AI Cuts Grants, But New Tool Helps Communities Get Funding
In brief
- Last spring, employees from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency used ChatGPT to decide which federally funded grants to eliminate.
- They asked the AI a simple question about whether projects related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- The AI labeled many important projects as related, leading to cuts in funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities.
- This approach shows how AI can be used to strip communities of needed resources.
- But it also highlights a better way.
- A new platform called GrantWell uses AI to help local governments find and apply for federal grants.
- It connects communities with funding for projects like replacing lead pipes, improving broadband access, and modernizing infrastructure.
- In Massachusetts alone, communities are eligible for $17.5 billion in grants, but only about 30% is used.
- Watch for how AI tools like GrantWell can change the way communities get the support they need from the federal government.
Terms in this brief
- GrantWell
- A new platform that uses AI to assist local governments in identifying and applying for federal grants. It helps communities secure funding for essential projects like infrastructure improvements and public services, ensuring they can access financial support more effectively.
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