The Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation have launched the new programme Cities deliver: AI solutions for public services. The initiative offers grants of $500,000 to $2 million to help local governments and their partners improve public services through artificial intelligence (AI), especially those focusing on underserved communities.
Credit: The Rockefeller Foundation
Focus area
The grant is open for local governments proposing AI solutions in the following areas:
- Public health: solutions that extend the reach and readiness of public health systems.
- Economic mobility: solutions that use AI to connect unemployed and underemployed residents with income, skills, and benefits.
- Environmental resilience: solutions that help cities forecast, withstand, and recover from environmental shocks, protecting both people and the infrastructure they depend on.
- Civic engagement: solutions that help city governments reach residents proactively and respond faster.
There are two funding tracks:
- Seed funding for early concepts, pilots: this track offers grants of between $500,000 to 1 million USD to help grantees refine the idea, build a prototype, and pilot it. The aim is to demonstrate evidence that the solution works, that people use it, and what it would take to scale it.
- Scale for solutions piloted in a city that can show early results: this track provides $1 million to 2 million USD for grantees to expand the idea within their city or extend it to another city. The solutions are expected to reach more people. Grantees should establish a credible path to long-term funding, such as a government budget.
All grants run for 24 months, with 50% disbursed at the start and the remaining 50% upon a documented mid-term milestone. Grants don’t guarantee follow-on funding. Applicants should be able to achieve the intended project goals with the funding available in this grant within 24 months.
Eligibility
Eligible projects should meet the following requirements.
- Led by an eligible organisation, which could be a non-project organisation or a public benefit organisation. Local governments cannot apply directly.
- Partnering with a city partner
- Working on a charitable purpose
The projects are expected to demonstrate the following qualities:
- Respond to demands from local government partners and the communities they serve.
- Start with the problem local governments have prioritised that affects vulnerable communities or promotes social welfare.
- A solution that takes advantage of the latest AI models, whose capabilities are central to the proposed solutions.
- Focus on readiness; therefore, integrating technology into public-sector settings is acceptable.
- Well-positioned to be sustained in terms of follow-on funding, city capacity, and integration with government systems.
- Demonstrate the ability to build and manage AI solutions safely and responsibly.
Application timeline
- October 14, 2026: call for proposals goes live.
- November 29, 2026: eligibility screening, Round 1 proposals (including eligibility screen and short video) due at 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time.
- December 2026: applicants are notified whether they are advancing to the next step (interviews).
- January 2027: interviews for applicants who have advanced to this step.
- February 2027: applicants are notified whether they are advancing to the next step (Round 2 Proposal).
- March 1, 2027: round 2 proposals due March 1, 2027 at 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time.
- April 2027: applicants are notified if selected for support or not.
Grants package
The grantees receive the following if selected:
- Funding: $500,000 to $2 million over 24 months.
- Peer learning: a facilitated cohort, plus webinars, mentorship, and evaluation support based on demand.
- Technical support: occasional AI product and engineering support, subject to capacity. This does not include bespoke support for each project.
- Visibility and network: access to Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation networks of city leaders, funders, and technical partners.
Credit: The Rockefeller Foundation