The US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) recently announced two exciting Internet freedom funding opportunities: one in support of censorship circumvention technologies, and the other in support of a range of potential activities and projects including anti-censorship technology development and support, digital security, policy and advocacy, and research.
Funding Opportunity #1: Long-term censorship circumvention support
DRL is interested in supporting anti-censorship tools that “provide civil society actors and marginalized populations around the world with long-term, reliable, uncensored access to the global Internet.”
Looking to support relatively established tools, DRL seeks those with a “significant existing global user-base” which have exhibited a “proven track record of successfully circumventing online censorship in highly restricted environments.”
Emphasizing sustainability, a performance period of “between two and four years” is anticipated, with the expectation that projects also have a plan for “long-term sustainability beyond the life of the grant.”
DRL is looking to support “one to two successful applications” with an anticipated available support pool of “approximately $5,000,000.”
The deadline for this request is August 26, 2016.
For a more detailed description and instructions on how to apply, check out the full “Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Internet Freedom Core Support for Anti-Censorship Technology” at http://www.state.gov/j/drl/p/258417.htm.
Funding Opportunity #2: Tools, digital security, policy and advocacy, research
A diverse range of possible projects fall under this request. Though not mandatory, projects may address:
- anti-censorship technology development and support;
- digital security training, support, and resource development;
- policy and advocacy efforts to “counter restrictive Internet laws” and support Internet freedom-friendly policies; and
- research efforts that include “real-time monitoring and analysis” of censorship events and “global assessments of Internet freedom threats, opportunities, and trends.”
There are two deadlines for this request: August 26, 2016 and February 10, 2017.
For a more detailed description and instructions on how to apply, check out the full “Request for Statements of Interest: DRL Internet Freedom Annual Program Statement” at http://www.state.gov/j/drl/p/258417.htm.
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For a full list of Internet freedom-relevant funding opportunities, see our list of alternative sources of support.