DIV is open year-round and accepts applications on a rolling basis. Applications are evaluated based on their cost-effectiveness, evidence of impact, and potential to scale. We fund innovations in any sector and any country where USAID operates.

Through our efforts to source, test, and scale breakthrough development solutions, DIV aims to improve the way international development assistance works. A significant portion of development funding is granted by specific country or sector, into long-term, multi-million dollar contracts to be implemented by third parties. In most cases, these contracts require reporting of outputs (e.g. dollars spent, people trained, resources distributed) that do not necessarily relate to outcomes (e.g. improvements in income or savings, effective treatment of disease, ability to find employment, etc.).

By managing risk with our tiered funding model, DIV strategically tests new ideas, gathers evidence of what works, finds failures quickly, cheaply, and without long-term commitments, and continues to support only proven solutions. DIV is designed to catalyze innovations that work while avoiding long term investments in those that don’t. DIV’s vision is to lead a new approach in international development by investing to enable disruptive solutions to impact millions.

History of DIV

Launched in October 2010, DIV was founded under the vision of cofounders Michael Kremer and Maura O'Neill and with the leadership of former USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah. Leveraging their respective expertise in development economics and venture capital, Michael and Maura sought to combine evidence and innovation into a new approach to seeding and scaling evidence-based development impacts around the world.

DIV Successes & Figures

• 76% of DIV’s applicants are new to USAID (since July 2011).
• DIV’s diverse portfolio is composed of grantees from the private sector (40%), NGOs (48%), and academic institutions (12%).
• 89% of awards involve a coalition of partners with distinct skills (and 32% of awards involve 3 or more partners): 68% of coalitions contain at least one NGO; 30% include a social enterprise; 59% include an evaluator or academic; 34% include a for-profit firm (other than a social enterprise); and 25% include local government. Plus, 92% of coalitions include at least one member based outside of the US. (As of end July 2014)
• DIV invests in ideas across three stages of their growth. 59% of DIV's awards are at Stage 1: Proof of Concept (average investment of $119,000); 39% of DIV's awards are at Stage 2: Testing at Scale (average investment of $700,000); and 2% of DIV's awards are at Stage 3: Widespread Implementation (average investment of $5.5 million)
• The average DIV grantee brings $0.78 in cost-share for every $1 of funding from USAID.
• 48% of DIV’s grantees are conducting randomized control trials. For details about when a randomized control trial is most appropriate for a DIV applicant, please see DIV's Annual Program Statement.