Internet Freedom Fund

About

The Open Technology Fund’s Internet Freedom Fund offers rolling, performance-based grants of $10,000–$900,000 for up to 24 months to individuals aged 18+ and organizations worldwide—except applicants in OFAC-restricted countries—for internet freedom technology, applied research, digital security ecosystem and convening projects.

Benefits

• 💰Funding
  Conditional on selection: awards between $10,000 and $900,000 for up to 24 months; ideal applicants seek $50,000–$200,000 for efforts of 6–12 months.
• 📄Performance-based contract
  Conditional on selection: funding is awarded as a performance-based contract signed directly with the applicant(s), with payments in U.S. dollars upon satisfactory completion of agreed objectives, activities and deliverables.
• 🧭OTF program manager
  Conditional on selection: successful applicants are paired with an OTF program manager who oversees project monitoring and evaluation for the contract duration.

Eligibility Criteria

• Mandatory: individuals aged 18+ or organizations (for-profit or nonprofit), irrespective of nationality, creed or sex, may apply.
• Mandatory: applicants must not be located in countries subject to U.S. trade restrictions or export sanctions as determined by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
• Mandatory: proposed work must fit OTF’s internet freedom remit and an Internet Freedom Fund category—Technology Development; Applied Research; Improving the Digital Security Ecosystem; or Events and Community Convenings.
• Mandatory exclusions: OTF does not support projects whose primary purpose is basic internet connectivity (except limited shutdown-related cases), ICT4D, or legal analysis/policy advocacy outside narrowly focused technical research.
• Preferred: first-time applicants, people or organizations identifying as under-represented in the field, and projects addressing underfunded areas.
• Preferred: applicants without a history of prior OTF support who bring deep understanding of censorship, surveillance and security issues affecting communities in the Global South living in repressive environments.
• Preferred: cost-effective, sustainable, collaborative projects with real-world applicability, and funding requests around $50,000–$200,000 for 6–12 months.

Participation Commitments

• Conditional on selection: sign a performance-based contract directly with OTF.
• Conditional on selection: complete the stated objectives, activities and deliverables according to the contract schedule before payments are made.
• Conditional on selection: participate in OTF monitoring and evaluation based on predetermined and agreed-upon metrics, deliverables and goals.
• Conditional on selection: work with an assigned OTF program manager for the duration of the contract.

Target Region

Worldwide, except applicants located in countries subject to U.S. trade restrictions or export sanctions as determined by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Target Sector

Cybersecurity