Applications Invited for DIV Fund – Development Innovation Ventures Grants

About DIV Fund

The DIV Fund is an evidence-driven, open innovation fund for global development. We offer three tiers of grants, calibrating funding to evidence and results - piloting ambitious ideas, rigorously testing those with traction, and supporting the scale-up of validated, transformative solutions. We also assist other funders, including governments, aid agencies, and private philanthropic organizations, to develop or refine their own innovation funds.

What We Fund

DIV supports innovative, cost-effective solutions that have the potential to improve millions of lives. Its funding model combines risk-tolerant capital with evidence-based decision-making to pilot promising ideas, rigorously test innovations, and scale solutions that demonstrate strong impact.

Funding Opportunities

Pilot – Up to US$200,000

• Stage 1 grants support real-world pilots of promising innovations. Funding can be used to assess user demand, feasibility, impact potential, and financial viability.

Test & Position for Scale – Up to US$500,000*

• Stage 2 grants help determine whether an innovation is measurably impactful and has a viable pathway to scale. Funding may support rigorous impact evaluations, market validation, new business models, or strategic expansion.
• In exceptional cases, Stage 2 grants of up to US$750,000 may be considered.

Scale – Up to US$1.5 million

• Stage 3 grants support the scale-up of validated, transformative innovations. Applicants should demonstrate strong evidence of impact and cost-effectiveness or commercial viability, along with partnerships that can enable widespread adoption.

Core Selection Criteria

DIV evaluates applications based on three key principles:

Evidence of Impact:

• A credible theory of change and evidence that the innovation can improve lives.

Cost-Effectiveness:

• Potential to deliver greater impact per dollar than existing alternatives.

Durable Scale:

• Potential to reach more than 1 million people at scale with a clear pathway to long-term financial sustainability.
• DIV is open to different pathways to scale, including government, philanthropic, private-market, or blended funding models.

For more information, please check the link: DIV Fund – Development Innovation Ventures Grants

Tags Education and Education Technology (edtech) Impact Investing Innovations and Technology Livelihood Skill Development Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Research Others