GrantRadar

Open Technology Fund (OTF)

Rapid Response Fund

Emergency support from the US-funded Open Technology Fund for high-risk individuals, communities and organisations, such as activists, journalists, human rights defenders and NGOs, facing a clear, time-sensitive digital emergency caused by repressive state actors. Most help is technical services from OTF's partner organisations (security audits, DDoS mitigation, forensics, secure hosting, shutdown response, localisation). Where partners cannot cover the need, OTF offers direct financial support under a performance-based contract, typically US$1-50,000 (average US$5,000-25,000) for up to six months, paid in USD. It is not for individuals only: organisations can apply for both services and direct funding.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Amount not specified
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Light
short form, little evidence needed

Who can apply

  • Activists, journalists, human rights defenders and other high-risk individuals or organisations (including NGOs and communities) facing a clear, time-sensitive digital emergency or threat caused by repressive state actors
  • Individuals must be 18+
  • OTF's general rules let organisations of any nationality apply, for-profit or non-profit, except in countries under US trade restrictions or OFAC sanctions
  • A UK charity would qualify only if it is itself under an acute state-sponsored digital attack or threat (for example, a UK-based diaspora or human rights organisation targeted by a foreign government)
  • For direct financial support, the applicant must have the capacity to do the work itself

What it funds

Short-term responses to a recent or ongoing digital emergency or internet freedom violation caused by a repressive state actor. Technical services through partners (DefendDefenders, eQualitie, Greenhost, Localization Lab, Nothing2Hide, 0xche, Qurium and others):

  • Organisational digital security audits, urgent risk mitigation and crisis response planning, and mentoring
  • Forensic analysis of attacks, malware and compromised phone analysis, recovery and audit of compromised websites, DDoS response
  • Secure web hosting and hosting resilience during elections and campaigns, website mirroring
  • VPN servers and alternative communications during shutdowns
  • Emergency translation or localisation of security tools

Direct financial support (where partner services do not cover the need and the applicant can do the work): circumvention solutions during censorship events, personal digital protection for journalists, human rights defenders, NGOs and activists who have been directly affected, rapid development of tools or translations, and emergency decentralised communication networks and patches.

What it will not fund

  • General or long-term organisational digital security capacity building
  • Training of trainers and long-term capacity efforts
  • Replacement of stolen or lost personal devices
  • Long-term projects, or those that do not address a recent or ongoing internet freedom violation or digital emergency
  • Applicants in countries under US trade restrictions or OFAC export sanctions

The emergency must be caused by repressive state actors, and individuals must be 18 or over

How to apply

  1. Complete the single online application form at https://apply.opentech.fund/rapid-response-fund/, describing the time-sensitive digital emergency and whether you need technical services or direct financial support
  2. OTF reviews applications as they arrive and may contact you with questions
  3. OTF tells you whether the application is accepted
  4. For technical services: OTF passes your request to a matched partner, who contacts you directly to scope the work (no contract with OTF)
  5. For direct financial support: OTF's Compliance team reviews the application, then issues a contract to sign; payment follows completion of agreed deliverables

Contact rapidresponse@opentech.fund with concerns about sensitive information; OTF tries not to disclose it beyond the OTF team

Have ready

  • Online application form describing the emergency, how beneficiaries are affected and the proposed response

For direct financial support, applicants must explain why the chosen solution fits the threat model and show the technical and operational skills to deliver it

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