​Development Innovation Fund

Tackling grand challenges in global health

The Government of Canada established the Development Innovation Fund (DIF) in 2008. As announced in that year’s federal budget, the Fund aims to

“… support the best minds in the world as they search for breakthroughs in global health and other areas that have the potential to bring about enduring changes in the lives of millions of people in poor countries.”

A three-party consortium manages the fund. It includes IDRC, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and Grand Challenges Canada (GCC):

• GCC was created in 2008 to implement and manage research programs supported by DIF.
• CIHR is responsible for the administration of international peer review, according to
  international standards of excellence. The results of CIHR-led peer reviews will guide the awarding of grants by Grand Challenges Canada from the Development Innovation Fund.
• IDRC administers the DIF funds and accounts directly to the Canadian government for the DIF.

Grand Challenges Canada

Grand Challenges Canada is dedicated to supporting bold ideas with big impact in global health. It is funded by the Government of Canada and funds innovators in low- and middle- income countries and Canada. The bold ideas integrate science and technology, social and business innovation (called Integrated Innovation). Grand Challenges Canada works to catalyze scale, sustainability and impact and has a determined focus on results, and saving and improving lives.

Grand Challenges Canada is hosted at the Sandra Rotman Centre in Toronto. Dr. Peter A. Singer is the Chief Executive Officer.

Consult the GCC website for a full description of DIF-supported research programs, as well as all current and past funded proposals.