Global South Opportunities Funding Mechanisms for Community gTLDs

As the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) prepares to open the next round of new generic top-level domain (gTLD) applications, one of the most important and often overlooked areas of opportunity lies in expanding access for underrepresented regions, particularly across the Global South. While the 2012 application round brought forward hundreds of new TLDs, it was disproportionately dominated by entities from North America and Europe, where capital, technical infrastructure, and legal expertise were readily available. The high cost of entry, both financial and procedural, effectively excluded many communities in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and parts of the Pacific from participating in shaping their digital identities. To address this imbalance in the forthcoming round, new and more accessible funding mechanisms for community-based gTLDs are urgently needed—mechanisms that support not just application fees, but also technical development, governance training, and long-term sustainability.

The ICANN Applicant Support Program (ASP), created during the 2012 round to offer discounted application fees for applicants from underserved regions, was a step in the right direction. However, it proved limited in both scope and execution. Only a handful of applicants benefited from the support, and the criteria were narrowly defined. In the second round, the ASP is being redesigned to be more accessible, with broader eligibility criteria and additional types of assistance, including pro bono legal and technical support. But for truly meaningful inclusion of community gTLDs from the Global South, funding must go beyond subsidized fees. It must address the full lifecycle of a TLD—from pre-application capacity building through post-delegation operations and compliance.

A promising avenue for funding community-based gTLDs is the ICANN Auction Proceeds program, which manages the funds collected from contention-set auctions held in the previous round. With over $200 million generated, this fund is being administered through a dedicated grant program aimed at furthering ICANN’s mission, including fostering diversity, capacity development, and the support of underserved communities. A portion of these proceeds could be earmarked specifically to finance Global South community gTLD applicants, creating a pathway for indigenous groups, language communities, rural cooperatives, and cultural organizations to establish digital homes that are governed according to their values and needs. Such funding could be structured as competitive grants, with tiers for feasibility studies, application development, technical implementation, and outreach.

Another critical funding mechanism could come from partnerships with multilateral development agencies and philanthropic foundations that have missions aligned with digital inclusion and cultural preservation. Organizations like UNESCO, the Internet Society Foundation, and regional development banks could co-fund gTLD projects that serve as digital commons for endangered languages, regional trade groups, or knowledge-sharing hubs. For example, a .amazonia domain run by indigenous communities in the Amazon basin could serve as a collaborative platform for environmental monitoring, cultural education, and traditional knowledge archiving. Funding for such initiatives would not just support the domain infrastructure but also the development of digital literacy programs, content creation, and multilingual access.

Local public-private partnerships may also play a role. Municipal governments, educational institutions, and technology incubators across the Global South are increasingly investing in digital infrastructure. A community gTLD initiative aligned with local economic development goals—such as .mombasa for Kenya’s coastal business and tourism sector or .quilmes for a culturally significant city in Argentina—could attract regional funding. These projects would benefit from a hybrid financial model where initial capital is supplemented by revenue from domain sales, with profits reinvested in community initiatives or cooperative development. Importantly, community gTLDs should not be judged solely by their commercial potential, but by their capacity to empower localized digital sovereignty and representation.

Technical implementation remains a costly and resource-intensive hurdle. The ability to secure a backend registry operator, develop DNS infrastructure, maintain ICANN compliance, and ensure 24/7 uptime requires funding that extends well beyond the application phase. To alleviate this, shared registry platforms—potentially modeled after cooperatives or supported by regional internet registries (RIRs)—could offer economies of scale for Global South gTLD operators. A shared backend framework, tailored to support multiple small community TLDs, would lower technical costs while preserving independent policy-making authority for each domain. Funding could be directed toward the creation and operation of such platforms, including open-source toolkits, registry-as-a-service models, and multilingual user interfaces.

Capacity-building must also be central to any funding strategy. Even with financial support, many community applicants may lack the procedural or legal literacy needed to navigate the ICANN application process, which includes technical evaluations, public comment periods, registry agreement negotiations, and ongoing compliance obligations. Funding should cover not just consultants or legal representation but invest in workshops, mentorship programs, and regional training hubs. These initiatives can be co-led by existing TLD operators in the Global South—such as .africa or .rio—which have hard-earned experience and context-specific insights. Such peer-led models build local ownership and avoid dependency on foreign consultants who may not understand the sociopolitical dynamics of the applicant communities.

To ensure transparency and impact, funding programs must include community oversight. Advisory boards composed of representatives from different Global South regions, indigenous groups, women-led digital collectives, and multilingual advocates should help evaluate applications and monitor outcomes. These boards would bring cultural sensitivity and contextual awareness to decisions that affect how communities define themselves online. Moreover, fund disbursement could be linked to clear impact metrics—not just how many domains are registered, but how the TLD supports digital rights, content creation, education, or economic development.

Importantly, funding for community gTLDs must be structured for longevity. One of the criticisms of the 2012 round was that some TLDs—especially niche community ones—were delegated but never achieved operational viability. Short-term grants or fee waivers may help communities get a foot in the door, but without a path to sustainability, these initiatives risk collapse. Multi-phase funding structures, with built-in milestones and capacity assessments, could provide a ramp from launch to maturity. Business planning assistance, pricing model guidance, and access to distribution networks via registrars would help community TLDs build resilient revenue streams without compromising mission integrity.

The second round of new gTLDs presents a rare and powerful opportunity to correct the geographic and economic imbalances of the internet’s naming system. With intentional funding mechanisms tailored to the Global South, community-based applicants can shape the next digital frontier on their own terms. Domains like .swahili, .quechua, .favela, or .makoko should not remain theoretical; they can be realized with the right blend of capital, technical support, and inclusive governance. When designed with care and community input, funding for these domains becomes more than an investment in internet infrastructure—it becomes a catalyst for cultural resilience, digital sovereignty, and equitable participation in the evolving web.

As the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) prepares to open the next round of new generic top-level domain (gTLD) applications, one of the most important and often overlooked areas of opportunity lies in expanding access for underrepresented regions, particularly across the Global South. While the 2012 application round brought forward hundreds of…