Development Innovation Ventures Fund (DIV Fund) 2026 for Impactful Solutions Addressing Poverty (Up To $1.5 million)

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Applications are open for Development Innovation Ventures Fund (DIV Fund) 2026. The Development Innovation Ventures Fund (DIV Fund) has released its latest Request for Proposals (RFP), inviting innovators, researchers, and organizations worldwide to apply for funding to scale impactful solutions addressing poverty in low- and middle-income countries.

This opportunity supports bold, evidence-based innovations with the potential to improve the lives of millions through cost-effective and scalable approaches.

The DIV Fund is an open innovation fund designed to identify, test, and scale solutions that can significantly improve development outcomes. Its core mission is to act as a discovery engine for global development, supporting innovations that demonstrate measurable impact and long-term scalability.

The fund operates across sectors and welcomes a wide range of ideas—from new technologies to policy innovations and service delivery models—provided they show strong potential to create meaningful change.

What the DIV Fund Supports

The DIV Fund provides financial support to:

Pilot new development solutions
Rigorously test innovations using evidence-based methods
Scale proven interventions to reach millions

The fund is open to innovations in any sector, including health, education, climate, governance, and economic development, as long as they aim to improve the lives of people living in poverty.

DIV Fund Core Principles

All applications are evaluated based on three key criteria:

Evidence of Impact
- Applicants must demonstrate a strong theory of change supported by credible evidence. The fund prioritizes innovations that show measurable improvements in outcomes such as health, income, or education.
Cost-Effectiveness
- The DIV Fund supports solutions that deliver greater impact per dollar compared to existing alternatives. Applicants must clearly outline cost structures and expected benefits at scale.
Potential for Scale
- Projects should demonstrate the ability to reach at least one million people within ten years, with a clear pathway to sustainable growth through public, private, or hybrid funding models.

Funding Tiers and Details

The DIV Fund offers three award tiers – Stage 1 (Piloting), Stage 2 (Testing), and Stage 3 (Scaling) – with requirements calibrated according to the strength of the evidence of impact, cost-effectiveness, and the potential for durable scale of the proposed innovation. Applicants should apply for the stage that best reflects the current state of development of the innovation and its readiness to generate stronger evidence and prepare for scale.

Stage 1: Piloting (Up to $200,000)
- Supports early-stage innovations ready for real-world testing
- Focus on feasibility, user demand, and initial outcomes
- Ideal for solutions transitioning from prototype to pilot
Stage 2: Testing and Positioning for Scale (Up to $500,000)
- Supports rigorous evaluation of impact and cost-effectiveness
- Includes randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental methods
- Helps refine models and prepare for scaling
Stage 3: Scaling (Up to $1.5 million)
- Supports expansion of proven innovations
- Requires strong evidence of impact and cost-effectiveness
- Focus on achieving sustainable, large-scale implementation

Eligibility Criteria for DIV Fund

The DIV Fund accepts applications from most organization types, including nonprofits, social enterprises, startups, private-sector firms, universities and research institutions, technical assistance providers, and consortia working in low- and middle-income countries.
They welcome applications from both locally-led and global organizations.
Please note that they do not fund initiatives implemented exclusively in high-income countries, and we are unable to provide funding to individuals without a legally incorporated entity, or directly to government agencies.

Core Criteria

Upon submission, eligible applications are reviewed against their core criteria as defined in their Request for Proposals, calibrated to the stage of funding requested. At this point, we are assessing overall fit with the DIV Fund model, including:

Strength of the core innovation
Potential for scale and long-term financial sustainability
Expected impact, including the strength of existing evidence and the expected value of new findings that would be generated through the proposed award
Expected cost-effectiveness and value for money
Capacity of the team and key partners
Strength of the team