Fund for Innovation in Development (FID) 2026 For Innovative Projects Tackling Poverty & Inequality Worldwide (Up to €4 Million)

Reach us on

Applications are open for Fund for Innovation in Development (FID) 2026. The Fund for Innovation in Development (FID) funds high-impact-potential innovations aimed at reducing poverty and inequality. Through grant funding, FID supports innovation and research teams to test new solutions, rigorously measure their impact, and help scale up the most effective and cost-effective solutions.

FID funds projects at different stages of their development, from preparation for a pilot through to scaling, as well as projects aimed at strengthening the use of impact evidence in public policy.

Fund for Innovation in Development (FID) Funding stages

FID funds innovations at different stages of their development, from testing in real-world conditions through to scaling.

You can apply directly to the funding stage that corresponds to your project’s level of maturity, without having previously received funding from FID. However, you must demonstrate that your project meets the requirements of the funding stage you are applying for, particularly in terms of maturity, level of evidence, and operational capacity.

Pilot | Up to €200,000
- Test an innovation that has already undergone an initial prototyping phase in real-world conditions.
- This stage is intended for innovations that have already undergone an initial prototyping phase and are now ready to be tested in real-world conditions.
Impact Evaluation | Up to €1,500,000
- Rigorously evaluate the impact of an innovation that has already been tested in real-world conditions, using a counterfactual evaluation.
- This stage is intended for innovations that have already undergone a pilot in real-world conditions and are now ready for an impact evaluation using a counterfactual to rigorously measure their effects.
Scale up | Up to €4,000,000
- Support the scaling of an innovation that has been rigorously tested and whose impact has already been demonstrated.
- This stage is intended for innovations that have already been rigorously tested and whose impact has been demonstrated, and that are now ready to be deployed at a larger scale to benefit a wider population.
Innovation and Public Policy | Up to €500,000
- Support a public entity in integrating an innovation into public policy and generating evidence to inform its scaling.
- This funding is intended for public entities seeking to integrate an innovation into their public policies and generate the evidence needed to inform its potential scaling.
Evidence and Public Policy | Up to €500,000
- Support a public entity in integrating impact evidence into its decision-making processes, including by strengthening the systems, capacities, resources, and processes required for its use.
- This funding is intended for public entities seeking to strengthen the use of impact evidence in their decision-making processes, including by developing the necessary systems, capacities, resources, and processes.

Eligibility Criteria

FID welcomes applications from all types of legally constituted organizations, applying either independently or in partnership with other organizations.

Eligible applicants include:
- NGOs and associations;
- foundations;
- private companies;
- universities and research institutions;
- public entities;
- social enterprises;
- cooperatives;
- and, more broadly, any other organization that meets the eligibility requirements set out in the Call for Proposals.
The following are not eligible:
- individual applications submitted by individuals independently of any organization;
- international and multilateral public institutions.
- FID welcomes applications from organizations of different nationalities and geographic locations, subject to the geographic eligibility requirements and any restrictions specified in the Call for Proposals.
- Applications may be submitted in French or English.
Before applying
- Each applicant team is responsible for ensuring that its organization, project, and proposed area of intervention meet FID’s eligibility requirements.
- FID does not conduct individual pre-assessments of projects prior to submission.
- They therefore recommend that you carefully review the Call for Proposals and the FAQ before submitting your application.

Evaluation Criteria for Fund for Innovation in Development (FID)

Applications are assessed against three key criteria. The level of requirements for each criterion varies depending on the funding stage applied for and the project’s level of maturity.

Impact potential
- Why do They have good reason to believe that the innovation will achieve the expected results?
- FID assesses the proposed innovation’s potential to improve the lives of people living in poverty or vulnerable situations.
- The application must present a clear and credible theory of change, explaining how and why the proposed activities are expected to lead to the intended results and impact.
- This theory of change should draw on relevant existing evidence, where available, as well as an appropriate strategy for generating new evidence during project implementation.
Cost-effectiveness
- Can the innovation achieve better results, at a lower cost or more effectively than existing alternatives?
- FID seeks to support innovations that have the potential to provide a more effective or more efficient response to the identified development challenge, compared with existing solutions or the status quo.
- The application should provide a clear understanding of the innovation’s main costs, the expected results or impacts relative to those costs and, depending on the funding stage applied for, how costs and cost-effectiveness are expected to evolve as the innovation is deployed at a larger scale.
Scaling potential
- Can the innovation sustainably benefit a much larger number of people?
- FID assesses the innovation’s potential for large-scale deployment and long-term sustainability.
- The application should present a credible pathway to scale, taking into account in particular the operational conditions, required resources and financing, partnerships to be mobilized, as well as the main risks and challenges that could affect its deployment at a larger scale.
- The aim is to understand how the innovation could ultimately sustainably reach a large number of people without relying on permanent support from FID.

How Does The Selection Process Work?

You can submit your innovation through FID’s online Call for Proposals throughout the year. FID reviews applications at regular intervals as they are received. Each application submitted to FID goes through a rigorous four-step selection process:

Application submission and initial review
- Your application must be submitted exclusively through FID’s online application platform.
- Once submitted, the FID team reviews the application to verify, in particular, its eligibility, completeness, and alignment with FID’s mandate and the funding stage applied for.
Application assessment and pre-selection by the FID team
- Applications that meet these requirements are then assessed against FID’s three key selection criteria, with the level of requirements adapted to the funding stage applied for.
Collaborative review
- Pre-selected applications undergo an in-depth assessment as part of a collaborative review.
- At this stage, the FID team may ask the applicant team to provide additional information, clarifications, or supporting documents.
- External experts may also be consulted to provide an independent assessment of specific aspects of the project.
Review Committee and decision
- Following the collaborative review, selected applications are presented to the FID Review Committee, composed of qualified experts.
- The Committee reviews the projects and makes a recommendation regarding funding.
- If the Committee issues a favorable recommendation, compliance due diligence is conducted before the final funding decision is made.

How To Apply for Fund for Innovation in Development (FID)

Review the Call for Proposals
It provides information on eligibility requirements, the different funding stages, and FID’s evaluation criteria.
Identify the right funding stage for your project
Consult our decision tree to help you identify the funding stage that corresponds to your project’s level of maturity.

Click Here To Apply and for More Details

Application Deadline: Not Specified