The Global Innovation Challenge is Citi Foundation’s annual grant program for community organizations developing responses to social and economic challenges affecting low-income communities. The fourth challenge funds work that equips young people with skills, experiences, and opportunities for an economy increasingly shaped by AI.
Selected organizations will implement their own locally relevant programs. The call emphasizes AI and human-centric skills, digital access and job connections, stronger youth-employment programs, and cross-sector partnerships.
Benefits & funding
- Fifty community organizations will each receive a USD 500,000 grant.
- Citi Foundation has committed USD 25 million to this challenge.\n- Grant terms run for 24 months, starting no earlier than June 1, 2027.
Eligibility
- Proposed work must impact at least one target geography: Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia; Australia, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam; 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; Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates; Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay; or Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and eligible areas of the United States.\n- In the United States, eligibility is limited to Citi’s listed areas in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
- Proposed work should prepare low-income youth for employment in an AI-shaped economy.
- Relevant approaches include building AI and human-centric skills, expanding digital access and job connections, integrating AI into youth-employment programs, or strengthening cross-sector partnerships.
Can you apply?
Check who can apply
No nationality, residency, education, experience, gender or age limit is listed. The other conditions are under Eligibility.
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Application process
- 1Review the Summary and FAQ and target-geography details linked from the official funding page.
- 2Register through the official funding page for the Fourth Global Innovation Challenge.
- 3Submit the organization’s interest by October 6, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. New York time.
- 4Await the recipient announcement in 2027.
Program timeline
Fourth challenge announced.
September 9, 2026
Submission deadline.
October 6, 2026, 12:00 p.m. New York time
Recipients announced.
2027