OPEN: Mozilla Foundation 2027 Human-Scale AI Incubator initial proposals due November 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST (UTC-8).
International — Mozilla Foundation 2027 Human-Scale AI Incubator Grants ($300,000 Initial; Up to $500,000 Conditional; November 20 PST)
Mozilla Foundation 2027 Human-Scale AI Incubator: $300,000 USD initial 12-month grant; conditional follow-on up to $200,000, for up to $500,000 potential over three years. Working community-centered AI technologies with real users. Initial proposal due November 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST (UTC-8).
Funding$300,000 USD for a selected project's initial 12-month grant beginning April 2027. Up to an additional $200,000 USD is possible only if later progress and eligibility support it, for a conditional potential total of up to $500,000 USD across three years; the additional funding is not guaranteed.
DeadlineOPEN. Initial project proposal due Friday, November 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8). Only shortlisted applicants submit a later full application.
Last verified2026-11-06
Required next actionReview eligibility at https://www.mozillafoundation.org/sw/what-we-do/grantmaking/incubator/human-scale-ai/call-for-proposals/, FAQs at https://www.mozillafoundation.org/ca/what-we-do/grantmaking/incubator/human-scale-ai/call-for-proposals/faqs/, and global charity requirements at https://www.mozillafoundation.org/documents/501/Mozilla_Foundation_Grant_Eligibility_Guidelines_tNhKrgM.pdf. Confirm working AI technology, community traction, charitable public benefit, ability to receive U.S. nonprofit grant funds, and team participation; submit initial proposal in English through https://mozillafoundation.tfaforms.net/f/humanscaleai by November 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST (UTC-8).
Broad Eligibility
Worldwide applicants with an already functional, user-tested small, intentional, tailored AI system and early evidence of product-community fit. Eligible teams can include nonprofits, accredited academic institutions, qualifying for-profit entities and other structures, subject to demonstrated charitable public benefit and ability to accept a U.S. charity grant. Fiscal sponsorship may be used where appropriate. Ideas, wireframes, generic LLM chatbots and projects without users are not eligible.
Atlas Analysis
Official current Mozilla Human-Scale AI Incubator 2027 CFP, FAQ updated October 15 2026, full grant eligibility guidelines PDF and online application checked November 6, 2026. Distinct cycle MOZILLA-HUMAN-SCALE-AI-INCUBATOR-2027. Initial individual award $300,000 USD for 12 months, and an additional possible $200,000 over two years conditional on progress; maximum conditional $500,000 is NOT guaranteed. Seven total cohort members, three preselected. Fiscal sponsor generally possible, charitable status required by project (not necessarily entity). Geographic scope worldwide except sanction restrictions; recipients must legally accept US charity grant funding, bank account capable of USD payments. For organizational overhead Mozilla typically allows up to 10% and for-profit entities have extra spending limits. No universal mandatory matching funds stated. Source searches of all existing published and unpublished WP grant titles and source_url and funder taxonomy for Mozilla/Human-Scale on November 6, 2026 returned no matching cycle.
Grant opportunity
The Mozilla Foundation Human-Scale AI Incubator 2027 supports charitable teams building working, community-centered artificial intelligence technologies. The selected projects must use small or proportionate AI systems, give communities meaningful agency over data and technology, and target specific real-world needs rather than generic high-compute AI products. This is an applicant-facing, non-dilutive grant competition, not a purchasing contract.
Applicant funding and deadline
Selected projects receive $300,000 USD for the initial 12 months beginning April 2027. A successful project may later qualify for up to an additional $200,000 USD and two years of further support; $500,000 USD over three years is a conditional potential total, not a guaranteed initial award. Submit the initial project proposal by Friday, November 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8). Three cohort projects have been preselected; Mozilla seeks a total cohort of seven.
Who can apply
Worldwide applicants with an already functional, user-tested small, intentional, tailored AI system and early evidence of product-community fit. Eligible teams can include nonprofits, accredited academic institutions, qualifying for-profit entities and other structures, subject to demonstrated charitable public benefit and ability to accept a U.S. charity grant. Fiscal sponsorship may be used where appropriate. Ideas, wireframes, generic LLM chatbots and projects without users are not eligible. Projects should show that actual people or community partners already use, test, contribute to, or otherwise value the technology. Applicants must be legally eligible to enter a grant agreement and receive payments from a U.S. 501(c)(3) charity. Certain overseas nonprofits may need an equivalency determination. Individuals and for-profit teams must demonstrate a genuine charitable purpose, not commercial profit maximization.
Cost rules and restrictions
Mozilla generally permits organizational indirect costs of up to 10%, subject to award-specific approval. For-profit recipients face additional restrictions on unrestricted operating support and high-value capital equipment. Political campaigns, lobbying, sanctioned recipients, illegal activities, and projects whose primary purpose is commercial gain are excluded. The current call does not publish a universal matching-funds requirement. Awardees must participate in cohort calls, coaching and knowledge-sharing and contribute appropriate public-facing work or resources.
How to apply
Review the official call for proposals, current frequently asked questions and Mozilla Foundation grant eligibility guidelines. Then submit the initial project proposal using the official form in English. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to a full application later. Applicants should prepare evidence of a working product, project leadership, community demand, public-benefit objectives, technology architecture and realistic use of grant funding. Last verified: November 6, 2026.
Source verificationReferenced source · www.mozillafoundation.orgAtlas last verified this record 2026-11-06. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
