I am delighted to announce the release of the Applicant Guide for the first cycle of the ICANN Grant Program. This guide will provide prospective applicants with the information that they need on eligibility and application processes so they are well-prepared when the application window officially opens in late March of 2024.
The release of the Applicant Guide is a significant milestone in our journey to launching the ICANN Grant Program. Soon the guide will also be available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish. I am grateful to all who have played a part in bringing the ICANN Grant Program to life. The program is the result of the dedication and hard work of members from across the ICANN community, Board, and organization (org). It is a great example of the multistakeholder model in action to see this program progress from an initial discussion paper many years ago to preparing for the program's first cycle.
As our ICANN org team continues to prepare for the launch of the first application window, program information and updates will be provided on our new dedicated ICANN Grant Program webpage. I encourage you to stay tuned to this space for more information. The team also will share updates through the dedicated community newsletter, email, and webinars as well as at ICANN Public Meetings.
To reach prospective applicants who are not a part of the ICANN community, we are embarking on a global awareness campaign that kicks off today. You can read our official press release here. I would be grateful to the ICANN community for its support in sharing and amplifying our outreach efforts so that we reach new audiences who may be eligible to apply.
Please follow our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and WeChat and like, interact, and share content in your networks so we can spread the word for this new opportunity. If you are interested in becoming an applicant, we encourage you to review the Applicant Guide and to reach out if you have any questions here.
The program will fund projects across the world that are consistent with ICANN's mission and aligned with the program's objectives. I am excited to see the difference that the Grant Program will make in the Internet ecosystem. This program has the potential to leave a lasting, positive global impact through creative and innovative solutions that further our vision of a single, open, and globally interoperable Internet. I look forward to the next stages in its journey.
