Innovation Funding Sources

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	Development Innovation Ventures
	DIV sits with the Office of Innovation and Development Alliances (IDEA) at USAID. DIV is a mechanism for USAID to identify and test promising development solutions, and scaling proven successes. more info
DESCRIPTION:	Awards grants to compelling new development solutions, rigorously tests them, and helps scale those that are proven successful to become development grand slams.
APPLICATION:dffff	Stage 1 requires up to 10 page concept note, Stage 2 up to 25 page proposal. Both require Cost Application.
AMOUNT:	Stage 1 up to $100K & Stage 2 up to $1M
DEADLINE:	DIV accepts proposals on a rolling basis. All proposals are reviewed at the end of a round of reviews. The closing dates for the rounds under our current APS are: Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 11:59pm, Sunday, April 15, 2012 at 11:59pm, TBD 2012

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	Ashden Awards
	The Ashden Awards bring to light inspiring sustainable energy solutions in the UK and developing world and help ensure that they are spread more widely. Winners are exposed to a wider audience through international media, seminars and presentations to facilitate sharing of knowledge, experiences, advice and support. More info
DESCRIPTION:	Awards to innovations that encourage the greater use of local sustainable energy to address climate change, alleviate poverty and improve quality of life.
APPLICATION:dffff	Applicants submit a short Expression of Interest which is considered by the Awards team. A number of applicants are then invited to submit a full application.
AMOUNT:	Up to six winners will receive £20,000 each in prize money, with one winner receiving a gold award of £40,000.
DEADLINE:	2011 applications are now closed. Applications are accepted from mid-June until the autumn.

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	MCC Invitation to Innovate
	The Millenium Challenge Corporation’s Invitation to Innovate is a partnership to enhance private sector engagement and leverage new investment and development practices in MCC partner countries. more info
DESCRIPTION:	The I to I initiative is focused on partnerships in select MCC partner countries including: Cape Verde, Indonesia, Zambia, Ghana, Lesotho, and Tanzania.  Selected Priority Sectors include: Land Tenure, Transportation Corridor Development
APPLICATION:dffff	Submit a short concept paper for review. If the review is favorable, a full proposal will be invited.
AMOUNT:	$50,000-$2,000,000
DEADLINE:	rolling basis

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	SIDA Innovations Against Poverty
	Innovations Against Poverty functions as a risk sharing mechanism for sustainable business ventures (commercial companies or market oriented organisations), which have strong potential impact on poverty reduction. more info
DESCRIPTION:	Companies are invited to apply for grants twice a year. Companies can be active in all sectors where innovation leads to poverty reduction, from agriculture and infrastructure to health and education. The only exceptions are companies involved in arms, tobacco and gambling industries.
APPLICATION:dffff	For small grants, applicants fill in an application form describing the proposed initiative including a complete budget and the expected results, according to the instructions in the application form. For large grants, applicants are first invited to submit a concept note that describes the business or project idea and estimated costs and results. The Innovations Against Poverty team will assess the concept notes and invite the most promising applicants to submit a full business or project plan.
AMOUNT:	Under €20,000 or €20,000 – €200,000
DEADLINE:	Next deadline is November 25, 2011

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	GATES Grand Challenges Explorations
	The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $100 million to encourage scientists worldwide to expand the pipeline of ideas to fight our greatest health challenges. Topics for Grand Challenges Explorations Round 8 are Protect Crop Plants from Biotic Stresses From Field to Market, Design New Approaches to Optimize Immunization Systems, Explore New Solutions for Global health Priority Areas, Explore Nutrition fr Healthy Growth of Infants and Children, and Apply Synthetic Biology to Global Health Challenges. more info
DESCRIPTION:	The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline, from student to tenured professor, and from any organization
APPLICATION:dffff	Submit a two page application online with your idea and how you will test it. No preliminary data required.
AMOUNT:	Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to $1 million.
DEADLINE:	Grand Challenges Explorations Round 8 is currently open. Applications will be accepted online until November 17, 2011 at 11:30 AM Pacific Standard Time.

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	Development Marketplace
	Development Marketplace Competitions are held at the global, regional and country level. While at each type of competition has specific characteristics, all loosely follow the same structure: There is a call for proposals; the proposals undergo rigorous scrutiny by development experts from inside and outside the World Bank who select finalists; finalists are brought together at a Marketplace event; and a jury interviews the finalists and selects the winners. more info
DESCRIPTION:	The Development Marketplace provides early stage grant funding to support testing and development of innovative initiatives.
APPLICATION:dffff
AMOUNT:	Up to $200,000
DEADLINE:

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	Humanitarian Innovation Fund
	HIF is the product of a partnership between ELRHA (Enhancing Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance) and ALNAP (The Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action) and is hosted by Save the Children UK. It is currently made up of contributions from the UK Department of International Development and the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a total amount of £1.4 Million. more info
DESCRIPTION:	The HIF will fund innovations that are at any of the 5 stages of the innovation process (1-recognition, 2-invention, 3-development, 4-implementation and 5-diffusion) and that will contribute to solutions of the challenges facing operational agencies in the delivery of effective humanitarian aid
APPLICATION:dffff	Submit an expression of interest. Shortlisted applications will then be invited to complete a full application
AMOUNT:	Small grants up to £20,000 large grants up to £150,000
DEADLINE:	Large grant proposals are currently closed.  Small grant proposals can be submitted at any time until February 15, 2012.