Deadline: the 31st of July 2023 | Mozilla Africa Innovation Mradi Research Grants (Funding upto $10 000)
Do you have any suggestions for how to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) is affecting East and Southern African social justice communities? Submit an application for the 2023 Mozilla Africa Innovation Mradi Research Grants.
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The goal of the Africa Innovation Mradi Research Grants is to fund social justice communities’ research on how AI and social justice intersect in Southern and Eastern Africa. This could involve taking a close look at AI in relation to environmental justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, economic justice, racial justice, community justice, gender justice, and community rights.
Overview
Mozilla is worried about the potential effects of artificial intelligence on people, both favorably and badly, as its use spreads around the globe. They think that social justice is especially affected by who develops AI and how it is used, but they also understand that people working for various social causes may not always see their concerns reflected in Mozilla’s or other technology or digital policy organizations’ initiatives.
How does AI then currently manifest itself as a topic of interest or worry in various communities?
Mozilla seeks to sponsor research conducted by social justice-minded communities in Southern and Eastern Africa that will find and examine the connections between AI and their own goals through the Africa Innovation Mradi Research Grants. An extensive analysis of AI in relation to human rights, economic justice, racial justice, community justice, gender justice, disability justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, environmental justice, or any other problem of your choice could be included. Name the intersection you plan to explore and explain why. You can apply without needing to be an expert in technology, internet law, or digital rights.
Grant
- There will be at least six research grants awarded, each worth $5,000 to $10,000 USD.
- The recipients will join a group of scholars from Eastern or Southern Africa whose work focuses on analyzing how AI affects various social groups. During the three month grant period, which we anticipate to be from October 2023 to January 2024, the research should be conducted and completed.
They provide Awardees with the following assistance and resources in addition to financial support:
Support from experts and mentors: Recipients of awards will have access to Mozilla Fellows and other subject matter experts in Mozilla’s network, such as the Insights team at Mozilla, who may act as mentors or advisers.
Cohort and Individual Support: Recipients will meet virtually as a cohort for peer-to-peer support, workshops, and group working and feedback sessions. They will also meet one-on-one with Mozilla employees for further help.
Community: Mozilla facilitates relationships between Awardees and like-minded leaders, collaborators, former employees, and Mozilla staff.
Showcase of Work: Every year, Mozilla hosts a festival called MozFest that brings together creators, activists, thinkers, and builders who are all working to create a more secure internet. The venue and opportunity provided by this event allow fellows and recipients to gather and discuss the topics that are most important to them and their communities.
Support for Communication: The Mozilla Communications and Marketing Team offers a variety of communication-related services to Awardees, such as creating custom communication plans for each project, approaching national and international media outlets, creating social media campaigns, and sharing with Mozilla’s website visitors and email list.
Eligibility
Candidates must:
- Be based in Africa and be individuals, networks, or nonprofit organizations.
- Be able to legitimately accept grants from the Mozilla Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States.
- Concentrate your research on social justice, artificial intelligence, or digital technology in Africa.
Selection Standards
Grant recipients will be chosen after Mozilla’s Africa Innovation Mradi and Insights (research) teams have reviewed all applications.
The following factors will be taken into account when examining applications:
- Geographical location and applicants’ areas of employment.
- An applicant’s prior experience in producing AI and digital technology research in Africa, or their partnership with a partner who has that experience.
- Knowing the national or regional circumstances, clearly stating the social justice issue, and choosing a research focus are all requirements.
- a strategy for interacting with the chosen social group or community in relation to the issue.
- The research plan, budget, and technique are all clearly outlined.
- Only applications that match the requirements for this funding opportunity’s grant will be evaluated. To ensure the applicant’s eligibility, a legal assessment is conducted before any proposed award decisions are made.
Application
Go to Mozilla Grants for additional details.
