Practical Insights on Grant Funding

grant funding usaid

ICT4D Grant Funding

Do you want to use information and communication technologies to improve social and economic development? Do you need grant funding for your ICT4D startup business idea? Here are two popular international donors that provide seed funds for innovative humanitarian aid programs.

USAID Grant Funding

USAID generally undertakes direct assistance programs to benefit developing countries through competitive grants and cooperative agreements. This ensures that all activities are concentrated on specific objectives to maximize impact and that they are consistent, mutually reinforcing, and draw support from the best available sources.

Check to see if USAID and your organization are currently working in the same country and to ensure that your organization’s goals align with the USAID priorities for that country. Establish a relationship with the USAID Mission in the countries where you work; set up meetings with them and invite them to see your operation.

Gates Foundation Grant Funding

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation fosters innovation to solve key health and development problems. They offer two grant types: Seed Grants and Scale-Up Grants.

  • Seed Grants: $250,000 to be implemented up to 12 months. Seed Grants should leverage digital technology innovations with the potential to scale by utilizing a proven technology from another sector.
  • Scale-Up Grants: $1,500,000 to be implemented up to 24 months. Scale-Up Grants demonstrate ability and sufficient evidence to have positive impact by using digital technology innovations with demonstrated readiness to scale and proven ability to bundle with other services.

More Grant Funding Opportunities

Apply Now: $100,000 for Your Digital Climate Change Adaptation Solution

Apply Now: $100,000 for Your Digital Climate Change Adaptation Solution

Published on: Jun 27 2022 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
The climate crisis is one of the biggest problems facing the world today. It is, along with conflict and overall economic instability, the main reason why 811 million...
6 Ways You Can Win More Grant Funding and Startup Investments

6 Ways You Can Win More Grant Funding and Startup Investments

Published on: May 30 2022 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on 6 Ways You Can Win More Grant Funding and Startup Investments
At the Global Digital Development Forum, I led a discussion on how we can fund locally-led digital development organizations. Our goal was to explore questions...
Apply Now: $15,000 Grants for Your EduTech Nonprofit Initiative

Apply Now: $15,000 Grants for Your EduTech Nonprofit Initiative

Published on: May 23 2022 by Wayan Vota - 5 Comments
Many nonprofit ICT4Edu organizations in developing countries need training, technology, and funding to successfully integrate blended learning programs or move...
Apply Now! $100,000 UNDP Grant Funding to Scale Your Digital Solution

Apply Now! $100,000 UNDP Grant Funding to Scale Your Digital Solution

Published on: May 09 2022 by Wayan Vota - 28 Comments
UNDP created the Chief Digital Office in 2019 and observed hundreds of digital projects and challenges faced by UNDP, governments, and partners. From this experience,...
Apply Now: €96,000 for African Artificial Intelligence Companies

Apply Now: €96,000 for African Artificial Intelligence Companies

Published on: Apr 18 2022 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
There is little doubt that artificial intelligence technologies will be transformational. Breathtaking advances will be made, extraordinary wealth will be created,...
Apply Now: $1.5 Million Blockchain and Crypto for Good Program Grants

Apply Now: $1.5 Million Blockchain and Crypto for Good Program Grants

Published on: Apr 11 2022 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
New blockchain technologies are enabling new products and services that can solve critical challenges of our society. Even better, chain-agnostic Web3 innovations...
Apply Now: $2 Million USAID Grants for Internet Connectivity and DFS

Apply Now: $2 Million USAID Grants for Internet Connectivity and DFS

Published on: Apr 04 2022 by Wayan Vota - 19 Comments
The American people seek to improve the lives of millions of low-income and vulnerable people throughout the world by supporting the development of open, interoperable,...
Apply Now: $150,000 Google News Digital Journalism Innovation Challenge

Apply Now: $150,000 Google News Digital Journalism Innovation Challenge

Published on: Mar 28 2022 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
The world needs new thinking in the practice of digital journalism. We must find ways to support the development of new business models and the ways users consume...
Apply Now: $200,000 for Youth-Led Social Impact Digital Solutions

Apply Now: $200,000 for Youth-Led Social Impact Digital Solutions

Published on: Jan 10 2022 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Apply Now: $200,000 for Youth-Led Social Impact Digital Solutions
The world is facing multiple problems today. Millions of children are still out of school due to COVID-19, which is exacerbating and exposing massive education,...
Apply Now: $900,000 for African Natural Language Processing Projects

Apply Now: $900,000 for African Natural Language Processing Projects

Published on: Nov 24 2021 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
The ability to communicate and be understood in one’s own language is fundamental to digital and societal inclusion. Natural language processing techniques...