ARIN Community Grant Program

The ARIN Community Grant Program is administered by the American Registry for Internet Numbers, a nonprofit organization responsible for managing Internet number resources within its service region. Since launching the program in 2019, ARIN has funded multiple projects that contribute to strengthening the Internet ecosystem. The program is designed to support initiatives that improve the overall Internet industry and user environment, with a particular focus on projects that align with ARIN’s mission of maintaining and advancing Internet infrastructure and governance. In the 2026 cycle, ARIN has allocated a total of 50000 dollars to fund selected projects, with individual awards ranging from 1000 to 20000 dollars depending on demonstrated need. The primary purpose of the grant program is to fund noncommercial projects that provide a public benefit and contribute to the advancement of the Internet. Eligible project categories include Internet technical improvements, registry process and technology enhancements, informational outreach, and research aligned with ARIN’s mission. Funded activities may include development of open-source tools, research on Internet infrastructure or data, training initiatives to promote awareness and adoption of Internet standards, and efforts to enhance routing security or IPv6 deployment. The program explicitly excludes funding for commercial projects, local Internet access, scholarships, tuition, humanitarian aid, political reform, or general donations. Funding is intended to support projects that demonstrate both immediate impact and long-term sustainability. Applicants must provide a detailed budget, with no more than five percent allocated to administrative overhead, promotional expenses, travel, or equipment. Projects are strongly encouraged to be completed within a 12-month period while producing outcomes that extend beyond the funding year. ARIN emphasizes scalable and replicable solutions that benefit the broader Internet community within its service region, even if the project has global implications. Eligibility is limited to organizations undertaking noncommercial work, including nongovernmental organizations, nonprofit educational institutions, academic and research entities, and open-source groups. Applicants must demonstrate alignment with ARIN’s strategic goals and clearly articulate how their project benefits the Internet community within the ARIN region. Only one application per organization is permitted per year, although organizations may reapply annually and may receive funding for up to two consecutive years. Applications must be submitted through the SurveyMonkey Apply platform during the official application window, which runs from April 16 through June 14 for the 2026 cycle. Applicants are required to create an account, complete all sections of the application form, and provide detailed responses covering project overview, objectives, implementation plan, budget, expected outcomes, and compliance disclosures. Supporting documentation may be uploaded as needed. Submission of the application constitutes agreement to sign a Grant Recipient Agreement if selected. The evaluation process is conducted by the ARIN Grant Selection Committee, which reviews applications based on a structured scoring system totaling 50 points. Criteria include alignment with program priorities, relevance and innovation, potential impact, budget justification, and likelihood of successful execution. The committee may request additional information during the review process and provides recommendations to the ARIN Board of Trustees, which makes the final funding decisions. Applicants are notified of their status between August and September, and selected projects are publicly announced shortly thereafter. Grant recipients must adhere to reporting requirements, including a project update report due in March of the following year, a presentation at the spring ARIN meeting, and a final report due in October. These reports must detail project performance, use of funds, outcomes achieved, and overall impact on the Internet community. The ARIN Community Grant Program operates on an annual cycle, with recurring application opportunities and a structured timeline that supports project development, evaluation, and dissemination of results.

Ensure strong alignment with ARIN mission areas; clearly demonstrate measurable impact and scalability; provide detailed and realistic budget with minimal overhead; emphasize long-term sustainability and benefit to ARIN region