DIV Fund Grant for Global Development Innovations
By DIV Fund
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Quick Answer
Grants of up to US $1.5 million (about ₹14.25 Cr) for proven innovations that improve the lives of people in poverty in low- and middle-income countries.
About this grant
The DIV Fund is the independent successor to USAID's Development Innovation Ventures program, now run by Sasha Gallant (CEO, former head of DIV at USAID), Jeff Brown, and Nobel laureate Michael Kremer. It functions as an R&D engine for global development, backing evidence-driven innovations that can cost-effectively improve lives at scale in low- and middle-income countries — a category that includes India.
Funding is structured in three tiered, milestone-based grant stages. Stage 1 Pilot grants up to ₹1.86 crore support real-world pilots to test feasibility, user demand, and impact potential. Stage 2 Test & Position for Scale grants up to ₹4.65 crore (occasionally ₹6.98 crore) fund rigorous impact evaluations or market validation. Stage 3 Scale grants up to ₹13.95 crore accelerate the scale-up of validated innovations with proven evidence of impact and cost-effectiveness.
Beyond capital, the fund pairs grantees with rigorous evaluation expertise and connects them to a global network of researchers, evaluators, and scaling partners. All grants are non-dilutive — the fund does not take equity, and explicitly does not provide debt or other financial instruments. Funding is tied to milestones and can be used flexibly across program implementation, data collection, evaluation, and key personnel.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year, with no fixed deadline. Indian startups, social enterprises, nonprofits, and research organizations working on solutions that benefit people in poverty across health, agriculture, education, financial inclusion, energy, and climate adaptation are eligible. Applicants do not need to start at Stage 1 — they can apply directly to the stage that matches their innovation's maturity.
Eligibility
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Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
DIV Fund — R&D Engine for Global Development The DIV Fund is an independent nonprofit that continues the legacy of USAID's Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) program, widely regarded as one of the most effective innovation-funding mechanisms in global development history. DIV…
Learn moreBenefits & Funding
- Amount
- Up to ₹14.3 Cr
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
The DIV Fund gives non-dilutive grants in three stages. You can apply straight to the stage that fits, without doing Stage 1 first.
- Stage 1 – Pilot: up to US $200,000 (about ₹1.9 Cr). Real-world pilots to test demand, feasibility, impact potential and financial viability, usually with hundreds or thousands of people.
- Stage 2 – Test & position for scale: up to US $500,000 (about ₹4.75 Cr), or up to US $750,000 in especially strong cases. Rigorous impact evaluation, market validation, or testing new delivery models.
- Stage 3 – Scale: up to US $1.5 million (about ₹14.25 Cr). Scaling innovations with proven impact and cost-effectiveness, or proven market viability.
Grants can run for up to five years, though most are shorter. Funding is tied to agreed milestones but can be spent flexibly, including on direct and indirect costs (indirect costs are capped at 10% for universities). DIV only gives grants, never equity or debt, and does not fund general operating costs. Rupee figures are approximate conversions.
- Disbursement
- Milestone Based
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Applications
Rolling basis
Selection Process
Every application is judged on three core criteria, with the bar rising at each stage:
- Evidence of impact — a credible theory of change for every stage; rigorous causal evidence is needed at Stage 3 for innovations scaling through government or philanthropy.
- Cost-effectiveness — more impact per dollar than existing alternatives.
- Durable scale — potential to reach over 1 million people, with a path to lasting financial sustainability.
The review also looks at the strength of the innovation, the team and partners, and the value of what the grant would teach. DIV judges your plan by its path to scale: public (government or philanthropy pays), commercial (customers pay) or hybrid. Promising applications move to diligence with external reviewers, and expert panels that meet several times a year make the final decisions. DIV may decline applications that are incomplete, duplicated, or primarily AI-generated.
Application Process
- 1
Read the Request for Proposals
Check what DIV funds and which stage fits your innovation.
You - 2
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How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
See the questions before you start
Download every question this programme's application form asks, so you can prepare your answers offline before opening the portal.
- 3
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 4
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Program templates & documents
Files the program publishes for applicants — download these and apply in the prescribed format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Indian startups and nonprofits apply?
Yes. India is a lower-middle-income country in the World Bank classification, so Indian nonprofits, social enterprises, startups, companies and universities can apply. You need a registered organization and a long-term office where the project runs. Individuals and government agencies can't receive funding directly.
How much can I get?
Up to US $200,000 for Stage 1 (pilots), up to US $500,000 for Stage 2 (up to $750,000 in especially strong cases), and up to US $1.5 million for Stage 3 (scale). These are ceilings, so ask only for what the work needs.
Do I have to start at Stage 1?
No. Apply to the stage that fits your innovation today. For a later stage, show that you already meet the earlier stages' criteria, with or without past DIV funding.
Can I apply with just an idea?
No. DIV only funds innovations that are past the prototype stage and already tested or used with real users. Ideas and lab-only work are not eligible, even for Stage 1.
Which sectors does DIV fund?
Any sector, as long as the innovation measurably improves the lives of people in poverty in low- or middle-income countries. The form lists agriculture, governance, economic growth, education, energy, environment, health, and water and sanitation.
Is there a deadline?
No. Applications are open all year. Expert panels meet several times a year, and the full process usually takes several months.
Is the grant equity-free?
Yes. DIV only gives grants, not equity or debt. Money is released against agreed milestones and can be spent flexibly on the project, but not on general operating costs.
Can I use AI to write my application?
Thoughtful use is fine, but DIV may decline applications that look primarily AI-generated. Your answers need your own judgment, local context and clear ownership of the ideas.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
News
- DIV Fund Grants 2026 — Up to $1.5 Million for Development Innovations [Rolling Applications]menterprise.africa · last week
Source: Google News aggregated
