WiDEF offering Funding to Accelerate Digital Inclusion for Women in India

WiDEF in India is a joint effort between USAID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Reliance Foundation to accelerate progress on closing the gender digital divide. WiDEF in India is managed by the GSMA Foundation with support from the global WiDEF managing consortium.

This new initiative aims to accelerate digital inclusion for women across India by supporting organisations tackling critical barriers that prevent women from accessing and using the internet. These barriers include access and affordability, relevant products and tools, literacy and digital skills, and safety and security.

This round of funding will support Indian non-profits, as well as small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with the goal of scaling solutions that have the potential to significantly increase digital inclusion for women, improving women’s livelihoods, economic security, and resilience.

Focus Priorities

• This funding aims to scale solutions that have demonstrated, through credible evidence, that they can drive digital inclusion for women, significantly close the gender digital divide in their context, and are sustainable and scalable. These solutions should address at least two of the following priority areas:
  • Improved Access: Enhancing women’s access to affordable, reliable, and secure internet and devices.
  • Relevant Products and Tools: Developing and scaling digital tools that solutions-and-impact/connectivity-for-good/public-policy/regulatory-environment/mobile-energy-efficiencyt the specific needs of women.
  • Digital Literacy and Skills: Strengthening women’s digital skills to participate effectively in the digital economy.
  • Safety and Security: Addressing online harassment and improving digital safety measures to ensure secure online participation for women.

Funding Information

• The following support will be provided to awardees:
  • Funding of $100,000 – $500,000 over the course of 15-18 months
  • Knowledge, expertise and best practices to address the gender digital divide
  • Bootcamps (a program of expert-led sessions and targeted networking) on key issues faced by awardees
  • Learning exchange opportunities with other WiDEF awardees (in India and globally)
  • Advisory support on monitoring, evaluation and learning
  • Increased visibility to potential investors and partners

Eligibility Criteria

• The Fund is open to local Indian entities only. Applicants must meet the following criteria:
  •  Be a small or medium sized for-profit local Indian entity (i.e. an entity with fewer than 250 employees); or
  • Be a not-for-profit with a valid FCRA license at the time of application (as of January 2025). Maintaining FCRA accreditation is a condition for ongoing participation
  •  Be able to deliver the proposed project in target locations across India and / or evidence local partnerships to deliver the solution on the ground.
  • Have a demonstrated commitment to supporting gender equality and the inclusion of underserved groups.
    • For example: commitment to gender equality in the enterprise’s strategy; efforts to ensure diversity in the workforce; or implementation of existing
      products or services that seek to reach women.
  • Be fully compliant with relevant business licensing, taxation, employee and other regulations in India.
  • Meet USAID Eligibility Requirements:
    • Organizations need to fit the following Local Entity criteria, as defined by USAID i.e.:
      •  Be legally organized under the laws of India;
      •  Have their principal place of business or operations in India;
      • Be majority-owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of India; an
      •  Be managed by a governing body, the majority of whom are citizens or lawful permanent  residents of India.
    • Have, or are in the process of obtaining, a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
    • Be familiar with applicable sections in the Mandatory and Required-as-Applicable Standard Provisions for Non- U.S. Non-Governmental Organizations and sign and upload the necessary Recipient and Solicitation Standard Provisions certifications as part of the application.
  • Applicants may only submit one application.

For more information, visit GSM Association.