Internet Society Foundation gives grants up to $500,000 for internet studies

Article Summary

• The Research Grant Program from the Internet Society Foundation is supporting global research collaborations that advance understanding of the Internet  
• The grants will be given for new research methodologies that generate solutions.  
• Applicants should be independent researchers with a postgraduate research degree (Ph.D., Masters) and peer-reviewed publications, patents, and academic or independently published work in the relevant area.  
• Independent researchers may apply for funding up to US$200,000 while organisations can apply for up to US$500,000. 

The Internet Society Foundation’s (ISF) Research Grant Program fosters international research partnerships that advance knowledge of the Internet and its benefits to all people. 

These research grants will be awarded for cutting-edge research techniques that produces practical and accessible answers to Internet-related problems. The study will be openly published and freely available to the scientific community, and it should aim to provide an answer to an actual question. 

The ISF seeks to locate and aid a diverse and cooperative group of academic institutions and researchers engaged in the production of decision-relevant intersectional research. 

Acceptable proposal topics 

Proposals should address topics related to one of the following thematic areas: 

• Greening the Internet:  The environment and climate change have an impact on the Internet as well. The Internet can be resilient and will last for future generations if we have a critical awareness of this impact. 

• The Internet Economy: Internet-based new and emerging activities have the potential to disrupt our economic environments and create unpredictably uncertain economic futures. This uncertainty might change if we have a solid understanding of the interactions that form the Internet Economy 
• A Trustworthy Internet: The Internet can be trusted only if it is completely resilient, trustworthy, accountable, and secure in a way that consistently satisfies users’ needs for information and services. The Internet is only trustworthy when it fulfills expectations, whether or not those expectations are accurate.  
• Decolonizing the Internet: It is understood that industrial societies, by their very nature, utilised resources from lands taken from Indigenous people and communities around the world, and that these societies were a necessary condition for the birth of the Internet. It is also acknowledged that maybe especially when its design is not inclusive nor its designers diverse, the Internet can spread inequality and injustice. 

Eligibility criteria 

Candidates must be self-employed researchers with postgraduate research degrees (PhD, Masters), peer-reviewed publications, patents, and academic or independently published work in the pertinent field.  

Independent researchers may submit grant requests for up to US$200,000. 

Public research institutions that share the Foundation’s objective are also eligible to apply.  

Funding requests from organizations are welcome up to US$500,000. Institutions in the private sector are not eligible for funding. 

Selection Criteria 

Researchers are encouraged to submit a full application to be reviewed by the Independent Program Review Committee. Final submissions will be selected based on the following criteria: 

• Is the research in line with one of the Foundation’s thematic areas? 
• Is the research novel? 
• Is the research applied? 

• Is the research collaborative? 

The Independent Program Review Committee (IPRC) meets twice a year to review proposals. The next Research cycle will open in April 2023. 

More information can be found here, and applications can be made here before the 31st of May 2023.