The Open Technology Fund (OTF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that works to advance internet freedom in repressive environments by supporting the research, development, implementation, and maintenance of technologies that counter censorship and combat repressive surveillance, has opened applications for its 2026 Information Controls Research Programme (ICRP), which supports cutting-edge applied research on repressive internet censorship and surveillance.
The ICRP, formerly known as the Information Controls Fellowship Programme, supports applied research into how authoritarian governments in the most repressive information environments restrict the free flow of information, limit access to the open internet, and implement censorship mechanisms, as well as ways these threats to internet freedom can be countered. More information about the programme is available on the Information Controls Research Program page.
The programme is usually offered to postdoctoral and doctoral students, as well as experienced researchers with demonstrated ability and expertise. Successful researchers receive a monthly stipend of US$7,000, while travel and equipment stipends of up to US$5,000 each may also be available, depending on the project and subject to the programme’s applicable conditions.
Given the cross-disciplinary nature of the research supported by ICRP, applications are open to people from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, including students at any level and junior to mid-career practitioners who are not affiliated with an academic institution.
ICRP researchers typically have experience in areas such as computer science, engineering, information security research, software development, social sciences, and data visualisation. Applicants can learn more about previous and current researchers through the OTF researchers’ page.
Successful applicants must demonstrate how their research outputs will be applied to the internet freedom community and/or contribute to the development and improvement of internet freedom tools used in highly information-restricted environments. OTF encourages applications from all over the world, particularly from people from the majority world and those with experience living in repressive environments.
ICRP researchers are required to embed with a host organisation for the duration of their research. Applicants may specify a host organisation of their choice, provided the organisation is eligible under the programme’s requirements. Applicants are encouraged to work with host organisations with which they are not already affiliated and must explain how their choice of host organisation relates to their proposed project and expertise. Non-academic host organisations, including organisations based outside the United States, are eligible. Previous host organisations can be found through the OTF researchers’ descriptions.
OTF encourages applicants to contact their proposed host organisation before submitting an application, as this can lead to stronger project proposals. Applicants who do not have a confirmed host organisation may still apply, and if their application is favourably reviewed, OTF will work with them to identify a suitable host organisation.
Throughout the programme, researchers are expected to work full-time with their host organisations, which will also be responsible for overseeing the applicants’ work and progress. While researchers are ideally expected to work locally with their host organisations, applicants may propose remote arrangements provided they establish an effective strategy for communication. Organisations interested in serving as host organisations can contact icrphost@opentech.fund for information about their obligations.
The research areas supported by ICRP include improving efforts to monitor internet interference and analysing network interference measures, investigating information controls, security, and privacy in popular applications such as search engines, social media platforms, instant messaging applications, and artificial intelligence tools, and developing new analyses of the types of information controls being implemented and their targets in the most repressive environments. Researchers may also explore creative methods and new protocols for combating censorship and circumventing internet shutdowns, including different forms of internet filtering.
Other research areas include evaluating the impact of internet censorship and the use of circumvention tools, including internet shutdowns and shutdown-resilient technologies, as well as studying collaboration and advances in the internet shutdown-resilient communications ecosystem.
The programme will further support research into emerging state-sponsored surveillance patterns and digital threats against civil society and human rights defenders. These may include denial-of-service attacks, social engineering, phishing and malware attacks, as well as possible mitigation measures.
Other areas of research include examining the spread of information-control technologies, particularly from authoritarian countries to other countries and regions with restrictive internet environments, as well as studying the role of machine learning and artificial intelligence in information-control practices in repressive environments.
Researchers may also investigate threats to internet freedom associated with quantum computing and explore opportunities to use advances in computing power to circumvent censorship. Other areas include threat intelligence dynamics, tools and standards, as well as other innovative ideas and approaches to studying global and regional information controls. Applicants can review previously supported ICRP research projects before submitting their applications.
OTF stated that applicants should avoid projects focused on countries with minimal information controls, unethical testing of end-user connections or the use of potential personal information, and reverse engineering individual applications that are not directly used by state actors for mass surveillance or targeted attacks. The programme also does not seek projects focused primarily on advocacy and policy research.
Proposed projects should demonstrate originality, substance, precision, and relevance to OTF’s mission of advancing global internet freedom in the most information-restricted environments. Research objectives should be ambitious, measurable, and achievable, with activities and milestones outlined monthly, while overall project goals should extend beyond traditional audiences. Projects must also include a technical component or technical output. Applicants are encouraged to review the work of previous ICRP researchers to understand the types of outputs that may be produced.
ICRP requires full-time effort throughout the research programme, although doctoral students are not required to suspend their studies if the ICRP project is aligned with their academic work. Depending on university departmental requirements, doctoral students may also consider applying for a three-month summer period if their proposed project can be completed within that timeframe. Full-time student applicants must provide evidence of departmental support, such as an email from their academic supervisor, or provide a justification for opting out of submitting such support. OTF retains discretion to determine whether such justification is sufficient to waive the requirement.
OTF accepts applications to the ICRP once a year; the 2026 application window runs from July 27 to September 7, 2026, with applications due by 23:59 GMT on the final day.
The application process consists of two stages. Applicants must submit questions to icrp@opentech.fund by August 15, 2026, with answers expected to be posted on the OTF ICRP website by August 20. The organisation notes that all dates are estimates and subject to change.
At the first stage, applicants are required to submit a concept note by September 7, 2026, through the OTF online application system. The application must include a completed concept note form and the applicant’s CV or résumé as an attachment. Notices of determination on concept notes are expected by October 31, 2026.
At the second stage, selected concept notes will be invited from November 1, 2026, to submit a full proposal together with their proposed host organisation through the OTF online application system. The estimated earliest project start date is March 1, 2027.
All applications will be reviewed by the OTF team, while an independent ICRP Advisory Council consisting of experts in the internet freedom field will conduct the final review of competitive proposals.
OTF advises applicants to review the concept note application questions early when developing their research ideas. Applicants are also encouraged to go through the OTF Applicant Guidebook, particularly the Review Process section, for more information on how applications are evaluated.
Before submitting an application, applicants are also encouraged to review OTF’s Terms of Services, including its Privacy and Information Sharing Policy, Data Use Policy for Applicants, and other relevant policies. Applicants selected under the programme will be required to agree to OTF’s contractual terms, including applicable government laws and regulations.
Researchers will receive performance-based contracts, with monthly payments made through stipends subject to approval by the OTF programme manager and the supporting host organisation. OTF reserves the right to award more or less than the funds described in the solicitation or any resulting contract where it considers such a decision to be in the best interest of the programme’s priorities.
ICRP contractual stipends are issued for three, six, nine or 12 months, although the overall contract period may be longer to allow for performance beyond the stipend period. Any extension or continued funding is subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress by the applicant, and a determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the programme priorities.
Monitoring and evaluation will include monthly reports as well as phone, email, or in-person discussions and consultations when necessary. The monthly reports provide brief updates on the researcher’s work to OTF, the host organisation, and the wider OTF community, allowing others to review and comment on the work and encouraging collaboration.
The adviser or responsible person at the host organisation will also provide a “traffic light” report to OTF evaluating the researcher’s progress. The report forms the basis for approving and releasing monthly stipend payments. A “green light” indicates that the researcher is on track and funds may be released, while a “yellow light” indicates that funds may be released but concerns have been identified and should be brought to OTF’s attention. A “red light” indicates that progress has been interrupted and intervention is required. In such cases, the host organisation may recommend a stop payment while OTF, the host organisation, and the researcher discuss possible measures to return the project to schedule or terminate the award.
Applicants and host organisations involved in the development, production, sale or marketing of surveillance software, hardware or associated technology are not eligible to receive awards under the programme. Applicants who are listed as debarred, sanctioned, or otherwise excluded from receiving federal funds through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, or any other US or international government sanction or debarment system are also ineligible.
Applicants must certify that the proposed project falls within section 2(b) of OTF’s remit. By submitting a proposal, applicants also certify that they are eligible to carry out the work described in the solicitation and that none of the listed exclusions applies to them, their subsidiaries, affiliates, host organisations or parent organisations, where applicable. Applicants must further certify that no relationship exists between them and any third party that could prevent them from conducting or complying with fair, impartial, and independent performance or audits.
OTF stated that people of all ages may apply regardless of nationality, residency, creed, gender, or other factors, except that the organisation cannot support applicants located in countries subject to United States trade restrictions or export sanctions as determined by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control. Individuals based in the United States must possess or obtain appropriate work authorisation.
OTF will not compensate or reimburse applicants for preparing or responding to the solicitation, and all concept notes and proposals become the property of OTF upon submission. An invitation to submit a full proposal following the review of a concept note does not constitute an assurance, promise, or guarantee of funding.
Applicants are also prohibited from issuing or permitting publicity in any form concerning the work covered by the solicitation or their participation in the programme during the solicitation period, under a contract or thereafter unless the publicity has first been approved in writing by OTF.
If the awarded contract includes reimbursement for travel or supplies, the applicant must obtain prior approval from OTF. All travel expenses must comply with the Standard Government Travel Regulations. Travel and equipment stipends are subject to certain restrictions and require written approval from OTF before they can be provided.
Applicants also agree that OTF’s intellectual property terms contained in any issued agreement will apply and that fees paid to them constitute full, fair, and adequate compensation for transferring deliverables and work products to OTF.
Any awarded contract will be based on OTF’s standard contractual terms, including a termination-for-convenience provision, as well as relevant government provisions and other applicable standard contracting clauses. Any restrictions on the use of data contained in a concept note or proposal must be clearly stated, as OTF cannot sign non-disclosure agreements with applicants because of its evaluation process.
OTF reserves the right to accept or reject any or all concept notes and proposals submitted under the solicitation, take exceptions to the specifications, and waive stated requirements. The organisation may also waive minor application deficiencies that can be corrected before an award decision in order to promote competition.
OTF may choose to fund only part of the activities outlined in the solicitation or issue multiple awards based on the proposed activities. It also reserves the right to make an award solely based on submitted proposals or negotiate with one or more applicants. The issuance of the solicitation, preparation, and submission of applications, and evaluation of responses do not commit OTF to awarding a contract to any applicant.
OTF further reserves the right to cancel or modify the solicitation at any time and for any reason at its sole discretion without liability.
For questions about the programme, interested applicants can email icrp@opentech.fund by August 15, 2026. OTF will publish responses to the questions on its website by August 20, 2026.
Interested applicants can sign up for the OTF-announce mailing list to receive notifications about this and other OTF funding opportunities.
The 2026 application window opened on July 27, 2026, and will close on September 7, 2026.
