With an estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide still without Internet access, the demand for innovative, scalable solutions has never been more urgent.
To address this gap, the Internet Society (ISOC), a non-profit organisation committed to promoting an open, secure and accessible Internet for everyone, has launched the Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative in partnership with Meta. This initiative aims to expand affordable and sustainable Internet infrastructure in underserved communities. In this interview, Michuki Mwangi, a technologist focused on Internet growth at the Internet Society, explains the initiative’s objectives, its co-funding model, and how it plans to confront ongoing global digital inclusion challenges.
Can you describe the Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative and its purpose?
The Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative is designed to accelerate access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable Internet globally. The Internet Society has committed $30 million through 2030, and Meta has joined as the first co-funding partner. The initiative targets the 2.6 billion people who currently lack Internet access, focusing especially on marginalised and underserved communities.
The initiative prioritises community-centred infrastructure projects, fills market gaps, and invests in technical capacity building. By pooling funds and expertise through co-funding, ISOC intends to mobilise additional investment and resources from a diverse set of stakeholders, scaling connectivity projects and ensuring they remain sustainable over the long term.
How does this effort differ from previous connectivity work by the Internet Society and Meta?
Meta and the Internet Society have collaborated since 2018 on building Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), training technical communities, and measuring Internet resilience. The new Co-Funding Initiative builds on that foundation but focuses on scaling those efforts: strengthening resilient infrastructure, growing local technical expertise, and supporting innovative, sustainable models that extend access and reinforce local digital ecosystems.
Why is co-funding important, and what partners are you seeking beyond Meta?
Co-funding amplifies impact by combining resources from multiple stakeholders, ensuring projects have the financial and technical support needed for long-term success. Beyond Meta, ISOC is seeking other organisations—foundations, private sector partners, regional development actors, and civil society—to join the co-funding model. Many organisations want to help but are constrained by scale, scope, or capacity. Co-funding enables coordinated action without diverting partners from their core missions, while leveraging ISOC’s global reach and 32 years of experience in Internet development to deliver effective, lasting impact.
What criteria will determine which communities receive funding and support?
ISOC’s 2030 strategy targets global inequalities in Internet access. Data shows that people in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) often face the highest costs and least reliable service; these regions are top priorities. ISOC will also prioritise groups most marginalised in digital access—women, Indigenous people, and refugees—supporting community-driven solutions that deliver affordable, reliable connectivity and enable local ownership and sustainability.
What kinds of infrastructure investments will the initiative prioritise, and how will it ensure their sustainability?
The initiative emphasises community-centred infrastructure: last-mile, community-owned access networks that reach areas often overlooked by commercial providers, and sustainable Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) that underpin local digital ecosystems. These investments are chosen for their potential to provide faster, more affordable, and more resilient local Internet access. Sustainability is reinforced through capacity building, local ownership models, and by designing projects that can operate and grow without indefinite external subsidies.
How does the initiative promote digital inclusion for marginalised communities facing multiple barriers?
Digital inclusion is central to the initiative. It supports technical training and capacity-building programmes that empower community members to build and maintain last-mile networks, connecting people, businesses, schools, and healthcare facilities. By fostering locally owned, scalable networks, the initiative helps create economic opportunities, improve access to essential services, and promote community self-reliance.
What role do local governments and policymakers play, and how is ISOC engaging them?
Local governments and policymakers are essential enablers of connectivity expansion. Their responsibilities include creating regulatory environments that facilitate infrastructure deployment and managing access to resources like wireless spectrum. ISOC engages governments through advocacy, policy research, and technical assistance to help shape frameworks that support sustainable local Internet growth. The initiative also explores how national Universal Service Funds (USFs) and other local resources can complement co-funded community-centred projects.
How does ISOC address concerns about corporate influence when partnering with large tech companies like Meta?
The Internet Society is steadfast in its commitment to an open, secure, and trustworthy Internet. ISOC supports a decentralised Internet built on openness and interoperability, enabling broad innovation and equitable use. To guard against undue influence, ISOC monitors Internet health and evolution through tools like its Pulse platform and produces actionable insights on issues that could fragment or harm the Internet. Partnerships with supporters like Meta fund measurement and resilience work, but ISOC maintains independence in strategy, oversight, and public accountability to ensure alignment with its mission and Internet principles.
What are the biggest obstacles to connecting the remaining 2.6 billion people, and how does this initiative approach them differently?
Many unconnected people live in remote, rural, or low-income areas where traditional commercial models are not viable. Barriers include lack of infrastructure, unaffordable service, and limited digital skills. The Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative addresses these challenges by refining proven methodologies, scaling community-led approaches, and leveraging ISOC’s global staff presence and partnerships. With personnel in more than 50 countries, 110 local chapters, and a global membership, ISOC can combine technical assistance, funding coordination, and local partnerships to support sustainable, community-rooted connectivity solutions.
How does this work strengthen global Internet resilience amid cybersecurity threats and geopolitical tensions?
Building resilient local infrastructure like IXPs reduces dependency on long-distance links and improves regional robustness. The initiative also invests in training technical communities to collaborate effectively during outages and cybersecurity incidents. Lessons from events such as submarine cable outages show that infrastructure resilience combined with strong local communities and coordinated responses can dramatically reduce downtime and speed recovery.
By 2030, what would success look like for the Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative?
By 2030, ISOC envisions a measurable increase in community-led infrastructure projects—more IXPs, more community networks—delivering affordable, resilient access to underserved populations. Success includes not only increased connectivity but also meaningful use: communities equipped with the knowledge and resources to benefit from the Internet, strengthening local digital ecosystems and driving sustainable social and economic outcomes. The initiative aims to engage additional partners who share this vision and to demonstrate tangible improvements in connectivity, affordability, and local capacity.
Photo by Kyle Petzer on Unsplash