The Spyware Accountability Initiative (SAI) is a global fund supporting the civil society organizations working to expose, challenge, and stop the abuse of spyware technology. Hosted at the New Venture Fund as part of The Ford Foundation Dignity and Justice Fund, SAI builds the power and capacity of a worldwide network of researchers, advocates, and litigators defending human rights against digital surveillance.

Around the world, governments are purchasing powerful commercial spyware to target journalists, activists, and political opponents. This unchecked industry enables repression, violence, and the erosion of democracy. SAI funds and connects those fighting back – from digital forensics labs uncovering infections, to legal teams holding spyware firms accountable, to advocates shaping new regulations and norms for a safer digital future.

Since 2023, SAI has awarded over $12 million in grants to more than 45 organizations across six continents. Its grantees have driven major legal victories against spyware firms, strengthened security for millions of users, and built new global networks for digital defense.

SAI is made possible through support from a wide range of corporate, philanthropic and individual donors including Apple, Open Society Foundations, Luminate, Limelight Foundation, Okta for Good, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies. Its strategy is guided by an independent Technical Advisory Council composed of leading experts in spyware accountability and human rights.