Aims/priorities: The Public Voices in AI Fund is part of Public Voices in AI, which aims to ensure that public views and voices are front and centre in all uses of AI. Public Voices in AI builds, shares and reviews knowledge and understanding about public views on AI and encourages a range of AI users and stakeholders to engage diverse communities in AI research, development, use and policy-making.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from lead applicants in the VCSE Sector.
The lead applicant’s organisation should be either:
- A charity, civil society or community group working directly with participants who have lived experience of under-representation in or negative outcomes from AI, or
- A social impact and social enterprise organisation. There is particular interest in supporting applications from organisations that are led by the communities they seek to serve.
These communities include, but are not limited to:
- Racialised minorities.
- Low-income groups.
- LGBTQ+ groups.
- Women.
- People with disabilities.
- People dependent on public sector support (eg Universal Credit).
- Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
- People with experience of homelessness, clinical, financial or other vulnerabilities.
Proposals are welcome that explore multiple disadvantages.
To be eligible, the lead organisation must:
- Have financial and administrative capacity to manage the grant, including a company bank account. Awards will be conditional upon passing due diligence checks.
- Demonstrate that they have established relationships with groups negatively affected by or underrepresented in AI.
All team members and projects must be UK based.
Grant amount: A total of £170,000 is available with grants of up to £50,000 each. It is expected that four to six projects will be funded.
Projects must be complete by the end of 2024 with a final project output due by 31 January 2025.
Application process: Guidance and the application form is available to download on the ESRC Digital Good Network website.
The timeline:
- Deadline for submissions: 3 July 5pm (UK time)
- Decisions communicated to applicants: by end July
- Projects cannot start before: 1 September 2024
- Projects must be complete by: 31 December 2024
- Final project outputs to be received by: 31 January 2025
- Public Voices in AI final event: TBC (will be early 2025 – before end of March)
Deadline: The completed application form and attachments must be submitted in one document by email to PublicVoicesinAI@digitalgood.net by Wednesday 3 July 2024 (17:00).
Contact information: Email PublicVoicesinAI@digitalgood.net
Website: The Public Voices in AI Fund - ESRC Digital Good Network