Au Domain calls for internet projects

National domain administrator, au Domain Administration (auDA), has established the auDA Foundation calling for submissions from eligible internet-related projects for grants.

Chris Disspain, CEO of auDA, said the auDA Foundation grants (between $5,000 and $20,000) will be awarded to a range of education or community-based projects.

For example a grant for an education-based project could involve auDA supporting relevant scholarships for PhD students or research into internet-related technologies.

“The auDA Foundation was interested in any new technologies that reduced or eliminated spam and enabled Internet voting,” Disspain said.

Australian innovators would be provided with a once-off financial support to any one project. It’s up to the innovators to keep the ball rolling from there, said Disspain.

“Innovators will need to present the auDA Foundation with a business plan, prove there is a demonstrated need for their innovation and prove that the project is financially viable.”

However financial support will not be awarded unless grant applicants can demonstrate their ideas would not get off the ground without the grant.

The auDA Foundation also wants fair distribution of grants between organisations from metropolitan, regional and rural areas, said Disspain.

He said according to the foundation rules, all eligible projects must be not-for-profit and must not be for a political, religious or sectarian purpose.

Also, not-for-profit subsidiaries of Australian businesses will also be eligible, he said.