Overview
The Internet Freedom Fund is a grant program managed by the Open Technology Fund (OTF) that supports innovative projects aimed at advancing global internet freedom, digital rights, and access to open, secure, and uncensored information online. The Fund provides financial support for a wide range of initiatives including technology development (especially open‑source tools), applied research on censorship and digital threats, improvements in the digital security ecosystem, and community convenings that foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among internet freedom advocates. Grant awards range from approximately $10,000 to $900,000 USD, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis through a multi‑stage review process
Benefits
- Awards ranging roughly $10,000 – $900,000 USD for impactful internet freedom work.
- Supports projects from prototype development to deployment and scale.
- Funding available for applied research into censorship, surveillance, and related digital threats.
- Opportunities to enhance and expand digital security ecosystems globally.
- Grants may support community convenings and collaboration efforts among practitioners.
- Prioritizes first‑time applicants and those from under‑represented or underfunded areas.
- Funding is tied to deliverables and performance‑based contracts, with oversight and support from OTF program managers.
Eligibility Details
The Internet Freedom Fund is open to a wide range of applicants globally, including individuals and organizations—whether for‑profit or nonprofit—regardless of nationality, creed, or gender, as long as the proposed project meaningfully contributes to internet freedom and digital rights objectives. OTF places particular emphasis on supporting applicants who are new to funding, identify as under‑represented in the field, or are addressing underfunded challenges related to censorship circumvention, privacy, open technologies, and digital resilience. However, applicants must ensure their projects align clearly with the Fund’s mission, and OTF generally does not support initiatives focused on basic internet connectivity, one‑off training, or organizational capacity building as primary outcomes. Additionally, applicants from countries subject to U.S. trade restrictions or export sanctions (as determined by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control) may be ineligible.
Application Details
- Stage 1 — Concept Note: Submit a short concept note via OTF’s online portal describing your project idea and how it contributes to internet freedom.
- Review of Concept Note: OTF assesses the concept for relevance, potential impact, and alignment with the Fund’s priorities.
- Stage 2 — Full Proposal: If your concept note is competitive, you will be invited to submit a full proposal with expanded project details, methodology, deliverables, and budget.
- Advisory Council Review: A panel of subject‑matter experts (the Internet Freedom Fund Advisory Council) conducts a final review of competitive proposals.
- Contracting and Award: Selected projects enter into a performance‑based contract with OTF. Funding is dispersed based on agreed deliverables and milestones.
- Monitoring & Evaluation: OTF program managers work with grantees to monitor progress against predefined goals and metrics throughout the project lifespan.
- Rolling Submission: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, meaning you can apply anytime, and decisions are typically communicated within several weeks after submission.
Click here to learn more and to https://www.opentech.fund/funds/internet-freedom-fund/