Who it is for
- Emerging leaders across research, technology, policy, education, journalism, and community organising
- Those working to improve access to digital financial services
Work on Real Financial System Challenges
The Interledger Fellowship is a 12-month program supporting emerging leaders who are researching, building, and advocating for more open, interoperable financial systems. Fellows work on projects they define, with funding and institutional support from the Interledger Foundation to carry them through. The program is open to researchers, developers, educators, policy advocates, journalists, and community organisers working at the intersection of technology and access to digital financial services.
Work on Real Financial System Challenges
The Interledger Fellowship is a 12-month program supporting emerging leaders who are researching, building, and advocating for more open, interoperable financial systems. Fellows work on projects they define, with funding and institutional support from the Interledger Foundation to carry them through. The program is open to researchers, developers, educators, policy advocates, journalists, and community organisers working at the intersection of technology and access to digital financial services.
The 2026 application window has closed. Sign up to our newsletter for future opportunities.
At a Glance
What it supports
- Independent research;
- technical development;
- policy advocacy;
- educational resources;
- community building.
How it works
- 12-month program.
- $72,000 stipend plus $20,000 project funding.
- Applications are closed for the 2026 grant cycle.
What Fellows Get
- $72,000 fellowship stipend across the program year
- $20,000 project funding to support research, development, or advocacy work
- Access to the Interledger Foundation’s global network of researchers, developers, policymakers, and institutions
- Peer learning and collaboration with the current fellowship cohort
- Opportunities to present work at the Interledger Summit and other Foundation events
- Institutional support and mentorship throughout the program
What Are We Looking For?
Strong proposals address real barriers that prevent people from participating fully in digital financial systems. These may include the cost of transactions, documentation requirements, absent or inadequate infrastructure, regulatory frameworks that exclude rather than protect, or a lack of accessible tools and knowledge.
We fund work across five areas:
Get Inspired by Past Fellows
The Interledger Foundation Fellowship program is a pilot initiative that builds upon the success of the preceding Interledger Ambassadorship program. Since 2020, the Interledger Ambassadorship program has supported researchers, advocates, educators, technical developers, and journalists in our ongoing areas of interest: open-source technology, community engagement, advocacy, accessibility, education, and research. These areas will remain central to the Fellowship. This initiative is designed to remove barriers to economic participation worldwide.
Here are some of their stories.
Andria Barrett
"My goal is to protect this trusted tradition while using technology to reduce costs, expand access and make it easier for people to take part."
Ayden Férdeline
"Payments are not just transactions; they are governance made tangible."
Caroline Sinders
"Design can explain or confuse users as to what the technology is doing. Design isn't neutral, it's deeply political."
Erica Hargreave
"Placing focus, intention and value in ensuring we are building accessibility into the system, starting with the code."
Gavin Chait
"Financial exclusion arises because individuals don’t have access to the formal economy."
Jeremiah Lee
“A handful of companies should not control the digital public square, nor should a handful of companies control global money movement.”
Kokayi Walker
"Financial inclusion is about dignity and agency. The ability to fully participate in economic life."
Lawil Karama
"As an artist working with diaspora communities and marginalized voices, I saw how financial exclusion compounded other forms of erasure."
Santosh Viswanatham
"I envision a future where financial inclusion is naturally embedded into the web."
Sheena Allen
"Digital financial inclusion represents equity, access, and economic survival for millions of people."
Smriti Parsheera
"Understanding how different communities, particularly marginalized groups, access and engage with digital financial services is an important piece of the puzzle."
Stephanie Perrin
"There is a great need for more work on explaining where data is going, where it is being stored, and what protection exists for it."
Victoria Coker
"The future of financial inclusion, to me, looks like access to all regardless of income, race, or location."
Xiaoji Song
"The future of financial inclusion is one where power is redistributed, not just interfaces improved."
Ready to apply?
The 2026 Interledger Fellowship Program has closed. Stay informed about this grant program and grantee updated in our community forum and email newsletter.