Internet Society Foundation Announces Second Round of Emergency Response Grants

Continued focus will be on COVID-19 with grants ranging from US$250,000-$500,000

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Internet Society Foundation has launched a second round of COVID-19 grant funding through its Emergency Response grant programme. The grants are aimed at projects that help connect vulnerable and disproportionally affected communities to the Internet. Funding of US$250,000 – US$500,000 will be awarded to organizations for projects lasting up to 12 months.

“A year into the pandemic, we are seeing that Internet connectivity has never been more important – enabling children to continue learning, families and friends to stay connected; and vital public health information to keep circulating,” said Sarah Armstrong, Executive Director of the Internet Society Foundation. “Through these grants, we aim to support communities without Internet access who bear the brunt of the economic and social impacts of the pandemic and risk being left behind.”

The program will open for applications between March 9 and March 19^th and the grantees will be announced beginning on 6 April. See grant details and application process.

The Foundation is committed to working with organizations that seek to connect communities to the Internet, in response to challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic. This includes establishing new networks, improving network access, and/or increasing network reliability, speed, or security. Projects should take into account the digital ecosystem of affected communities and be responsive to technological needs at the local level.

About Internet Society Foundation:

The Internet Society Foundation was established in 2019 to support the positive difference the Internet can make to people everywhere. Guided by our vision of an Internet for Everyone, the Foundation champions ideas and enables communities to unlock the Internet's potential to tackle the world’s evolving challenges. Focusing in five programme areas, the Foundation awards grants to Internet Society Chapters as well as non-profit organizations and individuals dedicated to providing meaningful access to an open, globally-connected, secure and trustworthy Internet for everyone.