APPLY – The Interledger Foundation $50,000 NextGen Higher Education Grant 2025

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The Interledger Foundation has announced the launch of the NextGen Higher Education Grant, an initiative dedicated to fostering financial inclusion through digital payment innovation.

This grant program, which opened in February, provides up to $50,000 USD to higher education institutions committed to empowering students to advocate, champion, and develop solutions for inclusive digital financial systems.

The NextGen Higher Education Program aims to advance research, curriculum development, and hands-on training, equipping students and educators with expertise in open-payment technologies and digital finance while opening doors to emerging fintech career opportunities.

“Creating programs like this aligns with Interledger’s mission to expand access to digital financial services for the 1.4 billion people currently excluded from traditional banking,” said Chris Lawrence, chief program officer at the Interledger Foundation. “The NextGen Higher Education Program serves as a catalyst, empowering students to innovate and lead the development of inclusive digital financial systems.”

How to apply

• To apply, the Interledger Foundation is currently welcoming Letters of Intent (LOIs) from diverse higher education institutions ready to establish or expand programs that provide real-world experience in open-source practices, open-payment technologies, and digital financial systems.
• Higher education institutions that can apply include: public and private (two to four-year institutions), institutional systems or consortia of institutions and university-affiliated research centers or laboratories.
• Applying universities also must align the proposed initiative with their undergraduate or graduate departments of computer science, information technology, business, sustainable development, or related fields.

More information about the NextGen Higher Education program can be downloaded here:  2025 Grant Application Guidelines.

To be considered, educators need to submit a Letter of Intent(LOI) by 11:59 pm (ET) on October 3, 2025.

N.B.: Only LOI’s submitted on the submittable platform will be considered.