D-Prize Global Competition 2026: Up to US$20,000 to Launch an Organization Distributing Proven Poverty Solutions

What you receive

• Up to US$20,000 in seed funding to launch a distribution organization
• Support for initial programme implementation and pilot activities
• A clear three-round selection path from concept note to interview
• Feedback through a written round for the top 5 percent of applicants
• Help moving from an idea to early implementation of an evidence-based intervention
• The chance to build an organization around a solution with credible evidence of impact

Who can apply

• Open to applicants worldwide, including individuals and founding teams
• Applicants must plan to launch a new organization dedicated to distributing a proven poverty solution
• The chosen intervention must be selected from the official D-Prize challenge list, or proposed as another evidence-based intervention through the open challenge categories
• Applicants should be able to explain who lacks access to the intervention, where the organization will operate and how distribution will work
• A credible, realistic pilot plan and a route to scale are expected
• Applicants should show why they or their team are well positioned to implement the model
• The competition is especially relevant to first-time founders and applicants based in low and middle income countries

Who should not apply

• D-Prize does not fund the invention of new products, it funds distribution of solutions that already have evidence behind them
• Established organizations looking for general operating support are not the target of this call
• Concept notes without a clear intervention, target population and distribution model are unlikely to progress
• Only the top 1 percent of entrepreneurs receive awards, and fewer than 5 percent reach the written round
• Applicants who cannot demonstrate how the pilot will be launched and scaled are a poor fit

Documents to prepare

• A two-page concept note explaining the proposed organization and distribution model
• Resume or resumes of the applicant or the founding team
• The relevant D-Prize application packet for the chosen intervention, downloaded from the official challenge list
• Short written responses to Round 2 questions, for applicants in the top 5 percent
• Availability for phone and email interviews in the final round

How to apply

• Review the D-Prize challenge list at https://d-prize.org/#challenges and select the intervention you want to distribute
• Download the application packet for that challenge, or the general Round 1 application packet at https://d-prize.org/Round1Packet, and read it carefully
• Research the distribution problem in your target area, including who lacks access and why existing channels have not reached them
• Write a two-page concept note covering the intervention, the target population, the location, the distribution model, the pilot plan, the scale path and what the funding will make possible
• Prepare resumes for the applicant or founding team
• Submit the concept note and resumes through the application route described in the packet before the deadline you are targeting
• If shortlisted to the top 5 percent, answer the Round 2 written questions within the roughly two weeks allowed
• If selected for the final round, take part in phone and email interviews covering motivation, model, risks, measurement, partnerships, operations and use of the award
• Start from the official competition page at https://d-prize.org/ where the APPLY NOW link opens the challenge list

Selection process

• Round 1 requires a two-page concept note and resumes, and more than 3,000 submissions are received each competition
• The top 5 percent of entrepreneurs are invited to Round 2, a set of short written questions, with roughly two weeks to respond
• Round 2 responses explore the intervention, target population, distribution strategy, operational plan, local context, team capability, expected impact and use of the seed funding
• Top entrepreneurs proceed to phone and email interviews, where D-Prize assesses motivation, understanding of the problem, entrepreneurial ability, the distribution model and readiness to launch
• The top 1 percent of entrepreneurs receive up to US$20,000 to launch their organization
• Awardees then pilot their distribution idea, gather evidence and build the organization to expand its impact

Sources and verification

• Official source

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