Frequently Asked Questions

We accept proposals from U.S.-based nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and from non-U.S. nonprofits with an equivalency determination certificate. We do not accept proposals from individuals, for-profit entities, government entities (U.S. or non-U.S.), or international organizations (e.g., the United Nations, World Bank).

We fund programs and research that are intended primarily for the benefit of people in low- and lower-middle-income countries as identified in the World Bank Country and Lending Group Classification.

Most of our grants are between $200,000 and $1.5 million. However, the absolute dollar amount of a request is less important than the expected cost-effectiveness of the proposed activities. Applicants should request the amount of funding necessary to implement their proposed activities effectively rather than targeting a particular grant size. 

We assess expected cost-effectiveness as the potential impact per dollar spent in an activity, adjusted for the likelihood that the impact will be achieved. In simple terms:

Expected cost-effectiveness = (impact per dollar) × (likelihood of success).

We are willing to accept greater uncertainty when the potential upside is sufficiently large, i.e., when an intervention could generate substantially greater impact per dollar and has a meaningful probability of doing so.

We assess cost-effectiveness relative to existing alternatives and the status quo. Ultimately, we aim to determine whether the expected value of our approach—given both its potential impact and uncertainty—is sufficiently high to justify investment relative to available alternatives.

We support costs necessary to achieve the objectives of funded activities. Applicants should therefore ensure that their submitted budgets reflect only those costs that are necessary to achieve the intended impact stated in your proposal. 

For universities and colleges, we do not fund indirect costs. Instead, for universities and colleges, we fund only those costs that are necessary for the success of the project, are directly attributed to eligible activities, and are itemized in the proposed budget. Applicants from universities and colleges might consider discussing with their institutional grants office possible accommodation of attribution of direct costs in lieu of indirect costs.

If your proposal is selected for funding, we may review and negotiate indirect costs prior to awarding a grant.

We aim to provide applicants with a decision within six months after proposal submission. We receive a large volume of proposals, and our review process includes substantial internal due diligence by our staff, followed, for some proposals, by external review from subject-matter experts. This process allows us to assess proposals carefully and consistently while drawing on both internal expertise and relevant external perspectives.

We notify all applicants of funding decisions by email. If you have not received a response within six months, please check your spam or junk folder.

If we select your proposal for funding, we will enter a pre-award stage where we conduct additional due diligence on organizational health. Following successful due diligence, we will work with you to draft a grant agreement that is consistent with the supported activities. We structure our awards as milestone-based grants, in which our funding is dependent on performance and outcomes in the individual milestones. Our grants are limited to three years of funding and are not eligible for renewal.

We receive a very high volume of proposals and inquiries. Unfortunately, we are not able to schedule dedicated calls or meetings with prospective applicants before they submit a proposal.

We encourage prospective applicants to review these FAQs and our RFP carefully and submit a proposal if they believe their project is a strong fit with our funding priorities.

Please use our Contact Us form.