Longview Digital Minds — Research Grants & Career Fellowships 2026
Longview Philanthropy is funding research, applied work, and career development on AI consciousness, sentience, moral status, and welfare. Three tracks covering large project grants (up to $2M), research fellowships ($55K–$150K/year), and career development fellowships for individuals transitioning into the field.
One of the few funders in the world explicitly backing AI consciousness and welfare research — an emerging field with almost no institutional funding. Grants range up to $2M, making this viable for launching entirely new organisations or research programmes.
Longview Philanthropy has opened a broad request for proposals on digital minds — covering the potential consciousness, sentience, moral status, welfare, and legal position of AI systems. This is one of the first major grant programmes globally dedicated to this emerging area.
Three funding tracks:
1. Project Grants (Applied Work)
- For organizations or individuals starting, continuing, or expanding applied work
- Typical range: $50,000–$2,000,000
- Examples: building assessment tools, policy groundwork, communications, new organizations
2. Research Fellowships
- For scholars with PhD, JD, or equivalent in CS, neuroscience, law, medicine, or applied social science
- Funding: 1–2 years salary at $55,000–$150,000/year + research/travel/compute
- Can be paid through academic institutions
3. Career Development Fellowships
- For degree students or professionals with an established mentor relationship
- Looking to spend dedicated time building skills in digital minds
- Administered in partnership with Future Impact Group
Areas of interest:
- Consciousness and sentience detection/assessment in AI systems
- Moral and legal status of AI
- AI welfare standards and policy
- Organizational and field-building work
Questions: digitalminds-rfp@longview.org
Deadline: July 10, 2026