☎️ Read the FAQ, but still have a question?

Watch the recordings of one or both of our applicant orientation & ask me anything (AMA) sessions:

• Sep 27, 2024 9am PT / 12 noon ET
  • View recording and transcript here.
• Oct 4, 2024 9am PT / 12 noon ET
  • View recording and transcript here.

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. If you have an innovative path toward this outcome, we want to see it!

   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, though the programs can be operating in non-US markets. 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:

   • Demonstration Phase (Jan -June 2025): GitLab Foundation will grant at least $3.5 million in $250,000 grants to up to 16 demonstration projects. These projects will also receive varying levels of technical, financial and advisory support by partners including OpenAI and other partners.

     These Demonstration grants are designed to support the critical early stages of development and proof-of-concept for promising AI applications that drive economic opportunity outcomes.

   • Scaling Phase (June 2025 and beyond): In the fund’s second phase, Ballmer Group will provide funding to scale high-potential projects, awarding either 1-year or 2-year grants ranging from $500K to $1.5M per year to a maximum of six selected grantees.

     Scaling grants will focus on implementation of proven or well-tested technologies, scaling services that have demonstrated the potential to significantly increase outcomes and reach.

     Total Awards: We expect total awards over the lifecycle of this funding round to exceed $10 million.

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

   • You can find a template of the concept note here.

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:

    • Organization / Team - Does the applicant or organization demonstrate strong operational capacity with a team that has the necessary skills to succeed in the proposed project?
    • Partnerships - Are they leveraging creative and strategic partnerships with key stakeholders such as governments, funders, companies, universities or other partners or networks to enhance the project's success?
    • Program structure & outcomes - Does the program have a well-defined structure that shows clear potential to deliver measurable outcomes benefiting low-income households or low-wage workers? (see GitLab North Star Overview)
    • Data Availability - Does the applicant demonstrate a strong understanding of relevant data sources, access protocols, and any compliance or privacy concerns? Do they have the necessary capabilities for data collection, management, and usage?
    • Outcome Scale Potential - Does the program show sufficient potential to scale to positively impact large numbers of individuals, and do the outcomes sufficiently meet ROI targets? (see GitLab North Star Overview)
    • Technical expertise: Does the applicant possess the necessary internal technical expertise, or have they clearly demonstrated the ability to collaborate with qualified technical advisors, partners or consultants to achieve the project goals?
    • Safety, Security, Bias and Ethics: Applicant has shown an awareness of relevant ethical or bias related concerns of the use of these technologies, and a reasonable plan for mitigation of those concerns.

    Unweighted rubric scores will be a primary factor, but not always the only factor, in moving an applicant from concept note to finalist selection. GitLab Foundation reserves the right to take risks on high potential or very unique projects with early stage teams, or other permutations that may be valuable to the overall desired outcomes that may further the mission of this project and our organization.

    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. Note for large universities or institutions with a wide range of schools or departments we will consider more applications (i.e. treat each department or school independently). The intent of this limitation is not to limit the total number of inbound applications, but merely to encourage prioritization from applicants.

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 types of partnerships are encouraged for applicants?

    We encourage applicants to think creatively about partnerships that can strengthen their proposal. This is not mandatory, but these kinds of partnerships might include:

    • Technology Collaborations: If your organization lacks internal AI expertise, consider partnering with AI-focused technology companies, consultants or startups.
    • Nonprofit-For-Profit Alliances: Nonprofits may benefit from partnering with mission-aligned for-profits, particularly for product development and scaling.
    • Academic Partnerships: Universities and research institutions may provide rigorous evaluation frameworks, early technological innovation, data analysis, or AI expertise.
    • Local Governments and Public Agencies: Collaborating with government bodies can help scale services and ensure your technology solutions are aligned with public needs.
    • Funders and Investors: Explore co-investment opportunities with other funders to expand your project’s impact beyond our grant.

15. 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.

16. 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.