The Regional Fund for Digital Innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean (FRIDA) will emphasize community network projects and initiatives that promote gender equity in technology in its call for proposals this year, which will award 95,000 dollars in prizes, grants and scaling.
FRIDA 's 2018 call for proposals to support innovations in the LACNIC region opens on Wednesday, April 4, with a deadline of Tuesday, May 15, for the submission of executive summaries of applicant projects.
In the 2018 call, FRIDA will offer three awards of US$5,000 plus a scholarship to participate in the 2018 Internet Governance Global Forum (IGF); three grants of US$20,000 each; and an escalation of US$20,000.
This year, LACNIC, together with its sponsoring partners the Internet Society (ISOC) and the International Development Research Centre (IRDC) of Canada, will focus on community networking and technology and gender projects. "The digital divide and the gender gap in technology are two of the key challenges in the region that we want to focus on with FRIDA in 2018," said Carolina Caeiro, responsible for this program at LACNIC.
Since 2004, FRIDA has distributed more than US$1.6 million to more than 125 innovative initiatives and projects in 18 countries in the region, helping to boost the development of the Internet in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Technologies and gender. The call provides for two awards, a grant and a scaling to projects that promote greater gender equality through technologies and highlight the leadership of women in the Internet industry. Priority will be given to initiatives on the development of digital skills among women and girls; the participation of women in digital markets and their access to jobs in technology; the application of strategies to defend digital rights and greater safety and inclusion of women and girls online; and support for women's involvement in the deployment of Internet infrastructure to promote Internet access and adoption.
Community networks. The call will also award one prize and fund two grants for innovations in business models, technology, content development and regulation that contribute to the development of community networks. Organizations working to develop affordable, locally managed community networks that are deploying creative, low-cost solutions to bring connectivity to regions without Internet service are eligible to apply.
Deadlines and requirements. The application process will be divided into two stages. In the first stage, applicants will have until May 15 to submit a summary of their project. Only shortlisted projects will move on to the second stage where they will be asked to submit a detailed proposal, to be delivered between June 13 and 29. As in previous years, the selection will be made by an experienced jury of professionals from Latin America and the Caribbean. The final results will be announced on FRIDA's website and social networks on Monday, August 6.
More information: http://programafrida.net/
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