DAISI Request for Proposals

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Overview

The Digital Agricultural Innovations and Services Initiative (DAISI) is not currently accepting proposals. We ask applicants to review the RFP carefully for detailed instructions on the applicant eligibility restrictions, proposal guidelines, and application process. Interested resident African and South Asian applicants can find additional information and resources on the DAISI Regional Scholars Opportunities webpage. To apply for the RFP, all applicants will first need to register via our online portal.

We look forward to an exceptional DAISI competition. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Research Funding Opportunities

Competitive research funding will be available for full research projects (up to an estimated $500,000), pilot studies (up to $75,000), A/B test studies (up to $75,000), path-to-scale grants (up to $75,000), and travel/proposal development grants (up to $10,000). We expect to receive proposals that will help generate a rigorous evidence base that carefully identifies whether digital tools and bundled approaches are successful in improving small-scale producer outcomes (e.g., uptake of input credit, diversification into new crops, yield, income, and perceived ability of farmers to cope with shocks or stresses), connecting farmers to markets, and expanding commercialization in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. We hope to receive proposals that engage with one or more of our cross-cutting themes of gender, youth in agriculture, and resource use and climate resilience.

Deadlines and Submission Instructions

DAISI is not currently offering a request for proposals. This webpage will be updated with information on future RFPs.

To apply to DAISI’s RFP, you will first need to register via our online portal. Please navigate to the portal and follow the instructions to complete your registration. Once you are logged into the portal, please click here to access DAISI's Letter of Interest form. If you already have an account but do not remember the password, please contact [email protected] for help retrieving or resetting your password. Our portal works best in the latest version Google Chrome.

To request a new account for the J-PAL portal, please complete this form and specify that you want an applicant (“grantee”) account. Account creation normally takes no more than two business days; you will be asked to verify your email address and set a password. For further information and troubleshooting, please get in touch with [email protected]. Your J-PAL portal account credentials will allow you to apply to or review for any J-PAL initiative. Please verify your eligibility by thoroughly reading the initiative's RFP overview. Ineligible applicants will be notified during LOI reviews and will not be invited to submit proposals.

Step 1: Pre-proposal/LOI form 

The pre-proposal round is to determine project eligibility and to assess whether your proposed project addresses DAISI’s research agenda. We aim to respond to pre-proposal forms/LOI submissions within two weeks after the LOI deadline to let applicants know whether they are invited to submit a full proposal.

  • For more information on research team eligibility, please refer to the DAISI Request for Proposal (RFP) document below. 

Step 2: Invitation to submit proposal materials

If you receive an invitation to apply, please follow the next steps outlined in the relevant proposal guidelines document linked below. We aim to share the outcomes from our review within 10–12 weeks from the submission deadline.

Supporting Materials

1. Request for Proposals (RFP) 

DAISI Request for Proposal (RFP)

2. Proposal Guidelines

Proposal Guidelines: RCTs

Proposal Guidelines: Pilot studies

Proposal Guidelines: A/B test

Proposal Guidelines: Travel/Proposal Development Grant

Proposal Guidelines & Evaluation Criteria: Path-to-Scale Grants

3. Submission Material Templates

RCT/Pilot/AB Test/Path-to-Scale Budget Template

Proposal Development/Travel Grant Budget Template

4. FAQs

How will my proposal be scored? And when will I know whether my proposal was selected for funding?

Proposal Evaluation Process Document 

DAISI Conflict of Interest Policy

What will be required of researchers (and the institution to receive the award) should we be selected for funding (in terms of reporting, deliverables, etc.)?

Award Requirements and Set Up Process

For RCTs only: J-PAL Basic Costing Reporting Template

I’m a graduate student advised by a J-PAL or CEGA affiliated researcher. What else do I need to know to apply?

Guidance for Graduate Student Applicants

What is your policy on projects located in fragile contexts or countries with active conflict? 

The Board will exercise extra care when assessing projects located in fragile contexts. We will follow MIT’s guidelines for funding and engaging with external organizations. Please ensure that you include all project partners and involved individuals in your DAISI application. 

Additionally, safety for field staff is an utmost priority. Please ensure that you thoroughly answer all of the questions related to potential risks in the full application, so the Board can carefully assess your mitigation plans.