FAQ: Ecosystem Grants programme

Can I apply if my organisation is not working on AI yet?

The short answer is yes, absolutely. You can be an organisation that focuses on environmental justice, social justice, labour rights or many other issues, or an organisation that already works in the digital rights field. We recognise that AI is not an isolated issue –  it touches nearly every aspect of our lives and requires wide engagement from civil society across different fields. You can apply for this grant if AI is a new topic on your agenda, and you are just getting your head around how to work on it, or equally if it’s already been a focus of your organisation for a while.

What do you mean by ‘Ecosystem’?

We believe that in order to build a sustainable, just and fair future, civil society needs to  actively contribute to and shape the public debate on AI. Our grantee community forms a small, but impactful ecosystem of actors working on AI policy in Europe, ensuring the public interest and fundamental rights are central to how it develops. They bring different skills and perspectives that collectively help to represent the interests of different people and communities and contribute in different ways to shaping the agenda. As AI becomes ever more widespread, we want to grow and strengthen this ecosystem. You can read more about our approach to this work here.

Is the European AI & Society Fund offering other funding?

At the moment the Ecosystem Grants are the only funding available. We are planning to launch a new Open Call in early 2024. Our Open Call programmes offer two year, flexible core funding for capacity building. See organisations and work that we have supported in the previous open calls and subscribe to our newsletter to hear about the next funding opportunities.

Is my organisation eligible to apply?

The general rule is that the organisation has to have a not-for-profit status and needs to be registered and carry out grant activities in one of the following countries: the EU, EEA, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia or the UK.

Organisations that have received funding through the Open Calls are not eligible for Ecosystem Grants.

If you are not sure if you are eligible, please contact us on info@europeanaifund.org – we are happy to discuss.

What costs does the budget cover?

This grant is project funding, providing funds to run and organise specific activities and deliver concrete outputs. We recognise that organisations have many associated costs when they undertake a project and we are committed to covering these. Make sure that you include relevant overhead costs for activities you’ve budgeted.

Do I need a co-funding for my project?

No, we do not require a co-financing from other funding sources for your project.
However, you also cannot use this grant as a co-financing for other projects you already report to other donors.

Go to the Ecosystem Grants page.