Transformative AI Fund: grants of USD 10,000 to 150,000 for projects reducing risks from advanced AI, rolling applications

The Transformative AI Fund, managed under Effective Altruism Funds (EA Funds) at the Centre for Effective Altruism, provides financial backing for early-stage initiatives focused on artificial intelligence. The fund specifically concentrates on projects addressing transformative AI, placing primary emphasis on mitigating global catastrophic risks associated with advanced artificial intelligence systems.

Grant amounts typically range between USD 10,000 and USD 150,000, with funding rarely extending up to USD 300,000. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing, rolling basis without fixed deadlines, allowing prospective applicants to submit proposals whenever their initiatives are prepared.

What is funded

The program supports early-stage interventions designed to ensure the transition to transformative artificial intelligence proceeds safely. Most grants focus on reducing global catastrophic threats through technical AI safety research, policy analysis, forecasting, public advocacy, and targeted demonstration initiatives.

Additionally, the fund finances training programs for researchers and practitioners, along with field-building infrastructure that supports the broader ecosystem. A smaller share of grants can cover other neglected considerations, including flourishing futures and digital or artificial sentience. For the time being, biosecurity and nuclear risk projects are not funded unless they directly intersect with artificial intelligence.

Who can apply

Funding is accessible to individual researchers and practitioners, newly established entities, and mature organisations that are introducing an entirely new project. Eligible categories include individuals, non-governmental organisations, research institutions, and start-ups.

The grantmaker is designed to be failure-tolerant and aims to serve as an initial funder for novel undertakings. Because many institutional donors only consider larger grants to established institutions, this fund specifically targets the early stage where initial funding rounds can help pilots get off the ground.

Conditions and requirements

The fund operates under a mandate of fast, early-stage, and risk-tolerant grantmaking. Applicants must demonstrate a clear connection to transformative AI, particularly explaining how the proposed work reduces major risks or handles high-stakes societal implications.

Practical tip. If you are launching a new organisation or pilot initiative, structure your proposal around a modest first check, such as a USD 25,000 proof of concept, before pursuing larger budgets. Fund managers frequently evaluate whether seed funding is the determining factor between a project running or not, so explicitly defining early operational milestones will strengthen your application.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted through the EA Funds online application portal. Because the fund operates on a rolling intake system, proposals are accepted at any time without calendar restrictions.

Submissions are evaluated by the full-time EA Funds management team and advisory personnel. Prospective applicants can also contact fund managers directly via email if they require procedural clarification prior to submission.

Applications are submitted on the donor’s page: funds.effectivealtruism.org.