[Chapter-delegates] Results of 2nd round of Project Funding for 2007 - Press release

[Anne Lord]

Dear Colleagues,

The results of the September round of Project Funding will be  
announced in a press release tomorrow, the text of which is appended  
below.

Best wishes,
Anne

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ISOC support connects local projects to global Internet community –  
20 December 2007
       - ISOC approves funding for six new local Internet development  
projects around the world

RESTON, VA, USA AND GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, 12 December 2007 – Getting  
much-needed computer equipment to communities in the Solomon Islands,  
Tanzania, and tsunami-hit Sri Lanka; extending Internet connectivity  
to remote areas of Tunisia; building educational capacity in the  
Congo; and raising awareness of Internet governance issues in Italy  
– these diverse activities are made possible by the Internet  
Society's most recent round of project grants.

The Internet Society (ISOC) holds two grant rounds each year and  
dedicated US$200,000 to support the projects of ISOC chapters and  
members in 2007.

ISOC established its "Internet Project Funding Initiative" in 2005 to  
encourage projects which advance ISOC's mission to "promote the open  
development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of  
all people throughout the world". With the six new grants announced  
today, ISOC has now funded 42 projects in 31 countries.

ISOC's goal with these grants is to develop the Internet environment  
around the world, by helping ISOC chapters and members establish  
creative programs that meet the needs of their local communities.

To be eligible for funding, projects must support development and  
operation of the Internet, or advance research and education related  
to the Internet and internetworking.

Each successful project will receive up to US$10,000 from ISOC, which  
can account for no more than 50 percent of the total project budget.  
This strategy requires proponents to secure other funding sources,  
which encourages active partnerships, community involvement, and  
socially relevant projects.

ISOC's truly global reach is reflected in the successful projects  
from the most recent funding round, which will create diverse  
activities in Democratic Republic of Congo, Italy, Solomon Islands,  
Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Tunisia.

Details of the Internet Project Funding Initiative are available on  
the ISOC web site at:

	http://www.isoc.org/isoc/chapters/projects/index.php

Projects funded in 2007 (second round)

The following projects were successful in the second round of funding  
for 2007. More details of these projects, and previous recipients,  
are available at:

	http://www.isoc.org/isoc/chapters/projects/awards.php?id=6

Democratic Republic of Congo: Creation of Internet content for NGOs  
promoting human rights in Democratic Republic of Congo
	- Democratic Republic of Congo Chapter of the Internet Society:  
Gabriel Bombambo Boseko, gbombambo at yahoo.fr

Italy: Sensitization of the Italian speaking community on the  
Internet Governance Forum from Athens towards Delhi
	- Internet Society Italy: Stefano Trumpy, presidente at isoc.it

Solomon Islands: Marovo Lagoon Learning Network
	- The Pacific Islands Chapter of the Internet Society (PICISOC):  
David Leeming, projects at picisoc.org

Sri Lanka: The Smart Computer Laboratory
	- Dr Kasun De Zoysa (ISOC Global member), kasun at ucsc.cmb.ac.lk

Tanzania: Operation Tech Start
	- Operation Tech Start (ISOC Global member), Holly Rich,  
holly at operationtechstart.org

Tunisia: SolarNetOne in Tunisia
	- Internet Society Tunisia: Khaled Koubaa, Khaled.koubaa at gmail.com

About ISOC
The Internet Society (www.isoc.org) is a non-profit organization  
founded in 1992 to provide leadership in Internet related standards,  
education, and policy. With offices in Washington, DC, and Geneva,  
Switzerland, it is dedicated to ensuring the open development,  
evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of people  
throughout the world.

About ISOC Chapters
Internet Society Chapters are groups organised by ISOC members on a  
volunteer basis and officially recognised by ISOC. Chapters bring  
together people who reside in a particular geographic region (such as  
a city, country, or larger area), or who share an interest in a  
specific Internet related subject.  The role of Chapters is to help  
ISOC achieve its mission at both local and regional levels and to  
infuse ISOC with local and regional perspectives on developments and  
issues that affect the evolution of the Internet.

For further details
Mark Thalhimer
Director of Communications and Public Relations, Internet Society
E-mail: thalhimer at isoc.org
Telephone: +1 703 326 9880 x130
1775 Wiehle Avenue
Reston, VA 20190-5108
USA