OpenAI Foundation names 163 nonprofits for $50 million in AI grants, with legal aid, arts groups and local newsrooms among them
The second round of the People-First AI Fund, announced Oct. 1, gives unrestricted grants to nonprofits in 35 states and the District of Columbia. They were picked from 1,669 applications, and the foundation aims to pay every grant in full by the end of 2026.
San Francisco. The OpenAI Foundation said on Oct. 1 that it will give $50 million in unrestricted grants to 163 nonprofits based in 35 states and the District of Columbia, the second round of its People-First AI Fund. The grantees are exploring how artificial intelligence could help people reach essential services, sustain arts and cultural institutions, and support local journalism.
The round builds on a first $50 million fund the foundation launched in 2025. This year's open call drew 1,669 applications. Every one was reviewed by an experienced outside grantmaker, the foundation said, and selection weighed community trust, demonstrated impact and a thoughtful approach to exploring AI. Daniel Zingale, who convened the OpenAI Nonprofit Commission, worked with outside advisers to design the review. The foundation aims to pay every grant in full before the end of 2026.
No product required
The foundation calls the fund product-agnostic: grantees may choose any AI tool or platform, or none. Most of this year's grantees are new to the fund, and a few are returning. The foundation's list does not give the size of each grant.
Among the grantees it described, Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, which provides free civil legal services in Kern County, Calif., is piloting AI tools for intake and multilingual resources. JustFix, in New York, is exploring tools that help renters understand rent records and navigate eviction. Rural Opportunity Institute, in North Carolina, helps rural schools get public funding for student mental health services; the foundation said its use of AI in back-office work helped partner schools double their Medicaid revenue. Nashville Jazz Workshop plans to make its concert archive searchable.
Community Connections, a Durango, Colo., nonprofit that is the state-designated Medicaid case management agency for Southwest Colorado, received $494,000, ColoradoBiz reported on Oct. 5. It plans to explore ways to connect administrative systems and cut repetitive documentation.
Grants for local news
Journalism received both direct grants and grants meant to carry the fund's support to more outlets. Among them are the American Journalism Project, which invests in nonprofit community newsrooms, and the Colorado News Collaborative, which connects 200 local news organizations and is coordinating an AI learning network across the state. Honolulu Civil Beat uses AI to make public records about the Hawaii Legislature easier to search.
The Local Media Association and the Local Media Foundation, both of Lake City, Mich., announced the same day that they had been selected. They said they would use the money to deepen AI literacy and build shared capacity across local newsrooms.
“This support strengthens our ability to equip local newsrooms with the tools, learning, and infrastructure needed to remain sustainable, trusted sources of vital information for their communities.”
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