June 16, 2026
Grant me maybe?
NLnet announces funding for 67 more open-source projects
67 projects get the money — and the comments instantly turn into wish lists, side-eyes, and open-source thirst
TLDR: NLnet funded 67 new projects aimed at making the internet more open, private, and less dependent on big platforms. Commenters were split between celebrating the winners, asking why favorite projects were missing, and debating whether too much attention is going to digital money tools.
NLnet just handed out funding to 67 open-source projects, backing everything from privacy-friendly online payments to easier self-hosted online services — basically, tools meant to make the internet feel less controlled by giant companies. On paper, it’s a feel-good story about Europe putting money into a more independent, public-minded web. In the comments, though? It immediately became a mix of cheering, questioning, and classic internet “but what about my favorite project?” energy.
One of the loudest vibes was pure open-source FOMO. A few readers were happy to see fresh faces win grants, but not without mourning the missing regulars: “DeltaChat?” “Mox not there?” Suddenly the grant list felt less like an announcement and more like a festival lineup, with fans scanning for their favorite band and gasping when it’s absent. Others saw a pattern and raised an eyebrow at the number of projects tied to digital cash, wondering if this signals a bigger European push for financial independence online. That’s where the hot take machine really kicked in: is this smart future-planning, or is the board getting a little too obsessed with one theme?
Then came the scrappy underdog mood. One solo developer admitted they’re tempted to apply but are stuck juggling money problems and day-to-day survival — a painfully real reminder that behind all the grand “fix the internet” language are people trying to keep their projects alive. And in peak comment-thread fashion, one person used the moment to loudly plug their own proudly open hardware work. Charity, suspicion, hope, and shameless self-promo: the open-source comments section remains undefeated.
Key Points
- •NLnet announced grants for 67 projects across the NGI Zero Commons Fund, NGI Taler, and NGI Fediversity programmes.
- •The selected projects span areas from trustworthy open hardware to user-autonomy-focused services and applications.
- •NGI Taler is developing a payment system designed to protect payer privacy while ensuring seller transparency.
- •NGI Fediversity focuses on hosted cloud services built around service portability and personal freedom, and together with NGI Taler selected six outside projects.
- •The programmes are supported by the European Commission's Next Generation Internet programme, with extra funding for the NGI Zero Commons Fund from Switzerland's SERI.