Rockefeller Foundation/OpenAI Foundation Cities Deliver: AI Solutions for Public Services (Up To $2 million to Organizations)

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Applications are open for Rockefeller Foundation/OpenAI Foundation Cities Deliver: AI Solutions for Public Services . The Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation are committing $50 million to Cities Deliver to support this work. The initiative will provide grants of $500,000 to $2 million to organizations working with city governments to improve public services through AI, especially for underserved communities. Together, these projects will aim to reach up to 100 million city residents worldwide.

Artificial intelligence now offers new ways to meet these needs. AI can help residents access services, anticipate problems before they become crises, and respond to resident needs more effectively. Putting these capabilities to work requires solutions built around residents’ needs and developed in partnership with city governments.

Rockefeller /OpenAI Cities Deliver: AI Solutions Focus Areas

We are seeking proposals that improve access to and quality of public services in vulnerable or underserved communities in the following focus areas:

Public Health
- Solutions that extend the reach and readiness of public health systems, from frontline care and disease surveillance to population-scale prevention. Includes healthcare, disability services, food access, and nutrition.
Economic Mobility
- Solutions use AI to connect unemployed and underemployed residents to income, skills, and benefits. Includes AI-enabled benefits enrollment, career navigation and skills-based hiring, and employer-aligned training.
Environmental Resilience
- Solutions that help cities forecast, withstand, and recover from environmental shocks, protecting both people and the infrastructure they depend on. Includes public safety and emergency services, energy and grid infrastructure, and land management in communities at risk.
Civic Engagement
- Solutions that help city governments reach residents proactively and respond faster, from two-way service channels to participatory decision-making. Includes digital access and connectivity, court services, and permitting and regulatory processes. Excludes projects related to voting or elections.

Two tracks of funding

Applications are accepted in two tracks:

Seed:
- $500,000 to $1 million
- For: Early concepts ready for a first city pilot
- Supports: Refining the idea with city partners, building and testing a prototype, and piloting it
- Success looks like: Evidence the solution works, people use it, and what it would take to sustain and scale it
Scale
- $1 to $2 million
- For: Solutions piloted in a city with early results
- Supports: Expanding within your city or extending to another city
- Success looks like: More people reached and a credible path to long-term funding, such as government budgets

All grants run 24 months, with 50% disbursed at the start and 50% upon a documented mid-term milestone. Grants don’t guarantee follow-on funding. Applicants should be able to achieve intended project goals with funding available in this grant within 24 months.

Rockefeller /OpenAI Cities Deliver: AI Solutions Benefits

What grantees receive:

Funding
- $500,000 to $2 million over 24 months.
Peer learning
- A facilitated cohort, plus webinars, mentorship, and evaluation support based on demand.
Technical support
- Occasional AI product and engineering support, subject to capacity. This does not include bespoke support for each project.
Visibility and network
- Access to Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation networks of city leaders, funders, and technical partners.
Convening
- Grantees and key stakeholders will be invited to participate in a global or regional convening to share experiences and lessons and to showcase their work.

Eligibility Criteria for Rockefeller /OpenAI Cities Deliver: AI Solutions

Every project needs:

An eligible lead organization
- A nonprofit (including university labs and fiscally sponsored organizations) or a public benefit corporation. For-profits may qualify in limited cases with a charitable project, and no more than an incidental benefit to the for-profit company’s business. Governments may not apply directly.
A city partner
- All applicant organizations must have a city partner with a commitment to collaborate.
A charitable purpose
- A benefit to underserved, poor, or distressed communities, or to social welfare.

Existing grantees of The Rockefeller Foundation and RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC) are also eligible to apply.

They are looking for projects and partnerships that:

Respond to demand.
The project addresses credible demand from city government partners and the communities they serve.
Start with the problem.
The project tackles a significant problem that your city government has prioritized, which affects vulnerable communities or promotes social welfare.
Then plan a solution.
The project takes advantage of the latest capabilities of frontier AI models, and those capabilities are core to the proposed solution.
Focus on readiness.
Your team and city partner can integrate technology into public sector settings.
Build for sustainability.
The project is well-positioned to be sustained in terms of follow-on funding, city capacity, and integration with government systems.
Act responsibly.
Applicants demonstrate the ability to build and manage AI solutions safely and responsibly.
Plan to learn.
Applicants propose a clear learning agenda for assessing progress including evaluation, user feedback, and path to social impact.

Application Process and Timeline

The overall process and timeline as follows:

October 14, 2026 – Call for proposals goes live.
DEADLINE: November 29, 2026 – Eligibility Screening, Round 1 proposals (including eligibility screen and short video) due at 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time.
December 2026 – Applicants are notified if advancing to next step (interviews) or not.
January 2027 – Interviews for applicants that have advanced to this step.
February 2027 – Applicants are notified if advancing to next step (Round 2 Proposal) or not.
DEADLINE March 1, 2027 – Round 2 proposals due March 1, 2027 at 11:59pm U.S. Eastern Time
April 2027 – Applicants are notified if selected for support or not.