Incident Emergency Fund

The Incident Emergency Fund is our rapid response mechanism for human rights defenders, journalists, activists, or organisations facing digital threats and attacks. It covers costs of activities that directly reduce the impact of a digital attack. The funding provided can be up to €10,000 and covers activities for a maximum of 4-6 months.

Examples of what an Incident Emergency Fund can cover are:

• replacement of hardware or software which has been taken, lost or stolen;
• purchase of more secure hard- and/or software and costs related to installation of the new systems;
• technical or non-technical activities to respond to urgent issues such as internet blockages;
• training or accompaniment on digital or other security issues;
• measures to improve physical security (which relate to information management and digital security);
• measures to address the psychological and psychosocial impact of digital threats and attacks

We recommend reading this application guide before applying for IEF. In your application request, please give as much detail as possible. By filling out the application form, you will get an account to submit and track the progress of your application.

We are able to process applications submitted in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. If you would like to submit your application in another language, please contact us first via team@digitaldefenders.org with your language request, and we can explore a secure solution.

Please note: due to the high amount of requests we receive, it can take us a bit longer to respond to you.

In case you or your organization is facing digital emergencies due to the nature of your work, you are welcome to apply for IEF. Please complete the IEF eligibility check on https://www.digitaldefenders.org/ief-eligibility-check/.