<div dir="ltr">Dear NCUC members,<br><div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="FR"><span class="gmail-il">ICANN</span> <span class="gmail-il">Announces</span> <span class="gmail-il">Grant</span> <span class="gmail-il">Program</span> to <span class="gmail-il">Spur</span> <span class="gmail-il">Innovation</span>. </span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="gmail-il">Program</span> will fund projects that support a secure, globally accessible Internet. </span><span lang="FR">More information </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.icann.org/resources/press-material/release-2024-01-09-en" target="_blank"><span lang="FR">here</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><b><br></b></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>We should help create publicity for this program in our various regions and communities</b></i>. We advocated for this, and it is time to support its<i><b> implementation.</b></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:0px 0px 1.25rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:16px">I</span>nternet connectivity continues to increase worldwide, particularly in <b style="">developing countries</b>. According to the <a href="https://www.itu.int/itu-d/reports/statistics/2022/11/24/ff22-internet-use/" style="box-sizing:border-box;background:transparent;color:rgb(0,152,213);text-decoration-line:none">International Telecommunication Union (<abbr title="International Telecommunication Union" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:inherit;unicode-bidi:bidi-override;direction:ltr;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(153,153,153);text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:initial">ITU</abbr>)</a>, an estimated 5.3 billion of the world's population use the Internet as of 2022, a growth rate of 6.1% over 2021. The Grant Program will support this next phase of global Internet growth by fostering an inclusive and transparent approach to developing stable, secure Internet infrastructure solutions that support the Internet's unique identifier systems.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:0px 0px 1.25rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif">"With the rapid evolution of emerging technologies, businesses and security models, it is critical that the Internet's unique identifier systems continue to evolve," said Sally Costerton, Interim President and CEO, <abbr title="Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers" class="gmail-" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:inherit;unicode-bidi:bidi-override;direction:ltr;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(153,153,153);text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:initial">ICANN</abbr>. "The <abbr title="Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers" class="gmail-" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:inherit;unicode-bidi:bidi-override;direction:ltr;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(153,153,153);text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:initial">ICANN</abbr> Grant Program offers a new avenue to further those efforts by investing in projects that are committed to and support <abbr title="Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:inherit;unicode-bidi:bidi-override;direction:ltr;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(153,153,153);text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:initial">ICANN</abbr>'s vision of a single, open and globally interoperable Internet that fosters inclusion amongst a broad, global community of users."</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:0px 0px 1.25rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif"><font size="2"><abbr title="Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers" class="gmail-" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:inherit;unicode-bidi:bidi-override;direction:ltr;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(153,153,153);text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:initial">ICANN</abbr> expects to begin accepting grant applications on <b>25 March 2024</b>. The application window will remain open until <b>24 May 2024</b>. A complete list of eligibility criteria can be found at: <a href="https://icann.org/grant-program" style="box-sizing:border-box;background:transparent;color:rgb(0,152,213);text-decoration-line:none">https://icann.org/grant-program</a>.</font></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:0px 0px 1.25rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif">Once the application window closes, all applications are subject to admissibility and eligibility checks. An Independent Application Assessment Panel will review admissible and eligible applications and the tentative timeline to announce the grantees of the first cycle is in January of 2025.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:0px 0px 1.25rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif">Potential applicants will have several opportunities to learn more about the Call for Proposals and ask <abbr title="Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers" class="gmail-" style="font-weight:inherit;box-sizing:border-box;unicode-bidi:bidi-override;direction:ltr;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(153,153,153);text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:initial">ICANN</abbr> Grant Program staff members questions through question-and-answer webinar sessions in the coming months. For more information on the program, including eligibility and submission requirements, the <abbr title="Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers" style="font-weight:inherit;box-sizing:border-box;unicode-bidi:bidi-override;direction:ltr;border-bottom:1px dotted rgb(153,153,153);text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:initial">ICANN</abbr> Grant Program Applicant Guide is available at <a href="https://icann.org/grant-program" style="background:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0,152,213);text-decoration-line:none">https://icann.org/grant-program</a>.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.4rem;font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 1.25rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif"><br></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:0px 0px 1.25rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif">We advocated </p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:0px 0px 1.25rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif">Kind regards,<br>Benjamin <br></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:0px 0px 1.25rem;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif"><br></p></div></div>