South to South AI Accountability Microgrant Grant

The South to South AI Accountability Microgrant supports initiatives that enhance AI accountability in the Global South. By fostering peer learning among civil society and academia, it aims to engage diverse communities in meaningful dialogues on AI governance. Eligible applicants include civil society actors and researchers focused on tech development and policymaking. The microgrant empowers local initiatives that address societal impacts of AI, ensuring transparency and accountability in technology use.

The South to South AI Accountability CoLab is a program that aims to strengthen the connection between AI accountability reporting and civil society engagement, contributing to a more informed governance of AI in the Global South. The program advances these goals through two main components:

• peer learning circles among civil society and academia on AI accountability and
• microgrants to support local initiatives led by civil society actors and academia in AI accountability work.

As part of this program, we invite civil society actors, university professors and researchers to apply for the AI Accountability microgrant to support initiatives that deepen understanding of AI’s impact on society and contribute to a more informed and transparent dialogue on AI governance.
We hope this AI Accountability microgrant will complement the peer learning circle and contribute to building a multidisciplinary community of civic actors, academics, and journalists working to advance more accountable AI.

Eligibility

Civil Society Actors criteria:
Applicants should have experience with informing public understanding and/or influencing policymaking on emerging technology regulations and tech development that serve public interest.The applicants should be registered in the countries in one of our focus regions: Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia.Applicants should have an active leadership role or the support of the leadership in the organization.A track record of co-creating impactful projects with other organizations and operational capacity to manage micro-grant resources from an international organization.Academic (University Professors or Researchers) Criteria:
Applicants should be university professors or researchers with experience in tech development and/or tech policymaking that serves the public interest.Applicants should be based in institutions or think tanks in one of our focus regions: Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia.Applicants should have an active leadership role or the support of the leadership in the education environment they are proposing to work with.A track record of co-creating impactful projects with other organizations and operational capacity to manage microgrant resources from an international organization.Examples of activities may include, but are not limited to:
Transparency in public dialogues: We're looking for projects that could bring in and meaningfully engage diverse, underrepresented civic actors in AI governance dialogues.How has AI impacted the underrepresented group you plan to engage or have engaged with?How are you planning to engage with them? Are they part of the project design from the beginning?Capacity building: Projects that help civic actors, students/education communities become more informed and equipped to engage with this topic.What are the main gaps in information for your target group?What format are you planning to use for the capacity-building activities? Have you done a similar project previously?Knowledge sharing, scalability: Projects with strategies for sharing learnings and tools with the broader civic actors.What are the main gaps in information for your target group?What format are you planning to use for the knowledge-sharing activities? Have you done a similar project previously?Innovations and creative expressions: Projects that reimagine AI governance from the ground up, building on existing local cultural practices and creative expressions.In what ways does your project challenge dominant narratives around AI or propose alternatives rooted in community values?How does your project use creative methods — storytelling, arts, digital engagement — to involve communities in reimagining AI governance and tools that are more accountable and responsive to society’s needs?

Ineligibility

Activities that are beyond the scope of this grant:
Projects that are not utilizing Pulitzer Center-supported AI accountability reportingFor-profit oriented initiativesAdvocacy that serves private sector lobbying interestCampaigns that involve or indirectly endorse political candidates or parties.