Internet Freedom Fund | OTF

This fund supports innovative internet freedom projects, including technology development, research, digital security projects, and convenings.
The Internet Freedom Fund is the primary opportunity through which Open Technology Fund supports innovative global internet freedom projects. These projects are focused on technology development and implementation, but can also include applied research, convenings, and digital security projects. See below for more details about each category.
OTF prioritizes projects coming from individuals or organizations who are applying for the first time, identify as under-represented within the field, and address areas that are underfunded.
Applications to the Fund go through a two-stage application process and are accepted on a rolling basis.
Awards are between $10,000 and $900,000 for up to 24 months. Ideal applicants seek funding between $50,000 and $200,000 for efforts between 6 and 12 months.
Funding awards are performance-based contracts signed directly with the applicant or applicants. Funding is dispersed upon completion of stated objectives, activities, and deliverables per a schedule outlined in the contract. All payments are made in U.S. dollars and will comply with local laws, regulations, and ethics rules.
Successful applicants are paired with an OTF program manager who will oversee all project monitoring and evaluation for the duration of the contract. Monitoring and evaluation assessments are based on predetermined and agreed-upon metrics, deliverables, and goals as laid out by the applicant in the project proposal.
OTF supports the development of innovative internet freedom technologies from the prototype phase to deployment phase, in addition to supporting core infrastructure projects that serve the internet freedom and human rights communities.
Applications for this category can include, but are not limited to:
OTF supports the applied research efforts of the internet freedom community through the Internet Freedom Fund. This includes research that identifies where and how censorship is occurring, studying the methods to counteract censorship, and advancing knowledge around what types of content is targeted to help assess threats to internet freedom.
Applications for this category can include, but are not limited to:
Authoritarian censors are sharing strategies, techniques and—in some cases—the tools to enact repressive information controls. To effectively counter this highly orchestrated, well-resourced, and pervasive online censorship and surveillance, we need a strong digital security ecosystem that can grow and adapt to evolving threats.
OTF seeks to support systematic improvements to this ecosystem, including infrastructure-wide investments to help practitioners, threat intel researchers, and other community actors make systematic changes to boost the impact of digital security work.
If you have an idea that will support the growth and adaptability of the regional and/or global digital security network, including improving coordination and collaboration—we’d love to hear from you.
Applications in this category should include thoughtful consideration of existing and complementary efforts and a clear explanation of how the proposed effort will lead to positive change in the global and/or regional digital security ecosystem.
Please be mindful that OTF does not support one-off training, training of trainers, or organizational capacity building as an effort’s primary outcome. Various other funders provide these types of direct support for digital security providers.
Note: In some cases, our Rapid Response Fund can support emergency digital security training for at-risk individuals and organizations facing an active or imminent threat, but our digital security support under the Internet Freedom Fund is focused on ecosystem-wide solutions.
OTF provides funding that empowers internet freedom communities to collaborate and work cohesively to improve knowledge sharing and collaboration, cultivate deeper trust, and support and diversify the next generation of Internet freedom leaders. Supported efforts include a wide representation of voices to foster greater collaboration and intersectionality. OTF believes that the need to build a collective vision and strategy with a diverse global network of internet freedom collaborators is becoming increasingly important.
Applications for this category can include, but are not limited to:
OTF knows our applicants’ time is valuable so we aim to make our application process as transparent and straightforward as possible. In order to better reflect our respect for an applicant’s time and effort in submitting an application, we have detailed below common types of proposed projects that we are unable or very rarely support. If your project falls within one of these categories, we encourage you to explore our alternative sources of support resources to identify a more suitable funder.
Providing Internet Connectivity
OTF does not provide support for basic connectivity except in limited cases around politically instigated internet shutdowns. Numerous U.S. Government programs outside of OTF provide support for bringing Internet connectivity to areas that have never had it previously. The framework OTF operates within ensures a clear distinction exists to protect against overlapping mandates which is why we do not support projects of this nature.
Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D)
OTF does not provide support for projects focused on harnessing technology for the purpose of societal development. Numerous U.S. Government programs exist to support civic technology projects that use technology to solve societal challenges, such as improving government delivery of services, providing equitable access to technologies and improving digital literacy across society. The OTF program is focused on assisting those exposed to censorship or surveillance in repressive environments.
Legal Analysis and