TL;DR: Open Philanthropy (OP) is handing off monetary support for AI safety university group organizers to Kairos. Our new Pathfinder Fellowship will replace both OP’s University Organizer Fellowship and our Fieldbuilder Support Program (FSP), bringing funding and mentorship for AI safety student groups into one streamlined program.

We’re excited to use the flexibility of a smaller organization like Kairos to provide more tailored and comprehensive support to student organizers than was possible at OP. By bringing these programs together under one roof, we can execute on a more ambitious version of AI safety group support, one that is more responsive to organizers’ needs and scales up our existing efforts. By making this change, we also hope to provide more streamlined access to funding and a smoother experience for those running groups via integrated fiscal sponsorship through BERI.

Note: Pathfinder is only for groups focused on AI safety or policy. Effective altruism groups should instead apply to CEA’s group support funding and OSP.

How do I apply to Pathfinder?

Click here. Applications to the Pathfinder Fellowship close August 6. Applications for our funding-only program, Pathfinder Support Grants, will be open year-round.

What kinds of support will Pathfinder provide?

The Pathfinder Fellowship now combines the mentorship and resources previously offered as part of the Fieldbuilder Support Program (FSP) with monetary support for AI safety groups.

Pathfinder Fellows will receive:

• Funding for group expenses. Pathfinder will provide funding to cover expenses such as event meals, room bookings, or merch. We’ll provide initial startup funding of $500 per group, then provide longer-term funding based on a budget fellows draft with their mentors’ help. Select graduate student organizers may also receive a stipend to support their time spent on the group.
• Mentorship. Pathfinder Fellows will be matched with experienced organizers for regular calls to support their planning and share advice.
• Other resources. Pathfinder will host workshops, organize coffee chats between organizers, provide a Slack community, and share access to the AI Safety Groups Resource Center, which contains dozens of articles on how to build and manage an AIS university group.

Will the bar for getting funding change?

The bar for getting into Pathfinder will, by and large, be similar to the bar for Open Phil’s University Organizer Fellowship, though we’ll be using slightly different criteria.

What if I need funding but not mentorship?

Experienced organizers who don’t have a need for mentorship, or groups in exceptional circumstances, can submit standalone grant requests through our Pathfinder Support Grants program. This program supports groups’ general budgets and can provide top-up grants for specific activities (like funding for a hackathon). The application process for PSG will be very similar to the University Organizer Fellowship at OP.

Will the amount of available funding change?

No. We’ll be funding groups at levels similar to what they would have received previously through the University Organizer Fellowship.

What will change about funding logistics?

For groups without an existing legal entity, Pathfinder will provide funding via fiscal sponsorship through BERI rather than as grants. That means organizers will receive group expense funding via a spending-capped card rather than as a payment to their bank account. This should make funding logistics quicker and easier, simplify organizers’ tax situations, and make it easier to track spending.

Logistics for graduate student organizers’ personal stipends aren’t fully settled yet, though BERI may hire these organizers as contractors or employees. Please reach out to pathfinder@kairos-project.org with questions or concerns.

What is Kairos?

Kairos is an AI safety fieldbuilding nonprofit which runs the Supervised Program for Alignment Research (SPAR), a research mentorship program, in addition to Pathfinder. Kairos formerly ran Pathfinder’s precursor program FSP.

Where can I find more information?

Visit Pathfinder’s website at pathfinder.kairos-project.org or email pathfinder@kairos-project.org.