Introduction to the BOLT Program Apply by 6th August 2024
The Internet Society Foundation is taking a futurist approach to support the development of innovative methods, technologies, and infrastructure aimed at enhancing internet connectivity and access. The Building Opportunities/Leveraging Technologies (BOLT) grant program is a pivotal initiative designed to empower teams of creatives, technologists, researchers, and social/cultural workers. These teams are encouraged to design and build prototypes and pilots that bring innovative solutions to internet connectivity, particularly in communities where current technologies are unavailable or not readily accessible.
Objectives and Goals
The BOLT program’s objectives are centered around advancing internet development, improving internet access and connectivity worldwide, and promoting responsible innovation. The foundation believes that by focusing funding in this way, it creates opportunities to expand the vision of the Internet Society—that the internet is for everyone. The foundation emphasizes the importance of teamwork and collaboration in forging new ideas, systems, and ways of working, believing that the brightest future is one built together.
Eligibility and Application Process
To be eligible for the BOLT grant, teams must be housed in a relevant non-profit organization or institution and should focus on building technical and social innovations related to internet connectivity. These innovations should strive to be cost-reducing, environmentally sustainable, trust-enhancing, relevant to users and the community, and imaginative. The application process opens on July 2 and closes on August 6, 2024, at 21:00 UTC. Applicants are encouraged to register their organization in the Foundation’s grants management system, Fluxx, prior to the application window opening, as the registration process can take up to two days to complete.
Funding and Selection Criteria
The BOLT program will award grants of up to USD $300,000 for projects up to 18 months in duration. An independent program review committee (IPRC) will evaluate applications based on how effectively the proposed project addresses the BOLT program’s objectives, the team’s knowledge and capacity to implement the project, and the identification of relevant outcome indicators demonstrating sufficient impact relative to the funding level. The foundation seeks to fund teams housed in organizations that align with the Internet Society’s mission for an open, globally connected, secure, and trustworthy internet for everyone.
Apply by: 6th August 2024