Deadline: 01-May-21
Open Technology Fund(OTF) is pleased to announce ‘Internet Freedom Fund’ Program to support projects and people working on open and accessible technology-focused projects that promote human rights, Internet freedom, open societies.
OTF aims to support technologists and activists bring to life ideas that advance inclusive and safe access to global communications networks, counteract censorship and surveillance, and mitigate digital security threats to Internet freedom specifically for at-risk-users, journalists, human rights defenders, civil society activists and others living in repressive environments.
Supported Effort Types
The projects and people they support all fall into one or more of the following categories: Technology Development, Applied Research, Digital Security and Community Gatherings. Some straddle the line between two of these categories, and some even touch on all three.
Technology Development: In this category they support the development of innovative Internet freedom technology, prototypes, and projects as well as core infrastructure projects that serve the Internet freedom and human rights communities. OTF seeks to support technology-focused interventions with clear human-centred benefits for Internet freedom.
- Applied Research: Applied research efforts supported through the Internet Freedom Fund should be applied – that is, with direct feedback, insight, or applicability to the technology development process. This research may include identifying how, why, or where censorship is happening, studying specific Internet freedom tools and ways to improve them, advancing knowledge around what types of content censors target, or assessing threats to Internet freedom in a specific geographic context.
- Digital Security: OTF aims to fill missing digital security capacity needs for on-the-ground organizations promoting human rights, focusing on those fighting to increase free expression and Internet freedom. Further, OTF seeks to support efforts that increase the developer communities’ understanding of the challenges that organizations and users are facing on the ground, when maintaining digital security strategies or using their tools.
- Community Gatherings: OTF provides funding that empowers Internet freedom communities to become stronger and vibrant by focusing on cultivating deeper trust relationships, improving knowledge share and collaboration, and supporting and diversifying the next generation of leaders. Applications for this category could include Targeted research and development gatherings or community organized events.
Primary Focus Areas
The projects and people they support all work to increase one or more of the following: access, awareness, privacy, and security. Many of our supported efforts can be defined as falling under two or more of these categories. Here’s what they mean when they use these terms:
- Access: to the internet, including tools to circumvent website blocks, connection blackouts, and widespread censorship.
- Awareness: of access, privacy, or security threats and protective measures, including how-to guides, instructional apps, data collection platforms, and other efforts that increase the efficacy of Internet freedom tools.
- Privacy: enhancement, including the ability to be free from repressive observation and the option to be anonymous when accessing the internet.
- Security: from danger or threat when accessing the internet, including encryption tools.
Target Beneficiaries
The Foundation goal is to support efforts that aim to advance Internet freedom in the world’s most repressive environments. Ideally, this means they support organizations and individuals that are:
- Working on projects that will directly benefit those living in the world’s most oppressive censorship and surveillance environments;
- Located in or have direct experience with communities in the Global South;
- Come from or have direct experience with repressive censorship and surveillance environments;
- Come from or have direct experience with underrepresented and/or targeted minority groups, including those with a focus on human rights, LGBT, journalism, media, or activism.
Important Considerations
- Ideal applicants seek funding for between $50,000 and $200,000 for efforts between 6 and 12 months
- Their target support ceiling is set at $300,000. However, candidates may apply for up to $900,000 and no less than $10,000 for up to 24 months
- Preference is given to organizations and individuals without a history of prior support, and who bring with them a deep understanding of the censorship, surveillance, and security issues affecting communities from the Global South living in repressive environments
For more information, visit https://www.opentech.fund/funds/internet-freedom-fund/