The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for cooperative agreements and grants from qualified entities to support the scale-up and integration of select “Stage 4 innovations” from the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) program into broader USAID programming and budgets through Missions/Bureaus/Independent Offices (M/B/IOs). “Stage 4 innovations” are those innovations selected by DIV from its portfolio that are backed by rigorous evidence of impact, exceptionally strong cost-effectiveness, and potential for persistent impact at scale, and that have been determined by the DIV program to be particularly well-suited for large-scale uptake by the broader Agency at the present time. Applicants who are interested in applying for DIV’s core funding (Stages 1, 2, and 3 and Evidence Generation awards) should visit the DIV APS at www.usaid.gov/div/aps.
With its new Stage 4 (S4) Initiative, DIV is increasing support to proven innovations from its portfolio to achieve widespread USAID uptake of highly evidence-based, cost-effective interventions that have demonstrated ability to measurably improve development outcomes. DIV intends to provide technical assistance and offer partial funding (max 1:1 match funding) to complement the resources of M/B/IOs that commit to providing substantial resources toward scaling certain proven solutions and integrating them into their activities and budgets.
DIV will work with interested M/B/IOs to issue addenda under this APS for funding opportunities. This APS and an associated addendum will serve as one option for M/B/IOs to fund S4s, but M/B/IOs may also collaborate with DIV to use approaches beyond this APS to source and select recipients (e.g., integrating an intervention into an existing mechanism, issuing a new mechanism, seeking determinations for restricted eligibility based on programmatic purposes, etc.).
Closing Date: Friday, March 28, 2025
DIV has identified four innovations that are eligible for funding under this APS. While DIV expects the list of eligible innovations to grow substantially over time, DIV is currently not considering innovations outside of this list for funding under this Stage 4 APS:
1.Targeted Instruction (foundational learning)
2.Point-of-Collection Water Chlorination Interventions
3.Graduation Model (poverty alleviation model)
4.Incentives for Childhood Immunization
USAID intends to issue specific addenda to this APS to establish targeted calls for implementation or evaluation of the innovations above in a specific, predetermined location. Prospective applicants should consider pursuing opportunities under this APS only in response to a specific addendum. USAID is not accepting applications to this APS without an associated addendum.
Eligibility for this NOFO is not restricted. DIV welcomes applications from individuals; public, private, for-profit, and nonprofit organizations; institutions of higher education; faith-based organizations; public international organizations; non-governmental organizations; U.S. and non-U.S. governmental organizations; multilateral and international donor organizations. To be eligible under this APS, applicants must be responsive to this APS and subsequent addenda and must also be sufficiently responsible to perform or participate in the final award. Awards are also contingent on DIV’s ability to obtain concurrence from the relevant USAID Mission.
Limit on Concept Notes and Applications: DIV reserves the right to reject without comment concept notes and applications that are incomplete or ineligible; that DIV believes to be fraudulent; or that DIV believes are falsified, duplicative, AI-generated, or otherwise not credibly representing eligible activities of a legitimate applicant.
The amount of funding and number of awards made available under this APS will depend on the number of addenda that USAID issues and the number of applications received. Each individual addendum will provide an estimate of the funds available and number of awards contemplated.