New Commons Challenge 2025 for Global Changemakers ($100,000 in funding) – YOA

Deadline: June 2, 2025

Applications are open for the New Commons Challenge 2025. The New Commons Challenge is an initiative led by Microsoft and the Open Data Policy Lab, in partnership with DirectRelief, the Harvard Institutional Data Initiative, and UNESCO (worldwide observer).

The problem addresses a vital situation: the restricted entry to numerous and excessive-high quality datasets, which is important for AI to succeed in its full potential. By creating and bettering knowledge commons, that are collaboratively ruled knowledge ecosystems that pool and supply accountable entry to numerous, excessive-high quality datasets, the hole in AI improvement may be stuffed. The problem seeks to seed new knowledge commons to make sure that AI advantages all.

Priority Areas

• Strengthen Disaster Response: knowledge commons that empower humanitarian actors to make knowledgeable selections earlier than, throughout, and after emergencies. By offering well timed and correct data, we will improve catastrophe response efforts and save lives.
• Enabling Localized Decision-Making: knowledge commons that present entry to numerous, excessive-high quality datasets, enabling actors inside an area context to reinforce coordination, use data successfully, and make knowledgeable selections tailor-made to their particular wants and circumstances, resembling for public well being, city planning, or environmental preservation.

Prizes

The New Commons Challenge will choose two successful proposals to obtain:

• US$100,000 in funding every
• Mentorship on establishing and managing knowledge commons
• Technical help as wanted
• Access to the Open Data Policy Lab’s international community of consultants

Eligibility

• They welcome candidates from throughout backgrounds and fields. They really feel this problem could also be most relevant to nonprofit organizations, educational establishments, begin-ups, and improvement organizations.
• Applicants have to be affiliated with a longtime group. If invited to submit a full proposal, candidates should present details about the tax standing of their group.
• Government entities are usually not eligible to take part. For-profit entities submitting proposals to the New Commons Challenge could endure additional evaluate to make sure that their proposal aids the general public on a difficulty associated to humanitarian response and/or localized determination-making.

Application

The application course of will happen over two phases:

• In the primary part, candidates can be anticipated to submit an idea be aware (not more than three pages) outlining the OPPORTUNITY, the info they’ve entry to, how that knowledge could be generally ruled, and the general relevance to the Challenge focus. All idea notes are due by June 2, 2025.
• These idea notes can be reviewed and evaluated by the Open Data Policy Lab staff. The highest scoring of those can be invited to submit a full proposal by June 16, 2025. Those candidates can be requested to extra absolutely describe the innovation, in addition to its feasibility, affect, and supply staff. These proposals have to be offered by July 14, 2025.

Click here to apply

For extra data, go to New Commons Challenge.