The Pulitzer Center, a non-profit organisation that raises awareness of underreported global issues through direct support for quality journalism across all media platforms, is inviting civil society organisations, university professors, and researchers in Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia to apply for its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Accountability CoLab’s Microgrants, an opportunity to support local initiatives that strengthen understanding and governance of artificial intelligence.
Submissions should leverage insights from the Pulitzer Centre’s supported AI Accountability Network reporting and offer one or more of the following:
- Public Dialogue and Transparency: Projects that engage underrepresented civic groups in AI governance conversations from the outset, highlighting how AI affects these communities.
- Capacity Building: Initiatives aimed at empowering civic groups, students, or educational communities with the knowledge and tools to participate in AI discourse.
- Knowledge Sharing and Scaling: Efforts to scale learnings or tools broadly among civic actors, demonstrating innovation in format or delivery.
- Creative and Cultural Approaches: Projects that use storytelling, arts, or culturally grounded methods to reimagine AI governance in ways that challenge mainstream narratives.
Civil Society applicants must have a track record in public interest tech engagement or influencing policy; be registered in one of the focus regions; show operational capacity to handle an international microgrant; and have leadership support for their project.
Academic applicants (Professors/Researchers) must be affiliated with institutions or think tanks in the target regions; have experience in tech development or policymaking serving the public interest; and demonstrate leadership and capacity to manage grant resources.
Applications will be evaluated based on the extent to which they integrate insights from AI Accountability Network reporting; address AI’s intersection with human rights, governance, equity, or environmental issues; clearly define target audiences and include measurable outcomes; show potential for both short- and long-term impact; and amplify the perspectives of communities most affected by AI.
Each microgrant offers up to $4,000. To apply, please prepare and submit a project proposal aligned with the above funding areas and selection guidelines, as well as supporting documents, including a CV/resume and letters of recommendation.
Selected grantees will be announced in early October 2025.
Interested persons should complete the online application at https://pulitzercenter.submittable.com/submit/332803/south-to-south-ai-accountability-microgrant by August 31, 2025, at 11:59 pm Jakarta or August 31, 2025, 5:59 pm Kinshasa, or August 31, 2025, at 11:59 am Bogota.
Please reach out to ieo@pulitzercenter.org for any questions.
