DIV Fund Grant for Global Development Innovations

The DIV Fund operates as an independent entity, succeeding the Development Innovation Ventures program previously under USAID. It is led by Sasha Gallant, Jeff Brown, and Nobel laureate Michael Kremer, serving as a dedicated research and development engine for global development initiatives. The fund's core mission is to support evidence-driven innovations that can effectively improve lives at scale in low- and middle-income countries, a category that includes India.

Funding is provided through a three-tiered, milestone-based grant structure. Stage 1 Pilot grants offer up to ₹1.8 Cr to support real-world testing of an innovation's feasibility, user demand, and potential impact. Stage 2 Test & Position for Scale grants provide up to ₹4.5 Cr (and occasionally up to ₹6.75 Cr) for rigorous impact evaluations or market validation efforts. Finally, Stage 3 Scale grants, which can reach up to ₹13.5 Cr, are designed to accelerate the widespread adoption of validated innovations that have demonstrated clear evidence of impact and cost-effectiveness.

Beyond financial capital, the DIV Fund offers its grantees access to rigorous evaluation expertise and connects them to an extensive global network of researchers, evaluators, and scaling partners. All grants are non-dilutive, meaning the fund does not acquire equity in recipient organizations, nor does it provide debt or other financial instruments. Funds are disbursed based on achieved milestones and can be flexibly utilized for program implementation, data collection, evaluation activities, and essential personnel costs.

Applications are accepted on a continuous, rolling basis throughout the year, without any fixed deadlines. Indian startups, social enterprises, non-profit organizations, and research institutions developing solutions that benefit individuals living in poverty across sectors such as health, agriculture, education, financial inclusion, energy, and climate adaptation are encouraged to apply. Applicants are not required to start at Stage 1; they may apply directly to the stage that best aligns with the current maturity level of their innovation.

• Non-dilutive grants up to ₹13.5 Cr for global development innovations.
• Open to social enterprises, NGOs, startups, universities, and research organizations in India.
• Supports innovations at prototype stage or beyond, with a pathway to scale for 1M+ people.
• Three-tiered, milestone-based funding stages (Pilot, Test & Position for Scale, Scale).
• Applications accepted on a rolling basis, with no fixed deadlines.
• Provides capital, rigorous evaluation expertise, and a global network.

The DIV Fund welcomes applications from a diverse range of legally incorporated entities, including non-profit organizations, social enterprises, for-profit startups, universities, and research organizations. Indian organizations are fully eligible to apply, as India is classified as a lower-middle-income country by the World Bank.

Applicants must operate as a legally incorporated entity; individuals without such an entity are not eligible. The innovation must have progressed beyond the conceptual phase and be at least at the prototype stage; pre-prototype ideas will not be considered for funding. Projects must clearly demonstrate their potential to improve the lives of people in low- or middle-income countries and present a credible theory of change with a pathway to reaching over 1 million people at scale.

Certain types of organizations are explicitly ineligible for direct funding, including government agencies and intermediaries such as incubators, accelerators, and bootcamps. Additionally, projects that exclusively target high-income beneficiaries will not be considered.

DIV Fund Grant for Global Development Innovations accepts applications on a rolling basis — there is no fixed cut-off date, so eligible startups can apply at any time. Because rolling programmes can pause without notice, confirm the window is still open on the official site before you start.

Recipients of the DIV Fund Grant gain access to substantial non-dilutive financial support across three distinct stages. Stage 1 Pilot grants provide up to ₹1.8 Cr, Stage 2 Test & Position for Scale grants offer up to ₹4.5 Cr (or occasionally ₹6.75 Cr), and Stage 3 Scale grants can reach up to ₹13.5 Cr.

Beyond the direct capital, grantees benefit from specialized support, including rigorous evaluation expertise to measure and enhance their impact. They are also connected to a valuable global network comprising researchers, evaluators, and potential scaling partners. The funds are milestone-based and offer flexibility in their use, covering essential aspects such as program implementation, data collection, evaluation activities, and key personnel salaries.

DIV Fund Grant for Global Development Innovations is offered by DIV Fund, a non-profit foundation. It is delivered directly by DIV Fund as a grant. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

Before you apply to DIV Fund Grant for Global Development Innovations, keep these documents ready — note the program-specific requirements at the top:

• Certificate of incorporation showing your startup is registered as private limited and llp
• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

DIV Fund Grant for Global Development Innovations is best suited for product and revenue-stage edtech social impact startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹1.8Cr – ₹13.5Cr. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.