Why applications don't always succeed.

For example, we receive a large volume of applications for funding of agriculture businesses or vocational training models. Commercial agriculture and vocational training are already commonplace, so for us to consider applications in these spaces it is imperative there is a clear explanation of how your approach differs from existing practices and why you believe it can improve upon what is already widespread. If your approach is already widely practiced in developing countries, it will not meet GIF's criteria on innovation.

Many applications we receive are seeking funding for work focussed on benefits which will be localised to one community or region without consideration as to whether the approach can be taken to scale. Scholarships for individuals, community centres or training programmes or agricultural projects aimed only at a specific locality, for example, would not meet our criteria on scale. Furthermore, with a public sector pathway to scale it is not enough to assume a government will take up your innovation, we need to believe there could be some interest, capacity, and resources on the part of the government to ensure this pathway is credible. The million lives collective showcases some of the innovations supported by GIF and others which are either reaching millions of clients or on their way to doing so.

GIF is an international development fund and we will assess your application on its potential to bring meaningful benefits for those living on less than $5PPP a day in developing countries. If your work is focussed on a developed country or is not reaching those living on less than $5PPP a day, it will not meet our funding criteria. (PPP stands for purchasing power parity, so $5PPP is the equivalent to what could be purchased in the US with $5 in 2011. The World Bank provides data on the proportion of the population which lives below this line here.)

Many of the applications we receive contain innovations with fantastic potential but are not yet ready to be tested in a real-world setting. We are open to early-stage ideas, but only if you can apply and test them with GIF investment. If your innovation needs significantly more development before it can benefit people living in poverty, then it is recommended that you apply for funding at a later stage. For risk capital investments, we look for strong markers of consumer demand or willingness to pay before investing.