ICNL: grants of up to USD 23,000 to defend digital rights and civic space online
Verified by the editorial team 1 October 2026
Updated Added a «Questions and answers» section clarifying eligibility and terms
Summary
Up to USD 23,000 for non-profit organisations from OECD-DAC recipient countries (including Ukraine) for advocacy, capacity building and applied research on digital rights. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; the final deadline is 9 October.
About the call
The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) has announced a call for proposals to defend digital rights and civic space online. ICNL's Digital Rights Program covers five themes: AI governance, surveillance and the right to privacy, data protection, freedom of expression, and access and inclusion online.
Stronger consideration goes to proposals on three issues: transparency and oversight of government procurement and deployment of technologies (surveillance, «smart city» projects, digital identification); independence of data protection authorities; meaningful multistakeholder consultations in digital transformation and digital public infrastructure projects.
Review runs in two phases: first an online form in English, then selected applicants are asked for a detailed description and a line-item budget. An organisation may submit only one proposal as lead but may join several consortia. All activities must be completed by 31 October 2027.
Who can apply
- Non-profit organisations based and registered in OECD-DAC recipient countries, including Ukraine
- One proposal per organisation as lead; joining several consortia is allowed
What the funds are for
- Advocacy for the adoption, amendment or repeal of laws, policies and other measures
- Civil society capacity and resilience: resources, trainings, networks
- Applied research on law or practice tied to a specific advocacy goal
- Projects in one or several countries with a justified choice
Documents required
Forms and templates are on the call page
How to apply
- 1Download the call document (PDF) from the ICNL grants page
- 2Complete the online application form in English by 9 October 2026 - applications are reviewed on a rolling basis
- 3If selected for the second phase, provide a detailed project description and a line-item budget
Timeline
Questions and answers
- Can Ukrainian organisations apply to the ICNL call?
- Yes. The call is open to non-profit organisations based and registered in OECD-DAC recipient countries, which include Ukraine.
- By when must the project be completed?
- All project activities must be completed by 31 October 2027. The budget may not exceed USD 23,000.
Change history
- Updated: Added a «Questions and answers» section clarifying eligibility and terms
- Added: Added to the catalogue from the 1 October GetGrant export, terms verified against the ICNL call document
Donor contacts
Email: info@icnl.org
Website: www.icnl.org
