Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) holds a year-round grant competition for innovative ideas, pilots and
tests them using cutting-edge analytical methods, and scales solutions
that demonstrate widespread impact and cost-effectiveness. DIV’s
tiered-funding model,
inspired by the venture capital experience, invests comparatively small
amounts in relatively unproven concepts, and continues to support only
those that prove they wor.
DIV’s objective is to support the
discovery of better ways to solve big problems. America is facing a time
of austerity, but significant development challenges drive a strong
imperative for our action as global citizens. As a result, we need to
work harder than ever to implement solutions that get the biggest bang
for our development bucks.
The DIV model is designed to help us
advance what works while avoiding long term investments in what doesn’t.
DIV blends best practice due-diligence strategies in its exciting new
development approach that turns bright ideas into bold results: the DIV
model includes tiered risk management systems from venture capital;
research approaches from economics; and development expertise from
nonprofits and government.
Our model is simple: we hold a competition for bold development ideas,
we pilot them in small increments and test their effects, and we scale
those that demonstrate widespread impact and cost-efficiency. In the
innovative process, we find both failures and successes: but when ideas
fail, we learn that quickly and at relatively low expense; and when
ideas succeed, we find out how to reach millions of people at a fraction
of the usual cost.
DIV seeks applicants with innovative ideas that address development
challenges more efficiently and cost-effectively than the competition,
and that have the potential to scale to reach millions of
beneficiaries.
Moreinfo: http://www.usaid.gov/div/apply/how-to
