Call for Proposals: LACNIC Leaders Funding Program

Deadline: 9 May 2025

The LACNIC is pleased to announce its LACNIC Leaders Funding Program to provide key support to researchers in local communities so that they can study topics with local impact and a local perspective under a grant and mentorship format and will amplify knowledge of such issues throughout the region and even worldwide.

Líderes is a LACNIC program that provides funding and mentoring to support research on selected Internet Governance (IG) topics as they are perceived from within the different communities.

Objectives

This program aims to provide funding and mentoring to successful applicants so they can conduct research and provide detailed insight on topics related to Internet governance (IG) as they are perceived within their communities. These research projects aim at increasing knowledge about IG issues in Latin America and the Caribbean and they will be featured on LACNIC’s website.
Projects must be unique and not duplicate existing research on regional IG issues, but rather complement existing knowledge in the field. Unique and diverse perspectives will be highly valued.

Thematic Areas

An Open Internet for Everyone: Meaningful Access and Human Rights in Digital Environments
- Research in this area will seek to identify ongoing challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean to ensure equitable access and explore solutions that help guarantee the protection of human rights in the digital environment.
Emerging Technologies, Sustainable Innovation, and Artificial Intelligence
- Research in this area will seek to address the evolution of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on innovation and the development of responsible and inclusive frameworks in the region.
Cybersecurity and Digital Trust
- Research in this area will address cybersecurity and its impact on the development of a secure digital environment.
Multistakeholder Governance, Digital Cooperation, and Public Internet Policies
- Research in this area will focus on strengthening the multistakeholder model in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as on the role of digital cooperation in global processes such as WSIS+20 and the Global Digital Compact.

Benefits

Access to a mentor that is knowledgeable on global Internet Governance issues
Three months to complete a brief research project
The research must be conducted by a single researcher
The candidate must reside in one of the 33 territories that are part of the Latin American and Caribbean region
Findings may be presented as a one-time publication, videos, animations, a set of digital flyers, a series of podcasts and infographics, or an original format of the researcher’s choosing
The resulting work will be featured on LACNIC’s website and promoted via LACNIC’s communication channels
Regional recognition of the candidate’s intellectual property and opinion on an issue faced by the community
After completing the research, candidates will receive a certificate validating their participation in the program
After completing their research, candidates will have the chance to obtain one of the 8 sponsorships that will be offered within the framework of LACNIC Policy Shapers, a program that aims to support the insertion into the world of Internet Governance through various instances of training and participation in the institutional life of LACNIC.

Funding Information

Access to funding for up to US$ 1,500.

Eligibility Criteria

Among others, this program is open to NRI coordinators, university students, academic researchers, journalists, policymakers, independent researchers, and technical communities. Virtually anyone who is —or has been— involved in Internet Governance in their community and/or who can demonstrate strong capacity to conduct a brief, high-quality research project is welcome to apply. Only applications from individuals will be accepted.
The Líderes program has been designed for individuals, not for entities.
Researchers selected in previous editions are not eligible to apply for the following two editions of the program. Previously unsuccessful candidates may reapply. Finally, candidates who collaborated in studies conducted in previous years may apply for the current 2025 edition in a personal capacity.

Evaluation Criteria