SOROS FOUNDATION INTERNET/E-MAIL PROGRAM

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The objective of the OSI Internet program is to provide e-mail and full Internet access to individuals and organizations in Central & Eastern Europe as well as the non-Slavic republics of the NIS. Access is to be provided to as many as possible at the most reasonable cost. E-mail is a vital communications tool, and a source of first-hand news available when other communication options are not. The full Internet provides instant access for over 30 million users to data available on 4 million computers worldwide.

BACKGROUND

The OSI regional Internet/E-mail program began in earnest in 1994. Prior to that there were some grants related to E-Mail connectivity provided on an ad hoc basis by the local foundations. The ISF also developed an Internet connectivity program for the NIS focusing on infrastructural development (i.e. extending the network infrastructure that facilitates Internet connectivity in the region). The first official year of the OSI Internet program ('94) was primarily spent funding local initiatives, developing strategy and making contacts with funders and networking specialists throughout the world. In '95 with a strategy and an abundance of contacts now in place, the program has matured and developed many avenues of funding opportunities.

In 1995, the program extended it's geographic reach to the non-Slavic republics of the NIS. Formally, these countries were part of the ISF Internet project. However, ISF's need to concentrate on the four infrastructural projects it was involved in made it more feasible for these countries to be administered through the OSI regional telecommunications project. In Mid-1995 the ISF Telecommunications project was transferred to the OSI as well under the auspices of a new Internet Foundation to be created. It still functions separately from this project but cooperation between the two projects and information exchange has improved dramatically since 1994.

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

The OSI Internet program is demand driven. That is, it focuses on meeting user demands for connectivity as the primary objective, and builds infrastructure (leased lines, satellites, etc.) only when access to the current infrastructure for the base of users we support proves unworkable.

The program concentrates on identifying various 'niche markets' in each country where Internet access would be most valuable, but is currently unavailable or unsupported by any entity. For example, while connectivity for the academic and research network in one particular country was government subsidized and relatively good compared to the rest of the region, little support for secondary schools connectivity was provided. Therefore we concentrated our efforts on this niche. Major niche market categories include:

Academic and Research Institutions
Secondary Schools
Media
NGO's
Libraries
Medical Institutions
Museums
Non-affiliated individuals
In addition to niche markets, the program has also given preference to projects that provide connectivity to the Internet through non-traditional as well as traditional means. In the West, traditional connectivity is provided through high speed leased lines or fiber optic cabling. This involves having point to point cables run to different destinations and is considered a luxury in most of the areas we serve. However Internet and E-Mail service can also be provided through the following transport mechanisms which our program has sought to develop in Eastern Europe:

Satellite (VSAT dedicated or shared channel)
Spread Spectrum Radio Modems
Ham Radio
Cable Television
Microwave
The wireless components of a number of these technologies allow us to get around major infrastructural obstacles of local in-country telecommunications infrastructure.

Both the niche market and non-traditional transport paradigms are designed to create working models transportable from country to country. For example, if a workable secondary school or medical connectivity project exists in one country, we seek to transplant it (with local modifications) to another with similar needs. If a workable project using spread spectrum radio exists, that alternative technology is transported to countries with similar problems in their local telecommunications infrastructure.

Because of the degree of technical sophistication involved in the program and the widely varying telecommunication situations (both technical and political) existing in each country, the program is tailored to the budgeting and administration needs of each country. Some countries use only the regional project's expertise and connections, but budget for the program locally. Others have their own budgets but use the regional program budget as a supplement for specific telecommunication initiatives. Still others rely fully on the regional telecommunications budget and expertise. The only requirement of the Regional Internet Program is that a technical liaison exist in each foundation to coordinate the Internet projects on-the-ground. As each office generally needs technical support for their local computers and networks as well, it is not unusual for these technicians to also coordinate the local Internet programs.

A cornerstone of the program is working very closely with staff of foundations on the ground on any project supported by this program. The high cost of connectivity projects, their technical sophistication and necessity of dealing with local PTT's and telecommunication ministries require this close cooperation. It also is important to have a person locally who can determine on a technical and user level if the project is meeting its objectives and the objectives of the foundation.

In order to limit administrative overhead and concentrate on the broadest number of countries and projects, the Regional Internet Program operates almost exclusively as a third party grant giver rather than an operational implementor of projects. This is especially true of any infrastructural development projects where we require the grantee (or local foundation) to have the technical and management expertise available locally to insure projects reach successful completion. Most Regional Internet Program grants are given to the local foundations who then distributes them to third parties.

Selection Criteria for Program Funding

The Regional Internet Program gives preference to projects meeting the following criteria:

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION/GUIDELINES

In addition to general principles of program operation, the Regional Internet Program focuses on specific areas of project funding:

Local Institution and Individual Funding Component

This component provides funding for local connectivity projects meeting the criteria and paradigms detailed above. The strategy is to have a number of proven options available when entering new countries with limited telecommunications abilities. Most projects are brought to our attention by the individual foundation in-country. Applications submitted directly to New York are re-submitted to the country foundations for their review and approval. Project funding in this category includes:

Training
Network administrator subsidies
Telecommunications access fees (subsidized for a 6 month - 2 year depending
on project)
Telecommunication's related equipment donations, (modems, E-Mail/Internet
servers, routers, CSU/DSU's Satellite stations, telecommunication
software).
Note that equipment funding is very narrowly defined to those pieces of equipment that actually facilitate connectivity. This program does not fund user workstations or development of the local area network for two reasons:

- Local area networks can be a black hole varying widely in size and cost. It can easily double or triple the cost of a project without directly affecting connectivity or providing an easy way of determining if all the equipment is really being used. The equipment grants we support directly affect connectivity and are easily price comparable.

- Supporting connectivity equipment provides a self-audit function. As these items are essential to 'getting connected', we can be assured they are not sitting idly in someone's office if E-Mail or Internet is accessible from the site in question.

Conference Component

Once a year the program partially funds a major regional conference providing training in telecommunications services to developing countries. We work with proven organizers who are able to draw expertise from anywhere in the field while also providing quality content and training. The program sponsored attendance to the Internet Society Training Workshop for developing countries in '93 and '94. However, as the travel costs became excessive, in '95 we regionalized the conference with the help of CEENET who agreed to host a similar type of workshop and forum in Poland.

Aside from training, the conference provides an invaluable way for participants to network, trade ideas and develop/submit new proposals for possible funding. Many projects ultimately supported develop from working relationships established at the conference. Conference participants always include Soros technical staff responsible for implementing E-Mail/Internet programs in their respective country. This is important because it brings the (technical) funders and grantees together to discuss common directions.

In addition to training and networking with others in the region, Soros technical staff make maximum use of this forum by meeting separately during the conference to discuss the range of automation issues confronting our foundation's internal network and the Internet program. Conference funding is provided to subsidize participation and travel fees of individuals selected by the Soros Offices and conference organizers and approved by the conference organizers.

Telemocrasy Component

In order to protect investments and the free flow of information already occurring through the local telecommunications infrastructure in Eastern Europe, the program sponsors 'Telemocrasy initiatives'. This involves researching what telecommunications laws already exist, informing others about them and helping organizations like the GATT, WTO and national governments develop legislation and regulations that are Internet-friendly and allow it to thrive. Tony Rutkowsky, of the Internet Society is currently working with us in developing a project of this nature.

Regional Project Component

While many of the projects occur on a national level, a number of new initiatives are taking place on a regional level, affecting a number of countries and coordinated more directly from New York. In '95 we funded an APC-sponsored initiative to bring more Eastern-European women into the connectivity fold by providing technical and user support training to them which they in turn will provide to others. Given the statistic that between 70%-90% of 'Internauts' are men, this is a relevant need both in the East and the West. For the past two years we have also sponsored a regional effort in the countries of the former Yugoslavia to connect media services to each other and the outside world through electronic BBSs.

In '95, many other regional program coordinators at the foundation requested Internet connectivity components for their projects as a means of communication and information distribution. I was approached separately by library, youth, medical, arts and scholarship coordinators for this purpose. As a result, medical/Internet and distance learning/Internet projects were jointly developed in '95. This collaboration has greatly enhanced the Internet program as well. Because it is demand and content driven to start with, the infusion of 'experts' who specialize in education and medicine have enhanced the 'connectivity product' delivered to the users.

Two initiatives to better coordinate inter-regional-program activities have been launched as well. In New York, the regional program coordinators are meeting regularly now to share projects and help develop proposals for the coming budget year. Separately, the Internet program created it's own advisory committee to help formulate a policy to better handle inter-program projects as they arise during the year.

Funding Partner Component

In 1995, under Mr. Soros' guidance, a matching grant component was introduced with a separate budget. The program now actively seek partners to help us fund efforts providing connectivity to a broad segment of the population in the region. To date, we have shared project funding with some local organizations in countries as well as Foundations like Mellon, Macarthur and Ford and organizations like NATO and the Nordic Council. Matching grants are not necessarily provided on a 50%-50% basis. In some cases we represent 66% of the funding and in others 33% or below. In-kind equipment donations or connectivity access subsidies may also be counted as 'matching' resources and are evaluated on a project by project basis.

INTERNET REGIONAL PROGRAM PROJECTS IN '94 (Total Budget $675,000)

Created only public E-Mail BBS in Sarajevo supporting 550 regular users. $15,186

Established link to Intenet for 40 institutions of the Bulgarian Academic Network to the Internet. $130,000

Provided loan to Slovenian BBS vendor to establish low cost Internet connectivity for the general public. Interest and principle on loan will be turned around and used as grant to provide subsidies for the general public to access the connection. $100,000

Expanded E-mail connectivity to 5000 member Ham Radio modem community in Slovenia. $8,500

Sponsored attendance of 26 people to the INET '94 Conference. $63,117

Established a CEENET server on the Internet to store/provide information and statistics relating to connectivity in the region by country and project. $37,500

Established BBS in Croatia and connectivity for 60 high profile individuals in media, the arts and education. Also trades information daily with Sarajevo BBS and outside world. $85,150

Provided funding for connectivity of regional Agricultural Universities in Niitra, Slovakia. $36,900

Provided connectivity for forestry service, national parks and environmental ministry offices in Slovakia. $17,137

Provided funds to connect Burmese dissident groups in Thailand and India. $30,566

Funded small pilot project for E-Mail connectivity on primary school level in Romania. $25,000

Created the central Soros information server in New York $120,000

INTERNET REGIONAL PROGRAM PROJECTS IN '95 (Total Budget $3,200,000)

Establishing the first national E-mail node in Albania. (In progress) $13,950

Extended BBS/E-mail connectivity to Tuzla in order to increase connectivity in the country and balance the data on an already overloaded system in Sarajevo. $65,000

Extended the current Internet connectivity of the Academic and Research community in Sofia to the three other city centers in Bulgaria. $160,000

Provided low cost connectivity for individuals and NGO's in the Czech Republic through supporting an environmental oriented BBS. $75,000

Provided enhanced Internet connectivity to universities and cultural institutions in Estonia. $120,850

Provided E-Mail starter kits to individuals, NGO's high schools and selected institutions in Georgia. $50,000

Sponsored Physics University connectivity and training on Internet in Georgia (matching grant). Soros Contribution: $25,000 Other Contributions: $150,000

Provided for training of 2 BBS operators offering service for the Hungarian general public to be trained in Amsterdam. (Matching grant) Soros Contribution $1,630, Other Contribution: $1,500

Provided modems and paid access fees for 25 high school institutions and 3 medical institutions to access the Internet in Kyrgystan. $40,000

Providing enhanced Internet connectivity to universities in Latvia including an Internet dial-up center for the student and teacher community. $180,680

Provided enhanced Internet connectivity to universities and cultural institutions in Lithuania including an Internet dial up center for the general public to access. $180,000

Provided modems to 100 High Schools in Lithuania (which had already received a donation of old computers at an extremely low price) so they could access E-Mail with the PC's. $10,000

Implementing, first academic and research network in Moldova. (In progress) $250,000

Sent two Mongolian participants to the Internet Society conference (matching grant). Soros Contribution $5,000 Other Contribution: $5,000

Implemented High School connectivity project in Poland connecting 60 High Schools (matching grant). Soros Contribution $200,000 Other Contribution: $336,636

Implementing a high speed network with domestic and International connectivity to the 25,000 users we have already generated in Romania. (In progress) $125,000

Implemented a medical Internet node 20 hospitals and medical institutions in Slovakia subscribe to. $120,000

Established greater dial-up Internet connectivity for University students in Slovenia (matching grant). Soros Contribution $30,000 Other Contribution: $55,000

Implemented the first E-Mail node in Tajikistan through the extension of Silknet in Uzbekistan. $50,000

Regional E-Mail/Internet implementation throughout the former Yugoslavia with Sarajevo focus. (In progress). $75,000

Creation of the global networking institute to help monitor/document International and local telecommunications law and advise institutions on rational telecommunications policy. (In progress) $100,000

Sponsored regional Internet training workshop in Poland (matching grant). Soros Contribution $100,000 Other Contributions: $75,000

Sponsored training and conference attendance of Eastern European women involved in technical and user support training (matching grant). $60,000