Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation Launch $50 Million Cities Deliver Initiative: AI Grants of $500,000–$2 Million for Public Services Worldwide

Overview

The Cities Deliver initiative is a grant programme managed by RF Catalytic Capital, an affiliate of The Rockefeller Foundation, and backed by a $50 million commitment from The Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation. Designed to improve the delivery of public services through artificial intelligence, the programme supports practical projects that address significant challenges faced by cities worldwide, with a particular focus on underserved and vulnerable populations. Grants are divided into a Seed track for early-stage concepts ready for an initial city pilot and a Scale track for solutions that have already demonstrated early results in a previous city pilot. The initiative focuses on four core areas: public health, economic mobility, environmental resilience, and civic engagement.

Who can apply

Eligible organisations may apply for funding provided they work in partnership with a city government committed to collaborating on the project. Individual applicants seeking personal funding are not eligible to apply. Furthermore, city governments are prohibited from applying directly under the programme rules.

What you get

The programme provides grants across two distinct development stages running for a duration of 24 months. The Seed track offers grants ranging from $500,000 to less than $1 million for early-stage concepts. The Scale track provides grants ranging from $1 million to $2 million for solutions that have already been piloted in a city and have shown early results.

Requirements

Projects must feature frontier AI models as a core component of the solution rather than as a peripheral feature, and must respond to a significant problem prioritised by a city government partner and the affected communities. Applicants must demonstrate that their proposed work addresses challenges in public health, economic mobility, environmental resilience, or civic engagement, while showing a clear pathway for responsible AI management, implementation, evaluation, and long-term sustainability.