Call for Applications: Knowledge Grant Program

Deadline: 19-Jul-21

The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF Asia) has announced a call for applications for the Knowledge Grant Program to develop technical capacity and/or research around Internet network operations, from a technical and operational perspective, and in support of the Internet industry in the Asia Pacific region.

Areas

• Technical research and capacity building efforts on network operations and security with a focus on practical solutions around IPv6, Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) standard and Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP)
• Technical training, mentoring, fellowships, exchange programs and other innovative mechanisms that support capacity building and professional development across the Asia Pacific region focusing on network operations, security, regulatory frameworks, disaster preparedness and climate change
• Translation to Asia Pacific languages of relevant technical documentation and training materials focusing on network operations and security
• Strengthening knowledge sharing across communities of practice such as Network Operators Groups and Computer Emergency Response Teams
• Digital literacy efforts from technical organizations targeting non-technical audiences focused on awareness of network operations and security
• Diagnosis, monitoring, measurement and/or analysis of live or historical datasets related to Internet infrastructure and its security

Type of Grants

• Small Grants: Targeted for pilot projects, proof of concept ideas, or narrow/concrete interventions around the Inclusion program focus areas to be implemented over six, nine or twelve months in the Asia Pacific region. Two grants of USD 30,000 each will be available in 2021 through a defined competition period.
• Scale-up Grants: Targeted for projects that have already a completed proof of concept or business case structured and have a clear growth strategy around the Inclusion program focus areas to be implemented over twelve to eighteen months in the Asia Pacific region. One grant of USD 85,000 will be available in 2021 through a defined competition period. Organizations receiving this grant will have to include on their budget requests a minimum of USD 15,000 to improve their staff skills and other organizational development around the areas that the organization has identified they need support to be able to cope with growth.
• Impact Grants: Targeted for projects that have already achieved scale and stabilize after their first expansion and that have concrete plans to maximize the impact of their work around the Inclusion program focus areas to be implemented over twelve to eighteen months in the Asia Pacific region. One grant of USD 125,000 will be available in 2021 through a defined competition period. Organizations receiving this grant will have to include on their budget requests a minimum of USD 25,000 to improve their staff skills and other organizational development around the areas that the organization has identified they need support to be able to cope with growth.

• Project proposals from Asia Pacific-based organizations will be considered.
• Applications from public, private sector, academia (such as universities or research and development institutions), non-profit and social enterprises are welcome to all grant categories.
• The names, academic background and relevant experience of the people having relevant technical and administrative participation in the implementation of the project must be stated.
• Individuals are not eligible to apply.
• No self-nominations for the Awards are accepted.
• When submitting an application, the applicants acknowledge that any grant funding and, indeed, the application and evaluation process, is entirely at the discretion of the funding partners and they may choose to determine the process at any time up to the time of actual payment.

For more information, visit https://isif.asia/knowledge/