Application Guide
How to Apply for Falcon Fund
at Manifund
🏢 About Manifund
Manifund is a unique open platform that connects charity founders with aligned donors, emphasizing transparency and impact. It offers a flexible, remote work environment and focuses on high-leverage areas like animal welfare and AI safety.
About This Role
As a Falcon Fund grant-maker, you'll rapidly identify and fund animal welfare projects at the intersection of AI development, such as creating animal harm benchmarks or AI welfare constitutions. This role allows you to shape the future of AI's impact on animals by allocating resources to the most promising interventions.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve reviewing project proposals from early-stage animal welfare AI initiatives, conducting quick due diligence calls with founders, and making funding decisions. You'll also spend time networking with researchers and donors, and updating Manifund's platform with new grant opportunities.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Manifund Is Looking For
- Has deep knowledge of animal welfare issues and effective altruism principles to evaluate project impact.
- Understands AI development trends and their potential risks/opportunities for animals, including concepts like AI alignment and governance.
- Demonstrates experience in grant-making or project evaluation, with a track record of making high-stakes funding decisions.
- Possesses strong networking skills to identify and engage with founders and researchers at the frontier of AI and animal welfare.
📝 Tips for Applying to Manifund
Specifically mention your familiarity with Manifund's platform and how you've used or evaluated projects on it.
Provide concrete examples of past grants or evaluations you've made, highlighting their impact and your decision-making process.
Discuss your perspective on the most pressing animal welfare issues related to AI, referencing specific projects you'd fund.
Tailor your resume to emphasize any experience with AI safety, animal advocacy, or rapid grant-making.
In your cover letter, propose a couple of hypothetical grant ideas that align with Falcon Fund's focus areas.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your passion for animal welfare and your understanding of AI's transformative potential.", 'Your ability to identify high-impact projects and make quick, evidence-based decisions.', 'Your experience with grant-making or project evaluation, including specific examples.', "Your alignment with Manifund's mission of open, effective philanthropy."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Manifund's current and past projects, especially those related to animal welfare or AI.
- → Read about the concept of 'AI welfare' and ongoing debates about moral consideration for AI systems.
- → Familiarize yourself with key organizations in animal welfare AI, such as the Animal Welfare AI Lab or Rethink Priorities.
- → Understand Manifund's funding model and how Falcon Fund fits into their broader strategy.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention animal welfare or AI specifically.
- Overlooking the need for speed in grant-making; the role emphasizes rapid funding.
- Focusing too much on theory without showing practical experience in evaluating projects or making grants.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!