Ottawa, ON – January 16, 2017 – CIRA’s Community Investment Program is now accepting funding applications for 2017.
Ottawa, ON – January 16, 2017 – The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) is looking to partner with members of the Canadian internet community to help build a better online Canada.
CIRA’s Community Investment Program is now accepting funding applications for 2017.
Key Facts
- CIRA’s Community Investment Program targets its support to four program areas (an example of each area is available by clicking on the links):
- Online services: providing children and youth the Internet-based tools they need to succeed
- Infrastructure: connecting remote communities with new Internet infrastructure
- Digital literacy: educating marginalized Canadians on economic opportunities online
- Research: exploring emerging digital issues affecting Canadians
- Since 2014, CIRA’s Community Investment Committee has selected 78 innovative projects from across Canada to share in a total of $3.2 million in funding. In 2017 alone, the CIP will fund $1-million worth of projects. Typical grants range from $25,000-$50,000. No grant exceeds $100,000.
- Right now, there are more than 2.5 million registered .CA domain names. Everyone with a current .CA domain helps support the important work made possible by CIRA’s CIP since a portion of the proceeds of .CA registrations goes toward funding the CIP.
Executive quotes
CIRA’s primary goal is to build a better online Canada. In part, that means making the Internet – with all its power and potential – stronger, safer and more accessible for Canadians. The Community Investment Program provides targeted and strategic support for projects that produce tangible results, and ones which help us realize our goal of a better online experience for all Canadians.
The ingenuity and creativity of Canadians being what they are, we always receive more requests for funding than we can grant. That, in a sense, is a great problem to have in that we are able to select truly outstanding Internet projects which promise to bring about concrete and substantive improvements in people’s lives. CIRA’s Community Investment Program makes a real difference, and I am confident that the committee will have our work cut out for us again this year.
With the Community Investment Program, Kids Code Jeunesse has been able to grow from an idea into a nationwide organization that supports thousands of children and teachers with computer programming in the education system. As one of our founding supporters, the Community Investment team has become part of our organization and encouraged us every step of the way.
Who can apply?
- Organizations recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency as registered charities
- Not-for-profit organizations; and,
- Academics and researchers affiliated with a Canadian university
Please consult our Application Guidelines for more details on funding and how to apply. Applications for this round of funding will be accepted until March 1, 2017.
About CIRA and the Community Investment Program
Through the Community Investment Program, CIRA funds projects that can help us build a better online Canada. The CIRA team manages Canada’s country code top-level domain on behalf of all Canadians. A member-based organization, CIRA represents the interests of Canada’s Internet community internationally.
