Rapid Response Fund
The Open Technology Fund’s Rapid Response Fund helps people and organizations confronting urgent digital threats. Support is intended for a clear, time-sensitive internet freedom emergency, particularly where censorship or surveillance puts high-risk communities in danger.
Key Details
- Technical services and direct financial assistance use the same application route.
- OTF reviews requests as they arrive and aims to decide as quickly as possible.
- Directly funded work normally lasts six months or less.
Funding or Award
- Direct awards are typically $1 – $50K, with larger requests considered where appropriate.
- Funding is available when partner services do not adequately cover the need and the applicant can implement the response.
- A performance-based contract specifies the objectives, activities, deliverables and payment schedule. Payments are made in US dollars after the agreed work is completed.
What You Get
OTF can match applicants with specialist partners providing the following services:
Organizational Security and Digital Security Support
- Organizational audits, urgent risk reduction, rapid assessments, crisis-response planning, security improvements and mentoring.
Digital Attacks and Forensic Analysis
- Analysis of malicious applications, malware, compromised phones and other digital attacks.
- Web application and system audits, vulnerability assessments, compromised-site recovery and audits, and DDoS response or mitigation.
Web Hosting
- Secure hosting, migration and onboarding, together with monitoring and resilience during elections or other sensitive events.
- Tools for documenting human rights abuses and assistance making blocked websites accessible.
Censorship and Network Shutdowns
- Emergency VPN infrastructure, alternative communication or access tools, analysis of internet disruptions and shutdown-response support.
Localization
- Translation of relevant documents or security guidance and localization of circumvention, secure messaging or other privacy tools needed for the emergency.
Focus Areas
- Circumvention during censorship events: explain why the chosen solution fits the emergency and threat model.
- Personal digital protection for journalists, defenders, NGOs and activists: explain the direct impact on the beneficiary and how the proposed tools will be used.
- Rapid tool development or translation: demonstrate the technical and operational skills required and explain how the approach differs from existing efforts.
- Emergency decentralized communications or security patches: identify the technology, relevant prior experience or a plan to obtain the necessary expertise.
Eligibility
- Activists, journalists, human rights defenders and other high-risk individuals or organizations facing a clear digital emergency may apply.
- The proposed response must be short term and address a recent or ongoing internet freedom violation.
Application Process
- Submit the Rapid Response Fund application, whether requesting partner services or direct funding.
- OTF evaluates whether there is a clear emergency and whether the proposed work is a short-term response that fits the fund’s mission.
Rules and Conditions
- For direct awards, an OTF program manager oversees monitoring and evaluation throughout the contract.
- General or long-term organizational security capacity building is excluded.
- The fund does not replace stolen or lost personal devices.
- Long-term projects and work unrelated to a recent or ongoing internet freedom violation are excluded.
- OTF states that it will make every effort to avoid sharing sensitive application information beyond its team. Review the fund’s terms before applying and raise security concerns directly with OTF.