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  1. What is the AI for Economic Opportunity - Demonstration and Scaling Fund?

    The AI for Economic Opportunity Demonstration and Scaling Fund is a groundbreaking $10+ million initiative that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to revolutionize economic mobility for millions.

    Through strategic partnerships between the GitLab Foundation, Ballmer Group, and OpenAI, we're investing in and scaling innovative AI projects that promise to transform economic mobility for low-income people — including streamlined access to services, enhanced job market intelligence, personalized career guidance and job matching, intelligent tutoring and adaptive learning, more efficient public expenditure, reducing language and accessibility barriers and generally catalyze technological solutions that create more pathways out of poverty.

    Our goal is clear: to demonstrate, through real-world applications, how AI can be a force for economic empowerment, improving lives and creating a more promising future of work for those who need it most.

  2. How does this year's grant opportunity differ from last year? This year's fund has evolved into a two-phase initiative with increased funding and a stronger focus on developing evidence of efficacy of early prototypes and then scaling successful projects. We've incorporated learnings from our first year to enhance our selection process and support for grantees.

  3. Who can apply for grants?

    Applicants should be US-based nonprofit organizations. We encourage partnerships between nonprofits and for-profit startups, consultants, and other technology experts. For-profit social enterprises will be considered on a case-by-case basis for mission alignment, with the opportunity to use a fiscal sponsor or nonprofit partner as an intermediary.

    For the scaling phase, Ballmer Group will prioritize direct service nonprofits with existing service delivery mechanisms. Non-tech forward organizations without a productization plan are also encouraged to apply.

  4. What types of projects are you looking for?

    We’re seeking to build evidence for how AI can improve economic opportunity for low income people. That might mean streamlining access to services and benefits, enhancing job market intelligence, personalized career guidance and job matching, intelligent tutoring and adaptive learning, improving efficiency of public expenditure, overcoming language and accessibility barriers, or a host of other use cases.

    We're particularly interested in projects that improve economic mobility for populations least likely to experience it, including those from low-income households, populations with low educational attainment, and low-wage workers.

    Please note that certain types of projects, including organizations or projects already funded by the Ballmer Group, may not be prioritized for phase two scaling funds.

  5. When are applications due?

    The first round of “concept note” applications are due on Oct 16, 2024, 5pm PST.

    Once these are screened, we will invite a full application from a select group on or before October 31, 2024. Full applications for finalists will be due on November 26, 2024.

  6. What is the funding structure for this year? The fund has two phases:

  7. How does the partnership between GitLab Foundation, Ballmer Group, and OpenAI work?

    GitLab Foundation leads the initial selection and funding of demonstration projects. Ballmer Group provides substantial follow-on funding for scaling the most promising projects. OpenAI offers additional financial support, access to early product releases, API credits, and technical guidance.

  8. When will awards be announced?

    The first round of demonstration scale funding will be announced to grantees on or before December 16, 2024

  9. How do we apply? Initial concept applications should be submitted using this form found on the main grant opportunity site. https://www.gitlabfoundation.org/futureofwork

  10. How will applications be evaluated?

    Applications will be reviewed by GitLab Foundation program officers, program advisors, select additional technical advisors including OpenAI engineers, as well as other funders.

    Our review will include an economic impact model (performed by GitLab Foundation staff) as well as a rubric that will include the following:

    Unweighted rubric scores will be the primary factor in moving an applicant from concept note to finalist selection.

    Final applications will also be reviewed with this rubric, but final selection of awardees will also include our traditional due diligence as well as a priority ranking and review of a core set of advisors to ensure technical feasibility, outcome potential and other relevant success factors.

  11. Can my organization submit more than one concept?

    Yes, but please limit to three submissions per applying organization.

  12. How many first round applications did you receive? During our first round of these awards in 2023, ****we received 200 concept note applications from nearly 300 partnering organizations by the Sept 13th deadline! This was more than double our internal stretch goal, and we’re amazed by the quality, technical sophistication, partnerships and outcome potential we saw in this first round. View a summary of all 200 applications we received here.

  13. Can existing or future grantees of GitLab Foundation apply?

    Yes, we are treating the AI for Economic Opportunity grant decision process as a separate and distinct process. Being an existing grantee will not diminish your chances of selection.

    However, please note that organizations already funded by Ballmer Group for similar projects may not be eligible for scaling phase funding.

  14. What is the grant award or project period?

    For the demonstration phase of this project, we value short cycle iteration and rapid learning, so we expect initial grant periods to be no longer than one year, with grant contracts expected to be executed by January 2025. Scaling phase grants will begin to be awarded in July 2025. As we recognize full implementation of a project may take longer than one year, in your application, please be clear about the goals and outcomes you seek to achieve by the end of the 6 month demonstration phase.

  15. Are we open to signing a non-disclosure agreement based on the proprietary nature of your submission?

    This is a very common question in early stage investment and technology related grantmaking, and a common stance that we agree with is that it’s generally not a good idea to sign NDAs. In short, early stage technologies and related ideas are quite rarely truly unique, but your ability to execute is everything. NDAs set up legal contention about idea sharing, which is not advised and may even be counterproductive to collaboration and progress.

    We also are specifically encouraging other funders interested in AI for Economic opportunity to review our pipeline of applications to encourage additional funding to flow to promising projects. NDAs would significantly limit our ability to do so.

    For the selected grantee cohort, if they believe it would be valuable, we will establish some form of mutually agreed upon privacy or non-disclosure norms or agreements to encourage open sharing of technical challenges and support with peer grantees and our technical advisors.

  16. Can you tell me more about the cohort-based activities for grant recipients?

    While these are still in planning phase, we expect to at a minimum convene all grantees for a monthly project status update Zoom call (from approximately January to June) with technical support present (from OpenAI and/or TribeAI, etc.) to work through any blockers or challenges that might arise in those early project months, share learnings along the way, and ideally involve additional funders or partners in the process of supporting your projects. Additional cohort based supports, including any potential project showcase events or in-person convenings, will be decided based on the final make-up of the selected grantees.