New Commons Incubator for Indigenous Languages and Cultures: Application Form

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Welcome and thank you for your interest in the New Commons Incubator for Indigenous Languages and Cultures!

💡What is the Incubator? 

The New Commons Incubator is a six-month capacity-building program that supports Indigenous-led teams in developing a data commons, which are community governed datasets that enable responsible, equitable use for public-interest purposes. 

Through mentorship, training, and peer learning, the Incubator helps participants move from early-stage data commons ideas to clear, actionable, and fundable proposals.  

Learn more about data commons by reading our data commons FAQ HERE. 

🌐Who should apply?

This Incubator is intended for individuals/teams who identify as Indigenous, or are working in close partnership with Indigenous communities. 

If you do not identify as Indigenous, you should be able to demonstrate: 

• A clear, trusted, and ongoing relationship with an Indigenous community
• Evidence of community awareness, participation, or endorsement of the initiative
• A required letter of support that provides evidence of both the relationship and the community’s support for the initiative

If a finalized letter is not yet available, you may upload a placeholder or draft and provide the final version upon request. 

📣Why apply? 

Selected participants will receive capacity building support to:

• Develop a fundable proposal for a data commons initiative
• Build a governance model aligned with Indigenous data sovereignty
• Strengthen their approach to applying data and AI for public-interest purposes and equitably distributing benefits
• Connect with a network of experts, partners, and potential funders

By the end of the program, participants will have a pitch ready proposal to advance their initiative. 

💻How to apply?

Apply now by submitting the form below. The form will ask you for:

• General information about you and your team (if applicable)
• A two-page statement about your idea for a data commons (please find our suggested template HERE)
• A letter confirming that your institution supports your participation in the
• Incubator and the continued development of the initiative if selected
• [Optional] A space to upload a letter explaining your relationship with an Indigenous community
• A declaration if you are selected

How will proposals be evaluated?

All proposals will be evaluated by an international cohort of Indigenous data experts and representatives selected by our steering committee. Reviewers will be selected from our directory who have relevant experience with the data commons topic and/or region. The assessment criteria for proposal evaluation can be found in the “Governance and Protocol” document HERE.

⏰ Application deadline: 14 August, 2026

✏️ Have any questions? Email us at newcommons@opendatapolicylab.org or visit our FAQs page.  

This effort is presented by The Open Data Policy Lab, UNESCO, and Microsoft.

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This initiative and the project partners will not collect, store, or use data about Indigenous communities. The information provided in this form will be shared exclusively with the jury tasked with reviewing applications and project partners involved in the selection process. It will not be distributed, published, or used for any other purpose other than applying for the Incubator and coordinating logistics throughout the program. Access to submitted information will be limited to individuals directly involved in the application review process and all submitted materials will be deleted within two months of the final selection of candidates.

The GovLab and its partners are committed to respecting your privacy. We abide by all the practices and principles outlined by New York University in its Digital Privacy Statement. For more information, please review the full statement here.

This section asks for details about the lead applicant and any team members who would be participating. The lead applicant will be the main contact and must participate in the full Incubator program.

Please upload a 2-page statement summarizing your data commons idea, an institutional letter of support, and [optional] an additional letter providing evidence of your relationship to an Indigenous community. This may include:

 

• A letter of support from a relevant Indigenous leader or Indigenous body; 
• A memorandum of understanding with a Indigenous governing body; 
• Other reporting and documentation (e.g. contract, treaty, implementation schedule and evaluation plan) indicating that the applicant’s proposal has broad community support and/or follows a process of free, prior, and informed consent; or
• Vetting by an expert from or recognized by the New Commons Incubator Steering Committee.

A template for your application statement can be found HERE and the judging criteria can be found HERE. 

The institutional letter of support should confirm that your institution supports your participation in the Incubator and the continued development of the initiative if selected. Applications without a letter of support will not be considered.

If you do not yet have a finalized letter, you may submit a draft or placeholder and provide a final version upon request.

The lead applicant confirms that the information in this application is accurate and agrees to participate in the full Incubator program if selected.