The Citi Foundation Global Innovation Challenge 2026 is inviting eligible nonprofit organizations to submit proposals for innovative programmes that prepare low-income young people for employment in an increasingly artificial intelligence (AI)-driven economy.
Through its fourth Global Innovation Challenge, the Citi Foundation is committing US$25 million in total funding to support approximately 50 community organizations, with each selected organization expected to receive a restricted grant of US$500,000.
The initiative focuses on helping young people develop relevant AI, digital, and human-centred skills, improve access to technology, connect with employment opportunities, and strengthen existing youth employability programmes. It is designed to support organizations developing practical, scalable, and innovative solutions that promote economic mobility for low-income youth.
The Letter of Inquiry (LOI) deadline is October 6, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. New York Time (Eastern Time).
Opportunity Overview
- Opportunity: Fourth Global Innovation Challenge: Preparing Youth for AI
- Funder: Citi Foundation
- Funding Type: Restricted grant
- Total Funding: US$25 million
- Expected Number of Grantees: Up to 50 organizations
- Expected Grant Amount: US$500,000 per selected organization
- Grant Duration: 24 months
- Expected Grant Start: No earlier than June 1, 2027
- Primary Beneficiaries: Low-income youth, primarily ages 15 to 24
- Eligible Applicants: Registered nonprofit organizations
- Geographic Scope: Select countries and communities where Citi has a presence
- First-Stage Application: Letter of Inquiry
- LOI Deadline: October 6, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Expected LOI Decision Notification: By the end of November 2026
- Expected Final Funding Decisions: No later than the end of May 2027
The application and announcement timelines are subject to change. Applicants should consult the official Citi Foundation Request for Proposals documentation for the latest information before submitting.
About the Citi Foundation Global Innovation Challenge
The Citi Foundation’s Global Innovation Challenge is a philanthropic funding initiative that supports community organizations developing innovative responses to major social and economic challenges affecting low-income communities.
The 2026 edition focuses on preparing youth for the changing world of work. As AI and digital technologies increasingly influence recruitment, job roles, workplace productivity, and business operations, young people need access to both technical and human-centred capabilities.
The Foundation recognizes that low-income youth may face significant barriers to participating in the AI-enabled economy. These barriers can include:
- Limited access to reliable internet connectivity.
- Inadequate access to computers, smartphones, and digital tools.
- Gaps between existing education or training and emerging labour-market needs.
- Limited exposure to AI technologies.
- Lack of employment networks and career guidance.
- Insufficient opportunities to gain practical experience.
- Unequal access to training in digital and human-centred skills.
The challenge therefore seeks to support nonprofit organizations that can develop or expand solutions addressing these barriers and helping young people become more prepared for employment.
The Foundation’s announcement states that the challenge will support programmes that combine AI and digital capabilities with skills such as critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, resilience, and problem-solving. These complementary skills are important because young people will need more than technical knowledge to use AI responsibly and effectively in the workplace.
Why Preparing Youth for AI Matters
Artificial intelligence is transforming industries, job functions, recruitment practices, and the skills employers seek. While AI creates new opportunities, it can also deepen existing inequalities if young people from low-income communities lack access to the tools and training required to participate.
The challenge is based on the understanding that youth employability in the AI-driven economy requires a combination of:
- Technical AI literacy
- Digital access
- Practical workplace readiness
- Human-centred skills
- Career and employment support
- Responsible and ethical use of technology
The Foundation’s Request for Proposals highlights the importance of helping youth understand, guide, interpret, and apply AI tools rather than simply teaching technical concepts in isolation.
The programme is particularly relevant for organizations working with young people who are underserved by traditional education, training, technology, and employment systems.
Focus Areas of the Global Innovation Challenge
The Citi Foundation identifies three major focus areas for potential proposals. Organizations may develop projects within one or more of these areas, provided their solutions align with the overall goal of preparing low-income youth for employment.
1. Cultivating AI and Human-Centric Skills for Youth Employment
The first focus area supports programmes that help low-income youth develop AI-related and human-centred skills relevant to the workplace.
Potential activities may include training in:
- AI fundamentals.
- AI literacy.
- Ethical considerations in the use of AI.
- Prompt engineering.
- Digital content creation.
- AI-enabled workplace tools.
- Digital productivity.
- Problem-solving.
- Critical thinking.
- Advanced reasoning.
- Creativity.
- Adaptability.
- Resilience.
- Communication and collaboration.
The Foundation is interested in approaches that connect technical AI skills with broader employability capabilities. For example, a programme might teach young people how to use AI tools for research, content creation, data analysis, job applications, or business operations while also helping them develop judgment, creativity, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Strong proposals should demonstrate how the training will lead to practical employment outcomes, such as improved job readiness, access to work opportunities, stronger career pathways, or better alignment with employer needs.
2. Expanding Digital Access
The second focus area supports solutions that improve young people’s access to digital resources and opportunities.
Digital access may involve more than providing internet connectivity. It can also include access to devices, software, safe learning environments, relevant digital tools, and platforms that enable young people to participate in the digital economy.
Potential examples include:
- Community technology hubs.
- Shared computer or device facilities.
- Digital learning centres.
- Open-source AI tools.
- Low-connectivity digital platforms.
- Offline learning resources.
- Digital literacy programmes.
- Connectivity solutions.
- Technology access linked to employment services.
- Platforms that connect youth to jobs, internships, apprenticeships, or career opportunities.
This focus area is especially relevant for communities where young people may have limited or unreliable internet access. According to the supplied RFP, approximately 2.2 billion young people globally lack internet access at home, creating barriers to economic participation and mobility.
Proposals should explain how digital access will be connected to meaningful learning, employment, or economic outcomes rather than treating technology distribution as an isolated activity.
3. Building Support for NGO Capacity and Networks
The third focus area supports efforts to strengthen nonprofit organizations’ existing youth employability programmes by integrating AI-enabled tools, training, and resources.
It also encourages organizations to build or expand partnerships and networks across sectors, including:
- Education institutions.
- Nonprofit organizations.
- Technology companies.
- Employers.
- Government agencies.
- Training providers.
- Youth-serving organizations.
- Community groups.
- Research institutions.
- Workforce development organizations.
Potential activities may include:
- Integrating AI tools into existing youth employment programmes.
- Training nonprofit staff to use emerging technologies.
- Developing shared curricula or resources.
- Building cross-sector partnerships.
- Establishing employer networks.
- Sharing best practices.
- Creating learning communities.
- Strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems.
- Improving organizational capacity to adapt to changing workforce needs.
The Foundation is interested in solutions that promote continuous learning and adaptation because AI-related skills and labour-market requirements are evolving rapidly.
Funding Amount and Grant Structure
The Citi Foundation plans to award up to 50 restricted grants of US$500,000 each, representing a total commitment of US$25 million.
The grants are expected to be distributed over a 24-month period. The anticipated disbursement structure is:
- US$250,000 in Year 1, expected in 2027
- US$250,000 in Year 2, expected in 2028
The grant period is expected to begin no earlier than June 1, 2027.
Because the grants are restricted, funding must be used for the specific programme and eligible expenses described in the successful application. Organizations should develop realistic budgets that clearly connect proposed costs to programme activities, outcomes, and implementation plans.
Additional Support Beyond the Grant
In addition to financial support, the Citi Foundation intends to explore ways to support selected grantees through:
- Citi employee volunteerism.
- A learning community.
- Knowledge exchange.
- Shared lessons and best practices.
- Networking opportunities.
- Capacity-building activities.
- Opportunities to learn from other grantee organizations.
This additional support may help selected organizations strengthen implementation, improve their approaches, and develop relationships with other organizations working on youth employability and AI readiness.
However, applicants should understand that these additional forms of support are described as potential opportunities and should not be treated as guaranteed benefits beyond the grant award.
Eligible Organizations
The opportunity is intended for registered nonprofit organizations that meet the Foundation’s eligibility requirements.
To be eligible, an organization must generally meet the following conditions:
1. Focus on Low-Income Communities
The organization must demonstrate that its mission or strategic priorities specifically focus on serving low-income individuals or communities.
Applicants should be able to explain:
- Which low-income populations they serve.
- The barriers faced by their target beneficiaries.
- How their proposed programme addresses those barriers.
- Why their organization is well-positioned to deliver the proposed solution.
2. Operate or Deliver Impact in an Eligible Geography
The proposed programme must impact at least one of the Foundation’s target geographies.
An organization does not necessarily need to be headquartered in one of the listed countries or regions. However, the programme for which funding is requested must benefit communities within the Foundation’s eligible geographic scope.
3. Be Registered as a Nonprofit Entity
Organizations must be registered as nonprofit entities under applicable local law.
For example, U.S.-based applicants must generally be tax-exempt public charities under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
Organizations that require fiscal sponsorship are not eligible for this specific funding opportunity.
4. Have the Required Financial Documentation
Organizations invited to the full application stage must be able to provide externally audited financial statements covering at least part of calendar year 2024 or a subsequent year by the anticipated application deadline in early December 2026.
The audited financial documents must include:
- An auditor’s signed letter.
- Complete financial statements.
- Auditor’s notes.
Organizations that cannot meet this requirement should carefully review the eligibility rules before submitting an LOI.
Target Countries and Geographic Eligibility
The Citi Foundation’s target geographies cover selected countries and communities across several regions where Citi has a presence.
Africa
Eligible countries listed in the RFP include:
- Algeria
- Cameroon
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Egypt
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
Asia Pacific
Eligible countries and territories include:
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
- South Korea
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
Europe
Eligible countries include:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
Middle East
Eligible countries include:
- Bahrain
- Israel
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Türkiye
- United Arab Emirates
Latin America and the Caribbean
Eligible countries include:
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Jamaica
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uruguay
North America
The RFP lists:
- Canada
- Mexico
- Select regions of the United States
The eligible U.S. locations include selected counties, cities, states, territories, and regions in places such as California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Organizations should review the official geographic eligibility table carefully because eligibility in the United States is limited to the specific locations identified in the RFP.
Can Organizations Based Outside the United States Apply?
Yes. Organizations based outside the United States may apply directly if they meet the eligibility requirements and propose programmes that impact one or more of the Foundation’s target geographies.
For organizations based outside the United States, grants may be administered through Charities Aid Foundation America (CAF America). CAF America may request additional information or documentation after the Citi Foundation recommends an award.
CAF America will ultimately make the final approval decision for grants to organizations based outside the United States and will have oversight responsibility during the grant term.
Application Process
The Citi Foundation Global Innovation Challenge will use a competitive, two-stage application process.
Round 1: Letter of Inquiry
Interested organizations must first submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) through the Foundation’s grant portal.
The LOI is intended to help the Foundation assess whether the organization and proposed programme align with the goals of the Global Innovation Challenge.
The Foundation will review submissions based on factors including:
- Strategic alignment.
- Feasibility.
- Potential for impact.
- Organizational eligibility.
- Relevance to low-income youth.
- Innovation and practicality of the proposed solution.
- Alignment with the AI and workforce-readiness focus.
Round 2: Full Grant Application
The Foundation aims to notify organizations by the end of November 2026 whether they will be invited to submit a full grant application.
Organizations invited to Round 2 will receive additional instructions regarding:
- The full application process.
- Required documents.
- Detailed programme information.
- Budget requirements.
- Monitoring and evaluation expectations.
- Submission deadlines.
- Grant terms and conditions.
An invitation to submit a full application does not guarantee funding. It is only an invitation to continue in the competitive process.
Final funding decisions are anticipated to be communicated to recipient organizations no later than the end of May 2027.
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Application Deadline
The deadline to submit the initial Letter of Inquiry is:
October 6, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. New York Time, Eastern Time.
