GOOGLE.ORG IMPACT CHALLENGE: AI FOR GOVERNMENT INNOVATION
Transform how public services function for social good
The Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation is a $30M global initiative to help governments use AI to improve public services. We are looking for nonprofits, social enterprises, and academic institutions that are partnering with governments and using generative and agentic AI capabilities to transform how public services function for social good — from everyday essential services to complex societal challenges. Beyond funding, selected organizations will receive dedicated pro bono technical support from Google AI experts through a multi-month Google.org Accelerator to help bring these projects to life.
How it works
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Application & selection
Nonprofits, social enterprises, and academic institutions submit their applications for funding towards social impact projects that will help governments accelerate their community impact.
Applications will be reviewed by Google.org, Google subject matter experts, and external third-party specialists from our partner organizations, including Apolitical and the Centre for Public Impact.
Additional selection criteria are detailed below. Applications close April 3, 2026. -
Funding & support
Selected organizations will receive funding from Google.org (between $1M and $3M USD) and participate in Google.org's Accelerator, which empowers organizations to solve critical public service challenges by leveraging generative AI and agentic capabilities. This multi-month program accelerates high-impact solutions through dedicated pro bono technical support from Google AI experts.
Accelerator participants receive a robust curriculum on AI strategy and responsible governance, alongside essential resources including Cloud Credits for easy access to Google's state of the art AI tools.
Criteria
In your application, please demonstrate how your project meets the following attributes:
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Impact
Proposals should address a critical public service challenge through data-driven solutions that drive significant, measurable outcomes for communities, leverage strong government partnerships, and demonstrate a deep understanding of how end beneficiaries will be reached and supported.
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Innovative use of technology
Proposals should leverage generative or agentic AI applications that go beyond incremental change, accelerating high-potential solutions or enabling new ideas that address the core problem in line with Google’s AI Principles.
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Feasibility
Proposals should demonstrate a realistic execution plan in a public service context, supported by a capable team, documented government buy-in, a strategy for government adoption with minimal friction, and clear metrics for success.
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Scalability
Proposals should demonstrate potential replication across governments, regions, and use cases, including a plan for knowledge-sharing and continued growth beyond support from Google.org.
Focus areas
We’re particularly interested in proposals leveraging generative and agentic AI to help governments solve complex societal challenges across health, resilience, and economy — including public infrastructure and affordability. We will consider compelling proposals outside of these topics with strong alignment across criteria.
Enhance public systems so more effective healthcare services can reach all citizens, regardless of location. For example, by leveraging generative and agentic AI to create seamless “front door” access to services, improve frontline health worker capacity, or drive population-scale preventive care that ensures no community is left behind.
Previously funded recipients
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Jacaranda Health
PROMPTS – an SMS-based digital health service – empowers 3.8M mothers across Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa to seek timely care through AI-powered triaging while supporting governments to make data-driven resource allocation decisions and implement Ministry of Health policies and guidelines.
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AirQo
An AI-powered air quality monitoring system that provides timely, accurate, and hyperlocal data and insights to enhance public health and empower communities and governments across the African continent, like Kampala City in Uganda; Nairobi City County in Kenya; Lagos City in Nigeria, and more.
Empower communities to plan, respond, and recover from crises to protect people and save lives. For example, via AI-powered forecasting and response capabilities that ensure no community is surprised by a major crisis, using real-time data to transform how public servants and first responders address disasters.
Previously funded recipients
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Planscape
Stewarded by the Spatial Informatics Group, Planscape is an AI-powered decision support tool that uses state and federal resilience data to help governments prioritize wildfire mitigation efforts – including the State of California, where it has helped shape 300+ wildfire resilience plans, accelerating the treatment of 1M+ acres.
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GiveDirectly
Partnering with the Government of Togo, GiveDirectly developed MobileAid to leverage AI-driven mobile metadata analysis, bypassing the delays of traditional surveys to pinpoint and support ultra-vulnerable households with unprecedented accuracy during humanitarian crises
Expand opportunity and affordability by improving public infrastructure to ensure accessible, essential services and pathways to prosperity for all. For example, by leveraging agentic AI and predictive optimization to streamline transit networks and improve the efficiency of infrastructure resource allocation so that no opportunity is out of reach.
Previously funded recipients
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Nava Labs
Partnering with governments like Riverside County, Nava Labs uses generative AI to reduce administrative burden and boost caseworker capacity so they can focus on delivering programs that drive economic opportunity for communities.
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International Road Assessment Program
Uses AI and satellite imagery to provide star-rating safety evaluations for road infrastructure around schools in Vietnam, informing policies and investments in pedestrian-friendly roads to protect young commuters.
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International Water Management Institute
Utilizes the AI-powered e-ReWater platform to optimize the efficient allocation of water resources across countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Through strategic partnerships with government agencies, this initiative transforms wastewater into a valuable asset by matching supply with agricultural and industrial demand to preserve limited freshwater supplies.
AI in action
Explore how Google is developing cutting-edge AI tools that could help transform how public services function for social good and build stronger communities.
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Gemini Enterprise
Gemini Enterprise is an advanced agentic platform that brings together the best of Google AI (including Vertex AI, agentic workflows, NotebookLM, and more) for organizations to access ready-to-use agents and over 200 AI models from Google and our ecosystem partners.
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Google Earth AI
Google Earth AI is a geospatial intelligence suite that unites geospatial models with Gemini’s reasoning across tools like AlphaEarth Foundations, WeatherNext, Open Buildings Dataset, and Population Dynamics Foundation Model (PFDM).
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Roads Management Insights
Roads Management Insights (RMI) can access, analyze, and monitor accumulated and real-time road data to improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability of road networks and public utilities.
