Grants for Nonprofits 2026 Request for Proposals RFP for DIV Funds, The DIV Fund is a tiered, evidence-based innovation fund that discovers and supports high-potential solutions capable of improving the lives of millions of people living in poverty—cost-effectively and at scale. By funding promising ideas and rigorously testing what works, DIV acts as a discovery engine for global development, building a pipeline of evidence-driven innovations with the potential to deliver lasting impact.
Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the full details and submit their applications before the specified deadline to seize this grant opportunity.
Last Date of Submission: 5th September 2026
Grants for Nonprofits 2026 Request for Proposals RFP for DIV Funds How we fund:
Our goal is to maximize the expected social return on every dollar we invest. We do this through three funding tiers, calibrating our support to three core principles: evidence of impact, cost-effectiveness, and potential for durable scale. At earlier stages, we invest in promising ideas and potential; at higher funding levels, we require increasingly strong evidence of results. This approach allows us to take measured risks, test new ideas, identify what works, and help proven solutions reach scale.
What we fund:
DIV supports innovators and researchers to pilot, rigorously evaluate, and scale solutions that can meaningfully and measurably improve the lives of people living in poverty. We take an intentionally broad approach, welcoming innovations across sectors and geographies that have the potential to benefit millions of people at scale. We are open to any viable pathway to scale—including public systems, philanthropic funding, private markets, or combinations of these. Our three funding tiers set clear, stage-appropriate requirements based on an innovation’s evidence, maturity, and pathway to scale.
Grants for Nonprofits 2026 Request for Proposals RFP for DIV Funds Where we fund:
DIV supports innovations addressing challenges in low- and middle-income countries, as classified by the World Bank. We prioritize proposals based on their expected social return, placing greater weight on improvements that benefit people with lower incomes.
What we mean by “innovation”:
We define innovation broadly. An innovation can be any solution with the potential to deliver greater impact at scale, more affordably or efficiently, than existing approaches. It does not have to be a new invention: it could be a product, service, policy, program, delivery model, or process improvement that produces better results. We also support rigorous evidence generation for widely used approaches where strong evidence of impact is still lacking.
Who is eligible to apply:
DIV welcomes applications from nonprofits, social enterprises, universities and research institutions, technical assistance providers supporting government innovation, and businesses, as well as partnerships among these organizations. If you have a promising solution with the potential to generate meaningful impact at scale, we want to hear from you.
Why This Grant Opportunity Is Important
The DIV Fund offers a unique opportunity for innovators and researchers to turn promising ideas into solutions that can improve millions of lives. Rather than funding only established approaches, DIV takes a portfolio approach—supporting promising ideas early, generating rigorous evidence about what works, and helping proven solutions reach scale.
The opportunity is particularly valuable because it:
- Supports high-potential ideas: Applicants can receive funding even when an innovation is still being piloted or tested, provided there is a credible pathway to meaningful impact.
- Prioritizes measurable impact: DIV focuses on solutions that can demonstrate meaningful improvements in the lives of people living in poverty.
- Rewards cost-effectiveness: The goal is not simply to fund solutions that work, but solutions that can deliver substantial impact for the resources invested.
- Creates a pathway from idea to scale: The tiered funding model allows innovations to progress from early-stage testing to rigorous validation and, ultimately, large-scale implementation.
- Encourages diverse approaches: DIV is open to innovations across sectors and does not restrict applicants to a particular technology, intervention, or delivery model.
- Focuses on scalable solutions: Strong applications demonstrate how an innovation could eventually reach large populations through government systems, markets, philanthropy, or a combination of pathways.
In short, DIV is an opportunity to test what works, build the evidence needed to prove it, and unlock the resources and partnerships required to take effective solutions to scale.
Tips for a Strong Proposal
- Clearly define the problem
Start with a specific, evidence-based description of the problem you are trying to solve. Explain who is affected, how significant the problem is, and why existing solutions are insufficient.
- Explain what is innovative
Clearly articulate what makes your solution different from existing approaches. Innovation could be a new product, service, policy, delivery model, technology, or even a more effective way of implementing an existing solution.
- Demonstrate potential for impact
Explain how your innovation will improve people’s lives and provide a credible theory of change. Be specific about the outcomes you expect and who will benefit.
- Make the case for cost-effectiveness
DIV is particularly interested in solutions that can achieve significant impact at relatively low cost. Explain how much the intervention costs, what results it produces, and why it could be more cost-effective than alternatives.
- Match your proposal to the appropriate funding tier
Do not overstate the maturity of your innovation. Early-stage proposals should emphasize potential and a credible plan to generate evidence. More advanced proposals should provide increasingly strong evidence that the intervention works and can scale.
- 6. Present a credible pathway to scale
Think beyond the pilot. Explain who will ultimately deliver, pay for, adopt, or support your solution. A strong scale strategy might involve governments, private markets, philanthropic funders, or a combination of these.
- Use evidence strategically
Support key claims with credible data and research. If rigorous evidence does not yet exist, explain what you already know, what remains uncertain, and how your proposed project will generate the evidence needed to address those uncertainties.
- Be specific about measurement
Define clear metrics for success. Explain what you will measure, how you will measure it, and how the findings will influence future decisions.
- Show that the budget is justified
Connect every major budget item to the activities and outcomes you propose. A strong budget demonstrates that funding will be used efficiently to generate evidence and impact.
- Tell a compelling but evidence-driven story
Avoid relying on broad claims such as “this solution will transform millions of lives.” Instead, show why it could do so. The strongest proposals combine a compelling problem with credible evidence, realistic assumptions, and a clear path to scale.
How to apply?
Note: For more comprehensive details click the link below
Get full access to the grant information, visit the Official Website Link
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who can apply for DIV funding?
Nonprofits, social enterprises, universities and research institutions, businesses, technical assistance providers supporting government innovation, and partnerships involving multiple types of organizations may apply.
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What types of innovations does DIV fund?
DIV takes a broad approach to innovation. Eligible solutions may include products, services, policies, programs, technologies, delivery models, or process improvements. The key question is whether the innovation has potential to improve lives more effectively or affordably at scale.
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Does my innovation need to have rigorous evidence already?
Not necessarily. DIV uses a tiered funding model. Earlier-stage applicants can demonstrate potential and propose a credible plan to test their innovation. As funding levels increase, applicants are expected to provide stronger evidence of impact, cost-effectiveness, and potential for scale.
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Which countries and sectors are eligible?
DIV supports innovations addressing challenges in low- and middle-income countries. It is deliberately open across sectors, so applicants can propose solutions in areas such as health, education, agriculture, governance, livelihoods, energy, or other areas where innovations could generate meaningful impact.
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What makes a proposal competitive?
A strong proposal clearly demonstrates potential for impact, cost-effectiveness, evidence, and a credible pathway to durable scale. Applicants should clearly explain the problem, what is innovative about their approach, how success will be measured, why the solution could outperform existing alternatives, and how it could eventually reach a large population.
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