Bridging the Giving Gap: $150K AI Opportunity to Transform Global Philanthropy

Global giving is showing signs of strain. In 2024, just 33% of adults worldwide said they donated to charity – a four-point drop from the year before – with financial contributions falling sharply in at least 19 countries.

At the same time, only 5% of individual donations from high-income nations are directed toward international causes, despite rising global health and poverty challenges that demand greater support.

The issue isn’t a lack of goodwill- it’s the barriers in the way. Friction, complexity, and uncertainty continue to hold donors back. Many people struggle to identify causes that truly match their values or to navigate the legal and compliance hurdles tied to cross-border giving.

A $150,000 Opportunity for AI Innovation

The Gates Foundation’s AI to Accelerate Charitable Giving Grand Challenges is offering grants of up to $150,000 to fund solutions that use artificial intelligence to make giving easier, faster, and more impactful.

This isn’t a broad AI funding call. The focus is clear: practical tools and pilot projects that can demonstrate real-world impact in bridging the gap between the intention to give and actually taking action – especially in support of global health and development in low- and middle-income countries.

Projects should target at least one of the following areas:

• Donor discovery: AI tools that help individuals find relevant causes, understand impact, and align giving with personal values
• Reducing friction: Solutions that simplify cross-border compliance, strengthen trust, and turn intent into completed donations
• Infrastructure: Systems that improve data access, interoperability, and visibility of nonprofit information for AI-driven use

Strong proposals will also address responsible AI principles, including fairness, privacy, and sound data governance. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, NGOs, community-based organizations, and mission-driven private sector players.

Application deadline: April 28, 2026. Apply Here