Human-Scale AI: Call for Proposals

• Eligibility: Teams able to receive funding from a U.S.-based organisation
• Target region: Global
• Application language: English

Mozilla Foundation is seeking seven projects that put Human-Scale AI into practice: bespoke, fit-for-purpose technology designed at the scale of the problem it’s meant to solve. These projects will directly address the anxieties that regular people have about the largest AI systems: their resource use and environmental impact, the compromises they require on privacy and the way that they centralize power among a few large companies. Technologies already deployed with the people they’re designed to serve, even at a small scale or through an early pilot. Projects should show early evidence of product-community fit, while still having significant technical, product, community, deployment, or sustainability work ahead.

Selected projects will receive $300,000 USD and 12 months of intensive support beginning in April 2027. Projects that demonstrate strong progress may be eligible for up to $200,000 USD in additional funding and two more years of bespoke support—bringing the total potential support to $500,000 USD over three years.

For more details, save the date for their upcoming info session on November (12, 5 p.m. UTC, 12 p.m. EST,  9 a.m. PST), Registration details coming soon.

Requirements

• As a selected participant, you will take part in cohort calls, workshops, coaching, and other offerings. Required sessions will generally be limited to one or two hour-long virtual meetings a month.
• You will share challenges, approaches, resources and lessons with your peers as your project develops.
• You will share outputs and learnings so that your cohort, the communities you serve, and the broader field can benefit. This could mean open source code, educational resources, public workshops or something else.
• By the end of the project period, each team should leave behind something of value that others can use or build on—whether that’s open-source components, documentation, datasets, research, shared methodologies, community access, or another public-facing resource appropriate to the project.
• Success means the alternatives Mozilla backs succeed and endure. They want a significant number of projects in this cohort to become sustainable organizations and companies—still building and still giving people a real alternative five or ten years from now.
• Selected applicants will receive tailored coaching, workshops, connections, and outside expertise focused on the challenges and opportunities that matter most to your work. They will be assigned a program officer, have access to mission-driven technologists, and they will be given the opportunity to share their work and build new relationships at their flagship Festival, including a spot at the Incubator Showcase.

Eligibility

• You must be legally able to receive grant funds from Mozilla Foundation.
• While you do not need to be a non-profit organization to apply, your project must have a charitable purpose.
• Applications must be submitted in English. Translation tools are welcome.
• Mozilla’s looking for working technologies already deployed with the people they’re designed to serve, even at a small scale or through an early pilot. Projects should show early evidence of product-community fit, while still having significant technical, product, community, deployment, or sustainability work ahead.
• Generally, they are not looking for systems that replicate the ways that the largest AI companies and systems operate, in terms of scale, user agency, privacy and resource use.
• The only requirement for team structure is that it be sufficient to effectively execute the work you propose. Please also keep in mind that any team selected for this award must be able to receive funding from a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organization.
• Please see the eligibility guidelines for further details.

How to apply

Applications are reviewed through a multi-stage process. The primary review occurs at the Initial Project Proposal stage, with only a small number of shortlisted applicants invited to submit a full application. The deadline to apply is Friday, November 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8). Apply here.

For more information, please visit this page.