Applying for funding for you and your group

Last updated: 17th November, 2023

1. Funding for Group Expenses

a. CEA Group Support Grants

Requirements: to cover group expenses of EA Groups, including things like EA books, food and drinks at events, software, advertising costs, venue hiring, and retreat costs. Unfortunately, at this time, CEA’s Groups Team does not provide group support funding for AI safety groups. AI Safety groups can apply for group support funding from the Open Philanthropy’s University Organizer Fellowship. Before we had a firm policy in place, we gave out some bespoke grants but have now coordinated with Open Philanthropy for them to own the funding for AI Safety groups.

Amount: no specific limit; usual amounts range from $2,000 to $8,000 per year

Turnaround time: Check here

Duration: Any between 1-12 months, but usually 6-12 months

b. CEA's Rapid Group Funding

Requirements: For organisers already in touch with CEA’s Groups Team that have an urgent upcoming expense

Amount: Up to $5,000

Turnaround time: Check here

Duration: for one-off events/projects, ideally within a month from the application date

c. Open Philanthropy's University Group Funding

Requirements: for university group expenses. Intended for the following (non-exhaustive) list of expenditures:

• Promotional materials (including banners, posters, flyers, stickers, shirts or other merchandise): group-relevant books to give away to students;
• food for group meetings, events, tabling, retreats, 1-on-1s;
• venue and travel costs for retreats (including for group organizers, potential members, relevant professionals, and/or students from other universities);
• software and subscription costs; equipment costs for events;
• honorariums and travel expenses for speakers.

Turnaround time: 3-6 weeks

Duration: up to a year

2. Funding for university group organisers

a. Open Philanthropy's University Organiser Fellowship

Requirements/Description: The Open Phil Uni Organizer Fellowship provides part-time or full-time funding for individuals who want to direct or support university student groups focused on topics relevant to improving the long-term future, including EA, longtermism, rationality, or specific cause areas.

Rate:

• US: $45,000 – $80,000 per year for undergraduates, and $60,000 – $95,000 per year for non-undergraduates (including those no longer at university);
• UK: £31,800 – £47,800 per year for undergraduates, and £35,800 – £55,900 per year for non-undergraduates.

Turnaround time: 3-6 weeks usually

Duration: 1-2 semesters

3. Funding for City / National Group Organisers

a. Effective Altruism Infrastructure Fund (EAIF)

Requirements: Individuals who run a non-university group (e.g., city, national, or profession-based groups)

Rate: similar to Open Philanthropy's University Organiser rate (see above), but flexible depending on circumstance. Note that the EA Infrastructure Fund is currently funding-constrained.

Turnaround time: 2-3 months

Duration: 6-12 months

4. Other funding sources (e.g. for EA meta projects)

a. Meta Charity Funding Circle

Meta Charity Funders is an organisation looking to fund charitable projects that can create a huge impact by working at one level removed from direct impact. See this post on the EA forum for further information. Applications are open in batches. See here for more information.

b. For Community Building Projects: Open Philanthropy's call for outreach and community building projects

Open Philanthropy is seeking proposals from applicants interested in growing the community of people motivated to improve the long-term future via certain types of outreach projects.

These include programs that engage with promising young people and projects aiming at widespread dissemination of high-quality content relevant to EA or longtermism. Learn more via this post of theirs.

d. For projects relating to improving the long-term future: Survival and Flourishing Fund

The Survival and Flourishing Fund makes grants to existing charities that aim to improve the long-term future. This may be applicable to EA groups, particularly city and national groups.

Still unsure?

If your funding need doesn’t fit into a category listed above, we recommend emailing groups@centreforeffectivealtruism.org or applying to the EA Infrastructure Fund.