The New Commons Challenge: Advancing AI for Public Good through Data Commons
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$200,000 in funding available for innovative data commons that enhance
local decision-making and disaster response
NEW YORK CITY, New York—The Open Data Policy Lab, a collaboration between
The GovLab at New York University and Microsoft, has launched the New
Commons Challenge, an initiative to advance the responsible reuse of data
for AI-driven solutions that enhance local decision-making and humanitarian
response.
The Challenge will award two winning institutions $100,000 each to develop
data commons that fuel responsible AI innovation in these critical areas.
With the increasing use of generative AI in crisis management, disaster
preparedness, and local decision-making, access to diverse and high-quality
data has never been more essential.
The New Commons Challenge seeks to support organizations—including
start-ups, non-profits, NGOs, universities, libraries, and AI developers—to
build shared data ecosystems that improve real-world outcomes, from public
health to emergency response.
Bridging Research and Real-World Impact
“The New Commons Challenge is about putting data into action,” said Stefaan
Verhulst, Co-Founder and Chief Research and Development Officer at The
GovLab. “By enabling new models of data stewardship, we aim to support AI
applications that save lives, strengthen communities, and enhance local
decision-making where it matters most.”
The Challenge builds on the Open Data Policy Lab’s recent report, “Blueprint
to Unlock New Data Commons for AI,” which advocates for creating
collaboratively governed data ecosystems that support responsible AI
development.
How the Challenge Works
The challenge unfolds in two phases: Phase One: Open Call for Concept Notes
(April 14 – June 2, 2025)
Innovators world-wide are invited to submit concept notes outlining their
ideas. Phase Two: Full Proposal Submissions & Expert Review (June 2025)
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Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal
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An interdisciplinary panel will evaluate proposals based on their impact
potential, feasibility, and ethical governance.
Winners Announced in Late Summer 2025
Two selected projects will each receive $100,000 in funding, alongside
technical support, mentorship, and global recognition.
“Generative AI can only be as powerful as the data that informs it.
Microsoft is committed to advancing equitable access to public data that
enables well-performing and representative AI solutions worldwide,” said
Burton Davis, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Microsoft.
A Growing Coalition of Support
The Challenge is backed by leading institutions committed to ethical AI and
open data. Partners include Direct Relief / CrisisReady, and Harvard Law
School Library, and UNESCO as International observer, which will provide
subject-matter expertise and evaluation support.
“We’re seeing a surge in AI-powered tools for disaster response and climate
resilience,” said Andrew Schroeder, Vice President of Research and Analysis
at Direct Relief and Co-Director of the CrisisReady project with the
Harvard Data Science Initiative. “For these tools to produce genuine public
benefit, they require high-quality, diverse datasets—which is exactly what
the New Commons Challenge is driving forward.”
Harvard Law School Library’s Greg Leppert, Executive Director of the
Institutional Data Initiative, added: “Expanding access to data is key to
ensuring that, as the potential of AI grows, all of humanity is empowered
along with it. Our work with libraries to publish vast data collections of
knowledge is born from the same public-interest principles that animate
this Challenge.”
UNESCO’s Guilherme Canela de Souza Godoi, Director for the Division of
Digital Inclusion and Policies and Digital Transformation, emphasized the
broader implications: “As we have been emphasizing in several multilateral
recommendations and guidelines, ethical and human rights-based approaches
must guide innovation. The New Commons Challenge offers a concrete
framework for how data collaboration can align AI with societal needs.”
Join the Challenge
The New Commons Challenge is now open for applications. Interested
participants can find more details, including the full challenge
guidelines, at newcommons.ai.
For inquiries, please contact me or newcommons(a)opendatapolicylab.org.
