auDA Foundation awards $275,000 in grants to Australian Internet innovators

Posted by Jo Lim on 5 October 2006

From the development of an internet browser for the vision impaired to the delivery of mobile IT workshops to senior citizens, the auDA Foundation has recognised 16 worthy not-for-profit Internet innovators from across Australia.

 

The CEO of auDA, Chris Disspain, is delighted to announce the awarding of $275,000 in grants to 16 not-for-profit Internet projects from across Australia.

Mr Disspain said the auDA Foundation grants will help fund a broad range of Internet projects including initiatives to increase secondary school retention rates amongst indigenous students and to prevent the suicide of young men living in rural areas.

“We are delighted by both the high level of interest shown by Australian innovators in the grants scheme and the extraordinary diversity of applications we received,” he said.

The auDA Foundation grants are awarded to not-for-profit projects that have as their principal aim the technical improvement of the Internet and/or the utilisation of existing Internet technology for the benefit of the Australian community.

Mr Disspain said the 16 grants announced today cover both categories.

“The auDA Foundation has awarded a grant to a Swinburne University of Technology project that is developing a technology solution to the spam problem.

“The Foundation has also awarded grants to community-based projects that aim to utilise existing Internet technology for a range of broader community benefits.”

These include the alleviation of a number of health problems, improvements in the efficiency of local government, programs for those with vision and hearing problems and initiatives that seek to redress social disadvantage.”

Mr Disspain said the grants range between $5,000 and $20,000 per project. 

“We did our best to make sure that all 16 were financially viable in the long-term and all applicants were required to submit detailed business plans before any grants were awarded.”

“We want to support as many innovators as possible and we will be looking at other projects for the next round of grants,” Mr Disspain said.

Under the auDA Foundation rules, eligible projects must be not-for-profit and must not be for a political, religious or sectarian purpose.

ENDS

 

About the auDA Foundation
auDA Foundation is a charitable trust that was established by .au Domain Administration Limited (auDA) to promote and encourage education and research activities that will enhance the utility of the Internet for the benefit of the Australian community. It is a grant scheme that will provide financial support for projects that satisfy the objectives of the auDA Foundation Charter.

 

About auDA
.au Domain Administration Ltd (auDA) is an Australian not-for-profit company vested with the responsibility of operating the .au domain for the benefit of all stakeholders.

In its role as manager of the .au domain, auDA carries out the following functions:

  • develop and implement domain name policy
  • license 2LD registry operators
  • accredit and license registrars
  • implement consumer safeguards
  • facilitate .au Dispute Resolution Policy
  • represent .au at ICANN and other international fora.

 

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