The Rising Fund: Responsible AI Funding Cycle Grant

The Rising Fund: Responsible AI Funding Cycle Grant is sponsored by New Rising Ventures. Supports social entrepreneurs developing AI solutions to enhance democracy and equity.

New Rising Ventures is the 501(c)(3) affiliate of New Media Ventures. New Rising Ventures supports early-stage, nonpartisan entrepreneurs and activists transforming our democracy through innovation and bridges a critical gap not fulfilled by traditional grantmakers or venture capital. Our signature four activities include investments and grantmaking, portfolio support, field building, and convenings.

New Rising Ventures finds, funds, and supports social impact entrepreneurs who are growing new organizations that serve the public interest. Social entrepreneurs working on mission-oriented projects face unique barriers to funding and scaling their organizations: access to capital, introductions and networking opportunities, experienced advice, and peer-to-peer relationships that serve as a critical layer of support.

Likewise, many funders lack the reach and deep industry expertise to find and evaluate great mission-oriented startup opportunities. New Rising Ventures brings founders and funders together and provides charitable and educational support to increase the scalability of companies providing opportunities to better lives for Americans.

Democracy is more than casting a vote—it is the daily engagement with the structures that impact the majority. To build a truly equitable democracy, we must create social power in places where political interventions fall short.

This means addressing the day-to-day realities that people face, like climate, education, women’s healthcare, the economy, incarceration, and cultural change—issues that remain critical regardless of electoral outcomes. By investing to build social power through innovation, we can create more avenues for people to have agency in their lives.

As such, New Rising Ventures proudly supports brilliant, experienced individuals thinking of and building new ways to make life easier for the most marginalized across all demographics.

Link to Our Investment Cycle With the launch of The Rising Fund , New Rising Ventures is making a bold, multi-year commitment to back the builders, dreamers, and innovators who are stepping into the gaps—those reimagining democracy not just as a political system, but as a foundation for shared power and collective infrastructure.

At NRV, we believe we’re living through a rare and urgent moment—one where transformation isn’t just possible, it’s essential. The systems we’ve inherited aren’t enough—and they were never built for all of us. We’re here to back those bold enough to rethink what’s possible and build toward something better.

In the years ahead, our investments and programming will be anchored in three core principles: Catalyzing Inflection Points: Identifying and investing in key moments where change is possible, accelerating movements that turn disruption into transformation. Radical Reconstruction : Dismantling inequitable systems and building new models rooted in justice and collective power.

Amplifying Ownership: Shifting control over resources, technology, and narratives in bold ways. Responsible AI Funding Cycle To launch this vision, our first major initiative under The Rising Fund is our Responsible AI Funding Cycle. AI is rapidly shaping our democracy, economy, and daily lives, but who is it serving?

As we begin to phase in these core principles, we’re seeking innovators building AI-driven solutions that protect communities, advance equity, and shift power away from extractive systems.

We’re especially interested in solutions that: Strengthen trustworthy media ecosystems —AI-powered tools or platforms that counter disinformation, democratize information access, amplify trusted sources, challenge corporate influence over media and culture in new and unexpected ways, etc. Reimagine civic engagement —AI applications that foster democratic participation, make institutions more accessible, bolster community organizing or create new pathways for community-led decision-making, etc. Enhance civic life and public interest technology —AI innovations that strengthen community infrastructure, or improve access to essential resources in areas like worker and immigrant rights, climate resilience, reproductive and LGBTQ+ protections, and beyond.

Additionally, we are looking for: Early-stage organizations with bold ideas and community-rooted leadership Solutions with strong potential to scale Organizations where a $50K grant/investment would be truly catalytic Teams based in the U.S. or working toward national impact Submissions are open now and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please note that nonprofit innovation will be prioritized for this cycle.

Submissions Open: March 26, 2025 Submission Deadline: June 13, 2025 Final Selections: July 10, 2025 We can’t wait to see what you’re building— submit to either the non-profit intake form or for-profit intake form by June 13! Empowering data scientists and policymakers with practical tools to improve AI outcomes.

Harnessing emerging technologies to empower stories of Black, Brown, and Queer communities in public spaces through imagination and play. Striving to build community power with and around artificial intelligence while working toward just alternatives to carceral (AI) systems. Matching causes & campaigns with content creators to reach audiences more effectively.

Annotating data and building AI models for customers to make better informed, less biased business decisions. Building innovative technology that will enable journalists to thrive. Galvanizing voters by providing information about politics on a local, state and federal level.

Resisting the erasure of Miami’s Black past by making that history visible through archives, storytelling, informative spaces and more. Chronicling the Triad cities as low-cost incubators of innovation, sustainability and creativity. OutSmart Foundation for Community Media Promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion in media by providing financial assistance to community media.

Strengthening Indigenous sovereignty and protecting Indigenous elders, languages, and medicine ways. Building a collective infrastructure to proudly share the stories of our gente. Equipping residents to access information about their communities, and to tell and share their stories.

Refugee Community Partnership Creating systems that connect people to the resources they need, and mobilize institutions to eliminate barriers to access. Spearheading a revolution at the ballot box and beyond through digital marketing and organizing led by Black women. Creating dialogue between Spanish-speaking communities in the border region with accurate, engaging, and accessible news from a bicultural and bilingual perspective.

Reversing stereotypical narratives about Latinos through compelling storytelling that showcases their histories, traditions, icons, and contributions to the Empowering marginalized communities and creating systemic transformation by providing effective and immediate access to legal support. Using innovative technology to identify how progressive persuasion & mobilization efforts can be optimized.

Building strong disability rights and disability justice frameworks in the South through policy, advocacy, and organizing. Building data-driven solutions for our democracy’s entrenched problems. Building cutting edge technology to empower shareholders to have a stronger voice in the companies they're invested in Turning stories into action to change the justice system, while building the capacity of system-impacted communities.

Empowering writers and editors to produce accurate, ethical, and inclusive work by creating the next generation of reference material Creating a sense of community through bilingual podcasting for Midwestern Latinx who are missing an essential piece of their cultural identity Combining policy advocacy, grassroots organizing, and digital media strategies to advance long-term systemic change Amplifying global black stories and black storytellers through curated and critically acclaimed indie films, documentaries, animation, web series, children’s shows, audio stories & live experiences Fueling the Black-led movement for racial repair in the U.S. and building a public will for a comprehensive, federal financial and non-financial reparations program Supporting the women and impacted individuals leading the movement for reproductive freedom by activating, educating, and mobilizing male allies Creating a podcasting platform for underrepresented voices to tell their stories and share original and immersive fiction and non-fiction storytelling Undocumented Filmmakers Collective Tackling the systemic inequities that undocumented immigrants face in the field of filmmaking, by centering them not only as sources of stories but more importantly as creators, artists, and primary audiences Repairing past harms, removing ongoing barriers to equality, and realizing a future where freedom is for all.

Training and seeding a wave of movements capable of setting a political agenda equal to the challenges we’re facing Helping nonprofits and grassroots groups quickly create hotlines and texting services to provide information and support to communities in need through one integrated platform Developing museum and event attractions that explore history from the perspectives and voices of minority populations Centering South Asian stories and reporting with depth, nuance, and context Increasing representation of black women artists in museum and gallery spaces by building a powerful network, connecting artists to resources, providing accessible studio space, and creating cutting-edge exhibitions Algorithmic Justice League Leading a cultural movement towards equitable and accountable AI Contributing to a healthier and more equitable democracy by ensuring that everyone has access to quality local news Building a movement of young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.

Providing mobile messaging tools for local government agencies and service providers to count low-income and hard-to-reach communities in the Census Partnering to help connect Americans with the information they need to make decisions about who represents their communities, even in “off” years Unlocks the ability to understand and act on open-ended text for leaders who value customer, employee and public opinion.

Making it easy for organizations to increase their video production by empowering members, constituents, and staff to make compelling videos using their phones Empowering real people and communities to participate in decisions that impact their lives through a multi-channel advocacy and engagement platform Creating a hub for progressive trainers offering participatory online content Centering the voices of people from diverse communities, elevating their stories, ideas, and solutions, and creating a more reflective democracy Uplifting and empowering Latinxs by celebrating everyday heroes and sheroes and recognizing the contributions often left out of history Helping student loan borrowers better navigate their path to student loan freedom Creating text messaging tools to improve the quality and availability of data used by analytics groups, researchers, and pollsters The M4BL App for Black Lives Politically mobilizing millions, building the leadership of thousands, and moving folks from online activism to organizing safely in their communities Helping low-income families in financial distress file for bankruptcy for free, using an online web app Disrupting false and inaccurate media narratives about Latinas through high quality digital content Helping voters know what they're voting for all the way down the ballot Providing digital security curriculum and trainings to help campaigns and advocacy groups reduce risk Building the power of Texas Latinos through issue organizing, storytelling, and voter registration and mobilization Restoring dignity by transforming access to social services Helping families access capital for higher education costs so students obtain their degrees Using technology to improve the financial health of people living on low-to-moderate incomes.

Predicting how content changes people's minds Providing the best available data, technology, and resources to the progressive community Using superheroes and comic books to teach middle and high school students how to combat fake news Monitoring for transparency and accountability Peer-to-peer texting tool for campaigns and advocacy Organizing a progressive grassroots network of local groups to resist the Trump Agenda Providing free confidential, professional support to individuals experiencing online harassment Connecting high-quality tech experts with high-impact progressive volunteer opportunities Helping groups work together on effective political action and encouraging others to do the same Engaging, inspiring, and empowering kids to become agents of change in their families and communities Mobil-Eyes Us, project of WITNESS Harnessing the power of live video and task-routing tools to help frontline activists tap into networks of supporters Mobilizing diverse Muslim communities throughout the US to build social, spiritual, racial and economic justice for all people Working to ensure that every associate, regardless of title, age, race, or sex, is respected at Walmart Making it easier to vote with your wallet by tracking how manufacturers match up against your principles Center for Technology and Civic Life Using technology to improve the way local governments and communities interact Growing Asian American political power by educating, mobilizing, and organizing Asian Americans Using the power of mobile organizing to keep Black Americans informed about key issues and help them take action Contratados.

org / Centro de los Derechos del Migrante Providing a crowdsourcing and labor-organizing platform for migrant workers Automating data dirty work to free up time to focus on more important stuff Providing resources, connections and community that help all kids and parents thrive Data and analytics for email campaigners and marketers Helping exceptional multi-cultural creators and influencers reach a wider audience, amplify their message, and fund their hustles Helping workers start, run, and win campaigns to change their workplace Groundswell, project of Auburn Seminary Organizing people who believe faith can be a force for good in the world Working to end harassment in all its forms.

Reach a large, digitally savvy audience eager to participate in collective action Providing a progressive hub for news, community and activism Holding decision makers accountable, creating a cost for sexism, and shining a light on the people and policies that are improving all women's lives Creating a movement to look critically at consumption-crazed culture Letting you know when elections are happening, and making sure you have the information you need to vote with confidence Jessica serves as Co-President of NRV.

Prior, Jessica led the investment team of NRV for four years, where she was responsible for the cultivation of early-stage deal flow and portfolio management, building mission-driven partnerships, and leading the growth and direction of the investment team. Previously, she was a Partner at an impact fund moving the world towards zero poverty, zero disease and zero pollution.

Jessica was also the founding Social Impact Lead at Headspace and the founding Director of the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative Scaling Program. Jessica serves on the Board of Words Uncaged, Plug in South LA, and StreetCode Academy. Jessica received her BA in Communication from Stanford and her MS in Social Entrepreneurship from USC Marshall School of Business.

Phil serves as Co-President of NRV. Previously, Phil was Partner at NRV where he was responsible for expanding our partnerships, our portfolio of funders, and our investment capacity as well as spearheading new initiatives to support early-stage startups working to expand and scale progressive infrastructure.

Phil served in a variety of roles at Ernst & Young and Rockwood Capital, managing financial duties for clients across technology, real estate, and venture capital. Before joining us, Phil was a Fellow at Kapor Capital and an Investment Accounting Manager at the Kapor Center, where he managed various aspects of investing and financial processes at the fund. Previous to becoming Partner, Phil was an Investment Principal at NMV.

Phil leverages his experience to advise early stage startups and serves as Board Chair at the Ella Baker Center in Oakland. This work allows Phil to bring together thought leaders, innovators, supporters, and investors to design communities and startups for good. Phil is from Chicago, Illinois and holds a B.

S. in Accounting and Finance from Bethune-Cookman University. When not at work , he enjoys his lifelong pursuit of the best cup of cappuccino and refining his cooking and salsa skills.

As Investment Associate at New Rising Ventures, Abi is responsible for sourcing investments and leading early stages of the due diligence process. She also works with our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence to create programming and resources for our portfolio. Abi joined from a small tech consulting group, where she managed project teams and helped develop client relationships.

She studied public policy, with a focus on nonprofits, social entrepreneurship and philanthropy at the University of Southern California. Most notably during her time at USC, Abi founded Trojan Shelter, a shelter run by USC students for college students experiencing houselessness in the Los Angeles area. When not at work, Abi enjoys trying new restaurants in Los Angeles, browsing TikTok, perfecting matcha drinks and reading.

As Fundraising Associate, Inbar is responsible for supporting all aspects of fundraising strategy and operations. She works with everyone on the team to ensure that NRV can achieve its fundraising priorities. Prior to joining NRV, Inbar held a variety of roles in fundraising and events, working across health services organizations, the arts, and tech.

She holds as MA in Design Systems from the Pacific Northwest College of Art and is passionate about applying design thinking to solve complex problems and tell compelling stories. Outside of work, Inbar enjoys taking excessive photos and video of her wife and twin toddlers. Carlos Salinas is an Investment Associate at NRV.

He supports the Investment Team with intake and diligence reviews of potential portfolio organizations in the non-profit and for-profit sectors. Prior to joining NRV, Carlos assisted the Houston Methodist Hospital’s neurosurgery department and University of Houston’s architecture/engineering departments in research and development of disability innovations.

He was the co-founder of University of Houston’s first adaptive athletic wheelchair tennis team and served as President of the Adaptive Athletics organization. He has 10+ years of experience in the Supply Chain & Logistics sector. Carlos is an advocate for disabilities rights and is passionate about ideas and actions that move communities forward.

When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, handcycling, karaoke, wheelchair tennis, traveling, and attending live music shows. COO & General Partner at Landmark Ventures He recently launched Landmark's SIS Omni practice and ARC Fund, born out of the Social Innovation Summit to drive transformation across impact initiatives within CSR, ESG, DEI, and more.

With a diverse background balanced between the social sector and private sector, he has developed deep perspective in his career within entrepreneurship, international workforce development, staffing industry technology, K-12 education reform, early childhood education, consumer packaged goods, enterprise software, criminal justice reform, government, and more.

Mel holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University, where he was a Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship. Investor at Mark Cuban Companies Haywood L.

Perry III is an investor at Mark Cuban Companies, where he also co-leads MCC Network— a digital broadcast platform democratizing access to the insights of industry titans, c-suite execs, professional athletes, and entrepreneurs.

He began his career in venture as an Investment Partner for First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund, then Kapor Capital, before supporting SoftBank in launching their $100M Opportunity Fund, focused on Black, Latinx, and Native American founders. Haywood is a fifth generation Washingtonian, pledged Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and has been recognized as an Emerging Black LGBT Leader by the Obama Administration.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Whitman-Walker Health Clinic and The Black Tech Collective. Haywood earned his Master’s degree from the divinity school at Yale University, his B. A.

in Urban Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed a Certificate in Venture Capital from UC Berkeley’s Law School. Daniel Forkkio is the CEO of Represent Justice, a national nonprofit that builds the narrative power of communities using film and supports storytelling campaigns to engage new audiences across the country that inspire empathy, human dignity, and public action for legal system reform.

Over the past 5 years, Represent Justice has used the power of storytelling to reach millions of people with firsthand stories about the legal system, generating hundreds of thousands of advocacy actions, building out an engaged audience of over 200,000 supporters, and building up the visibility and influence of dozens of system-impacted movement leaders and organizations.

Daniel has over a decade of nonprofit leadership experience, is a Maryland native but resides in NYC and loves basketball and comedy. CEO of Aaron Craig Mitchell Enterprises Aaron Craig Mitchell is an LA based HR Leader, Investor, Advisor, Coach, Changemaker, and Entrepreneur with nearly 20 years experience across various industries.

He is the former Director of HR for Netflix Animation, where he led HR for one of the largest and fastest growing animation studios in history. An experienced business leader with a demonstrated history of executing change, Aaron has become globally recognized for his historic work pioneering Netflix’s 2% Cash Holdings Pledge of $100 Million into Black Owned Banks.

An initiative that not only led to critical acclaim, but also anchored a movement for financial equity & inclusion and opened doors for marginalized communities to flourish. His work has led to features in The New York Times, CNBC, and Wired. Aaron currently serves on the boards of UNICEF, The Atlanta Music Project and The People Concern, as well as an Advisor for Struct Club and People Tech Advisors.

Born in New Haven, CT, he earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, and BBA from Temple University in Pennsylvania. He resides in Los Angeles, CA with his wife and two daughters. Carlissia previously served as President of New Rising Ventures, drawing from over 15 years of experience in politics and social advocacy as well as firsthand experience as a serial entrepreneur.

As an investor and strategist working at the intersections of media, tech, and democracy, she is a fierce advocate for impactful innovation that serves the public. Her work centers on getting capital to people who are reimagining and building a greater future as evidenced by a thriving democracy, responsible tech ecosystem, and equal capital opportunities for underinvested communities.

Carlissia previously held multiple senior-level positions in the U.S. government democratizing access to publicly-funded technology, creating pathways to public service for underrepresented communities, and directing billions in capital investments in public-tech infrastructure. Alongside her work at New Media Ventures, she sits on several investment committees and actively counsels founders as they navigate the startup journey.

She is a native of Memphis, TN, and is deeply invested in pro-democracy efforts in the US South. Jessica serves as Co-President of NRV. Prior, Jessica led the investment team of NRV for four years, where she was responsible for the cultivation of early-stage deal flow and portfolio management, building mission-driven partnerships, and leading the growth and direction of the investment team.

Previously, she was a Partner at an impact fund moving the world towards zero poverty, zero disease and zero pollution. Jessica was also the founding Social Impact Lead at Headspace and the founding Director of the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative Scaling Program. Jessica serves on the Board of Words Uncaged, Plug in South LA, and StreetCode Academy.

Jessica received her BA in Communication from Stanford and her MS in Social Entrepreneurship from USC Marshall School of Business. What support do selected organizations receive? $50K in unrestricted grants.

Additionally, NRV supports the portfolio through: – A network of founders where leaders ask questions, identify problems, and surface solutions in community. – Webinars and one-on-one coaching to help new leaders navigate organizational and operational challenges, like setting goals and managing cash on hand. – Catalyzing additional funding by connecting them to donors at our events and at other times of the year when possible.

– Virtual and in-person events Scalable with a proof of concept: We prefer ventures with an existing user base (even if they are only beta users), demonstrated proof of concept, and a clear plan for generating revenue and/or growth. In some cases, we will fund ventures with little or no user base if there is compelling research proving the efficacy of the idea, or a clear opportunity to build power.

Sustainable model and impact: We have a preference for work that is sustainable and clearly builds progressive power. We’d like to invest in ventures that expect to generate revenue, although they may not now, or who have a plan for sustainable growth. Note: We do not invest in one-off media projects like documentaries, although we might invest in a company building a sustainable business model for making documentaries!

Strong, diverse team: We look for leadership teams that have both the technical and business talent to create something great and who understand their market intimately. We are especially interested in democratizing access to capital and encourage people who have been historically overlooked in the startup community to apply.

In our experience, founders with direct experience of the challenges they are working to solve are best positioned to do so. Mission-Driven & Impact-Focused: NRV is committed to supporting entrepreneurs and changemakers working to create positive social impact across the United States. We care about environmental sustainability, economic opportunity, equity, a strong democracy, and more.

The startups we support are driven by a mission to make the world a better place. If I’ve applied to NRV in the past and been rejected, can I apply again, and how? Yes.

Although rare, there have been a few instances where we have passed on an investment at a point in time and then invested at a later time. Just fill out the Startup Intake Form to let us know you would like to be considered again. We suggest emphasizing what has changed about your company since the last time you submitted.

If we’re a part of the portfolio already, can we re-apply for more funding? Right now, we are not considering follow-on funding for our portfolio, although we are committed to helping you on your fundraising journey. Please reach out to us if we can support you as you raise!

Do you fund / make grants to startups outside of the United States? We only support projects that are making an impact in the U.S. We will consider supporting projects led outside of the U.S., but that have a clear plan to enter the U.S. market. What do you consider proof of concept?

We expect ideas to have encountered reality - not simply a plan on paper. This could be a prototype or a test that provides some (even if it’s relatively little) evidence or data that your venture is feasible. We often share the example of how Upworthy got started -- using a test they did through MoveOn to demonstrate that audiences would share powerful videos.

What happens after I submit the Startup Intake Form? Startup Intake Form submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis by NRVs’ investment team. The NRV investment team will then conduct deeper diligence on a subset of founders and make final funding decisions.

What should I expect during due diligence? NRV conducts diligence, a thorough process to determine whether we will invest in a venture, for the opportunities that most align with our thesis.

During diligence, you can expect: A few conversations, including a 45–60 minute meeting to get to know the founders, view a demo (if applicable), and answer additional questions that have come up post submission An assessment of market, financial documents, competitive research, budgets, past impact reports, and board of directors Customer and funder calls, financial modeling and analysis, a theory of change/power building assessment, product tests (if applicable), data room access (if applicable), etc. Conversations with experts in your field, etc. Your responsiveness is critical to moving the process forward.

Although thorough, this process is meant to serve as a filter to move forward only the best opportunities for NRV, which go beyond financial goals and include vision and values alignment. We know fundraising can be hard. If during this process we decide to pass, our team will communicate the decision promptly.

Airtable is a cloud collaboration platform used by hundreds of businesses, startups, and funders to host and share information. Will I be required to create an Airtable account to submit my startup information? The application does not require you to create an airtable account, though you can do so if you would like.

How long will it take for me to fill out the Startup Intake Form? We’ve designed the Startup Intake Form to be as streamlined as possible, and we expect that it should take no more than 15-20 minutes to fill out the form. Please note that Airtable does not have an autosave function.

Can I edit my submission once I have submitted it? You will not be able to edit your intake form once it is submitted to Airtable. If you accidentally submit an incomplete/inaccurate intake form, you can submit a new one.

If you do so, please notify us at invest@newmediaventures. org. How will the data I submit be used?

Will it be shared? We will not share PII (Personally Identifiable Information) like email or phone numbers publicly, but we may share aggregated data on themes from the Startup Intake Form across our network of funders, founders, and activists or to the public. We will keep details about your organization (e.g., financials, pitch decks, etc.) confidential.

I’m finished! What’s next? Once you press submit at the bottom of the Airtable submission form, you will be shown text that thanks you for your time and confirms your submission.

You should also receive a confirmation email from invest@newmediaventures. org. If you do not receive this email, please reach out to us.

Thanks for sharing your work with us! We’ll be in touch soon. What reporting requirements do you have for groups you fund?

We currently don’t have reporting requirements although we encourage you to send us annual reports and add us to any newsletter lists you have!