Are you a passionate social entrepreneur with a proven poverty intervention ready to scale? The prestigious D-Prize Competition is now accepting applications for its 2024/2025 cycle, offering up to $20,000 in funding to help bring high-impact solutions to underserved communities globally.
What is the D-Prize Competition?
The D-Prize is an annual global initiative that identifies and supports aspiring social entrepreneurs tackling poverty challenges through innovative distribution models.
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By targeting underutilized but proven interventions in areas like health, education, agriculture, and access to resources, the competition aims to scale practical solutions where they’re needed most.
Each year, the D-Prize focuses on a fresh set of poverty challenges reflecting current priorities. For the upcoming 2024/2025 cycle, the D-Prize is prioritizing scalable interventions related to:
- Health
- Water
- Agriculture
- Livelihoods
- Energy
- Public Services
- Education
The competition seeks creative approaches that can overcome the bottlenecks preventing existing solutions from reaching scale.
Winners of The Global D-Prize Competition 2023
1. AgriEn Networks – Grand Prize Winner of $10,000
AgriEn Network is a Zambian startup that supports smallholder farmers by providing them with essential supplies, education on best practices, and connections to markets.
This comprehensive approach aims to empower farmers to increase their agricultural output and income.
2. Village Solar
Village Solar, a socially conscious enterprise, is on a mission to uplift marginalized women in rural Malawi by empowering them as distributors of clean energy solutions within their communities.
Through comprehensive training and ongoing support, the organization equips these women with the skills and resources necessary to earn a sustainable livelihood while simultaneously driving the adoption of environmentally friendly energy alternatives.
By harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit of these women, Village Solar creates a ripple effect, fostering economic independence and promoting sustainable development in remote areas.
3. Ibukia Shambani
Ibukia Shambani is a not-for-profit social enterprise that combines digital technology and legwork to innovatively deliver combinations of agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers at the last mile to increase productivity efficiency and enhance food security.
How to Apply for D-Prize Funding
To apply for up to $20,000 in D-Prize funding, social entrepreneurs must submit a detailed proposal outlining their plan to distribute a proven poverty intervention to underserved populations. The multi-stage application process evaluates:
- Innovation in the distribution model
- Cost-effectiveness and feasibility
- Potential for measurable impact at scale
Click here to head over to the application page.
Finalists have the opportunity to pilot their approach, with winners receiving funding to launch their scalable distribution strategy where it’s most needed.
The deadline to apply for the 2024/2025 D-Prize Competition is July 14, 2024. Social impact startups worldwide are encouraged to seize this chance to unlock funding to scale their poverty solutions.
