The Internet Society Foundation has unveiled the 2024 edition of the Building Opportunities/Leveraging Technologies (BOLT) Grant Programme.
This initiative is designed to support innovative teams focused on enhancing Internet access and connectivity in underserved or unconnected communities worldwide.
The BOLT Grant Programme aims to develop solutions for areas where current Internet technologies are not readily available.
With grants, the programme supports the creation of innovative prototypes and pilots to bridge the digital divide, ensuring secure and affordable Internet access.
In 2023, the programme impacted over 93,000 individuals, including women, students, and indigenous communities, fostering new opportunities for education, communication, and economic development.
Benefits
The Programme offers benefits to awardees, including:
- Grants up to $300,000 for each project.
- Up to 18 months to develop and implement solutions.
- Funding innovative prototypes and pilot projects aimed at improving Internet connectivity in underserved areas.
Awardees from previous years have utilised the grants to establish community WiFi networks, deploy scientific networks, and provide broadband access to households in remote regions, among other impactful projects.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the BOLT Grant Programme, applicants must:
- Be part of a team of technologists, researchers, or social and cultural workers.
- Be affiliated with a relevant non-profit organisation or institution.
- Focus on developing technical and social innovations that are cost-reducing, environmentally sustainable, trust-enhancing, relevant, imaginative, and accessible.
- Align with the Internet Society’s mission of promoting an open, globally connected, secure, and trustworthy Internet for everyone.
How to Apply
Applications for the BOLT Grant Programme open on July 2, 2024, and close on August 6, 2024. For more details, visit the website.
