NextGen FAQs

The program is open to accredited or officially recognized higher education institutions that want to create or expand educational opportunities for tertiary-level students in Open Payments, interoperability, digital financial inclusion, fintech, and related areas.

Applications should be submitted on behalf of the institution and led by an appropriate faculty member, department, school, center, research unit, or other recognized institutional unit.

The NextGen Higher Education Grant is designed as an institutional grant. Student clubs may participate in or help implement project activities, but an eligible higher education institution or recognized institutional unit must submit and manage the application.

Yes. Eligible higher education institutions may apply regardless of country, subject to applicable Interledger Foundation eligibility and due diligence requirements.

Institutions must be able to demonstrate appropriate accreditation or official recognition in the country where they operate.

No. Previous experience with Interledger Protocol, Open Payments, or related technologies is welcome but is not required.

Institutions that are new to the ecosystem should demonstrate a credible plan for building the knowledge and capacity needed to deliver the proposed program successfully.

Selected institutions may request up to USD $50,000.

The funding request should be proportionate to the scope of the proposed project, anticipated number of students, planned activities, and expected outcomes.

Applicants are encouraged to review the NextGen Higher Education Program Resource Kit before preparing their Letter of Intent.

The Resource Kit provides additional guidance to help institutions understand the NextGen program and prepare a strong application. It includes information on program objectives and eligibility, preparing the Letter of Intent, Open Payments and Interledger resources, application expectations, and the full proposal process.

Projects may be implemented for a maximum of 12 months.

Applicants should propose a timeline that is realistic for the project activities and intended outcomes.

Projects should create meaningful educational opportunities for students to learn about, explore, research, or apply concepts related to Open Payments and digital financial inclusion.

Projects may include:

• Development of new courses;
• Revision of existing curricula;
• Workshops and seminars;
• Technical labs;
• Hackathons or innovation challenges;
• Student research;
• Capstone projects;
• Prototypes or demonstrations;
• Guest lectures;
• Interdisciplinary learning programs; and
• Other co-curricular or experiential learning activities.

Projects should form a coherent educational program rather than a series of unrelated events.

No. A project may include formal curriculum development, co-curricular activities, or a combination of both.

However, all proposed activities should have clear educational objectives and provide meaningful learning opportunities for tertiary-level students.

Students should receive meaningful exposure to Open Payments, interoperability, digital financial inclusion, and relevant Interledger concepts or technologies.

Depending on the project, students may:

• Learn foundational concepts;
• Explore payment use cases;
• Participate in technical demonstrations or labs;
• Work with Open Payments APIs;
• Build or test prototypes;
• Conduct research;
• Participate in hackathons or innovation challenges; or
• Apply these concepts through coursework, assignments, or student projects.

The level of technical engagement should be appropriate for the students and the proposed program.

In addition to grant funding, selected institutions may identify support areas that could strengthen successful project implementation, such as technical orientation, learning resources, guidance on Open Payments and Interledger, guest speakers, ecosystem connections, technical mentorship, or faculty support. Projects should, however, be designed with sufficient institutional capacity to operate effectively without relying extensively on ongoing Interledger Foundation staff support.

Project outcomes will vary based on the nature and scope of each initiative, but institutions should clearly define the learning objectives and expected student outputs. These may include increased understanding of Open Payments and digital financial inclusion, development of technical or research skills, student prototypes, research papers, case studies, presentations, capstone projects, technical demonstrations, open-source contributions, or other documented evidence of student learning and engagement.

Applicants invited to Phase 2 should propose an evaluation approach that is appropriate to the project and clearly aligned with its learning objectives. Evaluation methods may include pre- and post-assessments, surveys, student assignments and projects, reflective exercises, technical demonstrations, research outputs, participation and completion data, interviews, focus groups, or other suitable measures of student learning and project effectiveness.

Projects are not expected to continue indefinitely; however, applicants should consider how successful activities, resources, or approaches could be sustained beyond the grant period. This may include continuing or integrating courses and curriculum, reusing teaching materials, maintaining student clubs or technical labs, expanding activities to other departments, or supporting continued faculty research and student engagement.

Yes. Cross-departmental and interdisciplinary collaboration is encouraged where it strengthens the proposed student learning experience.

For example, a project could bring together departments such as computer science, finance, business, economics, engineering, entrepreneurship, public policy, or related disciplines.

Phase 1 is an expression of Intent. Applicants will submit a short application form and a Letter of Intent, which will introduce the project. Applicants can apply up until December 14, 2026. However, we will review and accept applications on a rolling basis until the deadline.

The Letter of Intent is the primary document reviewed during this stage and should provide a high-level overview of:

• The institution;
• The proposed project;
• The identified student or institutional need;
• Proposed activities;
• Intended student participants;
• Expected outcomes and impact;
• Connection to Open Payments and the Interledger Foundation's education goals; and
• Institutional capacity to implement the project.

Applicants must also provide proof of institutional accreditation or recognition.

Yes. The Letter of Intent should be prepared on the official letterhead of the university or higher education institution and signed by an authorized institutional representative.

The letter should be signed by an appropriate senior institutional representative, such as a Chancellor, President, Vice Chancellor, Dean, Head of Department, or another authorized institutional leader.

The letter should confirm institutional support for the proposed project and the institution's willingness to implement the initiative if selected.

No. A detailed project budget, implementation plan, evaluation framework, and full proposal are not required during Phase 1.

Applicants invited to Phase 2 will be asked to provide this additional information.

Letters of Intent will be reviewed based on factors including:

• Project rationale and description;
• Alignment with the Interledger Foundation and NextGen Education Grant goals;
• Proposed student exposure to Open Payments and Interledger;
• Potential student and institutional impact; and
• Institutional capacity and overall feasibility.

Institutions with the strongest concepts will be invited to Phase 2: Full Proposal Submission.

Invited institutions will be asked to submit a full proposal that provides a more detailed overview of the proposed project, including its rationale, design, student participants and recruitment approach, curriculum and co-curricular activities, and planned engagement with Open Payments and Interledger. The proposal should also outline student learning objectives and expected outputs, anticipated outcomes and impact, evaluation methods, sustainability plans, project team and faculty capacity, implementation timeline and milestones, detailed budget, and required institutional due diligence documentation.

Institutions invited to Phase 2, to submit a full proposal, may be asked to provide documentation including:

• Institutional accreditation or recognition;
• Governance information;
• A letter of institutional support;
• Financial statements or an annual report;
• Relevant institutional or departmental budget information; and
• Other documentation required to verify institutional eligibility and capacity.

No. An invitation to submit a full proposal means that the institution's initial project concept has been selected for further consideration. It does not guarantee a grant award.

Full proposals will undergo additional review before final funding decisions are made.

Full proposals will be assessed based on the strength and feasibility of the proposed project, its alignment with the Interledger Foundation and NextGen program objectives, and the extent to which it meaningfully integrates Open Payments and Interledger. Reviewers will also consider the quality of the educational design and student learning approach, assessment and evaluation methods, potential for impact and sustainability, institutional and project team capacity, implementation timeline, and overall budget alignment and value.