Columbia Global Innovation Awards

Could your research transform our understanding into how the development of AI is affecting society? Is it ready to be translated into programs or practice that can make an impact? Is it still an early-stage idea waiting for initial exploration and research?

The Columbia Global Innovation Awards offer three tiers of funding for Columbia faculty and researchers whose work advances knowledge, develops new frameworks, and translates scholarship into programs or practice, all while strengthening partnerships across disciplines and engaging students and external partners. With a focus on research in New York City or in locations where a Columbia Global Center is situated, this is an opportunity to use Columbia Global’s international resources and partners to drive collaborative innovations.

The 2026 awards are dedicated to research around the theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Society. As AI’s influence cuts across disciplines, from economics and public policy to the humanities and the arts, innovative research on this topic requires the breadth of scholarship: empirical and humanistic, theoretical and applied, local and global.

We encourage applications for interdisciplinary research that bridge disciplines and could contribute to shaping the future of AI in society, including proposals that engage with governance/democracy, security/conflict, economics, health, and education.

Proposals that aim to incorporate learning into coursework, curriculum and/or capstones will be prioritized.

The Columbia Global Innovation Awards will subsume the President’s Global Innovation Fund and CWP Social Impact Awards, which will be discontinued in 2026.

Award Tiers

Tier 1: Concept and Convening Awards support early-stage ideas and can be used for idea/project exploration and initial research, convenings, workshops or partnership development, and/or early-stage project activities. 

• Awards: Up to 10 awards will be granted for $10,000 - $25,000 (per award) for 12-18 months.
• Anticipated start date: July 2026
• Submission: Applications must include a concept note, budget and work plan.

Tier 2. Innovation and Proof of Concept Awards support collaborations between multidisciplinary teams of Columbia University faculty and researchers and external partners that bridge insight and application by enabling translation of scholarship into new educational, comparative, or applied forms.

• Awards: Up to five awards will be granted for $150,000 (per award) for up to three years.
• Anticipated start date: October 2026
• Submission: Applications must include a concept note with summary budget. Following an initial review, invited applicants must submit a full proposal, budget, and workplan.

Tier 3. Impact and Scale Awards support larger, more developed projects with awards designed to scale or adapt proven approaches, strengthen evidence base for broader adoption, embed solutions within institutional or policy frameworks, or advance the sustained implementation of piloted work through integration with partners and stakeholders. Priority will be given to projects that build on established work and are positioned to expand, replicate or influence policy, practice, tools or systems.

• Awards: Up to two awards will be granted for up to $300,000 (per award) for up to three years.
• Anticipated start date: October 2026.
• Submission: Applications must include a concept note with summary budget. Following an initial review, invited applicants must submit a full proposal, budget, and workplan.

Requirements

• Proposal lead(s) must be full-time faculty or researcher(s) at Columbia University.
• At least one proposal lead must be eligible to serve as a Principal Investigator, per Columbia University guidelines.
• Proposals must include collaboration across disciplines, schools, institutes, or centers.
• Proposals must be focused on work in New York City or in conjunction with one of the Columbia Global Centers.
• For international proposals: Prior to submission of the proposal, applicants are required to have, at minimum, one consultation with the director of the relevant Global Center(s) to discuss the proposed project, including its feasibility, potential partnerships, and the role of the Global Center(s).
• Tier 2 and 3 proposals must also:
  • Have at least one additional full-time Columbia University faculty or researcher from a distinct university unit as part of the project leadership.
  • Include at least one external partner outside Columbia University
  • Include ways to engage with Columbia University undergraduate, graduate students and/or postdocs.

Applications

All potential applicants should carefully review the Request for Proposals before submitting an application through Submittable.

Info Session

To learn more, register for our virtual information session to be held on May 5 at 10 a.m.