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In response to the growing threat of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, Safe Online is scaling up its investment to accelerate bold, scalable, and impactful solutions.
In 2024, we launched a $5 million Open Call to fund innovative, high-impact approaches that protect children online. The overwhelming response and urgent needs across the sector made one thing clear: we must do more.
That’s why, in 2025, Safe Online is injecting an additional $5 million to bring the total envelope for this funding round up to $10 million. This expanded funding will support more cutting-edge initiatives that deliver real, lasting change for children globally. With this expansion, we are able to support more bold and innovative solutions through this round- which means there will be no new Open Call in 2025.
The scale of online abuse has reached alarming levels, with one case of online child abuse material generated every second. Emerging threats, including Generative AI, are accelerating the crisis and enabling the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material at an unprecedented speed and scale. The Internet Watch Foundation reported in late 2024 that AI-generated illegal content detected in just six months had already surpassed the total from the previous year, revealing sophisticated technology trained on real victims.
Despite these growing threats, our annual investment rounds have shown that solutions do exist, and a safer digital future is possible. Our 2024 Global Open Call for USD 5 million received over 300 applications, showcasing groundbreaking approaches to prevention, detection, and response for online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Recognizing the many promising proposals, we are boosting our 2024 investment by an additional $5 million—bringing the total investment envelope up to $10 million, allowing us to support more projects and drive greater impact.
Our first cohort of around 20 new grantees, selected through the 2024 Open Call, will be announced in May 2025. Additional projects will be selected from amongst the 300 applications received, as well as through a targeted, invitation-only process throughout the year. This expanded investment will build on our commitment to foster unique solutions that safeguard children in the digital world.
Despite these growing threats, our annual investment rounds have shown that solutions do exist, and a safer digital future is possible.
Our 2024 Global Open Call for USD 5 million received over 300 applications, showcasing groundbreaking approaches to prevention, detection, and response for online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Recognizing the many promising proposals we are boosting our 2024 investment by an additional $5 million—bringing the total investment envelope to nearly
Safe Online has been urgently calling for prioritizing funding for holistic interventions, innovative approaches, and research to address systemic drivers and emerging digital threats, ensuring a coordinated global effort to tackle the global crisis. Read our 6 steps towards financing a safe digital future.
Online child sexual abuse is a preventable public health crisis, but the field continues to face a widening investment gap—with resources lagging far behind urgent needs. Safe Online remains the only global fund dedicated to a safe digital future for children with nearly 100 million invested across impactful projects in 100+ countries since 2016. Sadly, our investments are just a fraction of what is needed.
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We are here to ensure every child and young person grows in to the digital world feeling safe, and is protected from harm.
We support, champion, and invest in innovative partners from the public, private, and third sectors working towards the same objective.
We believe in equipping guardians and young people with the skills to understand and see danger themselves once accessing digital experiences without supervision.
