Faith and AI Rapid Response Grant - DELTA Partner Program

Background

What does it mean to be human in the era of powerful AI?

• When artificial intelligence shapes how we work, think, care, and worship, how do we remain fully human?
• How do we protect what’s sacred—our dignity, our attention, our love—when so much is being automated?
• And what might faith traditions offer a world increasingly guided by data and prediction rather than wisdom and discernment?

These questions lie at the heart of the DELTA Network at the Notre Dame Institute for Ethics and the Common Good (ECG), supported by a major grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

The DELTA Partner Program seeks to empower bold, visionary organizations and thought leaders to explore the ethical and spiritual dimensions of artificial intelligence—and to translate these insights into practical, scalable tools for real-world impact.

The DELTA framework—an acronym for Dignity, Embodiment, Love, Transcendence, and Agency—is rooted in Christian virtues while drawing on shared moral wisdom to address the ethical complexity of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. It offers not just a set of principles, but a vision of human flourishing that can help orient our institutions, communities, and imaginations in a time of profound technological change.

Community of Practice

As part of the DELTA Network, three communities of practice will help guide and amplify the public impact of the work:

• Education: Focused on developing curricular and pedagogical resources to help educators and young people (as well as their parents or caretakers) understand and respond to AI through the lens of faith and ethics.
• Pastoral Ministry: Centered on equipping pastors, congregational leaders, and laypeople with theological and practical tools to reflect on the moral and spiritual dimensions of AI.
• Public Engagement: Focused on translating DELTA themes into accessible formats for broader audiences—through journalism and storytelling activities.

Each community of practice will bring together a diverse group of practitioners—educators, scholars, writers, pastors, and thought leaders—whose work is animated by a shared commitment to ethical and faith-informed responses to AI. We anticipate each community will include approximately 10–20 members drawn from across the DELTA Network.

DELTA Partners will lead the design and direction of their specific projects for a specific community of practice, but they will not work in isolation. Rather, their efforts will be supported and enriched by the broader DELTA Network—including DELTA Leaders, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduate researchers, and practitioners. When appropriate, DELTA Network members will be integrated into Partners’ projects to offer support, test ideas, or help extend the project’s reach and impact.

Partners will be expected to engage regularly with the relevant community of practice through bi-weekly virtual meetings, online collaboration, and annual convenings hosted at Notre Dame or regional hubs.

Program Focus

The DELTA Partner Program invites proposals from organizations ready to make significant progress in one of the following four areas:

1. Developing a K–8 curriculum, set of original resources, professional development program, or similar deliverable based on the ethical use of AI grounded in the DELTA framework
2. Developing a high school curriculum, set of original resources, professional development program, or similar deliverable on the ethical use of AI grounded in the DELTA framework
3. Creating a pastoral training program, set of original resources, or similar deliverable for Christian denominations focused on AI and the DELTA framework
4. Producing a major public-facing creative project (e.g., a video series, podcast, digital media campaign, etc.) intended to make DELTA accessible and applicable to a broad audience.

The DELTA Partner Program will award up to 10 Rapid Response Grants of up to $100,000 each to organizations working in these areas of focus. These short-term (4-5 months in duration) grants will fund fast-moving, high-impact projects beginning April 2026 and concluding September 2026. Grantees will be expected to present their deliverables at the September 21-23, 2026 Summit on AI, Faith, and Human Flourishing on Notre Dame’s campus in a workshop for the relevant Community of Practice (see below).

At the conclusion of this initial phase, a second phase of two-year Impact Grants ranging from $500,000 to $1 million will launch. Rapid Response grantees will be eligible to apply to continue or scale their work, but the round will also be open to new applicants. A third phase is anticipated in the future, structured based on learnings from the first two phases.

The Rapid Response phase reflects the urgency of the current moment—where AI is evolving faster than public understanding or institutional guidance. The subsequent Impact Grants recognize the importance of deep, thoughtful engagement and long-term infrastructure to address the complex ethical and spiritual challenges of AI.

Expectations and Eligibility

In addition to participating in their respective community of practice, DELTA Partners are expected to:

• Execute their project according to the approved project plan and budget
• Submit regular progress reports
• Provide a final report and public-facing deliverable(s) at the conclusion of the grant period
• Present their work at the September 21-23, 2026 Notre Dame AI, Faith, and Human Flourishing Summit
• Meet regularly with the DELTA Director for guidance and reflection

We welcome proposals from a broad range of institutions, including:

• Religious organizations and denominations
• Academic institutions and research centers
• K–12 and higher education institutions
• Policy institutes, think tanks, and advocacy groups
• Media producers, creative teams, and public-interest organizations
• National organizations working at the intersection of AI, ethics, and faith

Applicants should designate a Principal Investigator (PI) to lead the project and serve as the primary point of contact. The application should also include information about other key personnel and collaborators.

At the time of application, organizations should clearly identify the proposed deliverables (e.g., curriculum, public media, pastoral training resources, or policy guidance) that will result from their work.

The PI must be able to attend the annual summit at Notre Dame, September 21-23, 2026.

Application Requirements

Applications must be submitted through Interfolio (here) and must include the following materials:

1. Cover Letter / Statement of Interest
   A brief letter outlining the organization’s interest in the DELTA Partner Program and how it aligns with your mission and the proposed project.
2. PI Curriculum Vitae or Résumé
   A current CV or résumé for the Principal Investigator (limit: four single-spaced pages).
3. Executive Summary
   A concise summary (maximum 400 words) of the proposed project, including the intended scope, goals, and deliverables.
4. Project Proposal
   A detailed project description (5 single-spaced pages or fewer, not including references/bibliography) that includes:
   • The applying organization’s mission, capacity to manage and execute the grant project, and history of collaboration.
   • Project’s alignment with the DELTA Framework and ECG’s mission
   • Anticipated outcomes and deliverables
   • A preliminary work plan describing what will be accomplished during the grant period, including prior work completed, methods to be employed, and project structure.
5. Itemized Budget
   A detailed budget (up to $100,000). Use the DELTA Budget Template.
   • Note: No indirect costs will be supported on these rapid-response grants.