Artificial Intelligence for American Competitiveness and Economic Security (AI-ACES) in South Asia

The program within SCA will aim to deploy American AI technology securely in U.S. partners’ strategic economic sectors and infrastructure. The specific strategic economic sector(s) and organizations (including government, public institutions like utilities, and private companies) targeted in each country for support would be developed in consultation with State Department and host country governments and based on the geopolitical and economic factors of each country.

Program Details

Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs is a federal agency that offers the Artificial Intelligence for American Competitiveness and Economic Security (AI-ACES) in South Asia grant program to support infrastructure. This funding opportunity is available nationally and is administered by Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs through Grants.gov. Organizations seeking funding for infrastructure should review the details below and confirm their eligibility before preparing an application.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include for-profit businesses. Organizations that meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply and to review the full program guidelines before submission. Because eligibility rules and funding priorities can change between cycles, applicants should always confirm the current requirements with Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs or on Grants.gov before investing time in an application.

Funding and Timeline

Funding available: $2M – $5M. The application deadline is August 2, 2026 (28 days remaining). Applicants should allow sufficient time to gather required documentation, including organizational information, project descriptions, budgets, and supporting materials as specified in the program guidelines. Submitting a complete application well ahead of the deadline reduces the risk of disqualification on technical or administrative grounds.

Program Focus

This grant supports infrastructure. This grant is associated with NAICS industry classifications: 541511, 541715, 237. Organizations operating in these sectors are encouraged to review eligibility. Funded projects are expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes aligned with the program's stated objectives. Grant recipients may be required to submit progress reports and final evaluations as a condition of the award, and to retain records for audit and compliance purposes.

How to Apply

Eligible organizations can apply through Grants.gov. Create a free organization profile on GrantRegister to see whether this grant matches your organization's NAICS code, entity type, location, and focus area, and to receive a weekly digest of every open grant you qualify for.

GrantRegister maintains a complete, authoritative registry of US federal, state, and foundation grant opportunities — matched automatically to your organization profile and delivered every Monday.

Eligibility

• Programs related to artificial intelligence
• Programs related to infrastructure

Award details

Award range: $2M – $5M. Applications close on August 2, 2026 (28 days remaining).

Categories

Infrastructure