Press release

Redefining AI Innovation With Social Purpose: Patrick J. McGovern Foundation Announces $73.5 Million Toward AI for Humanity

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Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic construct; it has become a defining force in reshaping economies, ecosystems, and human lives. At this moment, AI’s potential is vast, making it a powerful new tool to embrace for collective progress.

Today, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation announces a total of $73.5 million in charitable contributions in 2024 to reinforce its proactive commitment to innovation and social impact. In collaboration with civil society, academia, and industry, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation continues to center human dignity, equity, and shared purpose to create a world where AI strengthens resilience, provides sustainable solutions, and promises meaningful change.

“The way we choose to envision, develop, and govern AI technologies today will fundamentally shape the future of our society. The stakes couldn’t be higher,” said Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. “This is not a moment to react; it’s a moment to lead. We believe that by investing in AI solutions grounded in human values, we can harness technology’s immense potential to benefit communities and individuals alike. AI can amplify human dignity, protect the vulnerable, drive global prosperity, and become a force for good.”

This transformative investment spotlights three strategic areas: partnerships with 144 nonprofit, academic, and governmental organizations worldwide; the development and delivery of AI solutions built for long-term societal benefit; and the creation of institutions designed to address the opportunities and challenges of the AI era. Through these initiatives, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation works alongside an established ecosystem of leaders and partners to showcase how AI can be a catalyst for progress.

The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation’s grant portfolio includes more than 11 countries, supporting organizations that leverage data science and AI to drive tangible change in a variety of areas with urgency, including climate change, human rights, media and journalism, crisis response, digital literacy, and health equity. Beyond funding, the Foundation equips nonprofits with the tools and training needed to understand and implement public-sector-ready AI solutions. Today’s announcement strengthens an ecosystem of partners working to center the human experience–our dignity, our safety, and our happiness–in the regulation, development, and deployment of emerging technologies.

Throughout 2024, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation supported global organizations, institutions, and initiatives advancing secure and responsible AI through policy and research this year. Notable contributions include support for the United Nations Global Digital Compact, the NSF’s Responsible Design, Development, and Deployment of Technologies (ReDDDoT) program, and the White House Public Interest Technology Commitment—a collaborative effort involving the Ford Foundation, Pivotal Ventures, Siegel Family Endowment, and other notable philanthropies—the National Academy of Sciences Roundtable on AI and Climate Change Decision Making, and the creation of a new hub for open source trust and safety software.

“AI technology already shapes and redefines our societies, economies, and lives, underscoring the need for ethical AI frameworks that respect human rights, human dignity, and cultural diversity. UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, adopted by all 194 Member States, responds to this challenge, and we are now actively implementing it in over 60 countries. The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation has been essential in this global effort. Their intellectual and financial support has amplified the impact, ensuring that all stakeholders, especially civil society, are actively involved in AI governance to hold power accountable, advocate for the public good, and advance a future where technology reflects our shared human values.” – Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General, UNESCO

“When we prepare the next generation of leaders with digital fluency, and build AI Readiness, we create opportunities for them to shape responsible tech development in their futures. The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation was one of the earliest believers in our work, and has been instrumental in helping us bring a vision for AI Readiness and a comprehensive AI literacy curriculum and tools to students across the United States–transforming our society to be one that is technologically empowered and equitable.” – Alex Kotran, Co-Founder & CEO, aiEDU: The AI Education Project

“Economic opportunity, human rights, and social justice are all impacted by AI—creating a pressing need for responsible governance to follow. The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation has helped us connect with policymakers, industry leaders, civil society, and startups to direct national AI policy in the best interest of all. This opens new doors to governance that contextually serves communities and creates positive social change.” – Linda Bonyo, CEO, Lawyers Hub

Through purpose-driven collaboration, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation empowers civil society across sectors to lead with curiosity and find new ways to strengthen communities, protect the planet, and ensure equitable progress. This $73.5 million investment in 2024 underscores the Foundation’s unwavering belief in the power of technology as a continued catalyst for growth and reflects our responsibility to better serve humanity’s highest ideals in 2025 and beyond.

To learn more and explore opportunities for partnership, visit https://www.mcgovern.org.

2024 Grants

  • Tectonic Video to create two PJMF Grantee Profile Films and one PJMF Overview Film. ($45,000)

  • iCog Anyone Can Code Consultants (iCog-ACC) – (DigiTruck) to support democratizing STEM education in Ethiopia by providing fundamental programming and robotics training to underprivileged young adults in marginalized areas, utilizing an off-grid mobile digital lab. ($100,000)

  • National Academy of Sciences to support the Roundtable on AI and Climate Change Decision Making. ($100,000)

  • STEMarts Labs to support the capacity and scaling of STEMarts Lab and the integration of AI and data science into their immersive mixed reality installations and STEAM programs (100,000)

  • TechTonic Justice to support low-income communities and advocates to influence decisions about AI use in high-impact areas ($100,000)

  • Social Science Research Council to complete a proof of concept using machine learning to predict the likelihood of intimate partner violence ($100,000)

  • Global Digital Health Network to support the 2024 Global Digital Health Forum ($100,000)

  • Lahore University of Management Sciences to support the Awaaz-e-Sehat program in empowering maternal healthcare workers in Pakistan with AI voice-enabled electronic record management capabilities ($100,000)

  • Laboratory of Public Policy and Internet – LAPIN to amplify civil society perspectives, indigenous voices, and environmental considerations in global AI governance discourse ($100,000)

  • Epicenter Foundation, Inc. to support a community of practice for local news organizations to share knowledge about AI use cases ($125,000)

  • Conservation X Labs to support the Wild Me Lab in using AI and satellite survey data to detect bark beetle attacks on California’s Giant Sequoias and enable early intervention ($131,667)

  • Computer History Museum to support CHM Live AI-related program events running from June 2024 – September 2026. ($150,000)

  • DataGénero to support the expansion and training of AymurAI’s models for courts in Latin America ($150,000)

  • Social Science Research Council to support the AI Commercialization Risks & Disclosures research project ($150,000)

  • Aimpower to improve the ability of automatic speech recognition models to recognize stuttered speech ($150,000)

  • Amrita Institute of Advanced Research to advance the use of AI/ML in strategic research ($180,000)

  • St. Gallen Endowment for Prosperity through Trade to expand CLaiRK’s capabilities and integrate digital policy data from Global Majority countries. ($193,000)

  • The Tech Interactive to support The Tech for Global Good program, elevating stories of global changemakers using tech for social progress. ($200,000)

  • SOLA (SOLAx) as a restricted gift to support the quality education of Afghan girls through the SOLAx platform ($200,000)

  • MIT Solve to provide support for the 2025 AI for Humanity Prize. ($200,000)

  • AnnieCannons, Inc. to empower survivors of human trafficking through trauma-informed tech training and career placement. ($200,000)

  • Virtue Foundation to support the Actionable Data Initiative in using ML and AI to create an efficient marketplace for global health service delivery by matching healthcare needs with available resources ($200,000)

  • HELINA to support the adoption and scale-up of FHIR across the African continent ($200,000)

  • University of California, San Francisco Foundation to support the San Francisco Cancer Initiative (SF CAN) and reduce the cancer burden and associated inequities in San Francisco ($200,000)

  • TIP Global Health to support the development of an AI framework leveraging point-of-care data to deliver predictive insights that improve maternal and child health outcomes in East Africa ($200,000)

  • Trusting News, Inc. to empower journalists with strategies for transparent AI use, building trust with audiences. ($200,000)

  • Management Leadership for Tomorrow to advance automation and real-time insights on MLT’s Racial Equity at Work platform ($200,000)

  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to support the OpenNotes Lab in using AI to enhance trust and communication between patients and their care teams ($220,000)

  • Karya to support pathways out of poverty for low-income communities by linking them to AI-driven earning, learning, and growth prospects. ($240,000)

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) To provide support for MIT Lincoln Laboratory Beaver Works’ efforts around diversity and inclusion, including scaling up outreach efforts at the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute, as well as building and scaling its model for public use. ($250,000)

  • Climate Cabinet Education to create and expand access to datasets mapping fossil fuel industry campaign contributions and climate change mitigation opportunities ($250,000)

  • The New Museum of Contemporary Art to provide leadership support of the NEW INC Art & Code Track ($250,000)

  • Karya to support bringing crowdsourced AI data collection to Ethiopia ($250,000)

  • Public Health Watch Inc. for fenceline communities to manage and share data on local pollution and associated health impacts ($250,000)

  • Foundation for Civic AI to support closing the digital divide and advancing AI for society ($250,000)

  • Techequity Collaborative to create a public-facing rental pricing dataset and research the impact of algorithms on the housing market ($250,000)

  • University of California, San Francisco Foundation to support the WISDOM study in incorporating the use of AI into their risk model to personalize each woman’s breast cancer screening schedule. ($250,000)

  • University of California, San Francisco Foundation to support advancing Multimodal Biosensing (MMBS) at Neuroscape to leverage AI and data science to gain a deeper understanding of an individual’s state in real-time with the goal of improving mental health globally. ($250,000)

  • Lawyers Hub to support the Africa AI Policy Lab ($250,000)

  • Algorithmic Justice League to advance AI harm detection and support pathways for redress. ($250,000)

  • EqualAI Charitable Foundation to advance AI literacy and responsible governance through education and cross-sector collaboration. ($250,000)

  • Online News Association to enhance AI fluency and adoption in journalism through targeted training and strategic workshops ($250,000)

  • The Conversation US Inc. to enhance fact-based journalism and strengthen the capacity of academic experts to contribute to public discourse on AI and data science ($250,000)

  • Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism CUNY Foundation Inc to develop and pilot a generative AI tool that democratizes access to critical safety guidance for journalists. ($250,000)

  • Oxfam America, Inc. to provide support for emergency humanitarian response efforts in the Gaza Strip and West Bank ($250,000)

  • Build Change to advance disaster-resilient housing solutions through AI-driven technical assistance ($250,000)

  • Hack Foundation to enable Hack Club’s teen-led expansion of AI education through “Jams”, workshops, and hackathons. ($300,000)

  • The Earth Genome to advance Earth Index’s real-time monitoring capabilities of earth observation data and expand user access. ($300,000)

  • Berkeley Earth, Inc to enhance localized climate projections for accurate, city-specific climate resilience planning. ($300,000)

  • mySociety to enhance the Local Intelligence Hub and amplify public data collaboration for scalable solutions ($300,000)

  • National Fair Housing Alliance to develop methods and tools to test for and mitigate racial bias at the intersection of AI and access to housing ($300,000)

  • Unlocked Labs to leverage data to accelerate decarceration through earned credit release laws and improve educational opportunities for people in prison ($300,000)

  • HealthAI to build a global repository and regulatory network for validated AI for health solutions. ($300,000)

  • The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University to support CHAI’s partnership with HL7 and working groups to advance responsible AI in healthcare ($300,000)

  • Paris Peace Forum to support the 2024 Paris Peace Forum and advance AI governance ($300,000)

  • Center for Democracy and Technology to bolster the work of the AI Governance Lab in advancing civil society interests in AI governance ($300,000)

  • All Tech Is Human to drive Responsible AI through corporate partnerships, policy resources, and multi-city convenings. ($300,000)

  • News Product Alliance Corporation to advance the development and implementation of AI-driven tools and frameworks to support local and nonprofit news organizations in adopting AI technology ($300,000)

  • KQED to sustain and expand climate data journalism efforts across California and strengthen data literacy among local journalists ($350,000)

  • Climate Collective Inc to support Climate Collective’s launch of the AI for Climate and Nature incubator ($350,000)

  • Northeastern University to scale and grow the Supply Trace platform and organizational structure. ($350,000)

  • Data-Pop Alliance to advance the Open Algorithms for Humanitarian Action (OPAL4HA) platform. ($350,000)

  • Open Earth Foundation to advance AI-driven urban climate action and data accessibility through the CityCatalyst platform. ($350,000)

  • Tiny News Collective Inc to enable AI-enhanced data tools and coaching programs for sustainable local journalism. ($350,000)

  • Thorn to support the creation of guardrails that reduce the risks of CSAM proliferation created by generative AI. ($350,000)

  • Clear Global Inc to enable scalable, multilingual, voice-powered communication and information channels for crisis-affected communities ($364,000)

  • Open Knowledge Foundation to enhance data literacy and accessibility through the Open Data Editor, a no-code tool for non-technical users. ($395,000)

  • Data Science 4 Everyone to continue advancing K-12 data science education and enhance parent and community engagement ($400,000)

  • Science for All Foundation/Equitech Futures to support Equitech Futures’ Applied Data institute, Civil Tech Institute, and Tech For Impact research fellowships ($400,000)

  • Kode With Klossy Inc to equip Gen Z women with the skills to become informed creators and responsible consumers of AI. ($400,000)

  • Open Contracting Partnership to expand OCP’s data-driven procurement models to new regions. ($400,000)

  • Pacific Community to support the second phase of DEP’s efforts to enhance digital Infrastructure and data access in the Pacific. ($400,000)

  • RAS AI Foundation to support the development of the Living Nature Machine project, the world’s first publicly available generative AI tool designed to compile and interpret vast amounts of nature data ($400,000)

  • ACLU Foundation to enhance civil liberties and promote justice through strategic litigation and advocacy using AI and data analytics. ($400,000)

  • Digital Green Foundation to advance tools for small-scale farmers to share and access data to improve climate resilience ($400,000)

  • HURIDOCS to use machine learning to enhance human rights data management and advocacy ($400,000)

  • Friends of King’s College London Association, Inc. to develop a data empowerment clinic to train communities on managing and governing their data, and to test technical mechanisms to enable public participation in AI design ($400,000)

  • D-tree International to support an AI-enabled continuum of care in Zanzibar ($400,000)

  • CareMessage to support AI-enabled product roadmap for clinic-patient communications ($400,000)

  • Maisha Meds Inc to enhance healthcare delivery through advanced forecasting, patient engagement, and data integration ($400,000)

  • Open Function Group to utilize generative AI to streamline data integration workflows and empower non-technical users ($400,000)

  • Jacaranda Health to optimize PROMPTS’ AI infrastructure and integrate multilingual LLMs to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes in Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa ($400,000)

  • Clinton Health Access Initiative Inc to develop and implement the Automated Visual Evaluation (AVE) tool for cervical cancer screening. ($400,000)

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to support the Jameel Clinic in utilizing machine learning for risk stratification of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms to prevent the development of invasive pancreatic cancer ($400,000)

  • Institute for Security and Technology to advance cross-sector efforts to evaluate and mitigate potential risks associated with the advancement of LLMs ($400,000)

  • Gigafact to develop and deploy an AI political claims database in swing states ($400,000)

  • Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project to enhance investigative journalism through the development and deployment of advanced data-sharing technologies and collaborative frameworks. ($400,000)

  • CarbonPlan to increase accountability in the voluntary carbon market and enable rapid, transparent data-sharing in the CDR market ($425,000)

  • Polaris to pilot AI use cases to generate insights from human trafficking data and implement survivor-centered data governance ($450,000)

  • Intelehealth to refine AI models for clinical decision support in resource-constrained settings ($450,000)

  • FIND to advance standards and capacity for improved health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. ($450,000)

  • Trek Medics International, Inc. to advance emergency response capabilities through AI-driven enhancements in the Beacon Crisis Dispatch platform ($450,000)

  • Reach University to expand AI and CS literacy through comprehensive teacher training programs. ($500,000)

  • Quill.org to design Quill’s AI Literacy curriculum and train instructional models to provide automated feedback ($500,000)

  • Common Sense Media to expand and unify Common Sense Media’s AI ratings across platforms, and develop AI literacy tools for safer digital environments. ($500,000)

  • Technovation to further Technovation’s mission to empower girls with tech skills through AI and entrepreneurship programs. ($500,000)

  • JA Worldwide Inc. to strengthen AI literacy among young people and transform impact reporting with GenAI ($500,000)

  • Benetech to refine technology to convert classroom STEM materials into accessible formats and create an AI reading companion for students with disabilities ($500,000)

  • Creative Commons to enhance the accessibility, sharing, and reuse of open climate data to address the climate crisis. ($500,000)

  • Cascade Climate, Inc. to launch a data sharing system for open-system CDR data and publish learnings from the data ($500,000)

  • Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) to advance environmental data and technology adoption across federal agencies, building critical capacity for climate-positive decision-making. ($500,000)

  • Stand.earth to enhance AI-driven tools for tracking environmental impacts of deforestation and fossil fuel financing. ($500,000)

  • Recidiviz Inc to support AI-product roadmap to reduce incarceration and support policymakers in ethically using AI ($500,000)

  • University of California, Berkeley to advance data science capacity and innovation in Togo through the establishment of a Data Lab ($500,000)

  • Meedan Inc to use ML to help media organizations collaboratively respond to misinformation with verified fact checks ($500,000)

  • News Revenue Hub to expand AI-driven advertising and sponsorship models, enhancing revenue for local journalism. ($500,000)

  • Ona Systems, Inc. to improve and prepare Ona’s open-source electronic health record platform, OpenSRP2, for further scale. ($500,000)

  • Digital Medicine Society Inc to partner with DIHI on the implementation of fit-for-purpose AI solutions in low-resource health systems. ($500,000)

  • Noora Health to develop AI tools to support home health caregivers in Global Majority countries ($500,000)

  • Jhpiego Corporation to expand HealthTech Hub Africa’s impact in health tech innovation. ($500,000)

  • Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP) to support the development and implementation of AI policies that promote a just, fair, and accountable society ($500,000)

  • CyberPeace Institute to enhance the CyberPeace Institute’s AI-driven cybersecurity initiatives ($500,000)

  • Brookings Institution to support the AI Equity Lab in developing and publicizing recommendations that advance the public interest ($500,000)

  • FFWD (Fast Forward) to build AI capacity and awareness throughout the tech for good ecosystem ($500,000)

  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to support further development of the OECD’s AI Index to guide and inform policy across member countries ($500,000)

  • American Journalism Project to expand AI tools and training for nonprofit newsrooms through the Product & AI Studio. ($500,000)

  • The George Washington University to enable the creation of scalable and community-driven Healthy Corner Store programs to improve food access and health outcomes in underserved communities ($500,000)

  • Learning Equality to build AI literacy and enable learning continuity in low-connectivity settings ($500,000)

  • inSupply Health Ltd to use AI to enhance supply chain functions for improved efficiency and effectiveness ($533,087)

  • Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team to advance HOT’s fAIr initiative, enhancing AI-assisted, community-driven mapping for vulnerable global regions. ($550,000)

  • OceanMind to support OceanMind’s global tracking of fossil fuel movements and enhance emissions transparency. ($600,000)

  • New_Public to launch AI tools that foster vibrant media ecosystems and explore AI use-cases for digital community platforms ($600,000)

  • Open Supply Hub to scale OS Hub’s platform and integrate Climate TRACE emissions data for enhanced supply chain transparency ($600,000)

  • The Marshall Project to expand the reach and impact of the “Investigate This!” initiative, a critical resource for enhancing local journalism on criminal justice issues across the United States ($600,000)

  • Malaria No More Fund to provide direct support for AI-enabled, climate-smart data platform for malaria control and support data-driven decision-making within the Ministry of Health in Indonesia ($600,000)

  • ReFED to advance data-driven food waste reduction strategies using AI and ML ($650,000)

  • Nexleaf Analytics to develop a holistic MIS for connected devices in clinics and hospitals to support cultures of data use within health systems ($650,000)

  • Climate Arc to advance the use of AI-tools in climate data analysis and improve the accuracy of net-zero transition assessments. ($690,000)

  • Generation to support Generation’s AI-enhanced curriculum for tech career access and economic mobility. ($750,000)

  • aiEDU: The AI Education Project for support to close the opportunity gap in AI education, literacy, and skills development. ($750,000)

  • Climate Policy Radar to support CPR’s development of AI tools for advanced climate policy analysis and global legislative insights. ($750,000)

  • Nature Conservancy to support the next phase of TNC’s Electronic Monitoring innovation work. ($750,000)

  • World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to deepen the adoption and implementation of the PACT technical standard ($750,000)

  • Open Climate Fix Ltd to expand the use of ML-enabled renewable energy forecasting in India ($750,000)

  • Audere to develop an AI toolkit to enable the creation of customized, locally relevant AI tools and datasets ($750,000)

  • Amnesty International to support Amnesty’s Algorithmic Accountability Lab to mobilize and empower civil society to evaluate AI systems and pursue accountability for AI-driven harms ($750,000)

  • Room to Read to advance literacy and gender equality outcomes through enhanced technology and data integration. ($750,000)

  • New Venture Fund to support the National Science Foundation’s Responsible Design, Development, and Deployment of Technologies (ReDDDoT) program ($1,000,000)

  • Trust & Safety Tooling Hub to scalably deliver open-source trust and safety tools to companies of all sizes. ($1,000,000)

  • Breaktime to promote tech-enabled crisis readiness through sustainable support for young adults experiencing housing insecurity. ($1,000,000)

  • Blue Star Families, Inc to integrate AI-driven technologies into Blue Star Families’ platform, enhancing military families’ engagement and resource access. ($1,000,000)

  • The Aspen Institute, Inc. to enhance public understanding and policy discourse around AI. ($1,250,000)

  • Conservation International to refine an AI tool for evaluating natural climate solutions projects, build AI literacy within the conservation community, and explore new use cases for AI in conservation ($1,500,000)

  • World Resources Institute to expand WRI’s Data Lab for climate-focused AI innovation and global data accessibility. ($1,500,000)

  • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to advance ethical AI governance through civil society networks, policy frameworks, and knowledge resources. ($1,500,000)

  • Creative West to support the development of an advocacy framework for artists’ rights in AI, intellectual property, and copyright, and to assist tech-centered artists in cross-sectoral work ($250,000)

  • Project Drawdown to support the development of the Drawdown Explorer to help identify and scale effective climate solutions and strategies ($250,000)

  • Indiaspora to support the AI for Social Good agenda at the Indiaspora Forum for Good ($100,000)

  • Northeastern University to support mapping the current use and future applications of AI for modernizing public health infrastructure, delivering population health services, and addressing the sociocultural determinants of health ($250,000)

The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation (PJMF) is a philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence and data science solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. PJMF works in partnership with public, private, and social institutions to drive progress on our most pressing challenges, including digital health, climate change, broad digital access, and data maturity in the social sector.