Manifund and partners launch fast-track funding for AI safety projects

In a LessWrong post, Austin Chen highlights a growing ecosystem of fast-moving funding opportunities for AI safety and alignment projects. Four new programs are now accepting applications, each designed to bypass the months-long decision cycles of traditional funders. grantmaking.ai is a $1 million grant round offering $5-50k grants for AI x-risk projects, with applications due July 13. Leo's alignment microgrants provide $10k grants on a rolling basis, prioritizing unusual ambitious ideas over incremental academia. The Frame Fellowship is a 10-week funded program for video creators to educate the public on AI implications, due July 10. Lastly, Surplus is an incubator offering $100k investment and a 12-week program in San Francisco for software startups building public good in the age of transformative AI, also due July 10.

These initiatives represent a shift toward agile, public-facing funding mechanisms in AI safety. grantmaking.ai aims to build a comprehensive public repository of donation opportunities, while Manifund provides fiscal sponsorship and payout infrastructure. Leo's microgrants explicitly rule thinkers in, not out, targeting high-risk, high-reward alignment work. Frame Fellowship expands the reach of AI safety messaging through video content, and Surplus leverages the influx of funding from Anthropic and OpenAI sources to seed for-profit ventures. Together, they lower barriers for researchers, creators, and entrepreneurs who need fast capital to act on urgent AI risks.