Google.org Opens $30 Million AI for Science Challenge with April Deadline

Google's philanthropic arm is betting $30 million that artificial intelligence can crack open the next generation of scientific breakthroughs — and it wants nonprofit and academic researchers to lead the charge.

The Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Science 2026 will distribute grants ranging from $500,000 to $3 million to organizations applying AI to two domains: health and life sciences, and climate resilience and environmental science. Applications are open now through April 17, 2026.

What Google Is Looking For

Proposals will be scored on scientific ambition, innovative and responsible AI use, feasibility, and scalability. The challenge explicitly targets work at the intersection of AI and fundamental research — genomics, neuroscience, biodiversity modeling, agricultural systems, and ocean science are all in scope.

Eligible applicants include nonprofits, social enterprises, academic institutions, and research organizations worldwide. AI must be a core component of the proposed work, not a bolt-on feature. All approaches must align with Google's responsible AI principles.

Beyond the Check

Selected teams may also join a six-month Google.org Accelerator program, gaining access to pro bono technical mentorship from Google engineers and cloud computing credits. For resource-constrained research labs, that technical capacity can be as valuable as the funding itself.

The challenge was announced during Google's AI Impact Summit in India, alongside a separate $30 million AI for Government Innovation challenge. Together, the two programs represent a $60 million commitment to applied AI for public benefit.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through Submittable. Proposals must include evidence-based methods and quantifiable success metrics.

For researchers weighing whether to apply, the math is straightforward: a $3 million ceiling, global eligibility, and a program design that rewards AI-native approaches to hard science problems. Grant seekers exploring AI applications in health or climate research can use tools like Granted to identify complementary federal and foundation funding while assembling their proposals.

In-depth analysis of AI funding trends is available on the Granted blog.