NLnet; About NLnet foundation

<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/><meta charset="utf-8" /><meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><meta name="theme-color" content="#ffffff" /><meta name="robots" content="index,follow" /><link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" /><link rel="icon" type="image/x-icon" href="/favicon.ico" /><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/nlnet.css" media="screen, projection" /><link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="NLnet News" href="/feed.atom" /><title>NLnet; About NLnet foundation</title> </head> <body class="foundation" id="topofpage"> <div class="notice"><a href="#main" class="skip">To main content</a><div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col12" id="call_banner"><strong><span><a href="/news/2025/20250401-call.html">Send in your ideas. 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NLnet also pioneered the worlds first dial-in and ISDN infrastructure with full country coverage. In 1997 all commercial activities were sold to UUnet (now Verizon) and since that time NLnet has focussed on supporting the open internet, and the privacy and security of internet users. NLnet's core business is to support independent organizations and people that contribute to an open information society. We provide microgrants, advice and access to an interesting global network we established over the years.</p> <p><a href="/foundation/history/">More about the history of the foundation</a> | <a href="/foundation/annuals/">Annual reports</a></p> <h2 id="mission">Mission Statement</h2> <p>The foundation "<em>Stichting NLnet</em>" stimulates network research and development in the domain of Internet technology. The articles of association for the NLnet foundation state: <cite>"to promote the exchange of electronic information and all that is related or beneficial to that purpose"</cite>.</p> <p>NLnet does not directly benefit from the undertaken projects, and all developments are published as libre and open source.</p><a href="/foundation/20191219-statuten.pdf">Read the Articles of Association</a> (in <img src="/image/nl.png" valign="baseline" width="11" height="11" border="0" />: <em>statuten</em>, <a href="/foundation/20191219-statuten.pdf">PDF</a>)<h2>NLnet Tax Authority Status</h2> <p>Stichting NLnet is a recognised philanthropic non-profit foundation according to the Netherlands Tax Authority (Belastingdienst), and there is a vast network of tax treaties with most countries around the world. Donations to NLnet foundation qualify under many circumstances as charitable donations. For USA based donors, NLnet foundation has a valid <em>Equivalency Determination</em> (ED) issued by NGOsource. To make it easy to review our compliance documentation regarding this status as a Public Benefit Organisation (Dutch: Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling, or <a href="ANBI.html">ANBI</a><a></a>) we have compiled an <a href="/foundation/ANBI.html">overview of information</a>, according to current Netherlands tax regulations. If you are interested in what this means for you, we can recommend the fiscal and legal overview <a href="https://www.philanthropyadvocacy.eu/legal-environment-for-philanthropy-in-europe/">Legal environment for philanthropy in Europe</a>, produced by <a href="https://philea.eu">Philantropy Europe Association</a> (Philea). Considering a substantion donation but don't know where to start — feel free to <a href="/contact">contact us</a>.</p> <h2>Cooperation</h2> <p>NLnet is independent. We do directly and indirectly cooperate with <a href="network.html">many different organisations and programmes</a>. If we are not working with you, and you think we should: <a href="/contact">contact us</a> (and feel free to connect to us on <a href="https://social.nlnet.nl/@nlnet" rel="me">the fediverse</a>).</p> <h2>Fiscal Number and Business Registers</h2> <ul class="pointer"> <li>Legal Entities and Partnerships Information Number (Rechtspersonen Samenwerkingsverbanden Informatie Nummer, RSIN): 007989398</li> <li>Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) Amsterdam: 41208365</li> <li>D-U-N-S Number: 412056173</li> </ul> <h2>As an employer</h2> <p>NLnet foundation is run by a <a href="/people#staff">bureau</a> operated by professional staff, supervised by a <a href="/people/#rvt">supervisory board</a>. If there are <a href="/foundation/jobs">job openings</a> you'll find these listed under <a href="/foundation/jobs">career opportunities</a>.</p> </div> <div class="col4 reorder"> <div class="part"> <h3>Search</h3> <form onsubmit="/js/searchbutton.js" method="get" accept-charset="UTF-8" action="/search/static.html" class="sitesearch"><input id="searsia-input" type="text" name="q" class="form-control" value="" autocomplete="off" /><label for="searsia-input"><span class="hide">Search</span></label><input type="submit" id="searsiasubmit" name="submit" value="Search" /><label for="searsiasubmit"><span class="hide">Submit search</span></label></form> </div> <div> <h1>Foundation</h1> <ul class="pointer"> <li><a href="/foundation/index.html">Mission</a></li> <li><a href="/foundation/can_do.html">What we do</a></li> <li><a href="/foundation/history/index.html">History</a></li> <li><a href="/people/index.html">People</a></li> <li><a href="/foundation/jobs/">Job openings</a></li> <li><a href="/foundation/media-coverage/">NLnet in the media</a></li> <li><a href="/foundation/annuals/index.html">Annual reports</a></li> <li><a href="/foundation/ANBI.html">ANBI</a></li> <li><a href="/contact/">Contact</a></li> </ul> <p class="box marge"> <h5>Currently open for proposals:</h5> </p> <ul class="pointer"> <li><a href="/commonsfund/">NGI0 Commons Fund</a></li> <li><a href="/taler/">NGI TALER</a></li> <li><a href="/mobifree/">NGI Mobifree</a></li> <li><a href="/fediversity/">NGI Fediversity</a></li> </ul> <div><a href="/foundation/jobs/regionalrepresentative.html" class="part part_link part_green"><img src="/image/git-merge-2.svg" width="40" height="40" alt="git merge icon" /> <h5 class="color_white">Job openings</h5> <font color="white">NGI Zero is looking for Regional Representatives.</font> </a></div> <div><a href="https://podcast.nlnet.nl/@NGIZero" class="part part_link part_blue"><img src="/image/ic_antenna_white.svg" width="40" height="40" alt="podcast logo, antenna with radio waves" /> <h5 class="color_white">Listen to our podcast</h5> <font color="white">Conversations with people building the Next Generation Internet</font> </a></div>  </div> <div class="part"> <h3>Events</h3> <p class="h-event"><a href="/events/20250201/FOSDEM/index.html"><span class="dt-start dt-end">2025-02-01</span> - <span class="p-name">Let's meet at FOSDEM 2025</span></a></p> <p class="h-event"><a href="/events/20241227/38C3/index.html"><span class="dt-start dt-end">2024-12-27</span> - <span class="p-name">38C3 Here We Come!</span></a></p> <p class="h-event"><a href="/events/20241128/index.html"><span class="dt-start dt-end">2024-11-28</span> - <span class="p-name">Webinar: Ask Us For Help: Practical Support for NGI Beneficiaries</span></a></p> <ul class="pointer"> <li><a href="/webinars">Upcoming webinars & recordings</a></li> <li><a href="/events">Event archive</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="part"> <h3>News</h3> <p><a href="/news/2025/20250401-call.html">Apply for funding before June 1st 2025</a> 2025-04-01</p> <p><a href="/news/2025/20250321-call-announcement-core.html">56 Projects Receive Grants for Improving Core Technological Building Blocks</a> 2025-03-21</p> <p><a href="/news/2025/20250201-call.html">Apply for funding before April 1st 2025</a> 2025-02-01</p> <p><a href="/news/2025/20250122-project-selection-pilots.html">Seven New Projects Selected to Strengthen the NGI Pilot Programmes</a> 2025-01-22</p> <p><a href="/news/2025/20250120-FOSDEM-talk-Michiel.html">Michiel Leenaars Speaks at FOSDEM about NGI and Europe's Digital Sovereignty</a> 2025-01-20</p> <ul class="pointer"> <li><a href="/news">More news</a></li> </ul> </div> <div><a href="/help" class="part part_link part_green"><img src="/image/ic_hand.svg" alt="" /><h5 class="color_white">Want to help?</h5>Help us by protecting open source and its users with 5 minutes of your time. </a></div> <div><a href="/donating/" class="part part_link part_blue"><img src="/image/ic_flower.svg" alt="icon of a flower" /><h5 class="color_white">Donate today</h5>Your donation can help grow the future! 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NLnet; About NLnet foundation