Submissions open for Infrastructure Grant Program

The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF Asia) empowers organizations across the Asia Pacific region to research, design, and implement Internet-based solutions to solve Internet development challenges that support community development and growth.

The APNIC Foundation manages a variety of funding mechanisms available to organizations and initiatives that support Internet development in the Asia Pacific.

These are:

• Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF Asia)
• Foundation Community Assistance
• Trust Discretionary Funding

ISIF Asia is the APNIC Foundation’s grant and awards fund. Applications for funding can be made by organizations legally registered in the Asia Pacific region, based on funding available from their funding partners.

APNIC Foundation focus on Internet Infrastructure refers to efforts to increase Internet speed, reduce maintenance and operational costs, improve reliability and/or security from a technical and operational perspective, and in support of the Internet industry in the Asia Pacific region.

Areas

• The funding will support efforts to improve Internet infrastructure on one or more of the following areas:
  • Adoption and documentation of best practices in operational Internet security by network operators, enterprises and service providers
  • Hardware and software development and deployment required to design, deploy and operate low-cost connectivity solutions that use wireless technologies, GSM and/or fibre connections for unserved and underserved communities
  • Hardware and software development and/or deployment to support Internet network monitoring and management
  • Hardware and software development and/or deployment to improve security and privacy online
  • Hardware and software development and/or deployment to understand and address the environmental impact of Internet infrastructure (if your project is primarily about this focus area, you could apply for the Ian Peter Grants for Internet and the Environment)
  • Hardware and software development and/or deployment to support peering and interconnection
  • IPv6 adoption by enabling network, computing devices, business applications and services
  • Provision of efficient, reliable power for Internet infrastructure, particularly in challenging situations such as off-grid, intermittently supplied, or disaster afflicted environments
  • Disaster preparedness for Internet networks operations

Funding Information

• Applications under this program can be submitted across three grant types supporting projects in different stages of development: Small grants (USD 30,000), scale-up grants (USD 85,000) and impact grants (USD 150,000).

Eligibility Criteria

• Project proposals from Asia Pacific-based organizations will be considered.
• Applications from public, private sector, academia (such as universities or research and development institutions), non-profit and social enterprises are welcome to all grant categories.
• The names, academic background and relevant experience of the people having relevant technical and administrative participation in the implementation of the project must be stated.
• Individuals are not eligible to apply.
• No self-nominations for the Awards are accepted.
• When submitting an application, the applicants acknowledge that any grant funding and, indeed, the application and evaluation process, is entirely at the discretion of the funding partners and they may choose to determine the process at any time up to the time of actual payment.

For more information, visit APNIC Foundation.