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Kiringai Kamau
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Kiringai Kamau If you think your ideas are entrepreneurial, business serving, non-governmental , academic, or serve development at any local level, from anywhere in the world then you are encouraged to apply to DIV with innovative solutions to key challenges faced by the humanitarian sector (no special activity is required of applicants to identify themselves as Humanitarian Innovation Initiative applicants)...visit this site for more...The USAID/DFID Humanitarian Innovation Initiative | U.S. Agency for... usaid.gov
USAID and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) are pleased to announce a collaboration to invest in cost-effective breakthrough solutions to humanitarian challenges. The USAID/DFID Humanitarian Innovation...
SEE BELOWPeter Burgess COMMENT The USAID/DFID support for development is welcome ... but my guess is that the bureaucratic challenges will eliminate most of the people and organizations that are really doing good work. I have not applied for funding from the likes of USAID and DFID for a very long time, but in the main the process was a nightmare, and in the end the organizations that got the contracts were good at managing the paperwork and quite pathetic in terms of what was delivered for the money consumed. I am an old accountant who understands not only the money profit and cash flow of economic activity, but also the valuadd that benefits society. As far as I am concerned valuadd accountancy is a must. Less than a minute ago
Peter Burgess
THE USAID/DFID HUMANITARIAN INNOVATION INITIATIVE
Scaling Innovations in the Humanitarian Sector
Kendra Helmer USAID/Haiti
USAID and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) are pleased to announce a collaboration to invest in cost-effective breakthrough solutions to humanitarian challenges.
The USAID/DFID Humanitarian Innovation Initiative is a special opportunity for applicants to the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) competition whose proposals address challenges in the humanitarian sector. Funded with support from DFID, the Initiative is run in collaboration with USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance.
An Open Call for Applications
Entrepreneurs, businesses, non-governmental organizations, academics, local partners, and others from around the world are encouraged to apply to DIV with innovative solutions to key challenges faced by the humanitarian sector (no special activity is required of applicants to identify themselves as Humanitarian Innoavation Initiative applicants). Read the definition of humanitarian assistance here.
The Initiative will support winners of the DIV competition —including technology, business models, policy practices, and more—that have on-the-ground evidence of their capacity to support humanitarian response and disaster preparedness around the world. These might include programs that specifically relate to:
- Reduction of mortality and morbidity and strengthening emergency health initiatives;
- Protection of vulnerable populations;
- Prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition;
- Provision of safe shelter and settlements;
- Support to communities to recover livelihoods;
- Enhanced use of data, and monitoring of program performance and impacts; or
- Improved disaster risk reduction in low-income, high-risk countries.
Select winners of the Humanitarian Innovation Initiative will receive technical assistance from The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the Said Business School, Oxford University, for implementation and scale-up activities.
Selection Criteria Applications will be reviewed according to the DIV selection criteria, and only those eligible for DIV Stage 2 and DIV Stage 3 awards will be supported through this Initiative (DIV Stage 1applicants will be considered in the competition’s general funding pool).
The most competitive applicants will present:
- A robust case for how their intervention will address an identified humanitarian challenge;
- Rigorously gathered evidence of effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and impact from pilot-level or greater implementation to justify investment in their expansion;
- Rigorous monitoring and evaluation plans for collecting evidence that will further build the case for later support;
- The business model for their intervention and how it can be both scaled and sustainable.
Candidates for the Initiative apply through DIV’s general application process, and will be identified for DIV Humanitarian Initiative funding by USAID and DFID—no special activity is required of applicants to identify themselves.
Visit www.usaid.gov/div/apply for details on the general application process. Before applying, candidates must review the DIV Annual Program Statement (APS), which includes a section on the Humanitarian Innovation Initiative.
The deadline for Letter of Interest applications is April 12, 2013 at 11:59pm EST.
Last updated: February 22, 2013
ANNUAL PROGRAM STATEMENT (APS) (622K) FY2012 & FY2013 DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION VENTURES ANNUAL PROGRAM STATEMENT (APS) APS # APS-‐OAA-‐12-‐000004 The next deadline for Letters of Interest to the DIV competition has been extended to April 12, 2013. The associated update to the APS is reflected in the .pdf file posted to this page, and can also be referenced in Amendment 4 here. APS # APS-OAA-12-000004 Issuance Date: April 13, 2012 Closing Date: April 12, 2013 Pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, the United States Government, as represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of Innovation and Development Alliances, invites applications for Development Innovation Ventures (DIV). The purpose of this APS is to disseminate information to prospective applicants so that they may develop and submit applications for USAID funding. This APS: Describes the types of projects for which applications will be considered; Describes the funding available and the process and requirements for submitting applications; Explains the criteria for evaluating applications; and, Refers prospective applicants to relevant documentation available on the internet. USAID reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted under this APS. After the closing date for applications, the Agreement Specialist (DIV@usaid.gov) becomes the sole point of contact for all applicant inquiries. Note: All communication and inquiries should be done through DIV@usaid.gov and applications should be submitted to DIVApplications@usaid.gov. Applications sent by any other means (including Grants.gov) will not be considered. Last updated: February 21, 2013
APPLY TO DIV DIV looks for compelling new development solutions in a quarterly competition, rigorously tests them, and helps scale those that are proven successful to reach millions of beneficiaries around the world. Competing ideas DIV is interested in innovations that are expected to lead to transformative (as opposed to incremental) improvements that could ultimately scale across multiple developing countries and, ideally, multiple sectors in these countries. DIV recognizes that development breakthroughs can come from anywhere—a lab in a university, a local organization or a passionate entrepreneur. Solutions range from new technologies and new service-delivery practices to novel or more cost-effective variations on existing practices. Innovations are expected to eventually scale up through the private sector, the public sector, or a combination of the two in order to reach sustainability without DIV support. Innovating in stages Drawing inspiration from product development enterprises, DIV invests in ideas across different stages of their development from proof-of-concept to widespread use. Applicants can apply to any stage: Stage 1: establishes proof of concept and viability of innovation Stage 2: evaluates solution at scale with rigorous impact testing (stage 1 criteria previously met with DIV or other support sources) Stage 3: transitions program to widespread adoption (criteria of stages 1 and 2 previously met with DIV or other support sources) For more details on how DIV works, please see Our Model in Detail. Focused funding opportunities Virtually any organization with a solution for a development challenge in any sector or country in which USAID operates is eligible to apply. Together with DIV’s partners from USAID, the U.K. Department for International Development, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the program has also identified target sectors and regions for additional funding support: the Humanitarian Sector; the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene sector; Latin America & the Caribbean region; and Haiti. If your idea fits these areas within DIV, please see their pages for more information: Humanitarian sector Water, Sanitation & Hygiene sector Latin America & the Caribbean region Haiti Applicant next steps: What we look for Additional resources: FAQs How to Apply Annual Program Statement
DIV'S MODEL IN DETAIL The DIV model is designed to find breakthrough solutions, minimize risk and maximize impact through stage financing, rigorously test impacts and cost effectiveness, and scale proven solutions through the public or private sectors. Through this model DIV seeks to help understand and advance innovations that work while avoiding long term investments in those that don’t. Breakthrough Solutions DIV runs a quarterly competition for bold development ideas and recognizes that breakthroughs can come from anywhere—a lab in a university, a local organization who has deep contextual knowledge, or a passionate entrepreneur. Nearly any organization in the world is eligible to apply, and their proposals can be for any sector and any country in which USAID operates. Selection of winning applications is based on: Cost Effectiveness - DIV seeks applications that have the potential to deliver greater development impacts per dollar than standard practice. Rigorous Testing - The DIV model emphasizes testing potential solutions and rigorously evaluating impact to identify what works and what does not, and to help scale only those solutions proven to produce development outcomes. Pathways to Scale - Innovations are expected to eventually scale up through the private sector, the public sector, or in some cases a combination of the two, in order to reach sustainability without DIV support. Public sector scaling plans demonstrate that grantees are likely to compel host country governments, multilateral donors or other public sector players to scale the innovation. Grantees who expect to scale through the private sector will plan to achieve commercial viability themselves, or convincingly demonstrate that other businesses will scale their innovation, or a combination of both Staged Financing Drawing inspiration from product development enterprises, DIV uses a three-tiered staged finance model to maximize cost-effectiveness and minimize the risk of testing new ideas. Applicants can apply at any stage (staging is based on the content of the project, not the level of funding needed). Stage 1: Establishes proof of concept and viability of innovation Stage 1 funding is intended to test the real-world viability of an innovative development solution. Projects demonstrate a departure from current practices and are more cost-effective than alternatives. Stage 1 funding requests will typically not exceed $100,000 per project. Stage 1 projects can propose activities for up to two years. Stage 2: Evaluates solution at scale with rigorous impact testing (stage 1 criteria have previously been met with DIV or other support sources) Stage 2 funding is provided to innovative solutions that have demonstrated success at a pilot or small-scale stage, and now require support to assess if the solution can achieve larger scale development impact and whether it can be successfully implemented at a larger scale. Stage 2 projects will typically not exceed $1 million but are often significantly less. Stage 2 projects can propose activities for up to four years. Stage 3: Transitions program to widespread adoption (criteria of stages 1 and 2 have previously been met with DIV or other support sources) Stage 3 funding is reserved for innovative solutions that have credible and rigorous evidence of development impacts at significant scale. Stage 3 projects will transition an innovation from large scale implementation to widespread adoption in one country and/or replication in at least one other country. Applicants must provide rigorous evidence that the innovation has demonstrated cost-effective development impacts and that large scale implementation was successful. Stage 3 projects will typically not exceed $15 million but are often significantly less. Stage 3 projects can propose activities for up to five years. Rigorous Testing of Impact and Cost Effectiveness The DIV model emphasizes testing potential solutions and rigorously evaluating impact to identify what works and what does not. To maximize development impact, DIV seeks solutions that yield greater results per dollar than competing alternatives. By Stage 3, grantees must have proven that they are more cost-effective than other ways of achieving the same development goals (e.g. prevented more cases of infant mortality per dollar). Testing at Stage 1: Stage 1 grantees must assess the extent to which the innovation will yield real-world results through impact evaluation or performance monitoring. This involves testing whether beneficiaries demand and correctly use products or services, and assessing (or beginning to assess) what development outcomes result. Grantees also generate preliminary evidence on whether their innovation delivers greater development impacts per dollar than standard practice. Testing at Stage 2: Stage 2 projects include a rigorous evaluation component that clearly demonstrates the solution’s impact on development outcomes when operations expand beyond a pilot level.The solution must be implemented at a scale that allows for statistical significance of impact analysis (e.g. a randomized controlled trial). Some solutions may require implementation and testing at various levels (local, regional, and across several regions). They should also evaluate whether the project yields significantly higher development impacts per dollar as compared to other ways of achieving the same development goals (e.g. through credible cost-effectiveness analysis). Testing at Stage 3: Stage 3 grantees have already provided rigorous evidence of their innovation’s cost-effective development impacts, and that their large scale implementation was successful.As the innovation reaches millions more beneficiaries, grantees should demonstrate that the innovation is implemented properly and continues to deliver cost-effective results in these new contexts. Pathways to Scale The DIV model expects innovations to eventually scale up through the private sector, the public sector, or in some cases a combination of the two, in order to reach sustainability without DIV support. Scale through the Public Sector: Successful innovations that scale through the public sector will have gathered rigorous evidence of cost-effectiveness and impact with rigorous evaluation methodology, such as a randomized evaluation, to obtain legitimate measurements. Grantees follow the scaling plans proposed in their initial application to engage decision-makers (e.g. developing country governments and multilateral donors) into action for public sector scaling of their proven development solution. Scale through the Private Sector: Successful market-based innovations will achieve widespread adoption through private sector commercialization and without long-run support from donors, governments, or philanthropy. They have provided evidence that they yield development outcomes, and that they are commercially viable (production costs and sales prices are such that producers make profits, beneficiaries demand and are willing to pay for the product or service, governments receive associated tax revenue). Most of DIV's private sector grantees plan to achieve commercial viability themselves. Some demonstrate convincingly that successful innovations will catalyze other business to achieve social outcomes. Often, the most competitive applicants do both. Last updated: February 19, 2013 SHARE THIS PAGE