Internet Society Grants

Overview

The Internet Society funds people and projects that keep the internet open, secure and reachable for everyone. Its most structured route is the Fellowship Program: a ten-month leadership experience that pairs online training with a mentor, a practical project in the fellow's own community and a place at internet governance events. Fellows work across three tracks — internet policy and mobilisation, connectivity, and safety and security — with sub-tracks for peering, community networks, systems security and trust and safety. Alongside the fellowship, the organisation runs community grant calls for local projects, announced as separate cycles rather than on one calendar.

Who it's for

It suits community organisers, engineers, researchers and policy advocates already working on internet issues where they live — people who can point to a local problem and a plausible intervention. Applicants apply as individuals rather than as organisations, and the programme looks for people who will carry what they learn back into their own networks. Early-career candidates and experienced practitioners both fit; what matters is a concrete project and the standing to deliver it locally.

What you get

Selected fellows get a mentor matched to their project, a project stipend released against an approved budget, travel support for a global or regional internet event, and entry to an alumni network that outlasts the programme. The training and modules supply structure — reporting checkpoints, expert sessions — that a self-directed project usually lacks. The fellowship is a credential as well as a grant, which matters when you later approach funders or employers.

How to apply

Apply through the current call, choosing a track and sub-track that matches the work you intend to do. The application asks for a project proposal: the problem in your community, the activities, the deliverables and how you will measure impact. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed, and a selection committee awards places. Once accepted, you complete pre-fellowship training, agree a budget, then spend about six months delivering the project with mentor support and regular reporting. A final report and public outputs close the cycle.

Timing

Periodic. The fellowship runs in announced cycles and community grant calls open separately, each with its own window. Neither follows a fixed calendar you can plan around a year ahead, so check the official page for the current call and its closing date before you start drafting.

How to stand out

Pick a project you could actually finish in six months with a modest budget, and describe it in terms of who benefits and what changes. Name the local partners who will host or endorse the work; a letter of support does more than an ambitious vision. Be specific about measurement — a baseline, a target, a way to verify. Read the track descriptions closely, since the reviewer for your proposal will come from that field. Apply early in the window.

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