Internet Society Foundation opens global call for cybersecurity grants

The Internet Society Foundation opened applications June 23 for the Common Good Cyber Fund, which will award at least $3.5 million in two-year grants to nonprofit groups that protect civil society and strengthen Internet cybersecurity. The fund is part of a broader push to invest more than $40 million in safer Internet programs between 2026 and 2029.

Why it matters: - Nonprofits that defend civil society online often lack enough funding, even as cyber threats grow. - The new grant round is aimed at groups protecting journalists, vulnerable communities and other high-risk targets from digital harm. - The fund is designed to support cybersecurity work that the broader ecosystem depends on but often does not finance.

What happened: - The Internet Society Foundation opened a global call for applications to the Common Good Cyber Fund on June 23, 2026. - The application window runs through Aug. 4, 2026, at 21:00 UTC. - The fund will provide at least $3.5 million across an estimated 15 two-year grants. - Eligible nonprofit organizations worldwide can apply.

The details: - The Common Good Cyber Fund supports nonprofits working on critical cybersecurity infrastructure, scalable user protection and safer internet access for vulnerable groups. - The grant areas include maintenance of critical cybersecurity infrastructure. - The grant areas also include support to protect internet users from digital harm, including state-directed cyber activity and digital transnational repression. - The fund also backs work to make the internet safer for civil society, journalists and other high-risk communities. - The Internet Society Foundation is implementing the grantmaking on behalf of the Internet Society. - The foundation is working with the Common Good Cyber Ecosystem Committee and a Strategic Advisory Committee. - The fund is supported by pooled contributions from Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, along with Craig Newmark Philanthropies and the Internet Society. - Between 2026 and 2029, the Internet Society and the Internet Society Foundation plan to direct more than $40 million to safer internet programs. - More information about eligibility and the application process is available here.

Between the lines: - The funding model treats cybersecurity as shared infrastructure, not just a technical issue for large companies and governments. - The mix of public and philanthropic donors suggests broad concern about threats to online civic space. - The opening follows the fund’s 2025 launch and pilot phase, which awarded six initial grants to address gaps in the global cybersecurity ecosystem. - Sally Wentworth, president and CEO of the Internet Society and Internet Society Foundation, said nonprofits focused on cybersecurity are essential to defending online civic space but remain under-resourced.

What's next: - The foundation will review applications after the Aug. 4 deadline. - Selected organizations are expected to receive two-year grants under the fund’s multi-year cycle. - The broader safer internet initiative will continue building toward its 2026-2029 funding target.

The bottom line: - The Internet Society Foundation is using a new global grant round to channel money toward the cybersecurity groups that protect civil society, journalists and other exposed communities.