OTF regularly compiles upcoming deadlines for funding opportunities relevant to Internet freedom, including those from both OTF and alternative funding sources.
If you’d like to receive this announcement directly in your inbox, you can sign up for our low traffic OTF-announce mailing list here. In addition, you can find our compiled list of alternative funding sources here. The opportunities listed below are those with approaching deadlines, while a number of funders accept applications on a rolling basis.
OTF Funding
OTF – Internet Freedom Fund
Next deadline: July 1, 2020
The Internet Freedom Fund is OTF’s primary way to support projects and people working on open and accessible technology-centric projects that promote human rights, Internet freedom, open societies, and help advance inclusive and safe access to global communications networks. Successful applicants are awarded monetary support up to $900,000 and no less than $10,000, with preference given to projects and people who are new to the Internet freedom community, directly serving those living within repressive environments, and are requesting less than $300,000 for a duration of 12 months or less.
Apply: https://www.opentech.fund/requests/internet-freedom-fund
OTF – Core Infrastructure Fund
Next deadline: July 1, 2020
The Core Infrastructure Fund supports the development, improvement, and increased adoption of foundational ‘building block’ technologies that are relied upon by digital security and circumvention projects. This may include efforts focused on sustaining or improving PGP, SSL, SSH, Tor, OTR, pluggable transports, code libraries, or other technologies, infrastructures, and standards that make up the core building blocks of everyday Internet freedom technologies and which are used by people throughout the world to increase their access, privacy, and security online.
Apply: https://www.opentech.fund/requests/core-infrastructure-fund
OTF – Community Prototype Fund
Deadline: Ongoing
The Community Prototype Fund (CPF) is OTF’s newest fund, focused on supporting the rapid development of innovative Internet freedom technology prototypes that serve the immediate needs of the human rights and Internet freedom communities. The CPF works from an idea pool populated with ideas sourced from the Internet freedom community. Activists, journalists, and human rights defenders with urgent technology needs can submit their ideas to this pool. Technologists (applicants) can then view eligible ideas and apply to build them. Alternatively, if you have an idea and want to build it yourself, you can also apply to do that. Focusing on short-term seed funding to jumpstart good ideas, the CPF offers up to $6,000 USD for a maximum duration of 12 weeks. Applications will be reviewed by the OTF community, consisting of current and former fellows and projects, the Advisory Council, and OTF staff. You can learn more in this announcement blog post, or click the link below to apply.
Apply: https://www.opentech.fund/funds/community-prototype-fund/
OTF – Rapid Response Fund
Deadline: Ongoing
The Rapid Response Fund is part of a broader OTF initiative which aims to facilitate the development of a strong digital emergency response community that can work together to resolve threats in a timely and comprehensive manner. OTF offers both direct financial support as well as technical services from trusted service partners to resolve digital emergencies experienced by high-risk Internet users and organizations, such as bloggers, activists, journalists. and human rights defenders.
Apply: https://www.opentech.fund/requests/rapid-response-fund
OTF – Labs
Deadline: Ongoing
For more specific, one-off support needs and services, check out OTF’s Labs: Localization, Community, Engineering, Usability, Red Team, Learning, and Legal.
Learn more about OTF’s Labs here: https://www.opentech.fund/labs
OTF – Information Controls Fellowship Program
Next deadline: February 24, 2020
The Information Controls Fellowship Program (ICFP) supports individuals working to examine restrictions on the free flow of information by repressive governments. In particular, ICFP fellows track Internet interference practices and investigate emerging means of overcoming censorship in repressive environments – the countries, regions, or areas worldwide where Internet freedom is most threatened. The ICFP program offers flexibility for candidates with fellowships available for three, six, nine, or twelve months in duration. This allows for the support of a wider range of proposed efforts, from those that are relatively short-term to projects that are larger in scope. The fellowship offers a monthly stipend of $5,000 along with a travel stipend.
Apply: https://www.opentech.fund/news/open-application-information-controls-fellowship-program/
Alternative Funding
Reset
Deadlines: Round deadlines occur on January 1, March 1, May 1, July 1, September 1, and November 1
Reset and our network of partners are committed to ensuring that technology works for democracy rather than against it. We must reset the rules and standards for the products and services that are at the centre of these issues. And we must raise public expectations about how the internet can better support democracy, by explaining what’s wrong, exposing why it’s happening, and offering solutions. We believe the internet can once again become a force for good, not a marketplace for manipulation by the highest bidder.
Emergency Response Grant Programme: COVID-19
Deadline: May 17, 2020
Emergency Response Programme will provide funding to organizations working on projects that utilize the Internet to improve lives during or in response to an emergency situation. In 2020, the Foundation’s focus will be on projects that respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, both during the immediate period of the crisis but also looking ahead at responses to the inevitable “second wave” later this year/into 2021.
State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) – Request for Statements of Interest (SOI): Human Rights, Accountability, and Access to Information in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea) Round 3
Deadline: September 18, 2020
The State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) has announced “an open competition for organizations interested in submitting Statements of Interest (SOI) for projects that support the policy objective to promote human rights, accountability, and access to information in the DPRK.” DRL seeks to support projects that focus on “Fostering the Free Flow of Information into, out of, and within the DPRK” and “Documentation and Advocacy.” Applicants “that request less than $750,000 or more than $3,000,000 may be deemed technically ineligible.”
More information: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html
State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) – Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Annual Program Statement for Fixed Amount Awards for Human Rights, Accountability, and Access to Information in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea)
Deadline: September 18, 2020
The State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) has announced “an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for Fixed Amount Award (FAA) projects that support the policy objective to promote human rights, accountability, and access to information in the DPRK.” DRL seeks to support projects that focus on “Fostering the Free Flow of Information into, out of, and within the DPRK” and “Documentation and Advocacy.” Awards are for a minimum of $50,00 and maximum of $150,000 each. DRL anticipates 1-16 awardees for a period of performance of 3-12 months.
More information: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html
Cybersecurity Tech Accord/United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs – Apps 4 Digital Peace
Deadline: July 30, 2020
“…[T]he Cybersecurity Tech Accord is excited to be partnering with the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) to launch Apps 4 Digital Peace, a first-of-its-kind competition, to stimulate new thinking from innovating young minds across the world (the “Competition”). The goal of the Competition is to develop original technology-based solutions, such as mobile applications, to both help limit the use of the internet as a domain of conflict, and to increase the stability of our online environment…Submissions will be reviewed by technical and policy experts from the Cybersecurity Tech Accord and UNODA, and finalists will have an opportunity to present their proposals during a dedicated event during High Level week of the United Nations in September 2020…Finalists for the Competition will be in the running to receive both cash prizes and networking opportunities to help get their ideas off the ground. This will include $15k for first prize, $10k for second, and $5k for third, as well as an opportunity to attend the Cybersecurity Tech Accord’s annual meeting to present the winning submission to some of the world’s leading technology companies committed to improving security online for users everywhere.”
More information: https://cybertechaccord.org/cybersecurity-tech-accord-announces-new-contest-in-partnership-with-the-un-office-of-disarmament-affairs/
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In addition to the open application windows listed above, you can always check our compiled list of alternative sources of support: https://guide.opentech.fund/appendix-iv-alternative-sources-of-support
To receive this and other funding or OTF-related announcements, sign up for our low-traffic OTF-announce mailing list here: https://groups.google.com/a/opentech.fund/forum/#!forum/otf-announce/join