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 August 2024
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Greetings and happy summer, DIV partners, grantees, and friends!
This month, we spotlight three new grants that are rigorously evaluating the effectiveness of innovations in education, domestic resource mobilization, and economic growth.
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Within Reach, through its partner Labhya, will conduct a randomized control trial (RCT) of an evidence-based social-emotional learning curriculum that aims to equip school children with coping skills and emotional resilience;
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The Organisation des Études Économiques sur le Kasai (ODEKA) will run an RCT testing the effects of different household tax schedules on tax revenue, with the goal of helping the Democratic Republic of Congo ensure essential public services can be funded;
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Propaga will conduct an RCT to assess how its “buy now, pay later” inventory purchasing platform impacts the revenues and household incomes of corner store retailers in Mexico.
We’re excited to partner with these excellent organizations and look forward to introducing you to the rest of the 2024 DIV grantee portfolio in the coming months.
We are also pleased to announce the initiation of the first three partnerships under the DIV Stage 4 Initiative, a systematic effort launched this year to strengthen the pipeline between DIV—USAID’s evidence-driven innovation fund—and broader USAID programming. The DIV Stage 4 Initiative supports Missions and Bureaus to smoothly integrate evidence-based, cost-effective development innovations into large-scale programming. We’re pleased to have formally established partnerships with USAID Missions in Bangladesh, Uganda, and Honduras, where we’re working together to ensure that highly cost-effective, proven solutions are delivering results for the communities USAID serves.
Warmly,
Sasha Gallant
Chief, Development Innovation Ventures
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DIV Announces First Three Awards of 2024 |
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 Credit: Labhya
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Within Reach: Evaluating the Effects of a Well-being Curriculum on Student Success
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Despite the prevalence of mental health challenges and the way they entrench cycles of poverty, evidence-based mental health interventions are scarce. In India, DIV will support Within Reach and its partner Labhya to rigorously evaluate a social-emotional learning program. The program teaches mindfulness practices and interactive storytelling to primary school children, helping them develop coping skills and emotional resilience. This evaluation is also supported by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), the Weiss Fund, and the Fund for Innovation in Development. Results will inform state government efforts to scale-up the program, potentially benefiting millions of children. Learn more.
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 Credit: ODEKA
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ODEKA: Evaluating Progressive Versus Proportional Digitized Property Tax Collection
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Low tax revenue makes it challenging for governments in low-income countries to fund public goods and services. With support from DIV, the Fund for Innovation in Development, and the International Centre for Tax and Development, the Organisation des Études Économiques sur le Kasai (ODEKA) is partnering with a provincial tax authority in the Democratic Republic of Congo to (1) conduct an RCT that will compare various taxation approaches and (2) improve record keeping by digitizing tax assessments to strengthen the government’s ability to administer taxes. Learn more.
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 Credit: Propaga
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Propaga: Increasing Corner Store Profits through Inventory Microfinancing
Neighborhood corner stores are important businesses in local economies. Yet, many lack the capital they need to stock their shelves and meet demand. Propaga offers retailers in Mexico an opportunity to order inventory and pay later as an add-on to online ordering from established distributors. Through a new award, DIV will support Propaga to evaluate how this financial service affects the revenues and household income of participating retailers. Learn more.
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DIV Launches First Partnerships Under Stage 4 Initiative
 DIV Launches First Partnerships Under Stage 4 Initiative to Bring Evidence-Based Innovations to Scale Across USAID
DIV has launched partnerships with three USAID Missions as part of its new Stage 4 Initiative. The Stage 4 Initiative provides funding and technical assistance to USAID Missions and Bureaus to replicate and scale selected development innovations from DIV's portfolio. Note that this is an internal USAID funding opportunity and is not open to external applicants.
The selected innovations have shown the ability to drive meaningful and measurable development impact in multiple contexts, are exceptionally cost-effective, and are particularly well-suited for large-scale uptake by USAID. At this time, the innovations eligible for Stage 4 support are the Graduation Approach, Water Chlorination at the Point of Collection, Incentives for Childhood Immunizations, and Targeted Instruction.
DIV is partnering with the USAID Mission in Bangladesh to scale the Graduation Approach and pilot point-of-collection chlorination and is working with the Missions in Uganda and Honduras to bring Targeted Instruction to scale. We’re excited to work with these impact-focused colleagues, and look forward to announcing more partnerships over the coming years.
Read more about the selected innovations and the Mission partnerships here.
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 Credit: Sarah Mueller for Semilla Nueva
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 Credit: Safeboda
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DIV Innovators Zembo and SafeBoda Partner to Offer Sustainable Transportation in Uganda
Zembo announced a new partnership with former DIV innovator, Safeboda. Ride hailing app Safeboda has added a new feature: the ability to order an electric boda boda ride powered by Zembo. This collaboration expands SafeBoda's service offerings while promoting sustainable transportation solutions in Uganda. DIV awarded a grant to Safeboda in 2015 and one to Zembo in 2021. Learn more.
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 Credit: Kepler HQ
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Chancen International Wins Grant from the USAID Mission in South Africa
The USAID Southern Africa Mobilizing Investment Project announced $400,000 in technical assistance for Chancen International. The funding will enable Chancen to attract South African private sector investment in income share agreements (ISAs) that finance higher education. Chancen is implementing a DIV grant to scale and improve monitoring and evaluation of ISAs in South Africa, Kenya, and Rwanda. Learn more.
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 Credit: Pula Advisors
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Pula raises $20M to Provide Agricultural Insurance to Farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America
Agricultural insurance and technology company Pula Advisors will use the financing to establish new partnerships, including for livestock coverage. Pula’s insurance products are embedded in social safety net bundles provided by its partners, such as governments and large farmer support programs. DIV is supporting an RCT to evaluate whether access to Pula’s commercial insurance encourages farmers to invest in higher-quality inputs or equipment. Read more on TechCrunch.
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USAID Announces New Digital Policy
On July 25, USAID Administrator Samantha Power launched the Agency’s Digital Policy to guide its approach to strengthening open, inclusive, secure, and rights-respecting digital ecosystems that enable people everywhere to thrive. Administrator Power recognized the work of Ignitia and Rainforest Connection, two DIV grantees using technology to help people become more resilient to climate change. Watch here.
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Improved Activity Cost-Effectiveness Review Identifies Which Interventions Boost Women's Agricultural Income
USAID’s Office of the Chief Economist (OCE), the Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) and the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Hub summarized impact evidence to identify the development interventions that cost-effectively reduce the gender gap in agricultural production. Read the recommendations.
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To learn more about DIV’s portfolio and get the latest news from DIV and its grantees, visit divportal.usaid.gov.
DIV is accepting applications! Please visit www.usaid.gov/div to learn more and apply.
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