D-Prize

D-Prize is a philanthropic funding initiative that supports the creation of new organizations that distribute proven poverty interventions in low- and middle-income countries. The funder focuses on launching early-stage ventures—whether nonprofit, for-profit, or charitable—that have high potential for impact by scaling access to evidence-based products or services. Their mission is based on the belief that many effective development solutions already exist, but face critical distribution challenges. D-Prize fills this gap by supporting entrepreneurs who can deploy these solutions effectively in underserved regions. Applicants to D-Prize are expected to design a test pilot that addresses one of the specific challenges listed in their application packet. These challenges fall under various thematic areas such as Health, Water, Agriculture, Livelihoods, Energy, Public Services, Education, and Financial Inclusion. Each challenge targets a particular intervention that has been shown to improve lives—ranging from distributing self-injectable contraceptives to underserved women, to improving maternal health outcomes through administration of misoprostol, or expanding access to solar lamps in areas without electricity. Applicants also have the option to propose a custom challenge if they are aware of a proven intervention that is not already listed. The grant awards up to $20,000 in seed funding. This funding is designed to launch the organization and run an initial pilot program, with the goal of eventually scaling the initiative. D-Prize is not intended for organizations that are already well-established or have received significant external funding. In fact, most of their awardees are first-time entrepreneurs with no prior operational history or external investment. Organizations older than 18 months or that have raised more than $30,000 in external funds are generally ineligible, unless their core mission is the distribution of a proven poverty intervention. The application process is structured in three rounds. In Round 1, applicants submit a two-page concept note along with their resume. The top 5 percent advance to Round 2, where they are invited to answer short written questions. The final round includes phone and email interviews, and ultimately, the top 1 percent of applicants receive funding. Once selected, awardees are expected to spend the next several months piloting their concept in preparation for full-scale operations. D-Prize holds two global competitions per year. The next cycle opens on 2025-10-13. The early submission deadline is 2025-11-23, with a regular deadline of 2025-12-14. A final extension deadline is also available, ending on 2026-01-04. All deadlines are in Pacific Time. Applicants may register to apply for the extension. Applications must be submitted using the official application packet corresponding to one of the defined challenges. D-Prize does not publicly provide a phone number or contact email on its competition page. There is also no named program officer listed. Applicants are encouraged to read all application materials carefully and prepare a high-quality initial concept note. Given the competitive nature of the grant, only the most compelling and well-structured proposals advance to later rounds. The competition is explicitly recurring and operates biannually.