Working Together for an Accessible and Safe Internet

The Internet is no longer optional infrastructure—it is essential to people’s lives and livelihoods. It connects families, drives economies, and underpins the exchange of knowledge and information across the world.

As the Internet Society enters the second year of our five-year strategy, the stakes for a safe, reliable, and resilient Internet for everyone have never been higher.

Internet fragmentation, pressure on the multistakeholder governance model, Internet shutdowns, and restrictions threaten the Internet we rely on, while nearly 2.6 billion people still lack access, and many more have unreliable access. Our 2030 strategy aims to address these challenges and is guided by two strategic goals shared by the Internet Society and the Internet Society Foundation:

1. People everywhere have access to affordable, reliable, and resilient Internet.
2. People everywhere have an Internet experience that is safe, secure, and protects them online.

Partnerships Are Critical to Achieving Our Goals

To address these challenges head-on, we partner with people, companies, foundations, and organizations that support our work through donations, grants, or by joining our organization members. Working together allows us to achieve greater impact.

Our Connectivity Co-Fund Initiative aims to scale up efforts to expand affordable, reliable, and sustainable Internet access globally, with the Internet Society and Foundation committing a $30 million investment through 2030.

As part of our Safer Internet funding, the Common Good Cyber Fund supports nonprofits that strengthen critical cybersecurity infrastructure and protect high-risk users from digital harm. This work is made possible by partners including Global Cyber Alliance, the Government of Australia (DFAT), Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and additional contributions from the Governments of Canada and the United Kingdom.

Organizations like Craig Newmark Philanthropies recognize that without access to knowledge and resources, critical cybersecurity infrastructure, and solutions, civil society and high-risk communities face a greater risk of online safety and security threats. The first open call for proposals for the Common Good Cyber Fund will launch in mid-2026.

Why Partner with the Internet Society?

Together with our Foundation, the Internet Society is uniquely positioned to address these challenges. We are committed to ensuring that the Internet remains accessible, affordable, and secure for everyone. We work to remove barriers to access to provide an environment where innovation can thrive.

Our model of community-based connectivity empowers local communities to connect themselves to the Internet and to sustain and support resilient and affordable local infrastructure. We advocate for government policies and regulations that support community networks, and we help them build a strong and sustainable local technical community to ensure the connectivity is sustainable and keeps growing.

Our focus on promoting online trust and safety is equally vital. By equipping people with the knowledge and skills to navigate the digital world, we strengthen trust in the Internet itself. Through our programs, we will continue to advocate for user safety and empower people to make informed choices online—ensuring that everyone can benefit from a secure Internet.

The Internet Society is a global community of more than 133,000 individual members, 129 chapters, and special interest groups in 105 countries, as well as 79 organization members from the technology community, business, academia, and the nonprofit sector.

We will announce new funding initiatives next year that include building technical capacity, training the next generation of Internet leaders, and expanding affordable infrastructure, and welcome anyone interested in donating to these initiatives.

Details on these opportunities—the application process, selection criteria, and other key information—will be shared following the publication of our annual Action Plan in late November 2025.

The success of our efforts depends on collaboration and collective advocacy. By drawing on the strengths of our global community, including our partners and donors, we can amplify our impact and advance a more inclusive and resilient Internet for everyone.