The Interledger Foundation, ILF, announced the launch of its Local Impact Mini-Grants program, a new funding
initiative designed to empower grassroots organizations and community leaders
working to expand digital financial access and open payment innovation around
the world.
Grants of USD $500–$3,000 are available to support locally led initiatives
advancing open payments and digital financial access.
Some of the most impactful work
starts with local communities. Developers hosting meetups, nonprofits leading
workshops, community organizers bringing people together, and innovators
responding to the unique challenges they see every day. This is where impact
happens.
The
Interledger Foundation’s Local Impact Mini-Grants program is designed to
support those grassroots efforts by putting flexible funding directly into the
hands of the people leading change in their own communities.
The program offers grants ranging
from USD $500 to $3,000 to support community organizations, nonprofits,
cooperatives, civil society groups, local fintech startups, social enterprises,
and individual practitioners with a concrete project plan.
Funding can be used to organize
meetups, workshops, hackdays, community conversations, research, storytelling,
and other activities that expand awareness and understanding of open payment
technology and digital financial access.
The Local Impact Mini Grants
recognize that communities already have trusted networks, local expertise, and
ideas worth investing in. Rather than prescribing new solutions, the program
empowers local leaders to design initiatives that respond to their own context
while contributing to a growing global ecosystem of open, interoperable
financial systems.
Chris Lawrence, chief program officer,
explains:
“The most sustainable innovation
happens when communities have the resources to explore ideas that matter to
them. Through the Local Impact Mini-Grants, we’re supporting local leaders who
are already building trust, creating opportunities for learning, and expanding
access to digital financial services in ways that reflect the needs of their
communities.”
Applications will be accepted on
a rolling basis from July 6 through November 11, 2026. Projects should focus on
community engagement around open payments, digital financial access,
open-source innovation, financial inclusion, or Digital Public Infrastructure
(DPI), and may be hosted independently or in partnership with existing local
organizations, coworking spaces, universities, incubators, accelerators, hacker
spaces, or fintech communities.
How to Apply
Applications are open to anywhere
in the world, however, projects serving communities in the Global South, as
well as rural and peri-urban regions with limited access to formal financial
services, are encouraged to apply.
Applicants will complete a short
application through Submittable, including a two-page concept note, project
budget, and implementation timeline. Applications are reviewed on a rolling
basis, and early submissions are encouraged.
To learn more about the Local
Impact Mini-Grants, review the program factsheet and explore the application
resources.
Apply online through Submittable.
