Our grantees

Since being set up in 2020, we have supported over 65 organisations with over €10.5 million to shape Artificial Intelligence to better serve people and society.

Our grantees have helped put fundamental rights and democratic freedoms at the heart of policymaking on AI, and have brought the perspectives of marginalised communities such as migrants and sex workers into the debate.
 
The grantees’ list was last updated in June 2025.

Photo of European AI & Society Fund grantees and funders at a community event in Brussels

Awardee
organisation

Country

Funding
programme

Grant period

Grant amount

Thematic tags

Belgium / Europe

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€242.989

AI regulation Policy & Advocacy Migrant justice Civil society coordination

https://www.accessnow.org/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€242.989

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Policy & Advocacy Migrant justice Civil society coordination
Grant purpose
Access Now defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk around the world. By combining direct technical support, comprehensive policy engagement, global advocacy, grassroots grant making, legal interventions and convenings such as RightsCon, Access Now fights for human rights in the digital age.
With the support of the European AI Fund, Access Now has exerted significant influence on discussion around the regulation of AI in the EU and beyond. Building on their joint civil society statement in November 2021, “An EU Artificial Intelligence Act for Fundamental Rights”, Access Now secured many civil society positions in the European Parliament’s position on the Act, and later – in the final text adopted by the EU. One of their most significant achievements has been to mainstream the debate about prohibitions in the AI Act, which they achieved by working in coalition with a variety of other civil society organisations. The grant also enabled Access Now to coordinate and engage in civil society coalitions, including #ProtectNotSurveil focusing on AI and migration.

Belgium / Europe

Build

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€147.752

Narrative change Migrant justice Policy & Advocacy AI regulation

https://www.accessnow.org/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€147.752

Thematic Tags
Narrative change Migrant justice Policy & Advocacy AI regulation
Grant purpose
Access Now defends and extends the digital rights of people and communities at risk. With continued support from the European AI & Society Fund, Access Now will work to improve the digital rights of people and communities through the AI Act’s implementation and enforcement, as well as other legislative files. It will increase its focus on surveillance technology in the migration and policing contexts to ensure the human rights of those most vulnerable are protected. Access Now will also work to promote a counter-narrative around AI, one which rejects techno-solutionism and promotes an alternative vision of protection and safety for everyone in Europe.
Ada Lovelace Institute

https://www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/

United Kingdom

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€88.000

AI regulation Research

https://www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€88.000

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Research
Grant purpose

The Ada Lovelace Institute works to create a shared vision of a world where AI and data are mobilised for good, to ensure that technology improves people’s lives. Using their three interlinked approaches to shaping regulation – building evidence, convening diverse voices, and shaping policy and practice – the grant supported Ada Lovelace Institute in pursuing the following objectives:
1) Ensure that public and political debates on the AI Liability Directive and AI Act (“the AI Framework”) and other relevant laws are well informed by interdisciplinary research into their implications and impact on people and society.

2) Support the effective implementation of the AI Framework through participation in and shaping of standard development mechanisms to ensure technical standards embed fundamental rights.

3) Develop and advocate for audit, impact assessment and evaluation methodologies that can be used to ensure the effective implementation of regulation.

Ada Lovelace Institute

https://www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/

United Kingdom

Build

Nov 2024 -
Dec 2025

€59.032

Research AI regulation Policy & Advocacy

https://www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Nov 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€59.032

Thematic Tags
Research AI regulation Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

With continued support from the European AI & Society Fund, Ada Lovelace Institute will focus on how liability is distributed across AI value chains, identifying equitable models that shift incentives to prevent AI harms towards actors (such as big tech companies) with greater capacity to address them. They will also look at approaches to understand the public benefit of AI across disciplines, and how industrial and regulatory policy should be designed and evaluated to maximise that benefit.

Ada Lovelace Institute will also research and influence the implementation of the AI Act, and the development of the AI Office. This will encompass institutional design, relationship with national AI Safety Institutes, efficacy in preventing harms/enforcement, understanding the relative value of different technical or ‘safety’ measures such as foundation model evaluations it may implement. The grant will also strengthen the team by enabling Ada staff to participate in more training and development opportunities, and support the development of Ada’s strategy and internal culture.

Ada Lovelace Institute

https://www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/

United Kingdom

Tech & Covid

Jan 2021 -
Dec 2022

€45.000

Health equity Research

https://www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Tech & Covid

Grant Period
Jan 2021 - Dec 2022
Grant Amount

€45.000

Thematic Tags
Health equity Research
Grant purpose

The Ada Lovelace Institute researched the ethical, societal and human rights arguments around vaccination certificates and immunity passports and proposed a six-point roadmap for “a vaccine passport system that delivers societal benefit”. They advocated for a pause on the roll-out of initiatives until an evidence based, publicly debated, ethical and sustainable approach to vaccine certification could be established that would not further exacerbate the disproportionate impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable.

Europe

AI Accountability

Apr 2025 -
Dec 2026

€160.000

Investigations AI accountability Policy & Advocacy

https://aiforensics.org/

Country

Europe

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
Apr 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€160.000

Thematic Tags
Investigations AI accountability Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
AI Forensics is a European non-profit that audits influential and opaque algorithms to hold major tech platforms accountable. They conduct independent investigations, develop evidence collection tools, and inform policymakers with data-driven insights.
With this grant, they will leverage the use of Article 40 of the Digital Services Act (DSA) to access platform data, assess AI systems, and learn how to best leverage this new transparency mechanism. They will share their insights with regulators and civil society, strengthening AI accountability.
AI Now Institute

https://ainowinstitute.org/

USA

New Political Thinking

Jan 2024 -
Nov 2025

€205.000

Market power Community Building Policy & Advocacy

https://ainowinstitute.org/

Country

USA

Funding Programme

New Political Thinking

Grant Period
Jan 2024 - Nov 2025
Grant Amount

€205.000

Thematic Tags
Market power Community Building Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

The European AI & Society Fund is pleased to support AI Now to connect their expertise in AI market power and industrial policy to the European debate. The work complements the Fund’s Global AI & Market Power Fellowship and will support translation of the fellows’ research into the policy debate. It also contributes to our goal of building connections between global communities working to shape AI in the public interest. This work is made possible through funding by Stiftung Mercator.

Algorithm Audit

https://algorithmaudit.eu/

Netherlands

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2025

€79.700

AI accountability Policy & Advocacy AI regulation Research

https://algorithmaudit.eu/

Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2025
Grant Amount

€79.700

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Policy & Advocacy AI regulation Research
Grant purpose

Algorithm Audit is using a case-based approach to build and share public knowledge about ethical algorithms. The NGO forms independent audit commissions for advising on ethical issues emerging in concrete algorithmic practices, tests technical tools to detect and mitigate bias in practice, and conducts advocacy work by connecting international professionals and sharing knowledge with society and policy makers. Algorithm Audit enables the normative capabilities of humans to work in tandem with the scalable capacity of statistics to define fair AI on a case-by-case basis.

Algorithm Audit

https://algorithmaudit.eu/

Netherlands

Build

Nov 2024 -
Dec 2025

€60.430

AI accountability Policy & Advocacy Research

https://algorithmaudit.eu/

Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Nov 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€60.430

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Policy & Advocacy Research
Grant purpose
Algorithm Audit brings together independent advice commissions and case-based advice to resolve urgent ethical issues surrounding the use of algorithms. With continued support from the European AI & Society Fund – and the help of independent commissions of diverse experts, stakeholders and affected communities – Algorithm Audit reviews high-impact algorithms used in the private and public sector. They distil these case reviews into public advice reports that contribute to what they call ‘algoprudence’ – a bottom-up, inclusive, and concrete way of generating norms for questions surrounding algorithmic bias, explainability, and responsible deployment of algorithms in society.
With their expertise on how synthetic data is generated for AI bias testing, they also develop and maintain open source AI auditing tools such a Python library unsupervised-bias-detection. Their activities, supported by this grant, contribute to the wider participation and shaping of responsible AI.

Germany

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€293.338,25

AI regulation Rule of law Investigations

https://algorithmwatch.org/en/

Country

Germany

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€293.338,25

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Rule of law Investigations
Grant purpose
AlgorithmWatch is the leading civil society organisation in the field of social impact of automated decision-making (ADM) and AI-based systems. The mission of AlgorithmWatch is to protect peoples’ rights and strengthen the common good in the face of increased use of algorithmic systems. This is done by analysing effects of ADM / AI-based processes on human behaviour, pointing out ethical conflicts and explaining the characteristics and effects of these complex processes to a general public. To maximise the benefits of ADM / AI for society, AlgorithmWatch builds coalitions with different communities and disciplines, as well as co-develops ideas and strategies to achieve the responsible and benevolent use of ADM / AI-based systems – with a mix of technologies, regulation, and suitable oversight institutions.
The grant enabled AlgorithmWatch to establish and deepen relations to other important stakeholders, first and foremost the civil society, but also politicians and high-level administration officials. In their advocacy efforts, they pushed for a EU-wide ban on biometric recognition technology that enables mass surveillance, and were successful in achieving many safeguards for people’s rights in the European AI Act.

Germany

Tech & Covid

Jan 2021 -
Dec 2021

€44,825

Health equity Research Rule of law

https://algorithmwatch.org/en/

Country

Germany

Funding Programme

Tech & Covid

Grant Period
Jan 2021 - Dec 2021
Grant Amount

€44,825

Thematic Tags
Health equity Research Rule of law
Grant purpose

AlgorithmWatch’s Tracing the Tracers project created a digital platform to continuously monitor and analyse automated decision-making (ADM) systems used in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Europe and beyond. They highlighted the multitude of devices, tools and solutions tested and adopted despite an absence of evidence of their effectiveness, and often with insufficient democratic debate.

Germany

Build

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€165.607

AI regulation Digital Services Act Enforcement Investigations

https://algorithmwatch.org/en/

Country

Germany

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€165.607

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Digital Services Act Enforcement Investigations
Grant purpose

With continued support from the European AI & Society Fund, AlgorithmWatch will advocate for effective enforcement structures of the AI Act, and devise and test strategies to enforce the rules on the books, namely the Digital Services Act (DSA). They will investigate the systemic risks platforms pose to society, using data access requests and other means afforded by the law. In addition, AlgorithmWatch will increase journalistic and communications activities to question the AI hype, by investigating and reporting the real-life consequences of the use of automated and AI-based systems.

Amnesty International

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/

Serbia / Western Balkans, Denmark, Netherlands

AI Accountability

Jul 2025 -
Dec 2026

€160.000

AI accountability Economic Justice Strategic Litigation Research

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/

Country

Serbia / Western Balkans, Denmark, Netherlands

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
Jul 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€160.000

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Economic Justice Strategic Litigation Research
Grant purpose
Amnesty International is a global movement of 10 million people committed to ensuring human rights for all. Amnesty Tech works to ensure technology advances rights, not erodes them.
They will build on their Algorithmic Accountability Lab’s work interrogating how AI systems in welfare provision disproportionately affect marginalised communities and their rights, and test accountability mechanisms. They will leverage the expertise and power of the Amnesty movement to carry out bold research, advocacy, strategic litigation, and communications.
ANEC - European Consumer Voice in Standardisation

https://www.anec.eu/

Belgium / Europe

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jul 2024

€156.772,80

AI regulation Rule of law

https://www.anec.eu/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jul 2024
Grant Amount

€156.772,80

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Rule of law
Grant purpose
ANEC is the European consumer voice in standardisation. As one of only three EU-appointed not for profit organisations able to directly intervene in standardisation processes, ANEC represents the consumer interest of all Europeans in the creation and application of technical standards, market surveillance and enforcement, accreditation, and conformity assessment schemes. ANEC works with European Standardisation bodies CEN-CENELEC and ETSI to directly shape the standards that will underpin key European laws and public policies for consumers.
By engaging a consumer AI expert, ANEC influenced the AI standardisation process both at the technical and policy levels. ANEC has shaped the top line policy narrative around consumer AI in Europe by its contributions to the AI Act legislative process, linked EC Standardisation Request and drafting of the relative standards. ANEC has improved the capacity of the consumer and civil society movement and assembled advocates and technologists to translate our consumer protection demands into practical technical asks. ANECcontinues advocating for them to be reflected by the relevant standardisation working groups and committees formed during the duration of the project and linked to the AI Act.

 

ANEC - European Consumer Voice in Standardisation

https://www.anec.eu/

Belgium / Europe

Build

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€105.120

AI regulation Policy & Advocacy

https://www.anec.eu/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€105.120

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
ANEC’s objective is to strengthen the consumer voice in AI standardisation. With this grant from the European AI & Society Fund, ANEC will build the advocacy capacity of civil society organisations at the European level. At a national level in Germany, they will participate in AI standardisation and share expert knowledge with civil society on how to contribute to standardisation.
They will also submit comments and engage civil society organisations in standards policy and advocacy at the national level.  ANEC’s activities will include contributions by the ANEC AI expert to CEN-CENELEC JTC 21 on AI standardisation, and to various standardisation working groups and task groups.
ANEC - European Consumer Voice in Standardisation

https://www.anec.eu/

Belgium / Europe

AI Act Implementation

Jan 2025 -
Dec 2025

€47.460

Policy & Advocacy AI regulation

https://www.anec.eu/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Jan 2025 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€47.460

Thematic Tags
Policy & Advocacy AI regulation
Grant purpose

In the implementation of the European AI Act, where standards will play a key role for AI high-risk systems and sustainable and generative AI, ANEC’s objective is to strengthen consumer and civil society advocacy capacity and their voice in AI standardisation. ANEC plans to do this by involving consumer and civil society experts in the CEN-CLC-JTC21’s work, organising capacity building activities for civil society as well as coordinating the national consumer and civil society representatives through establishing a dedicated AI Standards Task Force.

Artificial Intelligence Accountability Lab (AIAL)

https://aial.ie/

United Kingdom

AI Accountability

Jul 2025 -
Dec 2026

€199.978

AI accountability Research Community Building

https://aial.ie/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
Jul 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€199.978

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Research Community Building
Grant purpose
Artificial Intelligence Accountability Lab (AIAL) is dedicated to ensuring AI research, product development and regulation centres the public, marginalised and disenfranchised voices. AI audits have emerged as powerful tools for accountability. But unlike well-established financial audits, AI audits are underdeveloped, ad hoc, siloed from other accountability efforts, and executed without an underlying theory of change.
Through this project, they will develop a justice-oriented audit framework synthesising computational methods, theories of justice, and existing regulations to deliberately focus AI audits towards meaningful accountability.
Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN)

https://birn.eu.com/

Serbia

Tech & Covid

Jan 2021 -
Dec 2021

€44.994

Health equity Research

https://birn.eu.com/

Country

Serbia

Funding Programme

Tech & Covid

Grant Period
Jan 2021 - Dec 2021
Grant Amount

€44.994

Thematic Tags
Health equity Research
Grant purpose

The Balkan Investigate Reporting Network (BIRN) supported ten reporters through its Digital Rights Programme for Journalists, established a Covid-19 Crisis Tech Response live feed to highlight digital abuses and published a comprehensive report on digital rights in the region, with a particular focus on the rise of far right and hate speech online and content removal.

Black Learning Achievement and Mental Health (BLAM UK)

https://blamuk.org/

United Kingdom

AI Accountability

Jun 2025 -
Nov 2026

€159.999

Racial justice AI accountability Rule of law Policy & Advocacy

https://blamuk.org/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
Jun 2025 - Nov 2026
Grant Amount

€159.999

Thematic Tags
Racial justice AI accountability Rule of law Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
Black Learning Achievement and Mental Health UK (BLAM UK) is an award-winning charity dedicated to championing Black British culture, improving the wellbeing of people of African descent, and promoting a decolonised education system.
With this grant from the European AI & Society Fund, they aim to protect Black communities from harm caused by AI-driven policing tools, like predictive policing and facial recognition. They will advocate for policies that ensure accountability and prevent injustice as AI technology evolves.
Border Violence Monitoring Network

https://borderviolence.eu/

Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Europe

AI Accountability

Apr 2025 -
Dec 2026

€194.000

Migrant justice AI accountability Research

https://borderviolence.eu/

Country

Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Europe

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
Apr 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€194.000

Thematic Tags
Migrant justice AI accountability Research
Grant purpose
The Border Violence Monitoring Network is a network of organisations documenting pushbacks, violence and other rights violations at EU external borders. Given the substantial EU funding allocated to border surveillance technologies, including AI-driven tools, they will document the impact of this new techno-solutionist approach on people on the move. Based on evidence and research, they will contribute to the creation of accountability and redress mechanisms for those affected by harmful AI in border control.
Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC)

https://www.beuc.eu/

Belgium / Europe

AI Act Implementation

Jan 2025 -
Dec 2025

€45.540

Economic Justice AI regulation Market power

https://www.beuc.eu/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Jan 2025 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€45.540

Thematic Tags
Economic Justice AI regulation Market power
Grant purpose
Since 1962, BEUC has been helping to secure better rights for consumers in Europe. As the voice of 44 independent national consumer organisations from 31 countries, BEUC is uniquely positioned to bring the concerns and expectations of people to the attention of EU policymakers and to secure better protections for them, both independently and in collaboration with civil society and other stakeholders.
With support from the European AI & Society Fund, BEUC aims to ensure that AI systems are respectful of European fundamental and consumer rights and values, and that consumers are able to enjoy a fair, healthy and innovative society.
Centre for Democracy & Technology (CDT Europe)

https://cdt.org/eu/

Belgium / Europe

Nov 2022 -
Oct 2023

€40.000

Civil society coordination AI regulation Policy & Advocacy

https://cdt.org/eu/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Oct 2023
Grant Amount

€40.000

Thematic Tags
Civil society coordination AI regulation Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
CDT Europe advocates for the promotion and protection of democracy and human rights in European tech law and policy. This project focussed on facilitating a dialogue between lawmakers and civil society at a crucial point in the AI Act, as well as organising civil society voices. Thanks to this grant, CDT Europe was able to partner with the Spanish EU presidency to host a high-level roundtable event with participation from stakeholders such as Ministers and institutional representatives. The meeting was very well attended, with 24 in-person attendees and 25 online.
In total, 35 government officials attended representing 15 EU member states. Civil society coordination led to a joint CSO strategy and a common voice, prioritising:
○ A rights-based approach and a holistic framework the ensures the protection of the most vulnerable and at-risk groups
○ Strong accountability and transparency measures
○ Strict regulation and prohibitions as necessary on the use of AI in the context of law enforcement and migration
○ Access to effective remedy and redress
Centre for Democracy & Technology (CDT Europe)

https://cdt.org/eu/

Belgium / Europe

Making regulation work

Oct 2024 -
Sep 2025

€100.000

AI regulation Research

https://cdt.org/eu/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Making regulation work

Grant Period
Oct 2024 - Sep 2025
Grant Amount

€100.000

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Research
Grant purpose

The Centre for Democracy & Technology (CDT) Europe will conduct research into how the AI Act can be used by individuals alongside existing legislation – including the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights and laws instrumentalising it – to challenge the harms caused to them by AI systems, and identify gaps that warrant further updates to the law. Supported by this grant, CDT will map the existing intersecting legal instruments and obligations which have a bearing on the AI Act, identify relevant jurisprudence which may inform the interpretation of effective redress in the context of AI systems, identify gaps and sector-specific harms, and monitor the progress of the AI Liability Directive. In parallel, CDT will host sector-focussed events with impacted groups and equality law experts to inform their research. They will then share their findings with those groups and the EU institutions.

Centre for Democracy & Technology (CDT Europe)

https://cdt.org/eu/

Belgium / Europe

AI Act Implementation

Jan 2025 -
Dec 2025

€30.000

Civil society coordination AI regulation

https://cdt.org/eu/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Jan 2025 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€30.000

Thematic Tags
Civil society coordination AI regulation
Grant purpose
CDT Europe is a Brussels-based organisation that works to uphold fundamental rights and the public interest in tech policy. It promotes policies, laws and technical designs that empower people while protecting against discriminatory and exploitative uses.
With the European AI & Society Fund’s support, building on the coordination CDT Europe steered during the AI Act negotiations, they plan to bring together key civil society organisations and decision-makers to discuss and collaborate on key AI Act milestones to ensure we collectively work towards its successful implementation.
Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties)

https://www.liberties.eu/en

Germany

Tech & Covid

Jan 2021 -
Dec 2021

€43.110

Health equity Research Rule of law

https://www.liberties.eu/en

Country

Germany

Funding Programme

Tech & Covid

Grant Period
Jan 2021 - Dec 2021
Grant Amount

€43.110

Thematic Tags
Health equity Research Rule of law
Grant purpose

The Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) conducted comprehensive research on how different European contact tracing apps work, what kind of data they collect and process, how efficient these apps are, how transparently they operate, and how the apps can worsen existing social problems.

Danes je nov dan (Today is a new day)

https://danesjenovdan.si/

Slovenia

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€107.200

Rule of law AI regulation AI accountability

https://danesjenovdan.si/

Country

Slovenia

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€107.200

Thematic Tags
Rule of law AI regulation AI accountability
Grant purpose
Danes je nov dan (Today is a new day) is a Slovenian NGO that uses digital technology and the internet to create dialogue on public issues, facilitate participation and push for transparency. Their mission is to promote open data, responsible use of technology and participatory decision-making processes.
The grant supported DJND to empower a diverse coalition of NGOs, journalists and activists to become active stakeholders in debates regarding the future of AI in Slovenia in a moment when a new Research Centre on AI was being set up, as well as when Slovenia was rolling out new programme for AI development.
DJND focused on transparency and accountability to the use of AI/ADM in the public sector, and launched a public register of AI systems used by public bodies in Slovenia.
Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL)

https://ecnl.org/ https://www.humanrights.dk/

Denmark

AI Act Implementation

Jan 2025 -
Jun 2025

€59.965

Rule of law AI regulation

https://ecnl.org/ https://www.humanrights.dk/

Country

Denmark

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Jan 2025 - Jun 2025
Grant Amount

€59.965

Thematic Tags
Rule of law AI regulation
Grant purpose

The Danish Institute for Human Rights, a centre of expertise on business and human rights, has partnered with the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law, a leading CSO working on technology and AI, to influence the European Commission’s (EC) expected template on fundamental rights impact assessments (FRIAs). FRIAs are the main legal safeguard to ensure that high-risk AI systems which might violate fundamental rights are not deployed. The FRIA provision in the AI Act is relatively weak and amenable to a tick-box implementation approach. Influencing the template is therefore critical for ensuring that human rights are upheld in the implementation of the AI Act.

David Grey Widder

USA

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Jan 2024

€61.630

Market power Research
Country

USA

Funding Programme

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Grant Period
Jan 2024
Grant Amount

€61.630

Thematic Tags
Market power Research
Grant purpose
David Gray Widder studies epistemic and political economic power in AI production. He is a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell Tech, and earned his PhD from Carnegie Mellon University.
Cloud giants are building their empires. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon seek to capture more of the AI cloud market, but what are their tools and strategies for empire building? How might we anticipate the state of their empires tomorrow? His research will use historical datasets of startup investments to track how cloud giants are investing in AI startups, how this changes over time, and examining how they may do so in the future. In particular, he will examine how cloud giants’ investment strategies may differ and how they may be investing in sectors of particular public importance such as healthcare or government services. This research is designed to provide evidence to inform ongoing regulatory debates about cloud giant’s market power and encourage more researchers to focus on this topic. Journalists who may wish to partner with him in this investigation are welcome to reach out.
Epicenter.works

https://epicenter.works/

Austria

AI Act Implementation

Jan 2025 -
Dec 2025

€30.050

AI regulation Rule of law

https://epicenter.works/

Country

Austria

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Jan 2025 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€30.050

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Rule of law
Grant purpose

epicenter.works is a civil rights organisation advocating for privacy, freedom, and digital rights across Europe. With a history of impactful action, including challenging AI use in welfare decisions by Austria’s Public Employment Service (AMS), epicenter.works promotes a social justice and rights-based approach to technology. With the support from the European AI & Society Fund, the organisation aims to foster social justice and the rule of law in AI regulation in Austria, establishing it as a model for EU-wide rights-respecting standards.

Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice

https://www.equinox-eu.com/

Belgium

Ecosystem grants

Oct 2023 -
Dec 2024

€30.000

Racial justice Community Building Policy & Advocacy

https://www.equinox-eu.com/

Country

Belgium

Funding Programme

Ecosystem grants

Grant Period
Oct 2023 - Dec 2024
Grant Amount

€30.000

Thematic Tags
Racial justice Community Building Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice is a people of colour-led initiative working to advance rights and justice for all people in Europe. They address racism at the EU level by ensuring that racialized people are at the centre of decision-making on policy and legislation in the EU.
The grant supported Equinox in co-organising a successful Colour of Surveillance Conference in 2024, bringing together more than 100 digital, racial, and migrant justice advocates, forging connections between activism across Europe. It also supported Equinox in building its own capacity and that of other racial justice organisations to engage in legislative proposals and advocate for a positive vision of re-distribution of resources away from discriminatory and surveillant technologies.
Eticas Foundation

https://eticasfoundation.org/

Spain

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€247.196

AI accountability Policy & Advocacy Community Building

https://eticasfoundation.org/

Country

Spain

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€247.196

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Policy & Advocacy Community Building
Grant purpose

Eticas investigate real-world AI uses in partnership with communities, conducting qualitative and quantitative audits. This grant supported Eticas to consolidate, increase and make more visible its policy and advocacy efforts, including its community-led AI auditing initiatives with civil society organisations and work at the policy level on AI regulation and transparency in Spain and the EU. Eticas published an open guide to adversarial auditing, sharing their best practices for evaluating algorithms.

Belgium / Europe

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€120.000

Migrant justice Research AI regulation Policy & Advocacy

https://euromedrights.org/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€120.000

Thematic Tags
Migrant justice Research AI regulation Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

EuroMed Rights is one of the largest and most active networks of human rights organisations in the Euro-Mediterranean region. The grant enabled EuroMed Rights to open a new work track on the intersection of technology and migration, significantly increasing its and members’ capacity, expending partnerships and conducting new research. Their research provided in-depth analysis of the current state of tech deployment at the Spanish southern border, as well as mapped the development of tech deployment at the EU’s external borders since the early 2000s. The grant supported EuroMed Rights’ participation in joint advocacy on the AI Act, including through the #ProtectNotsurveil coalition.

Belgium

Build

Nov 2024 -
Dec 2025

€80.500

Migrant justice Policy & Advocacy Rule of law

https://euromedrights.org/

Country

Belgium

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Nov 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€80.500

Thematic Tags
Migrant justice Policy & Advocacy Rule of law
Grant purpose
EU-funded technology is increasingly deployed in cooperation with third countries such as Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon to curb migratory flows. Through bilateral agreements – that often do not undergo democratic scrutiny – the EU and Member states sign deals for the training, equipping and maintenance of an infrastructure of border control that has a strong technological component. When deployed by fragile democracies or fully authoritarian regimes, this technology might have severe consequences on fundamental rights, from the right to freedom of expression and assembly, privacy and data protection, to the right to asylum and to leave one’s country.
Supported by the European AI & Society Fund, EuroMed Rights will focus on how EU-funded technology and AI is deployed in EU externalisation migration policies, which transfer responsibility for border control and asylum processing to non-EU countries, often those in close proximity to the EU. They will investigate how technology and AI is used in these policies, and conduct advocacy and communication activities to shed light on this issue. With a network of 70 civil society organisations in 30 countries in the Euro-Mediterranean region, this project will allow EuroMed Rights to mobilise its membership around issues that are at the intersection between migration policy, fundamental rights, and freedoms.
European Council of Autistic People (EUCAP)

https://eucap.eu/about-eucap/

Czech Republic

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€42.600

Disability justice Research Community Building Policy & Advocacy

https://eucap.eu/about-eucap/

Country

Czech Republic

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€42.600

Thematic Tags
Disability justice Research Community Building Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
The European Council of Autistic People (EUCAP) wanted to build the capacity of autistic-led organisations in Europe to advocate for the rights of autistic people in all matters concerning AI. The grant enabled them to conduct a literature review, consultations and a multi-lingual survey to map existing AI research and technology that targets autism and better understand what kinds of application are beneficial and acceptable to autistic people.
This knowledge was shared with autistic communities in Europe, and used to train key volunteers within EUCAP’s member organisations, providing them with the means to engage effectively with policymakers, legislators, researchers and industry representatives to convey the needs and wishes of autistic people. Increasing the direct involvement of autistic people in research and development, in a spirit of co-production, can bring benefits beyond just serving their specific needs. EUCAP sought opportunities for partnerships beyond this two-year project to bring more of the positive potential and strengths of autistic people into the field of AI.
European Council of Autistic People (EUCAP)

https://eucap.eu/about-eucap/

Czech Republic

Build

Nov 2024 -
Dec 2025

€30.000

Disability justice Policy & Advocacy Community Building

https://eucap.eu/about-eucap/

Country

Czech Republic

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Nov 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€30.000

Thematic Tags
Disability justice Policy & Advocacy Community Building
Grant purpose
Through its three-year “Artificial Intelligence and the Rights of Austitic People” (AIRA) project, the European Council of Autistic People (EUCAP) intends to understand autistic people’s needs, concerns and priorities regarding AI, and build the capacity of autistic advocates and autistic-led organisations in Europe to advocate for the rights of autistic people in AI research, product development, legislation and policy, at both national and European level.
The AIRA project – supported by the European AI & Society Fund – will create resources on what is AI, how it’s being used in the autistic community, and how to advocate and shape better AI for autistic people. EUCAP will conduct webinars and events in European countries to train larger numbers of autistic advocates on this subject. They will convey the knowledge, skills and mutual support to approach decisionmakers, research institutions, industry representatives and others to bring autistic perspectives and knowledge into discourses where they are needed.
European Digital Rights (EDRi)

https://edri.org/

Belgium / Europe

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€284.000

Civil society coordination AI regulation Research Rule of law

https://edri.org/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€284.000

Thematic Tags
Civil society coordination AI regulation Research Rule of law
Grant purpose
EDRi is the biggest European network defending rights and freedoms online. The EDRi network is a dynamic and resilient collective of 50+ NGOs, as well as experts, advocates and academics working to defend and advance digital rights across Europe and beyond.
The support of the Fund contributed to sustaining the work of EDRi Policy colleagues leading on AI Act advocacy, as well as supporting coalition-building and network coordination by providing the necessary core support for other teams. EDRi offered direct financial support to the work of EDRi members and partners active in the EU AIA coalition. EDRi also was able to expand the knowledge base on AI and bias through commissioning research. Grant supported EDRi’s advocacy efforts pushing for a fundamental rights-based approach to AI regulation, ensuring all people are protected from harmful AI use. EDRI’s work had a great impact on the European Parliament’s position with regards to the AI Act and achieved many safeguards in the final text of the regulation, including partial bans on biometric recognition and emotion recogniton technologies.
European Digital Rights (EDRi)

https://edri.org/

Belgium / Europe

Build

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€160.000

Civil society coordination AI regulation Rule of law Environmental justice

https://edri.org/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€160.000

Thematic Tags
Civil society coordination AI regulation Rule of law Environmental justice
Grant purpose
EDRi will use the support of the European AI & Society Fund to bolster its ongoing work on AI, with a particular focus on two strands.
Firstly, they will push for a justice and human rights-focused implementation of the EU AI Act. EDRi will build on existing efforts to drive even more effective collaboration across civil society, to collectively explore enforcement of the Act at national level, and to mobilise the public.
Secondly, they will explore both legislative and non-legislative initiatives on AI with a focus on areas not (sufficiently) covered by the EU AI Act. This will include monitoring, research and advocacy in areas such as the environmental impact of AI, the digitalisation of public and essential services and the use of scoring algorithms in the public sector. It will also include AI-enabled harms in the areas of worker surveillance, policing, migration and securitisation.
The EAISF grant will enable the sustainability of coalition efforts to represent civil society voices in AI regulation in Europe, and with global effect.
European Disability Forum (EDF)

https://www.edf-feph.org/

Belgium / Europe

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€185.600

Disability justice AI regulation Information environment Community Building

https://www.edf-feph.org/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€185.600

Thematic Tags
Disability justice AI regulation Information environment Community Building
Grant purpose
The European Disability Forum’s (EDF)disability-inclusive AI project focused on advocacy, capacity building, and awareness-raising. EDF played an important role in ensuring that the AI Act included provisions to protect the rights of persons with disabilities through advocacy for mandatory accessibility for all AI systems.
Through webinars, training sessions, and workshops on AI, disability rights, and issues like AI in elections, EDF strengthened its members’ advocacy on AI and disability rights. Their AI Policy Officer was also appointed to a Canadian government committee that is developing the world’s first standard on AI and accessibility.
European Disability Forum (EDF)

https://www.edf-feph.org/

Belgium / Europe

Build

Nov 2024 -
Dec 2025

124.500

Disability justice Policy & Advocacy

https://www.edf-feph.org/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Nov 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

124.500

Thematic Tags
Disability justice Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
With support from the European AI & Society Fund, European Disability Forum (EDF) will continue their advocacy work towards the EU institutions and EU Members States on all relevant initiatives related to artificial intelligence, including the European Digital Rights network (EDRi) and the AI core group. They will keep advocating towards the Council of Europe initiatives related to AI and human rights, and coordinate and support their members’ national advocacy regarding AI. EDF plan to influence AI standardisation processes so they protect the rights of persons with disabilities.
Their second priority will be to strengthen the capacity of their European and national members to work on AI policy and standardisation. They will train their members to effectively monitor the AI Act and develop materials for national level advocacy on AI and Disability.
Finally, they will continue to raise awareness the importance of inclusive and accessible AI for persons with disabilities – mostly by researching, analysing and communicating on AI development, risks and opportunities and how it impacts persons with disabilities. They will create a European and national communication campaign – aimed at the disability movement, policy makers and technology experts – on the needs to include persons with disabilities in AI’s design, monitoring and AI related policies, and raise awareness of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities about AI. Their AI newsletter, outreach to media, and a new AI conference will help them achieve their campaign and advocacy goals.
European Network Against Racism (ENAR)

https://www.enar-eu.org/

Belgium

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Mar 2024

€120.000

Racial justice Community Building AI regulation

https://www.enar-eu.org/

Country

Belgium

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Mar 2024
Grant Amount

€120.000

Thematic Tags
Racial justice Community Building AI regulation
Grant purpose

ENAR is a 150+ member, pan-European anti-racism network combining advocacy for racial equality and facilitating cooperation among civil society anti-racism actors in Europe. The project enhanced the ENAR team and network’s understanding of emerging harms related to AI and automated processes.

 

To increase network’s capacity and identify how racialised groups experience these harms, ENAR hosted 3 roundtables in collaboration with members in Greece, Denmark and Croatia and did two consultations with across the membership. ENAR also conducted research on how racialised communities in Europe are affected by data-driven systems, strengthening ENAR’s advocacy capacity to advance proposals concerning AI and automation in employment and the AI Act. Additionally, the project enabled more strategic coalition work with partners like EDRI and PICUM.

European Network Against Racism (ENAR)

https://www.enar-eu.org/

Belgium

Build

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€130.735

Community Building Racial justice Policy & Advocacy

https://www.enar-eu.org/

Country

Belgium

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€130.735

Thematic Tags
Community Building Racial justice Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
With this grant, the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) will continue organising activities for their members, in collaboration with digital experts, to increase their member participation in digital rights activism. At the same time, ENAR will create room for civil society and anti-racism actors in Europe to advocate for an ecosystem that ensures racialised people’s participation and protection within a strengthened fundamental rights framework. They will build and promote a positive narrative on digital rights and its role on mainstreaming racial justice in European societies; and strengthen and empower ENAR members and the broader civil society to support a racial justice approach to digital rights.
The project, funded by the European AI & Society Fund, will strengthen ENAR’s networking, influencing and advocacy to inform policies and practices of the experiences of racialised communities and civil society – ensuring that technology does not harm or leave behind these citizens. ENAR will exchange insights and knowledge with the ecosystem to ensure that a racial justice perspective is not overlooked by its key stakeholders. Finally, they expect that the project’s awareness and capacity building activities will have sustainable, multiplier effects that leave the participants with skills and tools that can be used in the future.
European Patients' Forum

https://www.eu-patient.eu/

Belgium / Europe

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€202.500

Health equity Community Building Policy & Advocacy

https://www.eu-patient.eu/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€202.500

Thematic Tags
Health equity Community Building Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

The European Patients’ Forum (EPF) is one of the most prominent civil society organisations active in health policy at European level, representing the collective voice of the estimated 150 million patients living with various chronic diseases throughout Europe. The grant enabled EPF to position themselves as the lead voice when it comes to patient engagement and AI. They organised very well evaluated capacity building training for patients’ rights organisations and EPF was able to join the European Commission’s regular E-Health Stakeholder Group meetings and WHO working group, working to unlock more capacity and access to healthcare with digitalization and responsible AI.

European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance (ESWA)

https://www.eswalliance.org/

Netherlands

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€206.666

Gender justice Policy & Advocacy Community Building Digital Services Act

https://www.eswalliance.org/

Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€206.666

Thematic Tags
Gender justice Policy & Advocacy Community Building Digital Services Act
Grant purpose

The European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance is a sex worker-led regional network of more than 100 organisations providing services to sex workers and advocating for sex workers’ rights in Europe and Central Asia. With EAISF support, ESWA advanced online advocacy for sex workers’ rights and strengthened community engagement. ESWA held action-planning meetings with members focused on EU policy developments and in 2024 organised Europe’s first in-person Digital Rights Convening for sex workers, member organisations, and allies.

This groundbreaking event brought together 50 activists from diverse communities to coordinate efforts on critical digital rights issues impacting sex workers. In collaboration with local sex workers’ organisations, ESWA held training sessions in London and Glasgow with 32 sex workers to prevent intimate image-based abuse, including deepfakes, adressing safety concerns experienced by the community. ESWA was succesfully advocating for sex workers’ digital rights in a number of EU policies and regulations, including the Digital Services Act and and AI Act.

 

European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA)

https://www.eswalliance.org/

Netherlands

Build

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€130.000

Gender justice Digital Services Act Research Policy & Advocacy

https://www.eswalliance.org/

Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€130.000

Thematic Tags
Gender justice Digital Services Act Research Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
With this additional European AI & Society Fund grant, the European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA) will implement activities that align with its Strategic Plan and Theory of Change. They will build the capacity of their members and sex worker community; scale up their advocacy and campaigning work; and continue to build and maintain relationships with other civil society organisations, policymakers, and the private sector to advocate for safer technologies and a human rights-based approach to designing, developing, and implementing regulations.
ESWA will complement its work on policy by monitoring and evaluating the Digital Services Act (DSA) in order to understand the impact of this important legislation on sex workers. They will develop a new series of Sex Work & Tech Tarot Cards. New community research on the impact of deepfakes on sex workers will inform recommendations for a human rights-based regulation of this technology. They will also finalise their research on social media accountability, which will help them establish relationships with social media platforms to promote an online environment that respects the human rights of sex workers.
Fair Trials Europe (FTE)

https://www.fairtrials.org/

Belgium / Europe

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Jul 2024

€72.466,50

Rule of law Research Policy & Advocacy AI regulation

https://www.fairtrials.org/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Jul 2024
Grant Amount

€72.466,50

Thematic Tags
Rule of law Research Policy & Advocacy AI regulation
Grant purpose

Fair Trials Europe (FTE) ensures that European legislation on AI (whether EU, Council of Europe or national level) contains strong safeguards, including prohibitions on the most harmful types of AI applications in policing and the criminal justice systems. FTE launched a simulation criminal prediction tool, with over 5000 people completing the simulation, and more than 2000 people reaching out to the Members of the European Parliament to raise awareness about criminal justice amidst the AI act negotiations. Together with allies, FTE successfully advocated for a partial ban on predictive policing in the European AI Act. They also engaged in local advocacy and research concerning policing tools used in a school in Bristol.

Federación de Consumidores y Usuarios (CECU)

https://cecu.es/

Spain

AI Act Implementation

Jan 2025 -
Dec 2025

€15.280

AI regulation Rule of law

https://cecu.es/

Country

Spain

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Jan 2025 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€15.280

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Rule of law
Grant purpose

CECU, a key Spanish consumer organisation, advocates for AI Act implementation focusing on Fundamental Rights Impact Assessments. Leveraging its role in IA Ciudadana coalition, work with European Digital Rights (EDRi) AI Core Group, and collaboration with BEUC, CECU aims to protect consumer interests through research, policy, and advocacy. By actively engaging in the AI Act negotiations, CECU has contributed to policy discussions, advocacy letters to authorities, public campaigns and stakeholder meetings. The grant will allow CECU to enhance its role in AI Act implementation in Spain, promoting transparency and public involvement to advocate for fundamental rights.

Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO)

https://femyso.org/

Belgium / Europe

Ecosystem grants

Nov 2023 -
Dec 2024

€30.000

Racial justice Education Policy & Advocacy Research

https://femyso.org/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Ecosystem grants

Grant Period
Nov 2023 - Dec 2024
Grant Amount

€30.000

Thematic Tags
Racial justice Education Policy & Advocacy Research
Grant purpose
The Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO) is a pan-European network, with a mission to empower Muslim youth and build a diverse, cohesive and vibrant Europe. They use their voice to represent the rights and civil liberties of young Muslims in policymaking.
The EAISF grant supported research, capacity building and advocacy around cases of anti-Muslim bias in algorithmic systems. FEMYSO compiled a comprehensive database and a report with case studies of AI and Islamophobia in Europe, serving as a useful knowledge-building and advocacy resource for the community.
FEMYSO also hosted a red teaming event with Muslim youth in the European Parliament, to build digital literacy and raise awareness on the issue of bias in large language models (LLMs) that are the foundation for AI chatbots. During the event, participants were able to break the safeguards of several chatbots and generated over 270 examples of Islamophobic bias, which they used to urge AI companies to do better and de-bias their datasets..

United Kingdom

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€200.706,30

Economic Justice Market power Labour rights Strategic Litigation

https://www.foxglove.org.uk/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€200.706,30

Thematic Tags
Economic Justice Market power Labour rights Strategic Litigation
Grant purpose
Foxglove is a UK-based non-profit that works to build a world where the use of technology is fair for everyone. When the powerful misuse technology to oppress or exclude, Foxglove investigates, litigates and campaigns to fix it. Support from the European AI & Society Fund helped Foxglove reach new allies in tech-giant Amazon’s warehouses during a summer of protests over a risible 35p pay offer during the cost-of-living crisis – they got workers’ stories into the press and launched solidarity campaigns. Foxglove also supported Amazon workers in Germany to challenge the algorithmic micromanagement of Amazon workers, which harms their physical health and results in them peeing in bottles. Foxglove also worked with Organise to launch an open letter signed by more than 200 workers to raise concerns about the harm that Prime Day does to workers.
When Time Magazine ran a front page exposé on Facebook’s moderation hub for East Africa, Foxglove were able to act on behalf of whistle-blower Daniel Motaung, a brave content moderator who lost his job for organising his colleagues to stand up to worker oppression. Foxglove selected a Kenyan counsel and filed a world-first constitutional challenge in the Kenyan courts on Daniel’s behalf, challenging Facebook and their outsourcing company Sama for forced labour, human-trafficking and union-busting.
In response, Facebook tried to silence them, threatening Daniel and Foxglove with criminal contempt, which they successfully resisted with the help of an EU-led coalition of 80 groups (their allies, People vs Big Tech). The case in Kenya is a world first and could force change for content moderators around the globe, including thousands of workers in Europe. In addition, the AI Fund’s grant enabled Foxglove to support the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People to challenge the UK’s Department of Work and Pension’s use of a secretive algorithm which unfairly flags disabled people for benefits fraud. Foxglove continue to collaborate with and learn from other groups in Europe bringing similar cases and challenging similar algorithms.

United Kingdom

Making regulation work

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€111.366

Labour rights Market power Strategic Litigation Economic Justice

https://www.foxglove.org.uk/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Making regulation work

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€111.366

Thematic Tags
Labour rights Market power Strategic Litigation Economic Justice
Grant purpose

This European AI & Society Fund funding will enable Foxglove to focus on challenging the concentrated power of big tech monopolies with their partners.  Empowered tech workforce are a way to keep corporate power in check, so Foxglove will continue supporting workers and their unions to bring legal cases against Amazon, TikTok and Facebook in the courts – challenging the harmful automated systems that control workers, union busting and demanding fairer workplaces for tech workers.   With this grant, they will also continue to investigate, uncover and challenge the use problematic AI and algorithmic decision making by governments in the UK and the EU.

Friends of the Earth Europe

https://friendsoftheearth.eu/

Belgium / Europe

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€175.000

Environmental justice Market power Policy & Advocacy Community Building

https://friendsoftheearth.eu/

Country

Belgium / Europe

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€175.000

Thematic Tags
Environmental justice Market power Policy & Advocacy Community Building
Grant purpose

The support from the EAISF enabled the coalition of FOEE, FIAN International and The Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience at Coventry University (CAWR) to build capacity on AI/ADM among organisations active in the food movement in Europe.They started the debate about how digitalisation can lead to greater corporate control and reduce farmers’ autonomy. Through research interviews, a series of informal online meetings and well-attended structured workshops (including a public-facing workshop with over a hundred participants at the UN Food Systems (UNFSS) counter summit), the coalition was able to facilitate knowledge exchange and relationship building with actors working on agri-food, and technology and digitalisation experts such as the Institute for Technology in the Public Interest.

 

The events created new links between grassroots farm tool organisations, Big Tech researchers, food and environment advocacy campaigners and producers’ networks These activities have clarified that European legislation, including the DSA, DMA and AI Act, will impact the farming sector even though they did not set specific rules for the farming sector. If AI regulation is shaped without listening to the voices of marginalised groups such as small-scale food producers, it risks further cementing inequalities and discrimination that are already damaging food systems and ecosystems at large.

Friends of the Earth Ireland

https://www.friendsoftheearth.ie/

Ireland

AI Accountability

Apr 2025 -
Dec 2026

€108.000

AI accountability Environmental justice Policy & Advocacy

https://www.friendsoftheearth.ie/

Country

Ireland

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
Apr 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€108.000

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Environmental justice Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
Friends of the Earth Ireland is part of the world’s largest grassroots environmental network, campaigning for a just world free from pollution. This project aims to establish a system of accountability for AI-powered data centre growth in Ireland.
Despite introducing legally binding carbon budgets in 2021, the Irish Government has pursued an economic model heavily reliant on data centre expansion, largely driven by the rise of AI. Data centres have emerged as the largest driver of electricity demand in Ireland, consuming a share of all energy three times higher than in other EU countries.
Friso Bostoen and Giorgio Monti

Netherlands

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Jan 2024

€38.889,60

Market power Research Economic Justice
Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Grant Period
Jan 2024
Grant Amount

€38.889,60

Thematic Tags
Market power Research Economic Justice
Grant purpose
Friso Bostoen is an assistant professor of competition law and digital regulation at Tilburg University. He researches how the law can deal with emerging technologies in a way that fosters innovation and fairness.
Giorgio Monti is a Professor of Competition Law at the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology and Society (TILT). His research interests cover competition law, the regulation of digital markets and European Union Law.
Developers train their foundation models on (copyrighted) content from the open web. They are starting to strike deals for the use of that content, but only with the largest publishers. Smaller creators face difficulties in getting remunerated for their content because they are so many and diverse, and because they lack bargaining power. In this project, Bostoen and Monti will research how markets for AI training data can be structured so as to be inclusive and fair. They will start by surveying existing (EU) regulatory models for data remuneration and then design their own solution, in consultation with stakeholders.
Fundación Ciudadana Civio

https://civio.es/

Spain

Build

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€60.000

Investigations Economic Justice Strategic Litigation Policy & Advocacy

https://civio.es/

Country

Spain

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€60.000

Thematic Tags
Investigations Economic Justice Strategic Litigation Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

Civio uses data journalism, advocacy, and legal action to ensure the Spanish government’s use of AI systems is open and fair. The grant has supported Civio in pursuing long-term strategic litgation against Spanish government arguing that the algorithms that affect people, including their source code, need to be made public. Civio has been able to file more than ten access to information requests about known AI/ADM systems in Spanish public administrations (e.g., Ministry of Interior for police-related systems, Ministry of Social Services for subsidies). They’ve used data journalism to raise awareness and explain the impacts of digitisation of public services to vulnerable people and were one of the founding organisations a coalition of Spanish civil society organisations working in AI topics: IA Ciudadana (Citizen’s AI, https://iaciudadana.org), where Civio is both contributing and complementing their knowledge and advocacy efforts.

Fundación Ciudadana Civio

https://civio.es/

Spain

Build

Nov 2024 -
Dec 2025

€40.250

Health equity Investigations Strategic Litigation

https://civio.es/

Country

Spain

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Nov 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€40.250

Thematic Tags
Health equity Investigations Strategic Litigation
Grant purpose
Spain is implementing AI chatbots in their justice and social security system, unbounded by the AI Act which will come into force in 2026. In response, and with support from the European AI & Society Fund, Civio will continue monitoring administrative decisions, the development of new AI systems and their impact on common citizens. Using public advocacy and face-to-face meetings, and the might of a growing coaltion they’re establishing, Civio will also follow-through on the promises made to Spanish civil society, such as participation in the recently-created AI sandbox and supervision agency.
Civio will use investigative journalism with transparent methodologies, combined with their knowledge of access to information, litigation and public procurement to look closely at the public healthcare systems. Their first exploration has shown AI systems being used without anyone having a registry of them.
Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte (GFF)

https://freiheitsrechte.org/

Germany

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€132.000

Digital Services Act Enforcement AI regulation Rule of law

https://freiheitsrechte.org/

Country

Germany

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€132.000

Thematic Tags
Digital Services Act Enforcement AI regulation Rule of law
Grant purpose
Based in Germany, Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte e.V. (GFF) promotes democracy and civil society, protects against disproportionate surveillance, and advocates for equal rights and social participation for everyone. Its strategic litigation efforts concern the use of automated-decision making (ADM) systems by state and private actors (for example, in immigration processes or online content moderation).
Following the entry into force of the Digital Services Act (DSA), in 2023 and 2024, the current German centre-left government appointed a regulatory body to take on the role of Digital Services Coordinator. When the EU Council proposed a new “Chat Control” regulation to combat child sexual abuse, involves mandatory scanning of messaging services for child sexual abuse material, GFF took an active role in promoting a fundamental rights-based approach to ADM systems – with the help of the European AI & Society Fund grant – laying the groundwork for future effective litigation against restrictions on platform users’ rights. They helped influence Germany’s position on the “Chat Control” proposal, pointing out that forcing online communications services to use error-prone AI filters would expose millions of users to privacy invasions and the threat of being wrongfully suspected of serious crimes.

 

United Kingdom

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€309.982,32

Gender justice Racial justice Research Policy & Advocacy

https://glitchcharity.co.uk/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€309.982,32

Thematic Tags
Gender justice Racial justice Research Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

Glitch is a UK charity committed to ending the abuse of women and marginalised people online. Through workshops, training, reports and programmes, Glitch equips the intersectional community to become the digital citizens we need in the world today. From grassroots to systemic change, Glitch advocates for an online world that is a safe space for all. The grant supported Glitch to conduct intersectional research project into deepfake image abuse specifically in relation to Black women. This research plugs an important gap in the ecosystem whereby there was no existing research on deepfakes that looking from an intersectional lense.

Glitch used the research as a foundation for identifying recommendations and further actions aimed at reducing the harms caused by racialised online gender-based violence. The grant also supported Glitch in conducting assessment and recommendations on the European AI Act “Artificial Intelligence & Online and Technology-facilitated Gender-Based Violence: An EU Landscape Analysis”, a report providing insights into current gaps around intersectional AI policy. Glitch also facilitated a group of Black women experts to work with Glitch colleagues on their policy response to Ofcom’s Illegal Harms consultation.

 

United Kingdom

Build

Jul 2024 -
Jun 2026

€111.375

Gender justice Research Racial justice Policy & Advocacy

https://glitchcharity.co.uk/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Jun 2026
Grant Amount

€111.375

Thematic Tags
Gender justice Research Racial justice Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
The grant from the European AI & Society Fund will enable Glitch to continue bringing an intersectional perspective to AI policy in Europe. This funding will enable Glitch to build on their collaborative research with the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) on deepfake image abuse of Black women, providing insights into an understudied area of AI harms. The funding will enable Glitch to consult with their community of Digital Citizens and co-create solutions with them for non-criminal routes to redress for Black women impacted by deepfake abuse. Being able to gather feedback from their community and co-create solutions will inform how Glitch and ENAR’s research can be used to develop strategy, policies, and interventions that best protect Black women. These co-created solutions will also support Glitch to advocate for preventative measures in tech development which better consider marginalised communities.
With this funding, Glitch aims to better coordinate their efforts with others working in the AI ecosystem. Glitch aims to build up a directly engaged ecosystem of Black researchers, tech experts, and facilitators who specifically focus on the impact of AI on Black women and Black people. This funding will contribute towards the staff time of Glitch’s Systemic Impact pod to carry out this work. Glitch will also further implement their new ‘working group’ approach, bringing in expert capacity on particular research subjects and/or research processes to help fill any gaps in knowledge within their team.
Global Data Justice Project

https://globaldatajustice.org/

Europe

Tech & Covid

Jan 2021 -
Dec 2022

€45.000

Research Rule of law Health equity Education

https://globaldatajustice.org/

Country

Europe

Funding Programme

Tech & Covid

Grant Period
Jan 2021 - Dec 2022
Grant Amount

€45.000

Thematic Tags
Research Rule of law Health equity Education
Grant purpose
Tilburg University’s Global Data Justice Project explored technology-led and market-driven “sector transgressions”, analysing how companies from the defence, intelligence and security sectors have pivoted to find new applications in areas such as health and education.
Global Health Advocates (GHA)

https://www.ghadvocates.eu/

France

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€145.706

Health equity Policy & Advocacy AI regulation

https://www.ghadvocates.eu/

Country

France

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€145.706

Thematic Tags
Health equity Policy & Advocacy AI regulation
Grant purpose
Global Health Advocates is a French NGO whose mission is to carry out political advocacy in France and with the EU institutions to ensure policies and resources are effectively addressing health inequalities. GHA focused on providing targeted policy
recommendations to French decision-makers on regulating AI technologies used in the healthcare sector. Part of this was its first analysis report on the challenges of regulating AI in healthcare in France titled “Soignons nos algos”, accompanied by a campaign urging to adopt a public label for AI systems used in healthcare. GHA is also a founding member of the Digital Health and Rights Alliance and has been contributing to the work of the alliance since its creation, strengthening collaboration across digital rights and health equity organisations and creating joint advocacy efforts, including on patients’ data privacy and AI regulation.
Health Action International (HAI)

https://haiweb.org/

Netherlands

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€270.000

Health equity AI regulation Policy & Advocacy Narrative change

https://haiweb.org/

Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€270.000

Thematic Tags
Health equity AI regulation Policy & Advocacy Narrative change
Grant purpose

Health Action International (HAI) is an independent non-profit organisation. It conducts research and advocacy to advance policies that enable access to safe, effective, affordable and quality-assured medicines and rational medicine use for everyone, everywhere. HAI focuses on creating long-lasting changes to government and industry policies and practices. The grant has enabled HAI to become a trusted expert on AI and health and share their experise both within civil society and towards policymakers.

 

HAI developed a report and diverse advocacy materials on the impact of the EU AI Act on AI used in healthcare, and worked to debunk MedTech industry led narratives aiming to exempt health tech from regulation, which especially impacts vulnerable people. HAI was leading advocacy efforts for classification of more health related Artificial Intelligence (AI) as high-risk under the Act; for retention of medical devices as high risk AI (against fierce lobby from the medical industry); and for a fundamental rights impact assessment which includes impact on health for all deployers of AI. HAI became a member of the Dutch standardisation body NEN (Nederlands Normalisatie Instituut) commission on AI and Big Data and the NEN working group on AI in healthcare. The grant also supported HAI advocacy on responsible use of AI in elderly care.

 

 

Health Action International (HAI)

https://haiweb.org/

Netherlands

Build

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€114.990

Health equity Policy & Advocacy

https://haiweb.org/

Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€114.990

Thematic Tags
Health equity Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
With this European AI & Society Fund grant, Health Action International (HAI) will address three priority areas. Firstly, they will advance health-centric AI policies by championing fundamental rights in EU regulatory files like the AI Act and European Health Data Space. Their focus is to ensure policies prioritise patients and their rights, for example through participation in standard-setting in the Dutch standardisation body. They will continue debunking overly optimistic narratives using evidence-based policy analysis and a fundamental rights lens to inform policymakers.
Secondly, in the Netherlands – where questionable AI floods elderly care – HAI will push for a patient-centric approach, pressing for a fairer, rights-focused approach and strong conditions for AI to be implemented in the sector.  Thirdly, HAI will promote collaboration with fellow organisations and experts across the EU, boosting coordination and expanding their network. Together, they will amplify their advocacy.
Hermes Center (Associazione Hermes) and The Good Lobby Italy

https://www.thegoodlobby.it/ https://hermescenter.org/

Italy

Ecosystem grants

Jan 2024 -
Dec 2024

€30.000

Narrative change Policy & Advocacy AI regulation

https://www.thegoodlobby.it/ https://hermescenter.org/

Country

Italy

Funding Programme

Ecosystem grants

Grant Period
Jan 2024 - Dec 2024
Grant Amount

€30.000

Thematic Tags
Narrative change Policy & Advocacy AI regulation
Grant purpose
The project was a joint-endeavour between the Hermes Center and the Good Lobby Italy. The Hermes Center protects people’s digital rights, through the publication of research and investigations, support and dissemination of open and free software and continuous advocacy and awareness raising activities.
With the support of this grant, organisations developed compelling narratives and public campaigns around risks of AI and the impacts of the European AI Act in Italy. In collaboration with artists, they also hosted an exhibition in Bologna engaging new people in the debate and politics of AI and surveillance technologies.
Hermes Center (Associazione Hermes) and The Good Lobby Italy

https://www.thegoodlobby.it/ https://hermescenter.org/

Italy

AI Act Implementation

Jan 2025 -
Dec 2024

€60.000

AI regulation Rule of law Civil society coordination

https://www.thegoodlobby.it/ https://hermescenter.org/

Country

Italy

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Jan 2025 - Dec 2024
Grant Amount

€60.000

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Rule of law Civil society coordination
Grant purpose
Hermes Center and the Good Lobby Italy are members of the Italian Digital and Human Rights Network and partners in the Reclaim Your Face campaign. Thanks to European AI & Society Fund funding, they aim to efficiently coordinate and strengthen the Network and increase their capacity to engage on the AI Act implementation process, notably:
  • identification/establishment of a human rights authority,
  • guidelines for managing redress mechanisms,
  • national regulation of biometric surveillance systems and development of its enforcement structure.

Greece

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€108.000

Migrant justice Rule of law AI regulation Enforcement

https://homodigitalis.gr/en/

Country

Greece

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€108.000

Thematic Tags
Migrant justice Rule of law AI regulation Enforcement
Grant purpose
Founded in 2018, Homo Digitalis is the first and only digital rights civil society organisation in Greece, and is a proud member of the European Digital Rights (EDRi) network. Its goal is the protection of human rights and freedoms in the digital age. It strives to influence legislators and policy makers on a national level, and raise awareness among the wider public regarding digital rights issues. When digital rights are jeopardised by public or private actors, Homo Digitalis carries out investigations, conducts studies and takes legal action.
Homo Digitalis has a strong track record of successful action in the field of AI and human rights protection in Greece, enjoying victories, recognition and an important network of allies. However, its actions are conducted on a completely volunteer basis and this status limits its strategic impact and negatively affects the organisation’s future development and sustainability. With the support of the European AI & Society Fund, Homo Digitalis hired a full-time Director of AI Matters for two years, setting up the framework necessary for transitioning to a full-time organisation and strategizing sustainable future growth. This helped transform Homo Digitalis into a strong human rights watchdog in the field of AI development and deployment, especially on matters related to technology-led policing and border management activities.

Greece

Build

Apr 2025 -
May 2026

€72.450

Enforcement Investigations Rule of law

https://homodigitalis.gr/en/

Country

Greece

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Apr 2025 - May 2026
Grant Amount

€72.450

Thematic Tags
Enforcement Investigations Rule of law
Grant purpose
Homo Digitalis (HD) is a digital rights civil society organisation in Greece, and a proud member of the European Digital Rights (EDRi) network. Its goal is the protection of human rights in the digital age. It strives to influence legislators and policy makers on a national level and raise awareness among the wider public regarding digital rights issues. Also, when digital rights are jeopardised by public or private actors, HD carries out investigations, conducts studies and takes legal action. For instance, in collaboration with allies, HD’s complaints led to the highest fines ever imposed by the Greek Data Protection Authority both to private (Clearview AI, 20 million euro) and to public (Hellenic Ministry of Asylum and Migration, 175.000 euro) entities in Greece.
After awarding funding to Homo Digitalis in 2023 for them to employ a full-time Director on AI and Human Rights for two years, this additional European AI & Society Fund grant will help them continue developing their organisation and transform Homo Digitalis into a strong human rights watchdog in the field of AI development and deployment. Homo Digitalis will monitor the enforcement of the AI Act into the Greek legal landscape, engaging with related stakeholders. They will also investigate the lack of compliance of AI systems deployed by Greek authorities in policing, border management and employment with the applicable rules.

Greece

AI Act Implementation

Mar 2025 -
Aug 2026

€48.000

AI regulation Civil society coordination Enforcement

https://homodigitalis.gr/en/

Country

Greece

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Mar 2025 - Aug 2026
Grant Amount

€48.000

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Civil society coordination Enforcement
Grant purpose

Homo Digitalis has formed key alliances with civil society groups at EU and national level, including European Digital Rights (EDRi), consumer, refugee, LGBTQI+, Roma, climate, disability, child, and youth rights organisations, among others. The AI Act implementation phase underscores the need for the civil society to continue to work together in a more comprehensive and structured manner to promote social justice. The project “G.A.I.N” aims at uniting expertise, knowledge and know-how, and build collective strategies towards this goal.

France

AI Accountability

May 2025 -
Dec 2026

€200.000

AI accountability Enforcement Labour rights

https://www.interetaagir.org/en/

Country

France

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
May 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€200.000

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Enforcement Labour rights
Grant purpose
INTERET A AGIR (IAA) is a collective of legal experts on a mission. IAA empowers civil society to use the law as a tool for positive change, defending fundamental rights and the public interest through strategic litigation.
IAA and its partners aim to highlight and reduce the systematic violation of AI workers’ fundamental rights in today’s globalised economy, using two legal frameworks: General Data Protection Regulation and the corporate duty of vigilance.
Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL)

https://www.iccl.ie/

Ireland

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€284.000

Rule of law Enforcement AI regulation

https://www.iccl.ie/

Country

Ireland

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€284.000

Thematic Tags
Rule of law Enforcement AI regulation
Grant purpose
ICCL is Ireland’s leading independent human rights organisation. Fully independent of business and government, ICCL has been at the forefront of progressive grassroots change in Ireland since its founding and its work is rooted in international human rights legal and policy expertise.
The European AI & Society Fund grant enabled ICCL to develop new technical expertise to identify and correct critical flaws in the AI Act that would have severely undermined the protection of people and their fundamental rights. These errors had not been identified by other organisations or by the co-legislators. They succeeded in correcting these flaws because official and legislators across the political spectrum have come to respect ICCL’s technical insight and forensic amendments. ICCL was invited to brief all major European Parliament parties – their recommendations were taken on board by all of them, in more than 100 amendments. ICCL will work with the European Parliament and the Council to strengthen the Liability Directives further.

 

Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) Enforce

https://www.iccl.ie/enforce/

Ireland

Making regulation work

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€171.106

Enforcement AI regulation Market power Environmental justice

https://www.iccl.ie/enforce/

Country

Ireland

Funding Programme

Making regulation work

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€171.106

Thematic Tags
Enforcement AI regulation Market power Environmental justice
Grant purpose

With this grant from the European AI & Society Fund, the Irish Council for Civic Liberties (ICCL Enforce) will build on its technical and policy expertise to implement and enforce the EU AI Act, and to strengthen global AI governance. To make the EU AI Act enforceable, ICCL Enforce will work with law makers on the code of practice for general purpose AI, delegated and implementing acts. This will be complemented by working with the AI regulators to set the tone for the enforcement regime of the EU AI Act. At the global level, ICCL Enforce will work with global forums such as the United Nations. In addition, ICCL Enforce will also work on the environmental impact of AI, and the concentration of power and anti-competitive practices of AI companies.

Isha Suri, Shyam Krishnakumar, and Titiksha Vashist

India

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Jan 2024

€65.960,75

Market power Research
Country

India

Funding Programme

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Grant Period
Jan 2024
Grant Amount

€65.960,75

Thematic Tags
Market power Research
Grant purpose
Isha Suri is a Research Lead at the Centre for Internet and Society, India. Her research interests include competition policy, digital infrastructure, and platform governance. She is an Electrical Engineer and also holds a post-graduate degree in law from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.
Shyam Krishnakumar is a Co-Founder of The Pranava Institute where he engages with key regulatory questions around emerging technology in the Indian context. At Pranava, Shyam leads interdisciplinary research on two focus areas: AI Ethics and Governance, and Governing Digital Public Infrastructures, interfacing with a wide range of stakeholders.
Titiksha Vashist is a Co-founder of The Pranava Institute. Her work focuses on emerging technology and its socio-political implications in India. She drives research projects at the intersection of technology, ethics, design, and policy. Titiksha is also an inaugural Maitri Fellow of the Center for Australia India Relations (CAIR), hosted as a researcher at the Tech Policy Design Centre, Australian National University.
While popular narrative around AI development suggests disruption of the competitive landscape through open models and frameworks, evidence suggests that it has entrenched market concentration with only a handful of corporations owning the compute infrastructure and technical capabilities to develop and deploy AI at scale.
Consequently, most companies are becoming increasingly dependent on these hyperscalers along with their bundled services. These hyperscalers often abuse their market dominance through customer lock-ins using committed spend discounts, tying and bundling, and higher egress fees. Through a mixed methods study these Fellows will explore if a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) based approach to open cloud computing for AI, aided by enabling policy and technical frameworks can emerge as a viable alternative to existing market concentration in compute infrastructure. They will identify principles of ‘openness’, including interoperability and decentralization, that are essential to an open cloud infrastructure initiative and explore ways to ensure such initiatives remain immune from dominance by large private players. They will also propose regulatory frameworks through which relevant regulators can reverse such gatekeeping efforts. The study will aim to provide actionable evidence-based recommendations to inform India’s approach to AI regulation and development including suitable frameworks for DPI governance.

Canada and USA

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Jan 2024

€59.372,85

Market power Research

https://www.scanthehorizon.org/

Country

Canada and USA

Funding Programme

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Grant Period
Jan 2024
Grant Amount

€59.372,85

Thematic Tags
Market power Research
Grant purpose
Jim Thomas of scanthehorizon.org is an international civil society researcher and advocate addressing new technologies, biodiversity, food systems and corporate power. He has three decades of experience tracking emerging technologies and international governance processes while supporting movements to understand tech impacts and craft response strategies.
“Generative Biology” describes the application of generative AI tools to the genetic engineering of biology. Rather than instructing a prompt to assemble texts or image, generative AI models promise to ‘generate’ novel DNA, RNA, Proteins and lifeforms for industrial or military uses. AI titans (including Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and Nvidia) are building out generative biology models. They hope to transform bioeconomy markets of food, pharma and biomaterials while also projecting an image of social usefulness beyond chatbots for Generative AI. Building on a commissioned literature review, this project will survey corporate actors developing ‘generative biology’ platforms, explore which markets are being targeted, ownership claims being made and alliances being forged to command more of the bioeconomy. The project will also develop a primer for policy action on the use of AI for genetic engineering.
K-Monitor Association, Danes Je Nov Dan, Watchdog Poland

https://siecobywatelska.pl/?lang=en https://k-monitor.hu/home https://danesjenovdan.si/

Hungary, Slovenia, Poland

AI Accountability

May 2025 -
Dec 2026

€132.080

AI accountability Rule of law Economic Justice

https://siecobywatelska.pl/?lang=en https://k-monitor.hu/home https://danesjenovdan.si/

Country

Hungary, Slovenia, Poland

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
May 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€132.080

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Rule of law Economic Justice
Grant purpose
Governments increasingly use AI for Automated-Decision Making (ADM) to improve the quality and efficiency of public services. However, these technologies also hold serious risks, such as contributing to biased decisions, limiting privacy and privatising public services.
Civic tech and transparency initiatives Danes Je Nov Dan (SI), K-Monitor (HU), and Watchdog Poland will work on improving the accountability of government AI/ADM use and explore how to make FOI laws and frameworks fit use of digital technologies by public administration.
LAFEDE.CAT – FEDERACIÓ D'ORGANITZACIONS PER A LA JUSTÍCIA GLOBAL

https://www.lafede.cat/ca/

Spain

AI Act Implementation

Jan 2025 -
Dec 2025

€59.000

AI regulation Policy & Advocacy Rule of law

https://www.lafede.cat/ca/

Country

Spain

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Jan 2025 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€59.000

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Policy & Advocacy Rule of law
Grant purpose

Lafede.cat has worked at the intersection of human rights and AI for four years, focusing on power imbalances and rights-based vulnerabilities. Their advocacy spans national and regional levels: from coordination of the “Public Space” group within the IA Ciudadana coalition, participation in the ‘Intelligent Borders’ task force led by AlgoRace, to serving on data and AI ethics committees of the Catalan Government. With this grant, Lafede.cat aims to consolidate their efforts, particularly through collaboration in the ‘AI Core Group’ coordinated by the European Digital Rights (EDRi).

Europe

AI Accountability

Jun 2025 -
Dec 2026

€160.000

AI accountability Narrative change Investigations Migrant justice

https://www.lighthousereports.com/

Country

Europe

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
Jun 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€160.000

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Narrative change Investigations Migrant justice
Grant purpose

Lighthouse Reports is an award-winning investigative newsroom known for its work on migration, surveillance and AI. Their team is drawn from multiple disciplines, including data science and visual forensics. Their collaborative investigations engage decision-makers, civil society, litigators and others in broad “communities of accountability”. Through this grant they aim to use their experience at the intersection of technology, surveillance and migration to do collaborative reporting with affected communities that reveals any disparate impacts of AI deployments.

Louis Boyd-Madsen, Gabriele Di Donfrancesco, and Clément Pouré

Europe

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Jan 2024

50.178,95

Research Investigations Market power
Country

Europe

Funding Programme

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Grant Period
Jan 2024
Grant Amount

50.178,95

Thematic Tags
Research Investigations Market power
Grant purpose
Louis Boyd – Madsen is an investigative journalist focused on the socio-economic impacts of the tech, climate, and finance intersection. His previous work as a university lecturer at the Institute for American Universities examined the political economy of nationalism and globalisation.
Gabriele Di Donfrancesco is an investigative journalist focused on utilities, climate, and social issues, often encompassing the impact of new technologies. Bylines on the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Jacobin, and RomaToday, among others.
Clément Pouré is an investigative journalist reporting on state surveillance and technology at work. His investigations have been published in Mediapart, Le Monde and the international French-speaking press.
Participants in Europe’s wholesale energy market increasingly use machine learning and automation to optimise their trading and navigate an increasingly fast-paced and volatile system. This project examines the power and potential pitfalls of this transformation, mapping out key players, regulatory structures, and empirical insights from across Europe’s bidding zones.
Margarida Silva

Belgium & The Netherlands; Global focus

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Jan 2024

€66.448,5

Market power Research Labour rights
Country

Belgium & The Netherlands; Global focus

Funding Programme

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Grant Period
Jan 2024
Grant Amount

€66.448,5

Thematic Tags
Market power Research Labour rights
Grant purpose
Margarida Silva researches the political and economic power of Big Tech at the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO). She has published research on Amazon’s marketplace dominance in Europe, Big Tech’s monopolisation strategies and their pushback against the Digital Markets Act. Before joining SOMO she researched and campaigned against the political influence of Big Tech and other corporate sectors over EU policymaking at Corporate Europe Observatory.
This fellowship is supported by Çağrı Çavuş, who has a background in digital competition law, and other SOMO colleagues with expertise in researching complex corporate structures.
With funding from the European AI & Society Fund, Margarida’s research will apply “follow the money” investigative techniques to the value chain of generative AI startups. The intention is to identify chokepoints created by Big Tech firms and the potential and actual impacts of their involvement. Expanding beyond the traditional competition policy framework, the investigation will pay special attention to the hidden role of labour and the expected business models for AI. The expectation is that the research will bridge the competition, labour and digital rights communities.

Germany

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€224.983

Digital Services Act Information environment AI regulation

https://mnemonic.org/

Country

Germany

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€224.983

Thematic Tags
Digital Services Act Information environment AI regulation
Grant purpose
Mnemonic works globally to help human rights defenders effectively use digital documentation of human rights violations and international crimes to support advocacy, justice and accountability.
The European AI & Society Fund grant has helped Mnemonic work with national and EU level policymakers in multi-stakeholder forums and conduct direct advocacy through coalitions. The Fund supported Mnemonic’s work on three counts: shaping and influencing public and policy discourse around AI and ADM governance at the European and national level; raising awareness mainly around content removals; and engaging in coalition work on content moderation.
As part of the Digital Services Act(DSA) Human Rights Alliance, alongside other civil society organisations, Mnemonic pushed for valuable changes in the DSA to ensure that the final version better safeguards the freedoms, rights and safety of users. These included:
1) Transparency reporting and having social media platforms report on the use of automation for content moderation, specify its precise purposes, and explain how they determine if it is accurate;
2) Requiring that platforms notify users when content has been “demoted” or is subject to other measures; and
3) Including special requirements for very large online platforms (VLOPs) to carry out additional due diligence on the impacts of their moderation policies and operations. The European AI Fund also supported Mnemonic in increasing their organisational capacity to engage in the EU legislative process and in gaining further visibility within the European civil society space by engaging with coalitions.

 

 

Moje Państwo Foundation

http://mojepanstwo.pl/

Poland

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
May 2023

€98.666

AI regulation Rule of law Policy & Advocacy

http://mojepanstwo.pl/

Country

Poland

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - May 2023
Grant Amount

€98.666

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Rule of law Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
Based in Poland, Moje Państwo Foundation’s mission is to strengthen citizens’ right to access information, secure freedom of expression and tackle corruption. Moje Państwo wants governments to be transparent and accountable, including when using technology that impacts citizens’ rights and obligations. Moje Państwo creates tools, and conducts research and strategic litigation that aims to increase transparency and civic participation. The organisation focuses mainly on Central and Eastern Europe but also conducts projects on a global scale.
Thanks to the European AI Fund’s grant, Moje Państwo was able to develop its capacity as a European digital policy advocacy organisation. By attending conferences, discussions and workshops they have strengthened two main areas of competence. Firstly, the implementation and use of AI/ADM systems in the public sector; and secondly, how to effectively influence policy at the national and EU level. Moje Państwo is now recognised as an expert in the field of the use of technology by the state – they have joined working groups on AI and the strategic directions of data management, both of which operate at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Poland.
The grant further enabled Moje Państwo to support public officials with their expertise, with two of their reports published on the government’s AI portal in materials intended for the public sector. Their postulates – expressed as part of consultations or letters addressed to EU bodies – were partially noticed and appeared among the amendments to the AI Act as part of the legislative work. They also succeeded in a case to force the Polish Ministry of Justice to disclose the algorithm used to randomly allocate cases to judges in the common courts, the implications of which will be of real importance for public administration practices in terms of disclosing this type of information to citizens.

 

Nicolas Eschenbaum

Switzerland

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Jan 2024

€45.970,70

Market power Research
Country

Switzerland

Funding Programme

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Grant Period
Jan 2024
Grant Amount

€45.970,70

Thematic Tags
Market power Research
Grant purpose
Nicolas Eschenbaum is a researcher and advisor for competition economics and digital markets. He studies how AI and digitisation affects markets and how digital technologies can be regulated in order to promote competition and innovation.
This research project conducts an empirical analysis of market shares and dependencies of AI foundation models. By examining public software repositories, the study aims to quantify which AI platforms and services are most widely used by developers. The findings are analysed in the context of AI providers’ monetization strategies and practical experiences of developers to provide a data-driven view of the market and inform discussions on competition and antitrust concerns in this rapidly evolving software ecosystem.
Novi Sindikat

https://novisindikat.hr/

Croatia

Ecosystem grants

Sep 2023 -
Sep 2024

€30.000

Labour rights Civil society coordination

https://novisindikat.hr/

Country

Croatia

Funding Programme

Ecosystem grants

Grant Period
Sep 2023 - Sep 2024
Grant Amount

€30.000

Thematic Tags
Labour rights Civil society coordination
Grant purpose
Novi Sindikat is a trade union in Croatia dedicated to advancing workers’ rights. Novi Sindikat serves as a unified platform for workers to voice their concerns, negotiate for living wages, and enhanced benefits. In 2023, while closely collaborating with platform workers, Novi Sindikat took a proactive stance in organising and representing the interests of platform workers in response to reWolt protests.
With this European AI & Society Fund grant, Novi Sindikat supported collaboration between trade unions advocating for and supporting the implementation of the EU Platform Workers Directive – empowering them to engage in collective bargaining in the AI-driven world of work and effectively protects workers’ rights. The project also equipped trade unions with the necessary knowledge and digital literacy skills to effectively navigate the complexities of AI applications in workplaces. For example, they explored issues related to data recovery as a way to reverse current power imbalances at work.
Observatorio de Trabajo, Algoritmo y Sociedad (TAS)

https://observa-tas.org/en/

Spain

AI Accountability

May 2025 -
Oct 2026

€132.757

Labour rights AI accountability Investigations

https://observa-tas.org/en/

Country

Spain

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
May 2025 - Oct 2026
Grant Amount

€132.757

Thematic Tags
Labour rights AI accountability Investigations
Grant purpose
Observatorio de Trabajo, Algoritmo y Sociedad (Work, Algorithm and Society Laboratory) keeps track of how the platform economy and the algorithmic organisation of work transforms labour, economies and politics. They seek to empower workers and democratise these new work environments, which often rely on biased algorithms and automated decision systems for hiring decisions, monitoring and surveillance, and work management.
With this grant, they will support informal riders who deliver food via the Glovo platform to access their rights, in light of Spain’s “Rider Law” which came into effect in 2021. They will investigate how Glovo bypasses Spanish regulations, exploits workers and blocks their social security rights.
Open Future Foundation

https://openfuture.eu/

Netherlands

AI Act Implementation

Jan 2025 -
Sep 2025

€41.375

AI regulation Market power Economic Justice

https://openfuture.eu/

Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

AI Act Implementation

Grant Period
Jan 2025 - Sep 2025
Grant Amount

€41.375

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Market power Economic Justice
Grant purpose

Open Future is a European think tank that develops new approaches to an open internet that maximises the societal benefits of shared data, knowledge, and culture. In the context of the AI Act and its implementation, Open Future is developing protocols for copyright compliance policies that establish meaningful, practical protections for information producers, creative workers, and other rightsholders. In the context of the ongoing unauthorised appropriation of creative labour, such protections are an important element of ensuring economic justice and fairness.

Panoptykon Foundation

https://en.panoptykon.org/

Poland

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€135.166

AI regulation Rule of law

https://en.panoptykon.org/

Country

Poland

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€135.166

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Rule of law
Grant purpose
Panoptykon Foundation is a Polish watchdog with a mission to protect fundamental rights in the context of growing surveillance and new technologies. Panoptykon keeps an eye on those who collect and use personal data to influence people, including public authorities, intelligence agencies and private corporations. They keep track of new legislation, develop alternative regulatory solutions and intervene in strategic cases.
This grant by the European AI & Society Fund enabled Panoptykon to engage in advocacy at both the EU and national level as well as engage in informal dialogue with industry and academic stakeholders who influence political processes in the European Parliament and Polish position in the Council. They commissioned a survey that confirmed EU citizens’ support for arguments formulated by civil society in the debate on AI Act, and hired a specialised agency (AWO) to help design and carry out effective political communication in Brussels.
Panoptykon recruited a new member of staff (initially as an external expert) with more than a decade’s experience in the field of human rights and technology to work on the AI Act. Panoptyokn’s work has influenced positions taken by shadow rapporteurs in the European Parliament and Polish government in the Council. While it is still impossible to predict the final outcome of this complex political process, it’s promising that many of the ideas pushed by the Panoptykon and EDRi working group for amending the Draft AI Act are “on the table” and subject to serious consideration.
Panoptykon Foundation

https://en.panoptykon.org/

Poland

Build

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€75.886

AI regulation Rule of law Policy & Advocacy

https://en.panoptykon.org/

Country

Poland

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€75.886

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Rule of law Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
Supported by the European AI & Society Fund, Panoptykon Foundation will focus on advocacy related to the AI Act and continue their watchdog role in Poland. They will focus on how big data and AI can be used responsibly in public policy making by introducing obligatory impact assessments for the Polish administration. They will advocate for effective consumer protection in AI-driven online services as state responsibility,  and call for strict safeguards (including independent oversight for law enforcement activity) and open debate before any state deployments of AI systems in policing or border governance.
To pursue this agenda, Panoptykon will engage in public consultations, bring these objectives to the Council for Digital Affairs, work with Polish tech journalists and political influencers, and publish op-eds and podcasts. Panoptykon will use the revision of Polish AI strategy and upcoming AI Act implementation as door openers to shape mainstream political debate.
Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)

https://picum.org/

Belgium

Build

Jul 2024 -
Dec 2025

€151.800

Migrant justice Racial justice Policy & Advocacy

https://picum.org/

Country

Belgium

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Jul 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€151.800

Thematic Tags
Migrant justice Racial justice Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

Following the adoption of the AI Act, there continues to be a critical need for perspectives within the ecosystem on the harmful ways that AI and other technology are used to reinforce racialised oppression, as exemplified in the migration and law enforcement fields. PICUM will continue efforts to sustain and build additional connections with diverse partners for collective work, in a way that is sustainable and strategic. In particular, we will continue our work with the #ProtectNotSurveil coalition to create and communicate a shared vision of what was at stake, and to connect various threads of our advocacy across migration and digital policy spaces, including through engagement with national partners.  We will continue work on the financing of technology for border management, ahead of the the review of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and negotiations for the post-2027 budgetary period; and step up our efforts to support our members’ national level mobilisation and advocacy to resist harmful trends in member states that seek to expand data gathering and exchange across sectors for immigration control purposes.

Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)

https://picum.org/

Belgium

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€270.000

Migrant justice AI regulation Labour rights Racial justice

https://picum.org/

Country

Belgium

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€270.000

Thematic Tags
Migrant justice AI regulation Labour rights Racial justice
Grant purpose
The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) is a network organisation that seeks a world where human mobility is recognised as a normal reality, and where all people are guaranteed their human rights regardless of migration or residence status. Bringing together a broad range of experience and expertise, PICUM generates and coordinates a humane and informed response to undocumented migrants’ realities and provides a platform for its members and partners to engage policy makers and the general public in the full realisation of their rights. Founded in 2001 as an initiative of frontline organisations to mobilise support for undocumented migrants, today PICUM leads a network of 164 civil society organisations in 31 countries.
This grant enabled PICUM to deepen partnerships with actors from digital rights and other sectors in collective advocacy on the AI Act (AIA) generally, and more specifically on migration and AI – from collaborating on the preparation of a briefing and proposed amendments to the draft regulation; to joint meetings with MEPs and their assistants; strategy and coordination calls; and the development of collective outputs. They also expanded their engagement on digital rights to other parts of PICUM’s work beyond the AIA.
Intersecting with child rights, they facilitated constructive engagement with privacy and surveillance concerns through the lens of their work on undocumented children. On labour rights, they worked with members and partners to understand and address the growing role of digital technologies for workplace control and implications for migrant workers. PICUM has continued to create and share tools and analysis that highlight the links between AI, technology and migration, and to articulate in different spaces and for different audiences the related impact and harms. By participating in the collective advocacy on the AI Act, they have shaped a shared analysis and approach; and helped others understand the intersection between tech and migration in ways that extend to other policy domains.
Privacy Network - StraLi

https://privacy-network.it/

Italy

AI Accountability

May 2025 -
Feb 2026

€65.000

Strategic Litigation AI accountability Rule of law

https://privacy-network.it/

Country

Italy

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
May 2025 - Feb 2026
Grant Amount

€65.000

Thematic Tags
Strategic Litigation AI accountability Rule of law
Grant purpose
Privacy Network is an Italian organisation specialised in digital rights protection, working to ensure technology serves society while preserving fundamental rights. StraLi is an Italian NGO whose core activity is the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms through strategic litigation.
With this grant, they will carry out work that enhances transparency and accountability in the use of SARI (Automatic Image Recognition System) by law enforcement and judicial authorities in Italy.
Reversing.Works

https://reversing.works/

Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria

AI Accountability

Apr 2025 -
Apr 2026

€80.000

Labour rights AI accountability Investigations

https://reversing.works/

Country

Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
Apr 2025 - Apr 2026
Grant Amount

€80.000

Thematic Tags
Labour rights AI accountability Investigations
Grant purpose
Reversing.Works use technical expertise and multidisciplinary knowledge to empower workers and protect their rights from automated decision-making, surveillance, and opaque technology. They’ve proven their strategy and skill with a four-year lawsuit that bridges the skills gaps between labour, privacy, and software security experts.
Now they want to continue to bring their technical insights to the labour field. With this project, they aim to lower the barrier of entry so that activists (unions, councils, or workers themselves) can get support and help in getting their boss – the platform – to respect workers’ rights.

Serbia

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€194.000

AI regulation Rule of law

https://sharefoundation.info/en/ https://politiscope.eu/

Country

Serbia

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€194.000

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Rule of law
Grant purpose

Countries in south-east Europe lacked capacity to implement AI systems in ways that take human rights into account. The European AI & Society Fund grant enabled SHARE Foundation and Politiscope to join forces to monitor and advocate on the development and implementation of AI legislation, as well as deliver existing, ongoing and planned AI projects in Serbia and Croatia. Their project – Monitoring AI-backed Surveillance Architectures (MASA) – advocate for better human rights standards in the development and implementation of legislation around AI in Europe.

Serbia

Build

Nov 2024 -
Dec 2025

€130.141

Policy & Advocacy AI regulation Rule of law Digital Services Act

https://sharefoundation.info/en/ https://politiscope.eu/

Country

Serbia

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Nov 2024 - Dec 2025
Grant Amount

€130.141

Thematic Tags
Policy & Advocacy AI regulation Rule of law Digital Services Act
Grant purpose
The grant will support SHARE Foundation and Politiscope in continuing their commitment to the Monitoring AI-backed Surveillance Architectures (MASA) project. Both organizations will maintain a vigilant focus on the deployment of advanced technologies in Serbia and Croatia. They aim to advocate for enhanced human rights standards in the development and application of legislation at both the national and EU levels.
Recognising the significant challenges posed by vulnerabilities such as state capture and weak institutions, which can lead to human rights abuses through the misuse of advanced technologies, the proper implementation of human rights standards is deemed essential. This is crucial for bolstering institutional independence and the rule of law. Our efforts will particularly focus on the impact of AI misuse on vulnerable groups.
Organisations we will monitor the implementation of key EU regulations, including the AI Act, Digital Services Act (DSA), and Digital Markets Act (DMA), while engaging with decision-makers and stakeholders to influence the evolution of artificial intelligence in Europe, concentrating on Serbia and Croatia.

United Kingdom

Ecosystem grants

Jan 2024 -
Dec 2024

€29.453

Migrant justice Investigations Rule of law Policy & Advocacy

https://www.statewatch.org/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Ecosystem grants

Grant Period
Jan 2024 - Dec 2024
Grant Amount

€29.453

Thematic Tags
Migrant justice Investigations Rule of law Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
Statewatch produces and promotes critical research, policy analysis and investigative journalism to inform debates, movements and campaigns on civil liberties, human rights and democratic standards. Statewatch seeks to provide information, analysis and tools for civil society in the UK and the EU to hold the state to account and achieve positive social change.
With a European AI & Society Fund grant, Statewatch investigated the EU’s deployment of potentially harmful AI systems for border control, migration and security. Their project increased democratic scrutiny and oversight of the EU’s ongoing activities to operationalise AI use by border guards, law enforcement and migration authorities. Use of AI is currently being encouraged through an AI roadmap managed by a working group of eu-Lisa, the EU’s justice and home affairs IT systems agency. Statewatch shared their findings with the Members of the European Parliament to increase their awareness and to demand change and democratic accountability.

United Kingdom

Build

Dec 2024 -
Mar 2025

€71.585

Investigations Rule of law Policy & Advocacy

https://www.statewatch.org/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Dec 2024 - Mar 2025
Grant Amount

€71.585

Thematic Tags
Investigations Rule of law Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose
Statewatch produces and promotes critical research, policy analysis and investigative journalism to inform debates, movements and campaigns on civil liberties, human rights and democratic standards. Statewatch seeks to provide information, analysis and tools for civil society in the UK and the EU to hold the state to account and achieve positive social change.
With this additional grant from the European AI & Society Fund, Statewatch exposed and challenged the criminalisation and discrimination caused by data-based crime ‘prediction’ and profiling systems employed by policing and criminal justice authorities in Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and the UK. It provided evidence of and information on the actual and potential harms posed by these systems to over-policed and marginalised populations and the wider public. This will create a basis for mobilisation by affected and interested groups to seek policy changes that defend and extend civil liberties and human rights, including in the context of work on the implementation of the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act.

Germany

Tech & Covid

Jan 2021 -
Dec 2021

€38.800

Health equity Research

https://superrr.net/en

Country

Germany

Funding Programme

Tech & Covid

Grant Period
Jan 2021 - Dec 2021
Grant Amount

€38.800

Thematic Tags
Health equity Research
Grant purpose

Superrr Lab examined the conceptualisation, development and deployment of digital public infrastructure in the fight against Covid-19, paying special attention to the role of digital civil society. They published a “Covid-19 Infrastructure Playbook” to help civil society organisations and governments navigate the ongoing digital transformation, be aware of the risks and opportunities, and act with public interest in mind.

Germany

Ecosystem grants

Jan 2024 -
Oct 2024

€26.500

Labour rights Policy & Advocacy Research

https://superrr.net/en

Country

Germany

Funding Programme

Ecosystem grants

Grant Period
Jan 2024 - Oct 2024
Grant Amount

€26.500

Thematic Tags
Labour rights Policy & Advocacy Research
Grant purpose
SUPERRR is a community and a lab. They develop visions and projects to create more equitable futures by researching technologies, building networks and shaping new narratives. SUPERRR challenges existing paradigms by bringing new perspectives and stakeholders to the discussion. SUPERRR has led extensive work with social media content moderators and data workers in Germany and Kenya.
With a European AI & Society Fund grant, SUPERRR aimed to secure fair working conditions and rights for frontline AI workers that are oftentimes exploited by wealthy tech companies. Their project enabled them to identify levers to improve AI workers’ working conditions through policy engagement on the Supply Chain Act (EU) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) enforcement. SUPERRR conducted research to map and understand the landscape, gaps and opportunities for change in tech policy and regulations and directly engaged with AI data workers to contribute to policy initiatives and form demands.
Systemic Justice

https://systemicjustice.ngo/

Netherlands

Open Call 2022

Nov 2022 -
Nov 2024

€250.000

Racial justice Community Building Policy & Advocacy

https://systemicjustice.ngo/

Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

Open Call 2022

Grant Period
Nov 2022 - Nov 2024
Grant Amount

€250.000

Thematic Tags
Racial justice Community Building Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

Systemic Justice is a Dutch organisation which radically transform how the law works for communities fighting for racial, social, and economic justice. This European AI & Society Fund grant supported them to explore how technology and AI cause daily, systemic harms to marginalised groups across Europe, and seek to disrupt and alleviate these harms by pioneering a new model of community-driven litigation. Simultaneously, Systemic Justice informed the policy and advocacy work of organisations in Europe, forming partnerships with movements and collectives to build their power and knowledge and putting communities in the driver’s seat every step of the way.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/

Europe

AI Accountability

May 2025 -
Dec 2026

€133.296

Investigations AI accountability Narrative change

https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/

Country

Europe

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
May 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€133.296

Thematic Tags
Investigations AI accountability Narrative change
Grant purpose
The Bureau is an independent, non-profit newsroom that sparks change through impact-led journalism. They have a strong track record of collaborative, high impact investigations into surveillance and workers’ rights.
This grant will support accountability for Big Tech’s role in AI-driven surveillance and repression that targets marginalised communities and at-risk citizens. By exposing their wrongdoing and delivering the evidence needed to challenge it, they will empower stakeholders such as European legislators, regulators, litigation partners and civil society organisations to take action.
The Good Lobby Italy

https://www.thegoodlobby.it/

Italy

Making regulation work

Oct 2024 -
Mar 2026

€45.000

AI regulation Civil society coordination Policy & Advocacy

https://www.thegoodlobby.it/

Country

Italy

Funding Programme

Making regulation work

Grant Period
Oct 2024 - Mar 2026
Grant Amount

€45.000

Thematic Tags
AI regulation Civil society coordination Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

With this European AI & Society Fund grant, The Good Lobby Italy will lead the development and growth of a nascent coalition of Italian civil society organisations – including Privacy Network, Hermes Centre for Transparency and Digital Human Rights, Strali, Period Think Tank and Amnesty International Italia – focused on digital human rights and the regulation of the impact of AI. The Good Lobby will contribute with its expertise in advocacy and lobbying. As well as shaping the structure and decision-making processes of the coalition, The Good Lobby Italy will refine the existing coalition priorities and strategy in order to effectively contribute to policy debates and key political and institutional stakeholders. They will also develop and execute an advocacy strategy to ensure the coalition’s voice reaches both political circles and the broader public.

The Migrant Justice Community of Practice coalition

https://iwspace.de/migrant-justice/

Greece, Germany

AI Accountability

May 2025 -
Dec 2026

€120.000

AI accountability Migrant justice Racial justice Gender justice

https://iwspace.de/migrant-justice/

Country

Greece, Germany

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
May 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€120.000

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Migrant justice Racial justice Gender justice
Grant purpose

The Migrant Justice Community of Practice (MJCoP) is a coalition of migrant-led organisations working to shift European migration policy toward community care and social provision. It focuses on building power amongst migrant and racialised-led justice organisations who are commonly under-funded and excluded from decision-making processes. The MJCoP is coordinated by the Greek Forum of Migrants, the International Women* Space and Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice. With this grant, they will develop strategies to address AI-based harms impacting migrant communities in Europe.

The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)

https://picum.org/

Belgium

Open Call 2020

Apr 2021 -
Jun 2024

€270.000

Migrant justice AI regulation Labour rights Policy & Advocacy

https://picum.org/

Country

Belgium

Funding Programme

Open Call 2020

Grant Period
Apr 2021 - Jun 2024
Grant Amount

€270.000

Thematic Tags
Migrant justice AI regulation Labour rights Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) is a network organisation that seeks a world where human mobility is recognised as a normal reality, and where all people are guaranteed their human rights regardless of migration or residence status. Bringing together a broad range of experience and expertise, PICUM generates and coordinates a humane and informed response to undocumented migrants’ realities and provides a platform for its members and partners to engage policy makers and the general public in the full realisation of their rights. Founded in 2001 as an initiative of frontline organisations to mobilise support for undocumented migrants, today PICUM leads a network of 164 civil society organisations in 31 countries.

Since PICUM has become a grantee, they have deepened partnerships with actors from digital rights and other sectors in collective advocacy on the AI Act (AIA), generally, and more specifically on migration and AI. This has involved collaboration on the preparation of a briefing and proposed amendments to the draft regulation; joint meetings with MEPs and their assistants; strategy and coordination calls; and the development of collective outputs. They have also expanded their engagement on digital rights to other parts of PICUM’s work beyond the AIA, such as in the area of child rights by facilitating constructive engagement with privacy and surveillance concerns through the lens of their work on undocumented children; and on labour rights, working with members and partners to understand and address the growing role of digital technologies for workplace control and implications for migrant workers. PICUM has continued to create and share tools and analysis that highlight the links between AI, technology and migration, and to articulate in different spaces and for different audiences the related impact and harms. Their contribution has, then, been in their participation in the collective advocacy on the AI Act and thus in shaping a shared analysis and approach; and their role in shaping understanding more generally of the intersection between tech and migration in ways that extend to other policy domains.

Think-tank for Action on Social Change (TASC)

https://www.tasc.ie/

Ireland

AI Accountability

Apr 2025 -
Jan 2027

€59.450

AI accountability Community Building Environmental justice

https://www.tasc.ie/

Country

Ireland

Funding Programme

AI Accountability

Grant Period
Apr 2025 - Jan 2027
Grant Amount

€59.450

Thematic Tags
AI accountability Community Building Environmental justice
Grant purpose
Think-tank for Action on Social Change (TASC) – Ireland’s only independent think tank focused on social equality – conducts research, drives public debate, influences policy, and supports grassroots change. Leveraging its expertise in economic inclusion, democracy, climate justice, health, and technology, TASC will examine the socio-environmental challenges faced by West Dublin communities hosting data centres.
Through a participatory democracy model, TASC will empower communities to advocate for their interests and hold data centre operators accountable for their impact on “sacrifice zones”, where deprivation and high pollution intersect.
Weaving Liberation

https://weavingliberation.org/

Netherlands

Build

Apr 2025 -
Dec 2026

€165.000

Community Building Narrative change Racial justice

https://weavingliberation.org/

Country

Netherlands

Funding Programme

Build

Grant Period
Apr 2025 - Dec 2026
Grant Amount

€165.000

Thematic Tags
Community Building Narrative change Racial justice
Grant purpose
Weaving Liberation is an ecosystem-building and regranting initiative focussed on supporting and resourcing digital justice organising in Europe. Codesigned by 30 organisations working towards racial, social, environmental and economic justice, they coordinate the implementation of “A vision for digital justice organising in Europe”, a programme of activities that will help create the conditions for communities to work towards anti-colonial and liberatory digital futures.
This European AI & Society Fund grant will support them to organise The Digital Liberation Retreat, a 5-day retreat for 70 people coming from different streams of civil society (migration rights, sex workers rights, environmental justice, anti-racism, disability justice, anti-poverty etc.), as well as technologists and researchers to build knowledge and connection, sharing practices and learnings around current legislations, advocacy efforts, litigation and organising strategies around AI and digital technologies, as well as imagining and building visions for AI, joining perspectives.
The retreat is a key space, otherwise absent in Europe, in which changemakers from all over Europe, coming from different perspectives, can exchange extensively around visions of AI. It will be a space of regeneration, nourishing imagination and stimulating innovative and bold thinking towards public interest technologies. Weaving Liberation will facilitate discussions around the conditions to enable such visions to become reality, with workshops around sustaining the work and operational resilience e.g. fiscal sponsors, fundraising, legal compliance, leadership model etc.
Who Targets Me

https://whotargets.me/en/

United Kingdom

Ecosystem grants

Sep 2023 -
Mar 2024

€29.825

Information environment Research Policy & Advocacy

https://whotargets.me/en/

Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

Ecosystem grants

Grant Period
Sep 2023 - Mar 2024
Grant Amount

€29.825

Thematic Tags
Information environment Research Policy & Advocacy
Grant purpose

Who Targets Me advocates for more transparency around political advertising in the digital age and creates transparency with their tools. With the help of European AI & Society Fund funding, Who Targets Me conducted research, advocacy, and technical experimentation to better understand the impact of generative AI on political advertising and enhance oversight in political campaigns.

Yung Au and Srujana Katta

United Kingdom

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Jan 2024

€66.448,50

Market power Rule of law Research
Country

United Kingdom

Funding Programme

AI & Market Power Fellowship/ New Political Thinking

Grant Period
Jan 2024
Grant Amount

€66.448,50

Thematic Tags
Market power Rule of law Research
Grant purpose
Yung Au is an OTF Senior Fellow at the School of Geography, University of Oxford and a Board Member of the Surveillance in the Majority World Network. Her work examines the supply chain of surveillance and policing technologies.
Srujana Katta is a PhD researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. Her research interests include digital platforms, AI, and collective action in the technology sector.
Early in 2023, the first Summit on Responsible AI in the Military Domain took place in The Hague, Netherlands, where more than 60 countries signed an endorsement for the responsible use of AI in the military. A year later, OpenAI quietly removed a company policy on not providing AI to militaries. In June 2024, another AI company Anthropic launched two AI models in the AWS marketplace, Claude 3 Haiku and Claude 3 Sonnet, specifically for use by government intelligence agencies. In light of these rapid developments, this project examines the intersection of general-purpose AI (GPAI) and the military industrial complex. It investigates the business models through which militaries, representing a particularly influential type of client, contract with GPAI providers, the longstanding power relations that structure these relationships, and the resulting potentials for harm.