January 23, 2018

Secure the Internet Grants request for proposals

This Research Award is now closed

About

Facebook is pleased to invite submissions from university researchers and faculty, non-profit organizations, and NGOs for applied research proposals to improve the security, privacy, and safety of internet users. Our goal is to spur development of technology that may be applied in practice, rather than pure research, in a wide range of topics including, but not limited to:

  • Abuse detection and reporting
  • Anti-phishing
  • Post-password authentication
  • Privacy preserving technologies
  • Security for users in emerging markets
  • User safety

To apply

Applicants should submit a maximum 2-page proposal detailing the practical impact their research will apply to end users and a budget overview of how the proposed grant funding will be used.

Facebook will fund up to USD $100,000 per proposal, depending on the specific requirements.

Payment

Payment will be made to the proposer’s host university or organization as an unrestricted gift.

Applications are now closed

Application Dates

Winners will be announced at Black Hat USA 2018 in Las Vegas, NV.

  • Launch Date January 23, 2018
  • Deadline March 30, 2018
  • Winners Announced May 2018

Additional Information

Additional information

Applicants should clearly state any existing collaborations with Facebook researchers or engineers and whether their proposal has a named sponsor within Facebook.

One person from each funded team is expected to attend Black Hat USA in August, 2018 to accept the grant and also attend a Summit held in Facebook's offices in 2019 to present and share their team's work with both Facebook and other researchers. Facebook will pay for travel for both events, separate from the award itself.

Successful awardees will be listed on the Facebook Research website and will be encouraged to openly publish any findings/insights from their work.

Timing and dates

Application is now closed

Grants Awarded and Winners Announced:  Notifications will be sent by email to selected award recipients in May, 2018. Winners will be announced at Black Hat USA 2018 in Las Vegas, NV.

Award Amount:  Up to $100,000 USD

Proposal format

Applications should be under 2 pages and include:

  • Names of the researcher(s) involved in the proposed work
  • Host academic research institution or organization
  • Clear and concise statement of the research
  • A timeline with deliverables such as publications, tools, or libraries
  • Proposed impact on end users and how it would be adopted
  • Indication of any previous or current connections/collaborations with Facebook (in which case please name any Facebook contacts)
  • A proposed budget

Questions

Questions about Secure the Internet research proposals you may send them to: securetheinternet@fb.com

Terms & Conditions

Grant Terms and Conditions

Facebook’s decisions will be final in all matters relating to this solicitation, including interpretation of these Terms and awards at any time. Awards will be subject to additional Terms and Conditions for awardees which will be communicated to recipients after selection. All items apply unless otherwise stated above. Please Read These Terms Carefully Before Proceeding.

  • By submitting a proposal, you are authorizing Facebook to evaluate the proposal for a potential award, and you agree to the terms herein.
  • You agree that Facebook will not be required to treat any part of the proposal as confidential or protected by copyright, and may use, edit, modify, copy, reproduce, and distribute all or a portion of your proposal in any manner for the sole purposes of administering the website and evaluating the contents of the proposal.
  • You agree and acknowledge that personal data submitted with the proposal, including name, mailing address, phone number, and email address of you and other named researchers in the proposal may be collected, processed, stored and otherwise used by Facebook for the purposes of administering the website and evaluating the contents of the proposal.
  • You acknowledge that neither party is obligated to enter into any business transaction as a result of the proposal submission, Facebook is under no obligation to review or consider the proposal, and neither party acquires any intellectual property rights as a result of submitting the proposal.
  • Any feedback you provide to Facebook in the proposal regarding its products or services will not be treated as confidential or protected by copyright, and Facebook is free to use such feedback on an unrestricted basis with no compensation to you.
  • Applicants represent and warrant that they have authority to submit a proposal in connection with this RFP and grant the rights set forth herein on behalf of their organization.

See this page for full Terms and Conditions.