Sanitation innovation grants: USAID and Gates Foundation announce US$ 17 million WASH for Life programme

USAID and the Gates Foundation have launched a four-year US$ 17 million partnership to seek, test, and scale innovative solutions for water, sanitation, hygiene in developing countries. WASH for Life will be a dedicated window within USAID's Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) programme.

WASH for Life is particularly interested in interventions that operate in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Kenya, and Nigeria; address issues in the sanitation and hygiene sectors in particular; and target beneficiaries earning under US$ 2 a day.

Staged funding grants

Separate proposals must be submitted for each stage, funding from a previous stage is not required to compete for the next stage.

• Stage 1: Proof of Concept - one year grant up to US$ 100,000 per project.
• Stage 2: Pilot and Impact Evaluation - 2-3 year grants for up to US$ 1 million per project
• Stage 3: Transitioning Projects to Wide-Scale - 3 year grants between from US$ 1 million to US$ 15 million, match funding required.

Eligibility: both U.S. and non U.S. legally recognised organisational entities including foundations, NGOs, private businesses, international organisations, and colleges and universities.

Deadline: Saturday 15 October 2011.