News - Applications call for R18m online safety grant fund

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Applications call for R18m online safety grant fund

Source By Staff Writer - IT Web
1 year ago

Impact Amplifier is inviting applications for the Africa Online Safety Fund (AOSF). The social impact advisory firm says organisations with solutions that enhance online safety have until 30 April to submit their applications. Initiated in 2020, the AOSF supports innovations around privacy, trust and safety for families online across Sub-Saharan Africa. It is administered by Impact Amplifier, on behalf of Google.org. It is aimed at addressing the online safety challenges facing Africa, with a particular focus on SA, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. The fund is worth $1 million (R18 million). According to a statement, applicants have an opportunity to secure funding for their projects, with shortlisted candidates to be announced by 31 May and finalists by 15 July. The grant is available in three categories: transformative, maturing and catalytic, it states. The transformative category will provide grants up to $50 000 (R900 000) for scalable solutions that reach multiple geographies and/or large numbers of beneficiaries. The maturing category offers grants up to $25 000 (R450 000) for testing ideas at a larger scale, trying new ideas within existing projects and reaching new audiences. The catalytic category provides grants up to $10 000 (R180 000) for smaller, more targeted initiatives that may be locally or culturally specific. In the first phase, the programme supported 26 social innovators from nine African countries with approaches to tackle online safety challenges. However, it was decided a more comprehensive approach was required to address the complexity and depth of the issue. In this second phase, it aims to address online safety challenges in Africa at an ecosystem level, which includes various strategies, notes the statement. Interested candidates can apply here.