What is an AI grant?
A grant is non-repayable funding for a specific project, paid by a public body, a foundation or a company. In return you agree to do the work you proposed, follow the funder's terms and report on what you did. Unlike investment, a grant doesn't usually take a share of your company; unlike a loan, you don't pay it back if you meet the conditions.
Grants are usually tied to a call: a published funding opportunity with a scope, an eligibility list, a budget and a deadline. Some funders, especially philanthropic ones, also take applications on a rolling basis.
Who funds AI grants
Who can apply?
The biggest difference between grants is who is allowed to hold the money.
- Research organisations. UKRI research grants go to eligible research organisations such as universities, not to individuals directly. Students can't apply to UKRI for studentships themselves; they apply through the university [source].
- Businesses. Innovate UK mostly funds business-led projects. To count as a UK registered business you need a Companies House registration number, and in collaborative projects there must be at least two grant-claiming partners, with no single partner accounting for more than 70% of eligible costs [source]. Some calls narrow this further: BridgeAI Deployment Catalyst: AI for Assurance and Compliance is for UK-registered SMEs with a UK deployer partner.
- Anyone, anywhere (with a UK case). ARIA Robot Locomotion programme call (concept papers) is open to any type of organisation in any location, with a case for UK benefit expected.
- Individuals. Several philanthropic funds accept individuals: Transformative AI Fund funds individuals, new organisations and new projects, and BlueDot Career Transition Grant supports people moving full-time into AI safety or biosecurity.
- European consortia. Many Horizon Europe calls need a consortium of partners from several countries. The UK has been associated to Horizon Europe since 1 January 2024, so UK organisations can take part, and lead consortia, on broadly the same terms as EU ones, with limited exceptions such as the EIC Fund [source] [source].
How much do AI grants pay?
From a few thousand pounds to millions. Examples from open calls, as the funders state them:
- EPSRC AI ICURe Discover Sprint (February 2027): Up to £2,500.
- BlueDot Rapid Grants: Up to $20,000.
- Transformative AI Fund: Typically $10K–$150K, rarely above $300K.
- BridgeAI Deployment Catalyst: AI for Decision Critical Systems: Projects between £100,000 and £200,000; share of up to £5 million.
- UKRI: Transformative sustainable AI technologies: Up to £602,500 FEC per project (UKRI funds 80%); £12.05M total.
- EIT AI & Robotics Factory X: €500,000 to €900,000 per consortium (co-funded).
Full economic cost (FEC). UK research council grants are costed at full economic cost and normally funded at 80% of it; the research organisation commits the remaining 20% from its own resources [source]. That is why UKRI calls often quote an FEC figure and a lower amount UKRI actually pays.
Your share of the costs. Many business grants pay only part of a project's eligible costs, and the rest comes from you or your partners. The share depends on the call and the type of organisation, so read each competition's funding rules.
How the process works
- Find a call that fits. Check the scope, eligibility, budget range and deadline. Our grants list is sorted by deadline.
- Check you can hold the money. Decide who the applicant is (you, your company or your university) and whether you need partners.
- Short first stage, if there is one. Some funders start with a concept paper or expression of interest, e.g. ARIA Robot Locomotion programme call (concept papers), or a two-stage process like Women TechEU 2 EIC.
- Full proposal. Usually a project plan, budget and justification of costs, team, and answers to the funder's assessment questions.
- Assessment. Peer review, assessors or a panel score proposals against published criteria; some calls add an interview.
- Award and reporting. Successful applicants sign a grant agreement, then report on progress and spending.
University applicants should involve their research office early: it usually has to approve and submit the application.
When are the deadlines?
- Public funders run fixed calls with a single deadline, often at a set time such as midday or 11am UK time. Late submissions are rarely accepted.
- Some funders are rolling. BlueDot Rapid Grants, Transformative AI Fund and ARIA Safeguarded AI: Cybersecurity (Track 1) rolling funding take applications on an ongoing basis.
- Start dates come months later. For example, UKRI: Transformative sustainable AI technologies closes in November 2026 for projects starting in February 2027. Plan your budget and team around the start date, not the deadline.
Grant, loan, investment or prize?
| Type | Pay it back? | Give up equity? | What you commit to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant | No, if you meet the terms | No | Do the proposed work and report on it |
| Loan | Yes, usually with interest | No | Repayments |
| Investment (equity) | No | Yes | Investors own part of the company |
| Prize | No | Usually not (some prizes are investment) | Meeting the competition's rules |
Other ways to fund AI work are covered in our guides hub.
How we check these listings
Every grant on advance.to links to the funder's own page and shows the date we last checked it. We quote amounts and deadlines as the funder states them and say so when something isn't published. Read more on our about page.