About this opportunity
Education is at a hinge point. UNESCO estimates that 57 per cent of children worldwide, close to one billion learners, are not acquiring basic literacy, numeracy or socio-emotional skills, and student performance in reading and mathematics has fallen to the lowest average the OECD has recorded. The Atlassian Foundation believes the answer is not a smarter tool in isolation but better teamwork, so its open call backs organisations that work in coalitions.
The foundation is putting US$8 million to work over the next two years, and each partnership can receive up to US$1 million across two years. Money comes with a learning cohort for peer exchange and non-financial support, including Atlassian tools and expertise. The call is open globally to registered nonprofits, which keeps it within reach of education organisations across Nigeria and Africa that already run programmes in schools and communities.
Three things decide whether an initiative fits. The work must directly relieve poverty or disadvantage for a clearly identified group of learners. It must be collective action, meaning several players sharing goals, delivery and learning. And it must help education evolve so emerging technology closes gaps rather than widening them, with a considered reason wherever AI is used or deliberately left out.
Applications run through the Goodstack Causes Portal and close on 30 October 2026 at 11:59 pm AEDT. Applicants hear the outcome by 31 March 2027 AEDT. The foundation has already funded three partners, including a 195 organisation AI career coaching coalition and a global teacher network, so a strong African education consortium is squarely in scope.
What you receive
- Funding of up to US$1 million over two years
- A learning cohort for peer to peer knowledge exchange
- Atlassian tools and technical expertise at no cost
- Standing as a named foundation partner in collective education work
- Access to a US$8 million programme pool across the next two years
Who can apply
- Registered nonprofit organisations in any country
- Work that directly relieves poverty or disadvantage for a clearly identified beneficiary group
- Initiatives built on collective action with multiple players sharing goals, delivery and learning
- Projects that help education evolve for learners in the AI era
- Where AI is used, a deliberate and appropriate purpose with risks and safeguards considered
Who should not apply
- Individual applicants
- Organisations without nonprofit registration
- Projects that adopt AI for its own sake with no education outcome
Documents to prepare
- Proof of registered nonprofit status
- A written proposal addressing all three published criteria
- Details of partner organisations and how the coalition shares goals and delivery
- A statement of how the initiative serves a clearly identified group of under-resourced learners
How to apply
- Read the open call page on the Atlassian website and check the initiative against the three criteria
- Use the eligibility checklist and attend one of the published webinars if the fit is unclear
- Create the application on the official Goodstack Causes Portal through the application link
- Submit before 30 October 2026 at 11:59 pm AEDT with complete partner details
Selection process
- Submitted proposals are reviewed against the three published criteria
- Selected initiatives join the existing partner cohort alongside the first three funded programmes
- Applicants are notified of the outcome by 31 March 2027 AEDT
Sources and verification
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Questions applicants ask
Is this call open to organisations outside Australia?
Yes. The call is open globally to registered nonprofits, and the foundation's first partners work in the United States, India and across a 63 country network.
How much can a partnership receive?
Each partnership is eligible for up to US$1 million in funding over two years, plus a learning cohort and non-financial support.
When do applicants hear back?
The foundation notifies applicants of the outcome of their application by 31 March 2027 AEDT.
Important disclaimer
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