<div dir="ltr"><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>Hello, </span></p><p style="font-size:12pt"></p><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>I would like to share with you two funding programs that may be of interest to this community, the Sustainable Peering Infrastructure and the Sustainable Technical Communities Funding Programs. <br></span></p><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>The </span><span>Sustainable Peering Infrastructure program provides up to $70,000 in funding to </span><span>support:</span></p><p style="font-size:12pt"></p><ol><li><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>Existing IXPs that need additional funding to grow or become sustainable</span></p></li><li><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>Organizations that hope to build a new IXP </span></p></li><li><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>Entities that work with local communities to improve peering and infrastructure</span></p></li><li><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>Entities that provide a positive contribution to the entire IXP ecosystem </span></p></li></ol><p style="font-size:12pt"></p><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>Grants </span><span>are open to all regions and are available to assist in equipment 
purchases (switches, optic modules, servers, and routers), training, 
capacity building, and community development.</span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span></span><span>Applications are accepted from </span><span>January 28 to March 27,</span><span> 202</span><span>5</span><span>. Details about eligibility, selection criteria, and more are available here: </span><a href="https://www.internetsociety.org/funding-areas/sustainable-peering-ixp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><span>https://www.internetsociety.org/funding-areas/sustainable-peering-ixp/</span></a><span style="color:rgb(237,55,87)"><strong><span> </span></strong></span></p><p style="font-size:12pt"></p><p style="font-size:12pt"><u><span>All applications for funding must be submitted online in English</span><span>, French, or Spanish</span><span> through the Internet Society Foundation’s grants management system. </span><span>This round of applications closes on 27 March 2025.</span></u></p><p style="font-size:12pt"><u><span>==============</span></u></p><p style="font-size:12pt">The second program is the <span>Sustainable Technical Communities Funding which </span>supports the organization of technical events, in order to enable strong and sustainable technical communities, with up to $6,000 in funding per event.</p><p style="font-size:12pt">Sustainable technical community event funding is available to organizations who are directly involved in the planning and execution of an event. In addition, in order to receive the funding, organizations must have an official bank account in their name (based on their legal registration).</p><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>Details about eligibility, selection criteria, and more are available here: </span>https://<a href="http://www.isocfoundation.org/grant-programme/sustainable-technical-communities-funding-program/">www.isocfoundation.org/grant-programme/sustainable-technical-communities-funding-program/ </a><br></p><p style="font-size:12pt"></p><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>For further inquiries about this grant program or the application proces, email </span><a href="mailto:foundation@isocfoundation.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><span>foundation@isocfoundation.org</span></a><span>.</span></p><p style="font-size:12pt"></p><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>Regards,<br></span></p><p style="font-size:12pt"><span>Hanna</span></p></div>