2026 CAAI-Ant Group Research Fund (AGI Special Program) for Foundation Models, Agentic AI, and World Models

The 2026 CAAI-Ant Group Research Fund (AGI Special Program), jointly established by the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence and Ant Group, supports industry-academia collaboration advancing artificial general intelligence. Each selected project receives RMB 300,000 (approximately USD 41,000) for a one-year cooperation period, with the possibility of rolling support for projects achieving outstanding results. The fund covers three research directions: AI foundation models, agentic AI / AI agents, and token efficiency optimization / world models. Proposals were due June 30, 2026.

Microsoft AI for Accessibility is a grant program that supports developers, nonprofits, researchers, and startups building artificial intelligence tools that empower people with disabilities and advance disability inclusion. Grants range from $25,000 to $250,000 and may include Azure compute credits, technical support, and access to Microsoft AI experts, with award sizes depending on project scope and available funds. The program targets AI solutions across employment, daily life, and communication that expand accessibility and independence for people with disabilities.

Microsoft's AI for Accessibility programme is a multi-year, USD 25,000,000 commitment funding nonprofits, universities and research organisations that build AI-powered solutions for people with disabilities. Individual grants range from USD 25,000 to USD 250,000, and the current cycle carries a deadline of 31 December 2026 - a year-end date that is unusually generous compared with the tight windows typical of corporate AI grantmaking, and one that rewards taking time to build a properly co-designed proposal rather than rushing. Scope covers AI applied to disability and accessibility across a growing range of tools: reducing barriers, supporting communication, improving independence, and providing caregiving assistance at scale. In practice this spans assistive technology, artificial intelligence, accessibility and software development, and the programme's framing - empowering people living with disabilities - signals that proposals grounded in lived experience and disability community partnership will read more strongly than technically impressive tools designed for rather than with disabled users. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organisations and universities; the programme is generally open across the United States, though applicants should verify specific requirements directly with Microsoft since corporate programmes of this kind can carry country-level and entity-level conditions not stated in summary listings. One practical caveat: the award composition is not published. Microsoft's philanthropic programmes frequently combine cash with Azure credits, and a grant delivered largely as cloud credit funds a very different project plan than an equivalent cash award. Confirming the split with Microsoft before finalising a budget is worth the email. Application preparation involves confirming eligibility, gathering documentation, drafting the narrative and preparing a budget.

The F5 2026 STEM and AI Education Grants support nonprofits implementing STEM and AI education initiatives that prepare youth and underserved learners in Africa, Asia, and Latin America for the AI-driven economy. Funded organizations design programs that introduce AI literacy, foundational computational thinking, applied machine-learning projects, ethics of AI use, and pathways into STEM careers for students who would otherwise lack access. F5 prioritizes culturally adapted curricula, community-led delivery, partnerships with local schools and universities, and approaches that explicitly include girls, refugees, rural learners, and other underrepresented groups. Funded projects must demonstrate measurable learner outcomes and a clear sustainability plan beyond the grant period.