Gender & AI Innovation Collective (GAIC) – Cohort 2 Now Open – Apply Now

Application Deadline: April 25, 2026

About the Programme

Applications are now open for the Gender & AI Innovation Collective (GAIC), Cohort 2, an exciting and transformative opportunity for organizations across Africa to lead the charge in designing and deploying innovative AI-powered solutions that advance gender equality and social impact. This initiative aims to harness the power of artificial intelligence to address pressing social challenges related to gender justice, inclusion, and empowerment, fostering community-driven solutions that are ethically responsible and sustainable. Led by the A+ Alliance for Inclusive Algorithms in partnership with renowned organizations such as Code for Africa and Women at the Table, GAIC Cohort 2 seeks to bring together a diverse cohort of organizations, startups, NGOs, and social enterprises committed to leveraging technology for positive change. The program provides participants with access to expert mentorship, technical training, funding opportunities, and a collaborative platform to develop and scale AI solutions that are gender-sensitive and socially impactful. This initiative emphasizes the importance of inclusive innovation, ensuring that AI systems are designed with diverse perspectives to prevent bias and promote fairness. It encourages innovators to explore creative ways to tackle gender disparities, improve access to resources, and foster social cohesion through technology. Participants will also have the opportunity to showcase their solutions at regional and global forums, gaining visibility and support to expand their impact.

By joining GAIC Cohort 2, organizations will become part of a vibrant community committed to advancing gender equality through responsible AI practices. The program is especially focused on empowering local innovators, amplifying marginalized voices, and creating scalable solutions that can be adapted across different contexts within Africa. This is a unique chance for organizations passionate about social justice and technological innovation to make a tangible difference. Whether you are an AI developer, social entrepreneur, researcher, or activist, GAIC offers the resources, networks, and support needed to turn your ideas into actionable solutions that promote gender equity and social progress across the continent. Don’t miss out—apply now to be part of this dynamic movement toward a more inclusive and equitable future powered by AI.

Why This Matters

Women’s rights organizations across Africa understand the daily challenges their communities face   gender-based violence, economic barriers, healthcare gaps, education obstacles, and limited political participation. But many organizations don’t have access to the technical tools to build AI solutions that could help. Right now, organizations often spend their limited resources building similar tools separately, which wastes time and money. Basic chatbots with pre-programmed answers can’t handle complex problems. GAIC was created to change that. The collective brings together women’s rights organizations, grassroots innovators, and technical experts to imagine how AI can be shaped by and for communities working toward gender equality.

The big idea: You know your community’s challenges better than anyone. GAIC wants to help you conceive and build AI tools that reflect your knowledge, priorities, and vision for justice.

Programme Structure

GAIC is an 18-month programme (2026–2027) designed to help women’s rights organizations and grassroots innovators:

• Learn and apply Feminist AI principles
• Build real-world AI solutions for community challenges
• Access technical mentorship and funding
• Pilot and scale their innovations in real-life settings

Selected participants will go through structured phases including learning, prototyping, and piloting.

Three Core Principles:

• Sharing knowledge equally – Everyone brings expertise to the table
• Community control over technology – You decide how AI serves your needs
• Creating innovations together – Collaborative development, not top-down solutions

Three Phases of the Programme:

Phase 1: Concept Papers (3 months) – Unfunded

• Eight weeks of community learning modules on Feminist AI, Data, Models, and Impact Assessments
• Think through your idea and write a short concept paper that explains your idea
• You will receive:

• Required AI modules (mandatory for everyone)
• Feedback from peer mentors
• Discussion with other organizations in the network
• Opportunity to share your research at regional events

Note: This phase includes unpaid training to help refine your ideas. You must complete this training to be eligible for funding in later phases.

Phase 2: Prototypes (4-5 months) – Seed Grants Available

• Build a working version of your idea with help from AI engineers and a Gender Fellow. They will handle the technical complexity while you focus on your solution
• Learn to use the Feminist AI Sandbox (a safe development environment)
• Create a minimum viable product (MVP)
• Get hands-on technical and socio-technical support throughout

Funding for Phase 2:

• 6 prototypes at CAD 7,500 per project
• 6 localizations/adaptations of existing prototypes for new contexts at CAD 3,000 per project

Phase 3: Pilots (6-8 months) – Seed Grants Available

• Test your solution in the real world with ongoing support
• Deploy your tool in your community
• Gather feedback and refine it
• Ensure it is safe, effective, and actually helps

Funding for Phase 3:

• 3 pilots at CAD 15,000 each

What You’ll Gain

Participants will benefit from:

• Hands-on experience building AI tools for social good
• Access to the Feminist AI Sandbox a secure, human rights-focused digital environment with open-source AI models and development tools for safe experimentation
• Funding for prototypes and pilot projects (up to CAD 15,000)
• Collaboration with AI engineers and gender experts who handle technical complexity while you focus on your solution
• A strong pan-African network of innovators and activists working at the intersection of gender and technology
• Community learning in AI concepts and development
• Expert mentorship throughout your project
• Help turning your ideas into real, working tools

The Feminist AI Innovation Sandbox:

The Sandbox is a secure, human rights-focused digital environment with open-source AI models and development tools. It serves as:

• For learning: A safe place to understand AI, experiment with basic programming, and build skills with mentorship
• For building: A space to rapidly prototype, co-create with your community, share resources, and get technical support while you maintain ownership

This challenges the cycle of technology dependency and helps bridge the gap between knowing what needs to change and having the tools to change it.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for GAIC Cohort 2, your organization must meet ALL of the following requirements:

• Be a civil society organization, activist group, or interdisciplinary team based in Africa
• Be women-led OR primarily focused on women’s rights
• Have a clear feminist or human rights mission
• Demonstrate commitment to community engagement and participatory design

Focus Areas:

Your work can focus on any area, including but not limited to:

• Gender equality
• Climate justice
• Health equity
• Labor rights
• Digital justice
• Technology-facilitated gender-based violence
• Social justice
• Children’s rights
• Disability rights
• LGBTQIA+ inclusion
• Data privacy
• Civic engagement
• Peacebuilding
• Media literacy

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to commit time to the programme (e.g., weekly sessions and project work)
• Access to reliable internet (programme is largely virtual)
• A dedicated team or representative to lead participation

What You’ll Need to Submit:

• Legal registration documents (or a Community Support Letter if unregistered)
• Team overview
• CVs of team members
• Any additional documentation you want to share

Application Questions (200 words max each):

1. What impact has your organization made in your community?
2. What change happened from that impact?
3. What new or deeper change is needed to accomplish your mission?
4. If you already have an idea for what to build or scale with AI, tell us here

Commitment Confirmation:

• Confirm your commitment to the time required if accepted
• Provide a digital signature

What GAIC Will Create Together

Tangible results:

• Working AI innovations that positively impact real community challenges
• A model that other organizations can replicate
• High-quality research on gender-responsive AI

Long-term impact:

• The Gender & AI Innovation Collective continues beyond this project
• Ongoing peer support network
• Advancement of gender-responsive AI governance frameworks

Who is Behind This

The A+ Alliance for Inclusive Algorithms: A global feminist coalition of practitioners, academics, and activists prototyping a better future for AI.

Co-led by:

• Code for Africa (founded 2012) – Employs ~140 staff across 26 African countries, working in Arabic, English, and French with 13+ years of civic technology experience
• Women at the Table (founded 2015) – A feminist organization in Switzerland focused on systems change, with deep multilateral expertise

Supported by: Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)

Track record: Fast Company World Changing Idea (2020), WSIS Awards runner-up, Generation Equality Action Coalition leader, Paris Peace Forum official project (2021)

How to Apply

Apply through the official GAIC page: Click the application link.

For More Information: Visit the Official Webpage of the Gender & AI Innovation Collective