The Internet Society has announced a new grant program to improve Internet access and affordability in emerging economies by developing Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). The Sustainable Peering Infrastructure Funding Program, partially funded by Meta and ICANN, will provide financial support for building new IXPs, enhancing existing ones, and strengthening the organizations and communities that support peering and interconnection.
The program has set an ambitious goal of ensuring that at least half of all Internet traffic in emerging economies remains local by 2025. It will focus on collaboration with regional partners in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and other regions and support the IXP initiative of the Coalition for Digital Africa.
Eligible applicants include legally registered entities operating existing IXPs needing improvements, planning to build new IXPs, championing peering and interconnection in a specific country or region, or positively contributing to the IXP ecosystem. Grants of up to $70,000 will be available for projects lasting up to 12 months, covering equipment purchases, operational costs, capacity building, and workshops.
The program will prioritize emerging economies, low-income countries, and small island developing states. For existing IXPs, funding criteria include a substantial market with at least three independent ISPs and a 20% Internet penetration rate and data demonstrating potential improvements in latency, performance, and local traffic costs. New IXPs must have endorsements from at least three local network operators, a neutral location with a multistakeholder community, and an agreement to operate as an open, nonprofit entity.
Applications will be accepted during two windows in 2025: January 28 to April 10 and July 1 to August 21. The review process, conducted by the Internet Society, the Internet Society Foundation, and external experts, may take up to 10 weeks. Applicants are encouraged to register in the Foundation’s grants management system, Fluxx, and submit their applications in English, French, or Spanish before the deadlines.
This initiative is expected to increase local Internet traffic, reduce costs associated with traffic exchange between networks, and ensure the long-term sustainability of IXPs in underserved regions.
