Global Health and Wellbeing in an Era of Transformative AI Grant

The Request for Proposals on Global Health and Wellbeing in an Era of Transformative AI is offered by Coefficient Giving, a private philanthropic organization focused on improving global health, accelerating scientific progress, and enhancing economic outcomes. This funding initiative reflects the organization’s recognition that rapid advances in artificial intelligence could significantly reshape global health systems, research pipelines, and economic development trajectories. Historically, global health philanthropy has operated under assumptions of gradual progress, but this opportunity explicitly seeks to address the discontinuities that transformative AI may introduce, particularly for low- and middle-income countries. The primary purpose of this RFP is to support work that ensures AI contributes positively to human health and wellbeing, while mitigating risks that could disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. The scope includes research, policy development, implementation projects, and field-building activities. The funder is especially interested in projects that anticipate how AI may alter bottlenecks in biomedical research, healthcare delivery, and economic systems, and that propose actionable strategies to respond to these shifts. Unlike traditional “AI for good” initiatives, this program emphasizes systemic and forward-looking interventions rather than direct application of AI tools. Funding is expected to support a wide range of activities, including exploratory research, policy analysis, institutional capacity building, and the creation of new organizations. Projects may address topics such as clinical trial infrastructure in developing countries, regulatory readiness for AI-driven therapies, labor market adaptation in emerging economies, and equitable distribution of economic gains from AI. Allowable uses of funds include staffing, research execution, pilot programs, and infrastructure development. There are no stated matching requirements, and grants are generally expected to last up to two years, with renewability depending on the nature of the project. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and inclusive. Applicants may include individuals, academic institutions, nonprofits, think tanks, and for-profit entities, provided their structure aligns with the goals of the grant. The program explicitly encourages applications from those based in or working closely with low- and middle-income countries, as well as individuals or organizations new to AI-related work. Proposals to establish new organizations are also eligible, reflecting the funder’s interest in seeding new capacity in this emerging field. The application process is straightforward and conducted through an online submission form. Applicants must indicate their requested funding category, which determines the review process. Exploratory grants receive direct decisions, standard grants may involve follow-up inquiries, and major grants begin with an expression of interest followed by potential invitation for a full proposal. While the application components are not exhaustively detailed, submissions are expected to clearly articulate the project’s goals, methodology, and expected impact on health and economic outcomes. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until August 21, with review timelines varying depending on the size and complexity of the request. Larger grants may require extended evaluation periods. The funder assesses proposals using an Importance, Neglectedness, and Tractability framework, prioritizing projects that address significant challenges, fill gaps in existing efforts, and demonstrate a clear path to impact. While specific award notification timelines are not provided, applicants should anticipate variability based on grant size. This RFP does not explicitly state recurrence, but it signals potential future related funding opportunities, particularly in adjacent areas such as AI-enabled interventions.

Focus on demonstrating importance neglectedness and tractability; clearly articulate path to real world impact