Co-Develop, in partnership with Inter American Development Bank (IDB), along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure (CDPI), is pleased to commit up to USD 1 million across four Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS) to support the rapid deployment of government digital use cases using a shared infrastructure approach. The digital use cases should address a problem, such as slow processing times to issue citizen benefits, poor targeting of climate relief disbursements, or a lack of farmer registries necessary to deliver agricultural inputs, among others. The funding will provide countries with support for technical assistance, technology, governance, multi-stakeholder engagement, and other key enablers to develop and deploy an initial instance of a use case that can address the problem.

Co-Develop is a global not-for-profit fund committed to supporting countries to advance toward a digital future that is inclusive, safe, and equitable through a shared digital public infrastructure approach (DPI).

National-scale digital project rollouts are often perceived as unavoidably expensive and lengthy. Increasingly, a counter model is emerging – a rapid deployment model – where implementation focuses on a specific interoperable use case and scope that can be designed and deployed in a relatively short period of time (e.g., 100 days). The rapid deployment model, often executed in collaboration with open-source technology providers (frequently referred to as digital public goods), focuses on deploying a single interoperable use case – e.g., farmer subsidies, digital civil registration, etc. – which can serve as a reference model for broader digital infrastructure development.

Co-Develop, in collaboration with partners, is providing funding to support four countries that are committed to rapidly rolling out a digital use case in 2024 with the intention of scaling and sustaining this use case long-term.

Click here to learn more about the rapid deployment model.

Co-Develop is looking for Caribbean SIDS countries that are committed to rapidly deploying a digital use case in 2024 using a DPI approach. Applicants should propose a specific digital use case (e.g., benefits transfers, climate resilience payments, etc.) that addresses a problem and that they have the ability to rapidly deploy. For example, the problem might look like the following:

The Ministry of Social Welfare has an ongoing program for cash transfers to families living in poverty. But right now, it takes 60 days from the time the process is initiated to the time a family actually receives the funds. This also involves lots of documentation and paperwork, both for families and the government officials involved. The Ministry of Social Welfare has decided to make this more efficient by digitizing this effort this year.

Applicants should highlight factors that enable them to pursue the rapid rollout of their target use case, such as existing mandate, policy, legal compliance, dedicated staff, business process readiness, etc.

Governments in Caribbean SIDS countries. You do not need to be an IDB member to apply.

To apply, please complete the online application available on this site by clicking Submit Proposal, within the deadlines. This call is receiving applications until May 24, 2024, 11:59 pm EST.

We strongly encourage applicants to prepare their use case with their preferred Technical Assistance advisor (IDB, UNDP, the Centre for DPI, or other preferred TA advisor). For the Centre for DPI, you may directly email Mr. Manuel Aguilera at manuel@cdpi.dev.

The process to apply for funding is as follows:

• Phase 1: From Wednesday, 1 May to Friday, 24 May – Submit an Expression of Interest via this application form

Please work with your preferred Technical Assistance advisor to submit a strong application that aligns with the Evaluation Criteria.

• Phase 2: Friday, 31 May – Co-Develop and partners will directly invite selected countries to apply for funding
• Phase 3: From Monday, 3 June to Friday, 28 June – Countries submit application (form to be provided)
• Announcement: Week of July 15 – Four selected countries announced

Up to USD 1 million will be awarded across four Caribbean SIDS countries. Funding can go towards technical assistance, technology, governance, multi-stakeholder engagement and other key enablers at the direction of the government and/or its trusted advisors. Co-Develop cannot fund governments directly.

Please send your questions to the following email address: 

LAC@codevelop.fund