Non-Profit Program Application Guide

Coming soon

Preparations and evaluation processes are currently underway, and public applications are expected to open in a few months.

The Cathrix Non-Profit Program supports eligible individuals, current students, and registered entities with non-commercial, educational, community, or public-benefit uses. This guide summarizes the available benefits, the information required at application, and the review process.

The Non-Profit Program Supplemental Terms are an important part of the Program. Participation in the Program and use of all Program Services are subject to those terms, so please read them carefully before applying.

Eligibility is not approval

Fulfilling the public requirements merely qualifies an application for evaluation and does not constitute an entitlement to project benefits. Cathrix maintains the sole discretion to partially approve, downsize allocations, defer, or deny any application based on non-public risk controls and available capacity.

1. Potential Program Benefits

An approved applicant may receive one or more of the following:

IP Transit: BGP IP Transit up to 1 Gbps at mutually present Internet Exchanges. Prefixes are announced to local upstreams only.
Compute: The standard allocation is 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM, and 16 GB storage. A request supported by a reasonable justification may be increased up to 4 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM, and 128 GB storage.
IPv6 Leasing: A randomly assigned IPv6 prefix from ARIN or RIPE NCC. For a RIPE /44 assignment, participants can manage their IRR records directly. For ARIN or RIPE /48 assignment, Cathrix will handle updates. Cathrix centrally manages RPKI ROA creation for all prefixes.
ASN Registration: Up to a 100% discount on the Cathrix internal service fee. Taxes, Regional Internet Registry fees, and payment gateway charges are not included.
Cathrix Internet Exchange Access: Up to a 100% discount on the one-time non-recurring charge.

The written approval identifies the actual Service, location, configuration, and resource limit.

2. Who May Apply

The program is intended for:

Eligible Individuals: Operating an eligible non-commercial project.
Current Students: Using resources for learning, research, or other non-commercial technical work.
Registered Entities: Registered companies and non-profit organizations using resources for an eligible non-commercial purpose.

Applicants must be at least 16 years old and a citizen or legal resident of Canada, China (People’s Republic of), Hong Kong SAR, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, or the United States.

3. Baseline Requirements and Fair Use

The requested use must be non-commercial. The applicant must provide accurate information, request resources proportionate to the intended use, and maintain a reachable contact address.

All benefits are subject to fair use policies and inactivity monitoring. Cathrix will first notify the participant of an ordinary fair use violation and provide an opportunity to correct it. Continued or serious violations may result in restrictions or termination. Resources left inactive for an extended period may be reclaimed to support fair capacity distribution.

4. Information to Include

Every complete application must include the applicant’s legal name, country or region, a monitored email address, the requested Service, and the intended use. Additional requirements depend on the applicant type:

Eligible Individuals

Provide detailed project information (including the project purpose and why the resources are necessary) along with a verifiable project link if available (such as a website or GitHub repository).

Current Students

Provide a verifiable educational email address or a screenshot from an approved student verification platform.

Registered Entities

Provide the company’s legal name and the official certificate of incorporation or registration.

5. Service-Specific Details

IP Transit, IPv6, or CIE Access

Before submitting your application, you must verify your Autonomous System Number using the ASN Verification feature in the Cathrix User Dashboard.

Compute

State the requested resource limits if they exceed the standard allocation and provide a justification.

ASN Registration

No additional information is required at the time of application. Cathrix will provide the necessary instructions after the application is approved.

6. Application Process

Prepare the Application

Confirm that the intended use is non-commercial and collect all required applicant and Service information.

Submit via Dashboard

Review and Verification

Cathrix reviews eligibility, intended use, requested resources, and technical availability. We may request additional verification or technical information via email.

Decision and Onboarding

Cathrix may approve, partially approve, waitlist, or decline the application. An email notification will identify the offered Service and the technical steps still required.

Submitting an application does not reserve capacity or require Cathrix to provide a Service. Do not announce a prefix or order a cross-connect in reliance on the Program until Cathrix provides explicit approval.

7. After Approval and Renewal

Use the Service only for the approved purpose, notify Cathrix if your eligibility or approved use changes, and cooperate with necessary compliance reviews.

Program Services generally renew automatically by calendar month, measured in Mountain Daylight Time (MDT).

8. Response Times and Status Inquiries

Cathrix normally responds to a new application within 5 business days. A complex application’s initial review will ordinarily be completed within 10 business days.

Please wait at least 5 business days before requesting a status update. Status inquiries or follow-up questions should be sent to our Technical Support. Be sure to use the email address linked to your Cathrix account or the one used during your application, and include your application ID. Repeated or excessive requests for updates may result in the application being denied.