Submit your application by 11:59 PM GMT on February 28, 2025
Table of Contents
- General
- Candidate Eligibility
- Location Eligibility
- Application
- Host Organization
- Evaluation Process
- Outputs
General
What are the primary objectives of the fellowship?
The objectives are to uncover the technical orchestration of repressive censorship and surveillance by governments, as well as methods to circumvent this information control so that all citizens can exercise their fundamental human rights online.
What types of financial support and stipends are provided to ICFP fellows, and how are these amounts determined?
Fellows receive a fixed monthly amount of $7,000 USD, for a maximum of 12 months. Applicants need to justify the project length in their application. In addition, fellows may receive a travel stipend of up to $5,000 USD and a non-travel stipend of up to $5,000 USD to cover research costs. These stipends must be pre-approved during the research phase.
What is the maximum amount granted per organization?
The funding is for the fellow/researcher, and not for the host organization. The amount depends on the project length; the maximum is $7,000 USD for 12 months.
Is it possible to request funding for training activists and journalists on digital security? Or for advocacy?
No. The program focuses on research to identify digital information control mechanisms, including digital surveillance, censorship, and potential ways to circumvent those information controls. Digital security training and advocacy are outside the scope.
Do you have examples of previous projects and specific areas of interest?
Please look at the ICFP page under the Eligibility and Recently Funded Fellows sections—we provide links to previous fellows’ research.
What is the application process, and what are the key dates for the 2025 application window?
It is a two-step application process: 1) a concept note that presents the research idea, including its feasibility and uniqueness; 2) applicants with competitive concept notes will be invited to submit a full proposal. The 2025 application window is January 13 – February 28, 2025.
How does the ICFP ensure the monitoring and evaluation of fellows’ projects, and what role does the OTF Program Manager play in this process?
Fellows’ host organizations and the OTF Program Manager monitor and evaluate projects. Monitoring and evaluation assessments are based on predetermined and agreed-upon metrics, deliverables, and goals as laid out by the applicant in the project proposal. Fellows must be on track in order to receive their monthly stipend.
If the application is successful, what will the workflow and process for cooperating with OTF look like?
After your application is approved, we will first work with you to issue a contract. Fellows are expected to work closely with their host organization to fulfill the milestones outlined in the proposal and the contract and submit monthly progress reports. During the fellowship, OTF organizes regular calls for the fellowship cohort to connect and discuss progress and challenges. Closer to the end of the project, fellows are expected to submit a full report and a blog post that summarizes the research.
Candidate Eligibility
Who is eligible to apply for the ICFP, and what qualifications are typically required?
Individuals of all ages irrespective of nationality, residency, creed, gender, or other factors are eligible—with the exception that OTF is not able to support applicants within countries that the United States has trade restrictions or export sanctions as determined by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Applicants should demonstrate skill and ability to assist in efforts to overcome information controls; a desire to grow their knowledge and skills through a collaborative, cross-discipline approach; and a commitment to reach audiences outside of the research community.
Do researchers need to be affiliated with an academic institution to qualify?
No.
Are there specific academic requirements for the ICFP? Do you need an undergraduate, master’s, or PhD degree? Can early career researchers apply?
The applicant needs to demonstrate that they have the skillset needed to carry out the research. There are no specific academic requirements.
What do you mean by experienced researchers with demonstrated ability and expertise?
Applicants need to demonstrate in the application what their skill(s) and expertise are, which should align with the research topic and methodology they propose. We want to ensure that you can successfully carry out the research within 12 months.
How many fellows are selected and from which nationalities?
We do not have a fixed number for each round. In 2023, 11 fellows were selected. In 2024, 10 were selected. Each application is selected by its own merit. Individuals of all ages irrespective of nationality, residency, creed, gender, or other factors, are eligible to apply. The only exception is that OTF is not able to support applicants within countries that the United States has trade restrictions or export sanctions, as determined by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Can this fellowship be a team project, like South and North Koreans together?
The fellowship is for individual researchers, but we encourage fellows to work with relevant communities.
Location Eligibility
Is this a remote fellowship?
While fellows are ideally able to work locally within their host organization, applicants who wish to work remotely will also be considered with the expectation that a strategy for remote communication is established.
Can I work in a country that I don’t currently reside in?
Yes, as long as you have the valid visa to perform the work. Unfortunately, OTF cannot help fellows obtain visas.
What countries are prioritized when choosing proposals? Have there been any previous fellows from an African country? How many fellows are picked?
Countries with repressive information control mechanisms are prioritized. We have had fellows from African countries. We do not have a fixed number for each round. In 2023, 11 fellows were selected. In 2024, 10 were selected. Each application is selected by its own merit.
Can the ICFP provide visa support for non-US citizens?
If you already have a valid visa in the US, we can provide a letter to verify that you are supported by the ICFP. But if you are not in the US, we cannot provide visa support for you to work in the US.
Is the fellowship only US-based?
No.
Application
In what situations has the travel stipend been used for past projects?
Fellows have used the travel stipend to attend conferences, conduct field research, and visit host organizations (if the fellow resides in a different location).
I see a concept note guide for OTF’s Internet Freedom Fund application online—is this same guide also recommended for submitting concept notes for the fellowship?
Yes. Our Applicant Guidebook also has a section with guidance for ICFP applicants.
How specific should a research topic be for the fellowship? Is it better to focus on a country-wide issue or a state/local issue?
We encourage fellows to focus on a specific issue concerning information control (so that they can dig deep into the research) and to explain the potential impact of researching this specific issue. Regarding country focus, we prioritize countries with repressive information controls, and want to ensure that the scope is realistic for the duration of the fellowship.
What is the general scope of projects for each length of fellowship? Does the scope of a 3-month fellowship differ a lot from a 12-month fellowship?
The scope of work, activities, and outputs should be specific and tangible for the duration of the fellowship.
Does the ICFP support projects which involve work—not necessarily on the ground, but with sources—in situations, locations, and reporting space considered to entail heightened risk (e.g., along the Thai /Myanmar border)?
Yes. These applicants need to provide a risk assessment and establish security measures for the researchers and sources involved.
For applicants concerned about personal safety or security for those close to us, what steps does OTF take to protect our information? Who has access to our information?
Security of the fellows and those involved is a top priority for OTF. Depending on the threat model, we will work with successful applicants (and their host organizations) on necessary security measures, including using pseudonyms. Only the OTF team and our trusted Advisory Council members will be able to access the application information. We minimize the collection of unnecessary private information and securely store information. Before completing a submission, we strongly encourage you to review our Privacy and Information Sharing Policy.
Host Organization
How is the working process between the fellow and the host organization?
During the application process, applicants will work together with their host organization on the proposal—ensuring that the scope of work and timeline are feasible, and that the fellow will have the necessary level of support. During the research process, fellows are expected to work full-time with their host organization. The host organization provides supervision and guidance for the researcher, and monitors their progress.
What kinds of organizations host fellows?
Organizations that have the expertise of the research proposed, and that have the capacity to support fellows. It can be an academic research institute, internet freedom organization, or private organization. Applicants should first identify organizations that they would like to work with and contact these organizations to gauge their interest and capacity for support.
How do you recommend ICFP applicants approach a host institution for a fellowship?
We encourage you to look at the previous host organizations or to identify suitable organizations that have expertise in the research’s subject matter. Once you’ve identified a suitable host, we recommend talking to them first and sharing your proposed research with them.
Can I suggest the organization I would like to work with?
Yes, you may suggest suitable host organizations. Please provide justification in your application for your choices. Non-academic host organizations are welcome, as are those based outside the United States. Please avoid working with a host organization you are already affiliated with.
What are the requirements for host organizations?
Host organizations should be aligned with the project proposed. They are expected to provide guidance to the fellows and monitor their progress. Some fellows might require access to the organization’s office and resources (e.g., a desk, computer, data). Host organizations are also expected to connect fellows with their network to promote fellows’ work.
How do you get a host organization in Africa?
We encourage you to look at the previous host organizations noted in fellow bios or to identify suitable organizations that have expertise in the subject matter area you are focused on. We can also help you to identify a suitable host organization.
Will the host organization I select review my proposal?
We encourage applicants to reach out to the potential host organization to gauge their interest and availability to host their fellowship. We will also share the applications with the host organizations before inviting applicants to submit a full proposal.
Evaluation Process
What is expected of fellows?
We expect fellows to carry out the research and deliver the outputs that are proposed in their application. At the conclusion of the ICFP, fellows are also expected to produce a public facing blog post or report to inform non-technical users of the importance of the research and key findings.
Can you provide further details on the two-stage application process, specifically the types of criteria and evaluation factors that are considered during both the initial submission and final selection phases?
Proposed ICFP projects should exhibit originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the mission of promoting freedoms of expression, assembly, and association online. This means considering how your project directly impacts users in repressive information environments. You should also demonstrate your ability to carry out the project successfully. Please review our Applicant Guidebook for more information on the evaluation process.
How does OTF evaluate the scalability and long-term sustainability of projects that aim to counter internet censorship, especially in regions with rapidly evolving digital repression tactics?
We encourage applicants to think through and articulate what further research and/or projects could be built on the outputs of the fellowship project.
Outputs
How should the applicant approach presenting the topic they aim to research methodology-wise? Is it necessary to add references?
Applicants are expected to detail the methodology, including what it is, why they are choosing this method, and what they expect to achieve through this approach. While we encourage references, we ask applicants to clarify the above in the application to facilitate the review process.
What type of output (paper, podcast, etc.) would you like to see as a result of this fellowship?
This depends on the research, but generally, we like to see monthly progress reports, a final report, and a blog post that summarizes the research and its key findings, code produced (if applicable), as well as documented efforts to reach out to relevant communities to raise awareness of the research findings, and/or increase adoption.
What counts as a technical output?
It is not possible to provide a complete list of technical outputs, but these can include a final report that summarizes research findings, any tool developed in the research to achieve the goals, as well as recommendations for tool developers.
Do the solutions need to be open source?
Yes, all OTF supported projects are open sourced.
Still have questions? Please add them to this public spreadsheet and they will be answered in a prompt fashion. If your question is not appropriate for a public forum, please email [email protected].