McGovern Foundation’s AI grants prioritize institutions over breakthroughs
The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy focused on advancing artificial intelligence for public purpose, has unveiled more than $75 million in AI grantmaking this year aimed at shaping how the technology is actually used — and by whom.
The foundation’s 2025 funding includes 149 grants across 13 countries. Recipients range from Digital Green, which is scaling AI-enabled agricultural advisory services for smallholder farmers, to Direct Relief, which is applying machine learning to improve forecasting in humanitarian medical response. The United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies also received support to develop blueprints for centers to help bridge the AI divide.
The announcement pulls together the foundation’s AI grants made over the past year, offering a snapshot of where it is directing funding and why. These investments bring the McGovern Foundation's total grantmaking to $500 million. The focus is less on technological novelty than on ensuring communities and public institutions can work together to build AI solutions that meet real needs.
About the author
Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney
Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.
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