[NCUC-DISCUSS] [Information] ICANN Announces Grant Program to Spur Innovation

[Benjamin Akinmoyeje]

Dear NCUC members,

ICANN Announces Grant Program to Spur Innovation. Program will fund
projects that support a secure, globally accessible Internet. More
information here
<https://www.icann.org/resources/press-material/release-2024-01-09-en>


*We should help create publicity for this program in our various regions
and communities*. We advocated for this, and it is time to support its
* implementation.*


Internet connectivity continues to increase worldwide, particularly in
*developing
countries*. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
<https://www.itu.int/itu-d/reports/statistics/2022/11/24/ff22-internet-use/>,
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.

"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, ICANN.
"The ICANN Grant Program offers a new avenue to further those efforts by
investing in projects that are committed to and support ICANN's vision of a
single, open and globally interoperable Internet that fosters inclusion
amongst a broad, global community of users."

ICANN expects to begin accepting grant applications on *25 March 2024*. The
application window will remain open until *24 May 2024*. A complete list of
eligibility criteria can be found at: https://icann.org/grant-program.

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.

Potential applicants will have several opportunities to learn more about
the Call for Proposals and ask ICANN 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 ICANN Grant Program Applicant Guide is available at
https://icann.org/grant-program.


We advocated

Kind regards,
Benjamin
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