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Challenge closed February 25, 2021; stored deadline is null but program is definitively closed.
Grand Challenges: Smart Farming Innovations for Small-Scale Producers is a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that funds digital technology innovations supporting smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The program seeks Smart Farming solutions that can drive positive impact for small-scale producers through precision agriculture, digital advisory services, market access tools, and related innovations.
Seed Grants provide up to $250,000 USD for early-stage solutions; Scale-Up Grants provide up to $1,500,000 USD for proven approaches ready for broader deployment. Eligible applicants are organizations and researchers proposing solutions targeting small-scale producers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Farming Digital Technologies | Global Grand Challenges Note: Please see the request for proposals document with additional background as a PDF file on the right.
Smart Farming Innovations for Small-Scale Producers Request for Proposals (RFP) seeks Smart Farming solutions that leverage digital technology innovations that have the potential to drive positive impact for smallscale producer (SSP) entrepreneurs delivered through bundled farmer services and enabled by scalable digital and data platforms ( Figure 1 ).
Solutions should address one or more challenges faced by smallscale crop and livestock producers in one or more areas of agricultural advisory, farm management decision support, input supply, finance, insurance, market access and linkages.
Solutions should use human-centered design to elucidate the barriers that prevent SSPs from improving productivity, profitability and income – then propose Smart Farming solutions that can help elevate smallscale production entrepreneurs.
Some of the fundamental challenges to address include: 1) low productivity driven by lack of access to information and services; climate change, weather variability and pest and disease outbreaks; 2) lack of access to tailored financial and insurance products, and 3) lack of access to and choice of market and offtake options.
Additionally, solutions will need to consider barriers to adoption of digital farmer services, such as low language and digital literacy, the high relative cost of services and devices and, in particular, gender gaps and other potential downsides of digital solutions (e.g. the growing digital divide). Figure 1 .
Smart Farming Innovations for SSPs Awards : There are two grant types – Seed Grants and Scale-Up Grants – each with its own requirements. Applicants can only apply for one of these grant types must select which level for which they are applying (proposal should not be submitted for both grant types). Seed Grants – Up to USD 250,000 to be implemented up to 12 months.
Seed Grants are proposals for Smart Farming solutions that can demonstrate potential in meeting the following criteria: Leveraging digital technology innovations with the potential to scale, for example, utilizing a proven technology that has been applied in agriculture in another geography; transferring a technology from another sector such as health, infrastructure or finance; sourcing an entirely new technology; Show potential to improve SSP incomes , productivity and ability to adapt to climate change ; Address barriers to scaled adoption of digital services , such as access, affordability and language and digital literacy.
This includes addressing women's access to digital services and closing the digital divide between those who have access and marginalized populations who do not; Have the potential to be bundled with multiple farmer-facing services into an integrated solution; Are enabled by robust digital and data technology platforms and services ; Provide fit-for-purpose solutions (e.g. developed using human-centered design) for SSP enterprises who seek to sell a portion of production to markets; Show potential to be scaled using a sustainable business model and are affordable and able to provide positive return on investment at a smallholder farm level through successful pilots, scaling partners, or higher volume production driving down prices.
Scale-Up Grants – Up to USD 1,500,000 to be implemented up to 24 months . Scale-Up Grants are proposals with demonstrated ability and sufficient evidence to have positive impact.
In addition to the criteria listed above for Seed Grants, Scale-Up Grants must also: Leverage digital technology innovations with demonstrated readiness to scale and proven ability to bundle with other services; Meet all criteria regarding technology innovations, scalable platforms, and sustainable bundled service delivery models; Demonstrate that additional funding will enable value capture by SSPs or other value chain actors and sustainable and viable service delivery models over the long term.
Please upload a separate document – 1 additional page maximum – that describes your partner consortium in more detail, including the various partners' capabilities, and additional evidence of value add, income, productivity, women's empowerment and long-term sustainability of the solution.
Consortiums: To increase the probability that projects funded through this RFP will continue after the initial project completion and evolve into a continuing global public good or sustained solution, applicants are encouraged to consider of a range of partners to form a consortium.
This investment will prioritize those who partner with organizations interested in Smart Farming in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as long-term opportunities.
There are several types of organizations we envisage being part of consortia submitting proposals: Enterprise Technology Platforms (Big-Tech), Enterprise Agriculture (Big-Ag), Ag-Tech Startups (Ag-Tech + Farm-Tech), Research Organizations (R&D), national and international NGOs and farmer-based organizations (Implementors), Government and International Organizations.
Geographies: While we primarily seek solutions applicable to the LMICs listed below and favor those forming local partnerships. Other geographies will be considered if a strong case is made for doing so. Africa: Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Nigeria Asia: India (Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh), Bangladesh
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Organizations and researchers proposing Smart Farming solutions that leverage digital technology innovations for small-scale producers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates Seed Grants: Up to USD 250,000; Scale-Up Grants: Up to USD 1,500,000 Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is rolling deadlines or periodic funding windows. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.
The Evidence for AI in Health (EVAH) initiative is a $60 million joint investment by the Gates Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Wellcome Trust to support rigorous, country-led evaluations of AI health tools in low- and middle-income countries. Delivered in partnership with J-PAL and the African Population and Health Research Center, EVAH funds evaluations of AI-enabled clinical decision support tools in primary and community healthcare settings across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Pathway A supports early-deployment evaluations focusing on usability, workflow integration, and safety for up to $1 million. Pathway B funds randomized controlled trials, economic analyses, and implementation science studies of tools ready for deployment at scale for up to $3 million. The initiative addresses a critical evidence gap about whether AI diagnostic and clinical decision support tools actually improve health outcomes in resource-limited settings.
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Grand Challenges Health and Nutrition Innovation Grants is sponsored by Grand Challenges (an initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation). These grants fund breakthrough innovations that significantly reduce the cost of severe acute malnutrition treatment and improve access to life-saving therapeutic interventions. The focus is on creating affordable, scalable, and sustainable solutions for children and vulnerable populations suffering from malnutrition, especially in low-income and fragile settings. Projects that improve treatment delivery, reduce production costs, and strengthen nutritional recovery pathways are highly encouraged. Another focus area is Micronutrient Absorption and Fortified Foods Grants, addressing physiological barriers to micronutrient absorption and improving nutritional outcomes through innovative food systems and interventions.