From the book cover layout by Tangente Design
Despite ongoing technological progress, more than 2.6 billion people remain disconnected. The Internet Society’s 2030 Strategy identifies this inequity as a critical challenge and an urgent call to action. It recognises that the internet is no longer a luxury or an afterthought. Rather, it is a fundamental right essential for economic development, education, healthcare and civic engagement, which is why it is crucial to ensure an open, secure and globally connected internet that leaves no community behind.
Community networks exemplify this vision. Built by and for communities, these bottom-up connectivity initiatives give people the power to create, govern and maintain their own digital infrastructure. Whether developed by self-organised individuals, NGOs, local businesses or public entities, community networks operate as common resources rooted in community values. Through inclusive governance and local engagement, they reflect diverse social, cultural and technical needs – ensuring solutions are relevant, resilient and rights-based.
The Dynamic Coalition on Community Connectivity (DC3), established within the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF), has played a pivotal role in advancing the community network movement since 2016. By convening researchers, practitioners and policy makers, DC3 has built a platform for collaborative exploration of community-led digital development. Its focus on funding and sustainability has become especially vital, as community networks require stable financing models, enabling policies, and multi-sector cooperation to endure and scale.
This 2025 edition marks a new chapter. It is the official outcome of DC3’s ongoing work and offers a comprehensive analysis of sustainable financing models for community connectivity. Understanding how the community connectivity debate has evolved is, therefore, essential to understand why the identification of self-sustaining financial solutions is probably the most important issue to be addressed and why such solutions may have a remarkably relevant impact for the future of connectivity.
Through case studies and expert insights, it reveals the successes, challenges and future pathways for community-centred connectivity initiatives across the globe. More than a collection of best practices, this book is a call to collective action, urging governments, donors, the private sector and communities themselves to join forces in building a digital world where everyone, everywhere, has the right and the power to connect.