[Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation](https://www.gatesfoundation.org)

April 28, 2026 (Full application submission deadline)

Up to $150,000 USD per project | Grant duration: up to 1 year | Indirect costs included within total

Funds innovative projects leveraging AI to motivate donors to give more and sooner, enhancing philanthropic giving and generating practical insights for the sector.

--- ## Description This grant opportunity seeks projects that harness artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate charitable giving by supporting donor-facing applications and the underlying infrastructure that enables AI-powered philanthropy. The initiative is focused on generating practical evidence and examples to inform philanthropic practice, especially for global health and development (GH&D) in low- and middle-income countries (but not exclusively). Projects should help donors connect with causes, turn intention into action, and develop robust, scalable infrastructure for AI-enabled giving. Proposals are expected to demonstrate responsible and ethical use of AI, with an emphasis on transparency and equitable benefit. --- ## Due Dates - April 28, 2026: Full application submission deadline (applications due no later than April 28, 2026, 11:30 a.m. U.S. Pacific Time) Applicants will be notified of decisions by the end of July 2026. Estimated project start dates are in November 2026. --- ## Funding Amount - Maximum award: $150,000 USD per project - Grant duration: up to 1 year - Indirect costs are allowed and must be included within the total requested funding (see [Gates Foundation indirect cost policy](https://docs.gatesfoundation.org/Documents/Indirect_Cost_Policy.pdf)) - Budgets should align with the scale and complexity of the proposed work --- ## Eligibility Eligible applicants include: - **Nonprofit and civil society organizations** (registered nonprofits, charities, NGOs, community-based organizations) - **Mission-driven for-profit organizations** with a clear public-benefit mission aligned with the RFP (funding cannot be used for core commercial product development or general business operations) - **Consortia, partnerships, and collaborative proposals** (must designate a lead organization as the primary applicant) Not eligible: - Individuals or organizations classified as individuals for U.S. tax purposes - Government agencies or departments - Academic institutions applying independently (unless part of a consortium led by an eligible organization) Additional requirements: - Must be able to conduct all project activities and reporting in English - Willingness to participate in up to three virtual and/or in-person learning convenings during the grant period --- ## Application Process - Applications must be submitted via the [Grand Challenges application portal](https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/artificial-intelligence-ai-accelerate-charitable-giving) - Required components: - Applicant profile (online form) - Proposal (max 2 pages, including figures and references; Word or PDF) - Budget table and narrative (1 page; template provided) - Proposals must clearly state the AI-enabled solution, describe planned activities, outline validation and measurement strategies, and explain how the project will generate actionable learning for the philanthropic sector - Applications must adhere to formatting and content guidelines detailed in the [Application Instructions](https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/sites/default/files/files/ai_accelerate_charitable_giving_applications_instructions.pdf) - Proposals may be edited up to the deadline --- ## Additional Information - Proposals must address at least one challenge area: - Helping donors connect with causes and understand where to give - Turning donor interest and intent into donations - Developing foundational systems and infrastructure for AI-powered giving - Projects must apply AI as a central component and demonstrate responsible AI practices (fairness, transparency, privacy, data governance) - Outputs should be broadly applicable, not limited to a single organization’s use case - Grantees retain intellectual property rights but must make outputs widely available (see [Global Access and IP Policy](https://globalaccess.gatesfoundation.org/)) - All information submitted may be shared with reviewers and partners; do not submit proprietary/confidential information --- ## External Links - [Program Page & Application Portal](https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/artificial-intelligence-ai-accelerate-charitable-giving) - [Rules & Guidelines (PDF)](https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/sites/default/files/files/ai_accelerate_charitable_giving_rules_and_guidelines.pdf) - [Application Instructions (PDF)](https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/sites/default/files/files/ai_accelerate_charitable_giving_applications_instructions.pdf) - [Frequently Asked Questions](https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/artificial-intelligence-ai-accelerate-charitable-giving-frequently-asked-questions-faqs) - [Indirect Cost Policy (PDF)](https://docs.gatesfoundation.org/Documents/Indirect_Cost_Policy.pdf) - [Sample Terms & Conditions (PDF)](https://docs.gatesfoundation.org/documents/sample-terms-and-conditions.pdf) - [Contact the Gates Foundation](https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/contact) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |---------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Program/Eligibility | [grandchallenges@gatesfoundation.org](mailto:grandchallenges@gatesfoundation.org) | | Funder general info | [Contact Page](https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/contact) | | Phone | +1 206-709-3100 |

Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Accelerate Charitable Giving

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