Those interested in applying are asked to first read the initiative’s Call for Proposals. DLI’s Fifth Call for Proposals is now open. Mandatory Expressions of Interest are due May 15, 2026, and full proposals are due July 24, 2026. Awards will be announced in September 2026.

The Application Instructions provide a comprehensive overview of the requirements and instructions to apply. As the Application Instructions cover in further detail, the following materials are required for submissions:

Expressions of Interest
Please note that Expressions of Interest are now mandatory for all project types.
Deadline: May 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific
Please submit basic project information using our online portal:

• Exploratory, Pilot, Full, and Infrastructure and Public Goods Submission Form
• Evidence Use Submission Form
• Conference Travel Submission Form

Proposals
Deadline: July 24, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific
Links to our online submission portal will be sent to teams with successful Expressions of Interest.

The following are required for submission:

• Cover sheet and narrative
  • Template for pilot, full study, and infrastructure and public goods creation projects
  • Template for exploratory grants
  • Template for evidence use grants
  • Template for conference travel grants
• Budget template
  • Budget template for pilot, full, exploratory, and infrastructure and public goods creation projects
  • Budget template for evidence use grants
  • Budget template for conference travel grants
• Letter(s) of support (if applicable)
• Power calculations (full studies only)

Please note that we cannot accept submissions via email. We ask that you read through our Proposal Tips and take our eligibility self-assessment before submitting an Expression of Interest. Teams that submit successful EOIs will receive a link to the proposal portal. A Google Doc version of the EOI form is also available to create a copy for drafting and recordkeeping purposes.

• Eligibility quiz
• Proposal Tips
• EOI Google Doc template: Exploratory, Pilot, Full, and Infrastructure and Public Goods Projects
• EOI Google Doc template: Evidence Use 
• EOI Google Doc Template: Conference Travel

Please reach out to displacement@poverty-action.org with any questions.