Current grants

Applications for Internet research grants now open

InternetNZ has $250,000 in pūtea tautoko (grant funding) available this year to support community-driven research into Internet-related topics and issues in Aotearoa.

About the grant

Open to individuals, organisations and communities focused on Internet-related research relevant to New Zealand.
The area of research can be anything Internet-related: for example, technically focused topics such as cybersecurity or Internet resilience; or social and health focused topics such as digital access or social media harm.
The proposed research should be able to demonstrate it has been driven by a community of Internet users, and will create or influence positive outcomes for that community online.
We’re offering one-off grants of around $20,000–$30,000 to each project or initiative (guide only). The total funding available for this round is $250,000.
The closing date for the first application is 20 August 2026.

Why we’re offering this grant

The research funding landscape has changed in recent years, and we’ve noticed a gap for community-centred work which seeks to investigate and provide evidence and solutions for some of the Internet-related issues that New Zealanders are facing right now.

A contestable grant round like this allows communities — and researchers working with them — to come to us with the issues and research gaps they have identified, are meaningful to them, and have the potential to create impactful evidence bases from which to create positive change.

To understand more about our why, read this blog on the grant.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for impactful research on Internet-related issues and topics, relevant to existing or emerging issues facing New Zealand Internet users. In particular, we will be looking for research that:

Meaningfully informs the future development of the Internet in Aotearoa.
Supports a New Zealand community or communities to thrive in the digital world.
Is informed by the needs and aspirations of the community it seeks to benefit.
Works across disciplinary boundaries or in close partnership with communities.
Has been well-scoped, planned, budgeted, considered and is set up for success.

Our Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitment

InternetNZ is committed to equitable outcomes for all New Zealanders. As approved by our Board, we prioritise 40 per cent of our community funding for Māori organisations, communities and projects.

For more about the organisation’s strategic priorities, please see our Annual Plan and for more about how we enliven Te Tiriti within the organisation please see Te Korowai o Ipurangi Aotearoa.

What you need to do to apply

We are inviting Expression of Interest (EOIs) between now and August 20, 2026.
These EOIs can be made via our SmartyGrants portal.
If you would prefer a Word version of this application for accessibility reasons, please email funding@internetnz.net.nz.
We may then invite applicants to provide a full proposal, including details on methodology, credentials and budget.
We may invite applicants to speak with our funding panel to help bring your application to life.
All applicants should hear the outcome of their application before the end of the calendar year.

Our team is happy to offer support and guidance. Email us at funding@internetnz.net.nz with a brief introduction to yourself and the mahi you have planned so that we can offer advice or arrange a time to kōrero.

If your idea doesn’t quite fit, we will do our best to save you some time with a quick response.

Let us know if you have any issues accessing the application form.

How we’ll make the decision

This is a two-stage contestable grant, which means this is a competitive application process.

Anyone can apply, and their application will be assessed by a panel of experts who are guided in their decision-making by criteria aligned with our organisational goals.

Final decisions will be made by the funding panel. We will do our best to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants; however, all decisions are final.

Apply here

Assessment criteria

ALIGNMENT WITH PURPOSE

This relates to the extent to which the research project aligns with the grant’s purpose.

Requirement: The proposed project must constitute research into Internet-related topics or issues.

Strong alignment indicators:

Meaningfully informs the future development of the Internet in ways that enable people in Aotearoa to thrive in the digital world.
Designed to have a positive social impact.
Informed by the needs of the people it seeks to benefit, with a preference for applications that strongly embody mana motuhake, self-determination, or “nothing about us without us”.

Applicants are asked to:

Provide an overview of their proposed research including identifying the Internet-related issue or topic and their objectives.
Provide details of the research team, including any community partnerships or if their research draws on people with different areas of expertise.

POTENTIAL BENEFIT

This relates to the proposed outcomes and potential benefits of the research.

Strong alignment indicators:

Driven by the needs of a particular community, preferably where the community is actively involved in the research process.
Has a foundation in existing research or addresses a specific, identified gap.

Applicants are asked to:

Provide an indication of the research’s objectives, intended impacts and how they will be measured.
Identify how and to what extent this addresses clearly identified research needs.
Identify the project’s relationship to other existing research projects in New Zealand or internationally.

FEASIBILITY

This relates to the feasibility of the proposed initiative, the likelihood of the project being successfully completed, delivering the intended outcomes and benefits.

Strong alignment indicators:

The budget reflects a realistic, well-considered plan for undertaking the research.
Evidence is provided that the people involved have relevant credentials.
The proposed methods and methodology are appropriate to the intended research and community.
Evidence is provided to demonstrate community buy-in, established partnerships between the community and researchers, or the use of a cross-disciplinary or interdisciplinary approach.
Ethical considerations and mitigations are in place, including ensuring that community involvement is empowering not exploitative.

Applicants are asked to:

Provide a plan and timeline for how the research will be implemented.
Provide a budget that is realistic and matches the scope of the research.
Provide supporting documentation to demonstrate relevant credentials and community support.
Outline the approach and management of ethical considerations.

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