Bassel Khartabil Memorial Fund

Geographic Scope: Focus on the Arab world and Arabic-speaking communities

Background: This memorial fund honors Bassel Khartabil, a staunch activist for free expression, free culture (commons), and democracy. He was a founder of Aiki Lab (first hacker space), Creative Commons Syria director, open source contributor (Firefox, Wikipedia Foundation), and creator of the New Palmyra project (3D models of Syrian archaeological sites Palmyra). Bassel was arrested in March 2012, tortured in secret Syrian intelligence facilities, and executed in October 2015 (kept secret for ~2 years).

Focus Areas:

• Collaborative projects that build assets and knowledge extending beyond the project
• Digital archiving and preservation initiatives for creative works and historical artifacts
• Replication and sharing of cultural and creative works
• Projects embodying Bassel's legacy and aligned with Creative Commons' core values and vision

Eligible Applicants:

• Individuals, groups, and organizations
• Wide range of disciplines: researchers, academics, technologists, cultural workers, media professionals, artists, activists
• CC Global Network members encouraged to apply
• Broader open communities welcome

Ineligible Projects/Activities:

• Grants under $1,000 USD
• Operational/general funding for previously established nonprofits, NGOs, and other organizations
• Promotional merchandise or retail sales support

Award Details:

• Maximum: $10,000 USD
• Project duration: Up to 12 months

Requirements for Successful Recipients:

• Submit detailed impact report within 30 days of receiving grant
• Sign grant agreement and provide required information for grant processing
• Agree to Creative Commons promotional and marketing activities
• Publish all project outputs/results under CC-BY (Attribution) or CC0 (Public Domain) license
• Responsible for own taxes and tax reporting
• Must be able to legally receive grants (OFAC compliance)

Organization: Creative Commons Corporation, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042

Application Process

Submission Deadline: March 24, 2018 (PAST - Applications now closed). Possible future rounds may open; check page for updates.

Required Application Materials:

1. Letter of Intent (max 2 pages or 750 words) must include:
   • Alignment of applicant/organization with program criteria
   • Statement of project outputs or impact
   • Documentation of previous collaborative work or community contributions
2. Budget Details (1 page or less):
   • Required expenses
   • Planned spending breakdown
3. Supporting Materials (optional but encouraged):
   • Documentation of previous work and achievements
   • Blog posts, media coverage, or articles about your work
   • Letters of support
   • Short video introduction (optional, quality not important): Introduce yourself/organization and explain what matters to you and your project

Submission Format:

• All materials as digital files
• Email to: MemorialFund@creativecommons.org
• Email subject line: "Bassel Khartabil Memorial Fund application"
• Encrypted submissions welcome using PGP key: 0xB7246757CAD068FD06F5B4431ACC9B351A0F2C1E

Review Process:

• Applications reviewed by volunteer panel consisting of Creative Commons staff, employees, and board members
• Applicants notified approximately April 2018 (for 2018 cycle)

Privacy: All information treated according to Creative Commons privacy policy