New York – October 14, 2026 -- The Rockefeller Foundation and OpenAI Foundation have launched Cities Deliver: AI Solutions for Public Services, a $50 million initiative that will award grants of $500,000 to $2 million to organizations helping city governments deploy artificial intelligence, with a target of reaching up to 100 million urban residents.
Global open call runs from October 14 to November 29, 2026
The call is open to eligible nonprofit and civil society institutions that work with city governments. Every project must be led by an eligible organization, include a committed city government partner and serve a charitable purpose. Applicants who advance from the initial submission will be invited to a next selection stage.
Each solution must contain a meaningful frontier AI component, using recent models to complete complex tasks. Applicants may combine these with existing city tools and systems. They can choose any AI models and products, with no requirement or preference for OpenAI technology.
Four focus areas cover health, jobs, climate shocks and civic services
Public health projects can address frontline care, disease surveillance, disability services, food access and nutrition. Economic mobility proposals should connect unemployed and underemployed residents to income, skills and benefits through benefits enrollment, career navigation, skills-based hiring and employer-aligned training.
Environmental resilience covers forecasting and recovery from environmental shocks, including emergency services, energy and grid infrastructure, and land management in at-risk communities. Civic engagement covers digital access, court services, permitting and regulatory processes. Projects related to voting or elections are excluded.
Initiative targets cost and data-protection barriers to city AI adoption
The organizers cite UN 2025 estimates that 45% of the world's 8.2 billion people live in cities. City governments, they say, face high implementation costs and uncertainty around data protection when adopting AI. Cities Deliver combines grant funding, shared learning and access to networks of city leaders and technical partners.
OpenAI Foundation's Anna Makanju said AI can help organizations "reach residents faster" and anticipate problems earlier.
Pilots in Cali, Cape Town and Rio set up follow-on grants
The initiative builds on a 2023 convening by the two organizations that gathered more than 40 civic leaders from six continents. The Rockefeller Foundation subsequently supported projects in Cali, Colombia; Cape Town, South Africa; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The foundation plans follow-on grants to several of those partners. Rio's AI-enabled flood-alert system would reach more residents and cover additional extreme weather events. Dengue.AI's outbreak forecasting would expand from Cali to Cartagena. Cape Town's resident-engagement platform would extend its reach within the city and beyond.
Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said the Dengue AI tool anticipates outbreaks up to three weeks in advance and benefits more than 2.2 million citizens. Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said a WhatsApp alert system powered by AI protects vulnerable populations in Acari and Jardim Maravilha, with Columbia University as a partner. Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the tools engage residents by voice or text in their own language.
Cities Deliver is managed by RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC), an affiliate of The Rockefeller Foundation.