The Alignment Project

The Alignment Project is sponsored by AI Security Institute. Funds interdisciplinary research to ensure advanced AI systems are safe, reliable, and beneficial to society.

How to Apply to the Alignment Project by AISI Please enable javascript for this website. We are interested in funding projects to develop mitigations for safety and security risks from misaligned AI systems. Applications for the Alignment Project are currently closed.

They are expected to reopen in summer 2026. Please check back or email aisialignmentproject@dsit. gov.uk to receive updates.

Round 1: Alignment Project Timeline You can apply for the Alignment Project through the DSIT Funding Portal . Applications open for round 1 11 th August 2025 – 4. 00pm GMT End of Clarification Questions Deadline for round 1 Applications Stage 1: Assessment of Eligibility and Expression of Interest (EOI) Outcomes from the Stage 1 assessment Stage 2: Full Application Form Submission.

Shortlisted applicants will work with a Research Sponsor for 4 weeks to iterate and complete their full application. AISI will aim to notify applicants of the outcome within 3-5 weeks of full application submission. Within 2 weeks of signing the Funding Agreement.

Payments will be made monthly in arrears, subject to submission of milestone-based reporting. In exceptional circumstances, depending on need, we may consider one payment in advance of activity. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis and reflected in the Funding Agreement.

Researchers based at any university, start-up, non-profit or independent team worldwide can apply, subject to due diligence requirements. The Alignment Project funds research which contributes to AI alignment and control. The full scope is set out in our priority research areas .

Where uncertain, we encourage you to apply and will take a decision on whether the proposal falls within the established scope. ‍ If your application to The Alignment Project is successful, you will receive a customised support package designed to meet the needs of your project. Rather than a fixed funding structure, we take a flexible, case-by-case approach to funding.

Your package may include: Cash funding to support salaries, operations, or research expenses. Compute credits to access cloud-based resources for training, experimentation, and scaling. Support from expert researchers, drawn from our expert advisors and aligned domain specialists.

We will work with successful applicants to design a package that fits your project’s goals and practical needs.

Funding decisions will take into account: The amount requested and the rationale behind it The duration of your project Your organisational status (e.g. academic team, start-up, independent researcher) Your technical infrastructure requirements, including compute and specialist input We expect most projects will last 6-24 months, with a default of 1 year. The webinar was held on 11 August.

Watch the recording here: Please refer to the Clarification Document for the final answers. Clarification Questions (CQ) For clarifications, you may refer to our CQ document on the website or email us at aisialignmentproject@dsit. gov.uk.

To ensure fairness and transparency, we do not respond to individual emails but will update the CQ document if the question is relevant. Stage 1: Eligibility Statement and Expression of Interest (EOI) Submission All prospective applicants are required to complete an Eligibility Statement and EOI form .

This allows us to assess preliminary eligibility and determine whether applicants’ proposals are suitable to proceed to the next stage of development and assessment. Stage 2 : Shortlisting and Invitation to Submit a Full Application Following the review of eligibility and EOIs, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full application .

As part of this process, they will have the opportunity to work closely with an assigned Research Sponsor to refine their proposals and help strengthen their submissions before final assessment. The full application will include: Eligibility Declaration – Confirmation that there have been no changes since Stage 1 (EOI) that would affect their eligibility.

Full Research Proposal – An opportunity for the applicant to further develop and refine initial ideas from the EOI stage. Budget – This will include a breakdown of anticipated costs, ensuring clear justification and alignment with the project’s scope and objectives. *Submission of an EOI does not guarantee progression to the full application stage.

The selection process consists of two key stages, mirroring the two stages of the application, designed to assess eligibility and alignment with our priority research areas, and the overall strength of each application. Stage 1. Initial Screening and EOI review Applications will undergo an initial screening to ensure they meet the basic eligibility requirements and pass due diligence checks.

Eligible EOIs will then go through a quality review based on pre-defined selection criteria . Following this initial assessment, applicants will be notified of the outcome. EOIs will be assessed based on the following five key criteria.

Applicants should ensure their EOIs and full applications clearly address each area to strengthen their submission. 1: Is the proposal relevant ? The proposed research must align with the objectives of the Alignment Project.

We particularly welcome proposals that align to our priority research areas. The problem statement should be well-defined, demonstrating a clear understanding of the challenges it seeks to address. The proposal should outline how the research or activity contributes to advancing our priority research areas, filling gaps in existing knowledge, or providing actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners.

2: Is the proposal feasible ? The research plan should have clearly defined objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes. The proposal should demonstrate a realistic approach to achieving its goals within the proposed timeline and budget.

The research should be technically and logistically feasible, with consideration of potential risks and mitigation strategies. 3: Is the proposal innovative ? The project should introduce novel approaches, methodologies, or perspectives that advance research on safe AI development and/or deployment.

The proposal should demonstrate originality and go beyond incremental improvements to existing work. Where applicable, interdisciplinary or cross-sector collaboration that enhances research impact is encouraged. 4: Is the proposal actionable ?

The research should have clear, tangible outputs that can contribute to real-world applications, policy recommendations, or furthering the development and/or deployment of safe and secure AI systems. The proposal should outline pathways for impact, including how findings will be disseminated, shared with key stakeholders, and/or applied in practice.

Consideration should be given to how the research aligns with industry or regulatory needs in order to safely develop and/or deploy AI systems. 5: Are the team and its requested resources likely to deliver ? The research team should demonstrate the necessary expertise, experience, and track record to successfully execute the project.

The proposal should clearly outline roles and responsibilities, including any key collaborators. The budget should be reasonable and well-justified, ensuring requested resources align with the scope of the project and are essential for its success. Stage 2.

Full Application Assessment Shortlisted applicants will then collaborate with their assigned Research Sponsors to refine and develop their full application. Once the full application has been submitted, they will undergo a final assessment to be undertaken by a panel, independent of assigned Research Sponsors, against pre-defined selection criteria.

Each funder in the consortium may review and score applications according to their own criteria. Based on this review, final funding decisions will be made. Shortlisted applicants will be informed of the outcome following the completion of the final assessment.

Once your application is submitted, it will undergo assessment as outlined in this document. If successful, the following are the expected next steps. Further guidance will be provided to fund recipient upon signing of agreement.

1. Funding Agreement and Project Kick-off meeting 5 th November: Successful applicants issued with Funding Agreement (GFA) Applicant to review, sign, and return the GFA within 1 week. Project kick-off within 2 weeks of signing GFA.

The GFA for DSIT/AISI funded projects is standard and not subject to negotiation. The GFA can be accessed here: link to GFA attachment. Other funders may issue different terms and conditions as part of their GFA.

2. Performance Monitoring and Reporting The cadence of post-award performance monitoring will be confirmed as part of the proposal iteration stage, based on the level of input and support required from the Research Sponsor. We will provide reporting templates to ensure consistency and clarity.

Monitoring may also include check-in meetings or reviews with the Alignment Project team and Research Sponsors. Payments will be made monthly in arrears, subject to submission of milestone-based reporting. In exceptional circumstances, depending on need, we may consider one payment in advance of activity.

This will be decided on a case-by-case basis and reflected in the Funding Agreement. 4. Final Evaluation Report Submission Upon project completion, you must submit a final evaluation report summarising the research findings, deliverables, and overall impact.

The final report will be reviewed by the Alignment Project team to assess whether all agreed outcomes have been met. DSIT-AISI Grant Funding Agreement