InternetNZ has opened applications for a new community grants round - the first for the year.

The organisation, which is dedicated to protecting and promoting the internet for New Zealand, has a total of $100,000 available for Project Community Grants and $15,000 for Conference Attendance Community Grants in this latest funding round.

The Projects Community Grants will be used to fund community-based projects which support more widely available access to the internet, or which deliver greater and better use of the internet.

The Conference Attendance Community Grants provide support for attendance at conferences where that attendance will support the Internet Community in gaining expertise and experience and assist in shaping of the future of the Internet for New Zealand - both domestically and internationally.

Jordan Carter, InternetNZ chief executive, says community grants are an important part of InternetNZ's Community Programme in order to constantly build a better Internet across New Zealand.

"Contributing this money to the work of others means that we can really help New Zealanders make the most of the internet in this country.

“We've previously provided funding to organisations running workshops in rural high schools on coding and internet, through to projects providing free wireless to some of New Zealand's poorer communities. We are now excited to be able to support new projects and ideas.

"The importance of the internet in people's everyday lives is growing rapidly on a daily basis and any work we can do to help grow New Zealand's capabilities is essential for a better internet for New Zealand," Carter says.

InternetNZ has two community grant rounds per year. The first is the above which includes both projects and conference attendance grants. The second, which will be released later in the year, will include research and conference attendance grants.

The application process for the Projects Community Grants will be done in the two stages below. People applying for the Conference Attendance Community Grants only need to do stage one.

Stage one - expressions of interest Applicants submit an Expression of Interest, with a brief outline of their request. Shortlisted applications will be invited to proceed to stage two.

Stage two - detailed project proposal Shortlisted applicants submit a detailed project proposal. Final decisions will be made by InternetNZ's grants committee.

The first stage, Expressions of Interest, closes on 30 July 2015.