OpenAI Foundation People-First AI Fund 2026 – YOA

Deadline: July 15, 2026

Applications are open for the Open AI Foundation People-First AI Fund 2026. The OpenAI Foundation is committing $50 million in 2026 to assist nonprofits partaking with AI to advance their missions and serve their communities.

The 2026 People-First AI Fund will assist trusted, native nonprofits which are co-creating with communities and exploring how sensible, neighborhood-led engagement with AI can scale back obstacles to companies and knowledge, increase OPPORTUNITY, and elevate neighborhood voice and participation.

Community organizations play an important function in connecting individuals to companies, info, and cultural areas. Guided by the precept that entry is company, the Fund goals to assist nonprofits and communities in shaping how AI is used to advance their missions and in service of native priorities.

2026 Focus Areas

They will fund organizations working throughout three areas:

• Community Support Services
• Community Arts & Cultural Organizations
• Community Journalism & Media

grant

• The Fund anticipates making grants as much as 10% of a company’s annual funds. Final quantities are decided on the discretion of the OpenAI Foundation.

Eligibility

The Fund will present unrestricted grants to neighborhood-primarily based organizations that exhibit sturdy neighborhood belief, direct partnership with the populations they serve, and a real curiosity in exploring how AI can strengthen their work and impression.

In addition to alignment with the main target areas, organizations should meet the next standards:

• U.S.-Based 501(c)(3) Organization: Organizations have to be a U.S.-based public charity with a legitimate 501(c)(3) standing and be in compliance with relevant 501(c)(3) necessities.
• Primarily U.S.-Focused Operations: Organizations have to be positioned in, and primarily conducting work inside, the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia.
• Small to Mid-Sized Budget: Organizations will need to have an annual working funds between $500,000 and $10 million (apart from sure regranting organizations). Based on demand, they count on to prioritize organizations between $1-8 million working budgets.
• Standalone Organizations: They is not going to take into account purposes from applications, facilities, or departments housed inside bigger establishments – together with tutorial analysis facilities, college-affiliated institutes, and assume tanks – or applications fiscally sponsored by one other establishment, even when this system maintains separate working budgets under $10 million.

Application

All purposes have to be submitted through the portal⁠ by July 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT. Note they’re unable to think about late purposes.

Click here to apply

For extra info, go to Open AI Foundation People-First AI Fund.