Q&A
Contact
What you need to know before contacting FID
FID does not assess individual applications prior to their submission. Applicants must ensure that their project meets the criteria defined in the call for proposals guide.
Details on the post-selection process (contractual terms, schedule, administrative aspects, etc.) are not required at the application stage and are therefore not provided at this point in the process. Where applicable, this information will be provided to shortlisted teams only. These aspects do not form part of the evaluation criteria. To answer any questions strictly related to preparing and submitting an application, group information (Q&A) sessions are held regularly.
Eligibility
FID's eligibility criteria
Any legally constituted organization (NGO, public institution, university, research institute, etc.) that meets the eligibility criteria defined in the call for proposals guide can apply. Applications from individuals (natural persons) are not accepted.
No. International and multilateral public institutions are not eligible for funding (United Nations Organizations, International Financial Institutions, CGIAR Organizations, etc.).
Projects must be implemented in a country eligible for official development assistance (see OECD list). Applications may be submitted regardless of where the applicant is registered. However, applications for preparation grants must be submitted by organizations registered in a country eligible for official development assistance
FID remains open to applications from innovative projects in all sectors. Every application is evaluated solely on its own merits and according to FID's evaluation criteria, regardless of the sector of activity.
FID does not finance emergency humanitarian aid or infrastructure projects per se.
Applications
Submitting an application
No. Applications can be submitted via the Call for Proposals at any point throughout the year.
It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their project meets the application requirements of the stage in question. FID does not carry out preliminary assessments of the stage prior to submission . Various resources are available on the "Submit a Proposal" page of FID's website to help you apply for the right stage, including a decision tree.
Yes, an organization may submit multiple applications but FID recommends prioritizing the most fully-developed proposal. Submitting more than one application will not increase the chances of obtaining funding, and FID will not, except in exceptional circumstances, finance several projects submitted by the same organization at the same time.
Changes cannot be made to an application once it has been submitted. If the FID team requires additional information, they will contact the organization directly.
Yes, provided that substantial changes have been made to address the feedback provided and to meet FID's criteria.
Evaluation
Evaluation criteria
Yes. AI may be used to help draft or structure an application.
However, applicants remain fully responsible for the content submitted. The information provided must be accurate, verifiable, and must not include fabricated data, results, or references. FID may ask for further information or supporting documents during the evaluation process.
Yes. You can apply directly for the funding stage required, even at an advanced stage, without having previously received any FID funding. Applicant teams must demonstrate that their proposal meets all the criteria for the stage in question, particularly in terms of project maturity, proven data, and operational capacity.
FID assesses every application against three core criteria:
1. Potential impact on improving the lives of people living in poverty;
2. Cost-effectiveness of the innovation in improving development outcomes; 3. Potential for scale and sustainability.
Scientific evidence must demonstrate a credible and causal link between the innovative solution proposed and the deliverables targeted or achieved. The evidence required varies depending on the stage of funding applied for:
• "Preparation for a Pilot" and "Preparation for an Impact Assessment" Stages: applicants must demonstrate that the problem is relevant and the logic behind the proposed approach.
• Pilot Stage: applicants must clearly define a Theory of Change, and provide a rigorous protocol for impact monitoring and evaluation to substantiate said Theory of Change.
• Impact Evaluation Stage: applicants must provide or propose a rigorous impact evaluation aimed at measuring the effects attributable to a project by means of a credible counterfactual.
• Scale-Up Stage: applicants must have already demonstrated the innovation's proof of impact and its cost-effectiveness before preparing to scale-up the evaluated project.
Applicant teams are responsible for ensuring that their project presents sufficient evidence to meet the criteria for the requested funding stage.
Funding
FID's grant funding
No, FID provides no automatic guarantee of continued funding. The award of funding at any given stage does not confer an automatic right to funding at a later stage. Each application is evaluated independently, based solely on the selection criteria for the stage in question.
Yes, provided they are justified, essential for the project's implementation and proportionate to its scale. No pre-defined threshold has been set, but particular attention will be paid to ensure that indirect costs do not represent a disproportionate share of the overall budget.
FID does not finance the salaries of researchers, nor those of doctoral or postdoctoral students based outside of countries eligible for official development assistance (see OECD list), except in exceptional circumstances where justification will be required.
Timeframes
Process and timeframes
FID aims to notify applicants of its decision within approximately three months of receiving an application. Due to the high volume of applications, FID cannot provide individual feedback during the evaluation phase. Applicant teams can track the progress of their application via the application platform.
Teams are informed as soon as a decision is made. If an application is rejected, FID is unable to provide detailed or personalized feedback.
Applicants should expect a period of approximately twelve months between submitting the application and receiving the first disbursement.