OpenAI EMEA Youth & Wellbeing Grant: €500,000 Funding Program to Support Youth Safety, Wellbeing & AI Literacy Across the EMEA Region
OpenAI has launched the EMEA Youth & Wellbeing Grant, a €500,000 funding program designed to help organizations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa support young people in navigating the rapidly expanding world of artificial intelligence. The initiative aims to empower NGOs and research institutions working directly with children, adolescents, families, and educators—or conducting independent research on AI’s impact on youth safety and development.
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in young people’s learning, creativity, and social interactions, ensuring its safe and beneficial use has become essential. This grant program supports practical, real-world interventions and independent research that advance understanding of safe and responsible AI for youth.
Why This Matters
AI brings new opportunities for learning, innovation, and connection—yet it also introduces risks around safety, wellbeing, and ethical use. OpenAI’s grant program seeks to strengthen youth-oriented organizations, deepen evidence and research, and broaden society’s capacity to create safer AI ecosystems.
The program aims to:
- Improve child and youth safety in the age of AI
- Advance effective AI literacy for young people, parents, and educators
- Produce independent, actionable research for policymakers and product teams
- Support organizations testing and evaluating safety tools in real-world scenarios
Scope of Funding
OpenAI will fund two main types of organizations and projects:
1. Civil Society & NGO Initiatives
Projects may include:
- Youth protection and harm-prevention programs
- AI literacy for young people, educators, or parents
- Practical safety tools and mechanisms to mitigate AI-related risks
- Training, awareness, or community-based programs focused on safe AI use
2. Research Institutions & Independent Researchers
Projects may include:
- Studies on AI’s role in education and youth development
- Research on online safety, wellbeing, and protection of minors
- Assessments of youth safety interventions and trust & safety mechanisms
- Evidence-based evaluations of AI impacts in real-world environments
Proposals should generate tangible outputs—such as toolkits, reports, datasets (within ethical norms), policy briefs, or scalable methods.
Funding Available
- Total Program Budget: €500,000
- Typical Grant Size: €25,000–€100,000
- Multi-year funding is possible for large-scale or collaborative projects
- Eligible expenses include reasonable direct and indirect project costs
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet all the following:
- Legally registered in an EMEA country
- Represent an NGO, nonprofit, university, research institution, or alliance
- Primary work involves youth safety, wellbeing, or AI’s impact on minors
- Ability to complete ethical, responsible research or programming
- Commitment to share methodologies, findings, and best practices
For-profit organizations are not a priority for this funding round.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be assessed according to:
High Priority Criteria
- Alignment with youth safety goals and AI-related impact
- Potential for measurable impact and scalability
- Ethical design, including safeguards for minors and secure data handling
- Feasibility, operational capacity, and realistic budget
Medium Priority
- Sustainability beyond the grant period
- Potential to strengthen long-term community or national capacity
How to Apply
Application Window
- Opens: January 28, 2026 (01:00 AM PST)
- Deadline: February 27, 2026 (12:00 PM PST)
Required Materials
Applicants must submit:
- Project title
- Proposal (max. 500 words) including:
- objectives
- methodology
- timeline
- deliverables
- relevance for policymakers, NGOs, and product teams
- Detailed project budget
- Team résumés and institutional affiliations
- Ethical and data governance statement
- Partnership confirmation letters (if applicable)
Review & Funding Timeline
- Preliminary Screening: Eligibility and completeness check
- Committee Review: Technical, ethical, and policy evaluation
- Final Approval & Contracting: Grant agreements finalized
- Funding Disbursement: Projects begin in Q2–Q3 2026
- Implementation & Reporting: Findings contribute to safety research, policy conversations, and AI product improvements
Common Questions
Who can apply?
NGOs, universities, research institutes, and independent research teams working in EMEA on youth safety, youth wellbeing, or AI’s impact on young people.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Not prioritized. Only exceptional proposals may be considered.
What outputs are expected?
Practical deliverables such as:
- Research reports and datasets
- Toolkits or frameworks for safe AI use
- Pilot assessments and evaluation results
- Policy recommendations and evidence-based briefs
Conclusion
The EMEA Youth & Wellbeing Grant represents a major opportunity for organizations striving to understand and improve AI’s role in young people’s lives. By supporting both practical interventions and rigorous research, the program aims to build a safer, more informed AI ecosystem that benefits children, families, and educators across the region.
If your organization is ready to advance youth-centered AI safety and wellbeing, now is the time to apply.
For more information: Click Here
Grant inquiries: emea-youth-grants@openai.com
(Note: OpenAI cannot provide status updates for unfunded applications.)
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