Grant Directory
A working directory of funders supporting AI adoption in the nonprofit and workforce sectors.
This is a starting directory. It includes funders Strategical AI has verified through their public materials and patterns of past giving. It is not comprehensive, and the inclusion of a funder is not an endorsement — always confirm current priorities and eligibility on the funder’s own site before applying.
Updates are made as funders shift focus or new opportunities emerge. If you know of a funder that belongs here, reach out.
How to read this directory: Award ranges are typical, not guaranteed. Application timing is the most common cycle; many funders accept rolling LOIs. Always verify on the funder’s site.
Private Foundations — AI & Data for Social Impact
Patrick J. McGovern Foundation
Focus: Data and AI capacity for nonprofits and journalism organizations. The Data and Society initiative funds capacity-building partnerships.
Typical award: $50K–$500K.
Timing: Mostly invitation-only, with periodic open calls. Strongest fit: organizations with existing data practice that need AI extension.
mcgovern.org
Ford Foundation — Public Interest Technology
Focus: Public-interest technology, technology in civil society, and tech policy. Funds organizations working on AI accountability and equity.
Typical award: $100K–$1M+.
Timing: Largely invitation-based; build relationships with program staff before applying.
fordfoundation.org
MacArthur Foundation — Technology in the Public Interest
Focus: Public-interest tech, with attention to AI policy, journalism, and democracy. Strong on field-building grants.
Typical award: $200K–$2M.
Timing: Invitation-based; LOIs welcome via program-staff contact.
macfound.org
Knight Foundation
Focus: Technology in democracy, journalism, and informed communities. Funds nonprofit experimentation with AI in news and civic engagement.
Typical award: $50K–$500K.
Timing: Several open RFPs per year; check active opportunities.
knightfoundation.org
Schmidt Sciences (formerly Schmidt Futures)
Focus: AI for science and society, including capacity grants for nonprofits using AI in mission delivery.
Typical award: Varies widely, often six figures.
Timing: Cohort-based programs and periodic RFPs.
schmidtsciences.org
Corporate Giving & Tech Programs
Google.org AI for Social Good
Focus: Nonprofit AI capacity, often with cloud credits and technical assistance bundled with cash. Specific focus areas rotate annually.
Typical award: Cash $250K–$1M plus in-kind support.
Timing: Annual open call; watch google.org for active RFPs.
google.org
Microsoft AI for Good
Focus: AI for Accessibility, AI for Humanitarian Action, AI for Health, AI for Earth, and AI for Cultural Heritage. In-kind heavy (Azure credits, software, expert time).
Typical award: Mostly in-kind; some cash via specific programs.
Timing: Rolling applications across sub-programs.
microsoft.com/ai-for-good
Salesforce.org & AWS Imagine Grants
Focus: Nonprofit tech innovation, with AI-relevant funding in recent cycles. Both run periodic grant programs with cash awards.
Typical award: $20K–$150K.
Timing: Annual or biannual RFPs.
Federal Funding Entry Points
Federal funding is not branded as “AI grants.” It moves through agency-specific programs where AI is allowable as part of a broader scope. Below are entry points; specific funding opportunities are listed on grants.gov and the individual agencies’ sites.
NSF — National Science Foundation
Convergence Accelerator (cross-disciplinary AI research with applied components), Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE), and the AI Institutes (large multi-org awards, generally led by universities but with nonprofit partner roles).
nsf.gov
NEH — National Endowment for the Humanities
Digital Humanities Advancement Grants and the Office of Digital Humanities fund nonprofit cultural and educational organizations using AI in research, preservation, and access.
neh.gov
Department of Labor — Workforce Programs
WIOA-funded programs (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) often allow AI tools as part of approved service delivery. The Employment and Training Administration also funds research demonstrations.
dol.gov/agencies/eta
HRSA — Health Resources and Services Administration
Workforce development for health professions, with AI-relevant scope in telehealth, training, and care coordination.
hrsa.gov
Grants.gov
The single search portal for federal funding opportunities. Set saved searches with keywords like “artificial intelligence,” “machine learning,” and your program-specific terms. Most relevant FOAs (Funding Opportunity Announcements) post 60–120 days before deadline.
grants.gov
Intermediaries & Networks
NTEN — Nonprofit Technology Network
Focus: Tech capacity for nonprofits, including AI literacy. Periodic regranting programs and cohort opportunities for member organizations.
nten.org
Local Community Foundations
Most U.S. counties or metropolitan areas have at least one community foundation. They are often the most accessible funders for AI capacity work tied to a specific local population. Find yours through the Council on Foundations locator.
State Nonprofit Associations
Your state’s nonprofit association (e.g., Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, Texas Nonprofit Council) is often a pass-through for state and federal capacity-building dollars. Most maintain a funding-opportunities list for member orgs.
Workforce-Specific Intermediaries
National Skills Coalition, Jobs for the Future (JFF), and Workforce Matters all run periodic AI-relevant funding and cohort opportunities for workforce development organizations.
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