers offline before using the online submission form.
Pre-Application Requirements
  • Applicants are strongly advised to check the 'Guide for Applicants' and the 'Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)' available on the NLnet.nl/taler website before starting a proposal.
Project Implementation Timeline
  • Grant duration parameters: Projects typically have a duration of 1 to 12 months (flexible).
Reporting and Post-Award Requirements
  • All scientific outcomes resulting from the project must be published as open access.
  • Any novel software and hardware created during the project must be published in its entirety under a recognized free and open-source license.
  • Progress tracking mechanisms: Projects are expected to contribute to the NGI TALER objectives and report outcomes that meet the open-source and open access requirements.
Application Assistance Availability

Evaluation Criteria

Scoring Criteria (Projects require a total weighted score above 5.0 out of 7 to be selected)
  • Technical Merit: 30% weight. Evaluates the quality, feasibility, and innovativeness of the proposed technical solution.
  • Strategic Relevance: 40% weight. Assesses alignment with the broader Next Generation Internet (NGI) vision and the expected contribution to the specific objectives of NGI TALER.
  • Overall Value for Money: 30% weight. Considers the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed activities in achieving the expected impact.
Key Objectives and Contributions
  • Deliver potential break-through contributions to the objectives of NGI TALER.
  • Introduce privacy-preserving and libre (free/open-source) digital payment methods at internet scale.
Impact Expectations
  • Projects should empower users and contribute to establishing a new generation of privacy-friendly digital payment systems.
  • Expected to help create an open, trustworthy, and reliable internet for all.
  • Contributions to restoring and maintaining European sovereignty and securing democratic ownership of digital societies are valued.
Quality and Excellence Benchmarks
  • Proposals should be complete and concise, demonstrating a clear understanding of the project's scope and expected deliverables.
Cross-cutting Themes
  • Focus on privacy, open access, transparency, accountability, and inclusivity (e.g., opening online payments for the underbanked population).

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance
  • Projects must adhere to principles of privacy-by-default in digital financial transactions.
Open Source and Licensing
  • Critical Requirement: All project results, including scientific outcomes, novel software, and hardware, must be released under a recognized free and open-source license in their entirety.
  • All scientific outcomes must be published as open access.
Ethical Standards
  • Emphasis on privacy-preserving solutions, accountability for merchants, and empowerment of users.
  • Projects should contribute to a fair and democratic society, avoiding surveillance practices.
Data Protection and Privacy
  • A core focus of the grant is to fund solutions that enhance privacy in digital payment systems.
Intellectual Property Policies
  • All generated intellectual property (software, hardware, scientific outcomes) must be open-source and open-access, ensuring public benefit and reusability.
Strategic Alignment
  • Projects must align with the Next Generation Internet (NGI) vision to re-imagine the internet as human-centric, open, diverse, and inclusive.
  • Contribute to restoring European sovereignty and securing democratic ownership of digital societies.
Innovation Requirements
  • The grant seeks 'potential break-through contributions' and encourages 'exciting new capabilities' for the GNU Taler ecosystem and related digital payment advancements.
  • It encourages 'out-of-the-box' ideas that fit the eligibility criteria and contribute to the topic.
Risk Tolerance and Mitigation
  • Implicit focus on security, as projects may involve formal security proofs, security audits, and robust software development practices.

Grant Details

technology finance digital payments open source software hardware research and development innovation fintech internet infrastructure cybersecurity privacy education publishing retail individuals organizations startups smes developers researchers users merchants banks financial authorities auditors anti-corruption researchers underbanked population marginalized citizens grants r&d funding pilot projects open calls europe european union switzerland eu member states privacy-preserving payments libre software open standards gnu taler micro-payments digital economy financial inclusion decentralization internet governance digital sovereignty usability security accountability ethical tech human-centric internet public good commons
Pilots for the Next Generation Internet (IA)
11088COMPETITIVE_CALLen
NGI TALER
INDIVIDUAL OTHER
AT BE BG HR CY CZ DK EE FI FR DE GR HU IE IT LV LT LU MT NL PL PT RO SK SI ES SE CH
TECHNOLOGY FINANCE
DEVELOPMENT
OTHER
SDG9 SDG10 SDG16
FUNDING RESEARCH_DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY_BUILDING TRAINING_EDUCATION NETWORKING OPERATIONAL_SUPPORT OTHER
396000.00
5000.00
50000.00
EUR
None
Oct. 1, 2025, noon
None