The Digital Freedom Fund (DFF) supports strategic litigation and pre-litigation research across Council of Europe states to advance digital rights. Grants (avg. EUR 45k litigation, EUR 25k research) are awarded to NGOs and lawyers seeking legislative or social change. The current open call runs from Dec 2025 – Feb 2026, requiring a mandatory eligibility check first.
Digital Freedom Fund Grants 2026 Summary Table
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Host Institution | Digital Freedom Fund (DFF) |
| Awarding Body | DFF Grantmaking Committee |
| Degree Level | Strategic Litigation & Research Support (Not Academic) |
| Funding Type | Project-Based Grants (Litigation Track & Pre-Litigation) |
| Total Grants Approved (Since 2018) | Nearly 150 grants (Total value over EUR 5 million) |
| Target Audience | Digital Rights NGOs, Pro Bono Lawyers, Public Interest Entities |
| Key Criteria | Potential for legislative/social change; impact beyond the individual case |
| Application Deadline | Eligibility Check: February 17, 2026 (Final App: February 25, 2026) |
Digital Freedom Fund Grants Details
The Digital Freedom Fund (DFF) focuses on supporting strategic legal action that contributes to advancing human rights as they relate to technology and digital spaces across Europe.
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Since 2018, DFF has supported over 90 different groups in 30 countries, demonstrating a commitment to building a collaborative digital rights community. Grants are strategically awarded through open calls twice per year, requiring all funded cases to drive wider legislative, policy, or social change.
Digital Freedom Fund Grants Benefits Details
Tier 1: Litigation Track Support (Average EUR 45,000)
Litigation track support provides funding for a case across multiple instances, from the first court appearance through to the final appeal. This is the highest-value grant type, averaging around EUR 45,000, but can occasionally exceed EUR 100,000 for complex cases. Since 2024, these grants can also include crucial post-litigation activities.
- Value: Support for comprehensive litigation through all necessary instances (e.g., a challenge against police use of facial recognition at the European Court of Human Rights).
- Post-Litigation Support: Includes funds for advocacy, enforcement activities, and workshops following a final judgment to share lessons with the wider community, maximizing the case’s impact.
- Grant Size: Average size is around EUR 45,000.
Tier 2: Pre-Litigation Research Support (Average EUR 25,000)
Pre-litigation support is designed to fund preparatory work for already planned litigation. This type of grant ensures that cases are built on a solid foundation of legal and factual research, increasing the likelihood of strategic success.
- Value: Support for activities necessary to prepare a robust case before it is formally filed.
- Activities Covered: Legal research, evidence gathering, forum selection (identifying the best jurisdiction), and identifying claimants and project partners.
- Example: Funding a comparative study across multiple EU jurisdictions to determine the best legal avenue for addressing an issue under an EU Directive.
- Grant Size: Average size is around EUR 25,000.
Tier 3: Strategic Impact and Organizational Support
The core criteria for all DFF funding is the potential for strategic impact that extends beyond the parties directly involved. DFF’s support structure ensures that funded activities contribute to long-term community building and change.
- Supported Groups: DFF explicitly funds not just digital rights organisations, but also supports racial, social, feminist, queer, environmental, migrant rights, and economic justice movements that are working on digital rights.
- Strategic Criteria: Litigation must have the potential to bring about legislative, policy, or social change, and increase capacity and collaboration within the digital rights community.
- Litigation Definition: DFF considers any legal or quasi-legal proceeding involving at least two opposing parties where there is a potential decision by an independent adjudicatory body (e.g., regulatory, administrative, or even “soft litigation” like complaints to UN Treaty Bodies).
Eligibility Requirements for DFF Grants 2026
To be considered for funding, applicants must meet specific criteria related to their organization type, the location of the litigation, and the strategic objectives of the proposed case.
- Case Strategy & Objectives: The case must be strategic, meaning it has the potential to bring about legislative, policy, or social change and must advance digital rights (human rights in the digital sphere). Applicants must demonstrate a detailed plan for involving affected communities without being extractive.
- Applicant Organization Type: Applications are accepted from digital rights advocates (e.g., NGOs, public interest entities), pro bono lawyers, and other litigators seeking to advance digital rights in Europe.
- Geographical Scope: Litigation activities must be taking place in any of the Council of Europe Member States. Applicants themselves may be based outside of the Council of Europe, provided their legal work is focused within this region.
- Code of Conduct Acceptance: All applicants and recipients are expected to review, acknowledge, and accept the DFF’s Code of Conduct, which prohibits sexist, racist, ageist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, religiously insensitive, or exclusionary behaviour.
How to Apply for DFF Grants 2026 (Step by Step)
The application process consists of four distinct steps and runs from December 1, 2025, to February 17, 2026, for the initial eligibility check.
- Step 1: Complete Eligibility Check: Access the eligibility check form on the DFF online grant platform (link found on their application page). This check determines if your request falls within the scope of Litigation Track or Pre-Litigation Research support. Submit this check as early as possible.
- Step 2: Submit Full Application: If your request is approved in Step 1, you will gain access to the full application form. Completed applications must be submitted through the DFF grant platform by the final deadline (February 25, 2026, for approved eligibility checks).
- Step 3: Evaluation by Community Peer Group: Applications that meet the core grantmaking criteria will be fully evaluated by a group of community peers. This peer group collectively decides which applications to support, which is then written up as a recommendation.
- Step 4: Final Decision by DFF Board: The DFF Board’s Grantmaking Committee provides the final sign-off on the peer group’s recommendations. Decisions are typically announced in June 2026.
Application Deadline: February 17, 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What are ‘digital rights’ according to DFF?
DFF defines digital rights broadly as human rights that are applicable within the digital sphere. This sphere covers both physical constructions (like infrastructure and devices) and virtual spaces (such as online identities and communities).
2. What is the deadline for the current call for applications?
The current open call for applications runs from December 1, 2025, to February 17, 2026. The final deadline to submit your full application (after eligibility approval) is February 25, 2026.
3. What is the difference between Litigation Track and Pre-Litigation Support?
Litigation Track support funds a legal case through multiple instances (first instance through final appeal) and can include post-litigation activities. Pre-Litigation Support funds preparatory activities for an already planned case, such as research, evidence gathering, and forum selection.
4. What is meant by ‘strategic’ litigation?
Strategic litigation is defined as legal action that has the potential to achieve an impact extending beyond the parties directly involved in the case, thereby bringing about legislative, policy, or social change.
5. What is the typical grant size for DFF awards?
The average size for a Litigation Track support grant is around EUR 45,000, while the average size for a Pre-Litigation Research support grant is around EUR 25,000. DFF has approved grants as low as EUR 3,000.
6. Can DFF support defensive litigation or third-party interventions?
Yes, DFF can support various types of litigation, including proactive litigation (cases initiated by the applicant), defensive litigation (cases brought against the applicant, including SLAPPs), and third-party interventions (provided the intervention positively impacts the outcome).
7. What geographic region does DFF cover?
DFF accepts grant applications concerning litigation in any of the Council of Europe Member States. The applicant organization itself does not need to be based in a Council of Europe country, but the litigation must take place there.
8. What is the ‘participatory decision-making’ pilot?
The pilot involves transforming DFF’s grantmaking by having a group of community peers review and collectively decide which applications to support, rather than DFF staff or Board making the initial assessment alone.
9. What are some examples of case topics DFF considers funding?
DFF considers any case advancing digital rights, including challenges related to predictive policing, transparency in algorithmic decision-making, discriminatory use of technology, protecting against unjustified online content blocking, and enforcing GDPR rights.
10. How long does the entire application process take?
The overall duration of the application review process is around three months from the call for applications deadline until the final decision by the DFF Board.
