Chapterthon 2021

How do I take part?

Chapter members pitch their project ideas to their chapter leadership. One project will be selected and submitted by your chapter to participate.

Your chapter will submit a proposal, and if accepted, you will receive the 2,000 USD Chapterthon grant to implement your strategy.

As a part of this process, you’ll develop a “Do It Yourself” manual and tutorial that demonstrates exactly how your chapter is keeping the Internet a force for good: open, globally-connected, secure, and trustworthy.

This will act as a blueprint that will become part of a community-driven “DIY” Action Hub – a resource for peers and partners around the world to replicate, broadening the impact of your innovations and solutions.

All projects are carried out within a pre-determined timeframe.

The community votes for their favorites

Once all the blueprints are on the Internet Society Action Hub, the community’s favorite project from each region will be chosen to receive a prize by way of member voting.

It is up to the Chapterthon participants to promote their projects and encourage members to vote for them.

What will the winning chapters receive?

The winning chapter from each region will receive an award package consisting of:

1. Chapterthon Winner Certificate and digital promotion assets.
2. Opportunity to lead a workshop on their Chapterthon projects at the global Internet Society Community Week. Winning chapters may select fellow chapters to co-host their workshops to broaden the scope and perspective. Feedback, input, and support for the workshops will be provided by Internet Society staff.
3. Access to mentorship opportunities from Internet Society organization members. The individual mentorship agreements will be developed in collaboration with the chapters and organization members.
4. 1:1 with Internet Society Community Mobilization Manager to identify opportunities to collaboratively showcase local impact at the global level; may include op-eds, thought pieces, social media, global newsletter, and others.
5. One chapter representative to participate in the Planning & Advisory Council for the ‘We Are The Internet Society’ advocacy and mobilization campaign. The chapter representative will work closely with the campaign team to plan and inform activities, objectives, community engagement, and impact measurement.

How does this differ from Internet Society Fundamentals?

If you’ve already undergone the Internet Society Fundamentals training, you’re already off to a good start! During Fundamentals, chapter members learn the basics of topics highlighted in our 2021 Action Plan and develop distinct initiatives in coordination with their local chapters.

The Chapterthon is an opportunity to scale either a single or a combination of these initiatives at chapter and global level.

Whether you took the training or not, do feel free to draw inspiration from the Fundamentals catalog. You can choose one of these ideas and expand it into a full project, or you can come up with something completely different. No matter what, it will need a plan, a team, and a strategy.

Eligibility and requirements

• Chapterthon is strictly for Internet Society chapters and SIGs. 
• Internet Society chapters in good standing (pre-rejuvenation on a case by case basis) are eligible to apply and must meet the minimum chapter standards as outlined in the Chapter’s Charter Letter.  
• Applications from chapters undergoing a rejuvenation process can not be considered. 
• To be eligible for this year’s funding, chapters and SIGs must have submitted required funding reports from previous years. 
• To receive funding, chapters and SIGs must have an official bank account in the legal name of the chapter/SIG. 
• Chapter/SIG members must work with their chapter/SIG’s leadership to develop their projects.

Timeline