How to apply for Funding for Addressing Risks From Transformative AI

About Coefficient Giving

Coefficient Giving is a grantmaking and research nonprofit that funds work across several areas, including reducing risks from transformative AI. It is the largest funder of 80,000 Hours, which signals a strong connection to the effective altruism and AI safety communities. Someone might want to work here because the role directly shapes how money is allocated to grow the field of AI risk work.

About the role

This is a grantmaking role that supports projects which grow the field of work addressing risks from transformative AI. The grants fund training and mentorship programmes, fellowships, courses, bootcamps, events, groups, meetups, and media such as books, podcasts, videos, and newsletters. The impact comes from helping more people enter and contribute to AI risk work through well-targeted funding.

A typical day

A typical day might involve reviewing rolling applications from individuals and organisations, assessing proposals for training programmes, fellowships, events, or media, and making funding recommendations. You would likely communicate with applicants and track decisions to ensure they are made within about three months. The role is remote, so much of the work is done independently with periodic check-ins.

Who Coefficient Giving is looking for

• Has direct experience with AI risk, AI safety, or transformative AI issues, either through research, community building, or grantmaking.
• Understands how training programmes, fellowships, events, and media can grow a field, and can judge which projects are likely to be effective.
• Is comfortable with rolling applications and can make or recommend funding decisions within about three months.
• Can work remotely and collaborate with a grantmaking and research nonprofit that funds individuals and organisations.

Tips for this application

• Explain your specific connection to AI risk work. The role funds projects that grow the field, so show you know the field and its gaps.
• Describe any experience you have with funding, evaluating, or running training programmes, fellowships, courses, bootcamps, events, groups, meetups, or media projects.
• Use the exact language from the job description in your application, such as 'training and mentorship programmes', 'fellowships', 'hackathons', and 'resources and media'.
• Address the rolling application process. State that you understand decisions usually take within three months and that you can work with that timeline.
• Mention 80,000 Hours and Coefficient Giving's relationship as largest funder, but only if you can do so factually and without flattery.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your track record in AI risk work or in funding projects that grow a field.', 'Specific examples of training, mentorship, fellowships, courses, bootcamps, events, groups, meetups, or media you have supported or run.', 'How you would judge which projects to fund to grow the field of work addressing risks from transformative AI.', 'Your ability to handle rolling applications and make decisions within about three months.']

Research before applying

• Read the Coefficient Giving website, especially any pages on grantmaking areas and past grants related to AI risk.
• Review 80,000 Hours' page about Coefficient Giving as its largest funder to understand the relationship.
• Look for public information on previous grants that funded training programmes, fellowships, courses, bootcamps, events, groups, meetups, or media.
• Find out how rolling applications are handled and what the typical three-month decision timeline means in practice.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you evaluate a proposal for a new AI risk fellowship or bootcamp?
• What types of events, groups, or media do you think are most effective for growing the field of AI risk work?
• How would you handle a rolling application process where decisions usually take within three months?
• What do you know about Coefficient Giving's grantmaking areas and its relationship with 80,000 Hours?
• How would you compare funding a conference versus funding a podcast or newsletter for growing the field?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Being vague about AI risk. The role is specifically about risks from transformative AI, not general technology or AI ethics.
• Ignoring the grantmaking aspect. This is not a research or community-building role; it is about funding projects that grow the field.
• Applying as if this were a standard job with a fixed deadline. The process is rolling, and decisions usually take within three months.