As Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) becomes increasingly implemented to impact how individuals access services, exercise agency, and participate in the digital economy, it is reshaping the foundations of public service delivery and market participation. From digital ID systems to real-time payments and data exchange frameworks, DPI is being rapidly adopted globally, often with ambitious goals around inclusion, efficiency, and innovation.
As DPI systems scale, they raise a series of critical and unresolved questions. How can DPI systems be designed to advance inclusion and empower users- without entrenching state or corporate control? What institutional and governance models have proven viable across diverse political economies? How can countries sustain and continuously improve DPI over time -balancing financial sustainability, continuous innovation, and public accountability? And what consumer outcomes DPI can drive beyond inclusion- such as improved financial health?
Over the next three years, CFI will lead a Global DPI Insights Community to explore these questions through country-relevant, context-specific research rooted in ongoing DPI initiatives. The initiative is not designed to champion any single model, but to support rigorous, grounded research and enable constructive debate around various complex and context dependent forces shaping DPI design and the longer term impact it can have on users and financial systems built on these rails, particularly the long-term impact on inclusion, fair competition and choice, growth and consumer protection and outcomes from using financial services delivered on these rails.
CFI will manage the Global DPI Insights Community independently, while working in close collaboration with anchor technical experts who bring a wealth of knowledge and resources to the design and implementation of DPI systems, and with financial funders who are committed to advancing inclusive, sustainable approaches to digital infrastructure. These financial partners will contribute strategic perspectives, technical input, and financial support, while CFI retains full responsibility for shaping the research agenda, selecting grantees, and ensuring the independence and rigor of all outputs.
Through this initiative, we will:
- Support new research: Provide targeted grants to researchers and institutions exploring how DPI is being implemented, governed, and adapted in different contexts.
- Connect perspectives: Bring together a learning network of academics, policymakers, technologists, civil society, and private actors to examine the long-term viability and societal impact of DPI.
- Extract insights: Synthesize research into timely, actionable guidance for decision-makers shaping the next generation of infrastructure.
- Organize consultative gatherings: Through convenings and consultative gatherings, that we curate and contribute to through industry participation and engagement.
We are especially interested in research that:
- Examines consumer/end user outcomes through use of services delivered on DPI rails, focusing on themes like accountability, consumer protection, public private partnerships, innovation, fair competition, value creation, and trust.
- Explores how DPI systems can move beyond pilots and donor dependency to become financially sustainable, while maintaining openness, transparency, and public value.
- Explores avenues for fair competition, levels the playing field for all stakeholders, creates avenues for public-private partnerships and evaluates value creation through private sector engagement.
- Analyzes emerging governance models — particularly in systems with deep private sector involvement — and how they affect accountability, sustainability, innovation interoperability, and public trust.
- Surfaces innovations in building strong consumer protection measures, maintaining user-centricity, including feedback loops, grievance mechanisms, and tools to measure and improve outcomes.
- Investigates how DPI influences the delivery of financial and non-financial services, and the resulting implications for consumer protection, competition, inclusion, and market dynamics.
- Uncovers learnings through comparative analyses of countries that have implemented DPI and are at advanced stages- such as India and Brazil.
- Understands the impact DPI systems drive beyond access to financial services.
What we offer through this initiative:
- Access to seed funding for new research
- Opportunities to share findings with practitioners and policymakers
- A platform for collaborative inquiry
This work is driven by a core concern: how DPI can generate tangible, equitable outcomes for individuals — especially those historically excluded from the formal economy — while remaining adaptive, trusted, and fit for purpose over time. The initiative is not designed to champion any single model, but to support rigorous, grounded research and enable constructive debate around the real trade-offs shaping DPI, particularly its long-term impact on inclusion, competition, and customer outcomes.
2025 Grant Timeline
Eligibility
- Open to independent researchers, as well as those affiliated with universities, think tanks, or research institutions (we are open to exploring joint proposals)
- Partnerships between institutions and individuals are encouraged
- Projects must focus on one or more countries, with a strong preference for proposals that include:
- Country-level research in low- and middle-income countries (researchers based in low- and middle-income countries are especially encouraged to apply)
- Original fieldwork, institutional analysis, or comparative case studies
- Locally grounded perspectives and policy relevance
- Note: Regional or multi-country studies will be considered where they bring clear value and comparative insight.
Grant Size
- Grant amounts: up to $40,000 USD, depending on scope and approach
- Research must be completed within six months of award
General Selection Criteria
- What is the key gap that the research question intends to address?
- Why is it relevant in the current context?
- What is the potential to inform policy and practice?
- Methodological rigor
- Feasibility of the research plan
- Research team and their credentials
Proposal Instructions
In order to be considered, the expression of interest proposal must include:
- A concept note (3–4 pages) outlining the research question, context, methodology, and timeline
- A brief budget and funding request
- CV(s) or short bios of principal researchers, including institutional affiliation
- Examples of past relevant work or research
Finalists will be invited to share a detailed budget and other additional information in the next phase of the selection process which will open in late 2025/early 2026.
All submissions are expected by midnight Eastern Standard Time on the dates specified in the timeline above.
Please email all application materials to insightscommunity@accion.org.
FAQs
Please email insightscommunity@accion.org if you have any questions about this call for proposals.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes, but we prefer the team has representation from researchers who have lived experience in the intended markets.
Networking and dissemination of findings. The best research will be featured at leading industry convenings organized by CFI, allowing the opportunity to present to leading policymakers and experts in the field.
Yes. This is part of a rolling call for proposals over the next three years and we will have multiple rounds after this one is completed.
Founding Funder
Anchor Technical Experts
Meet the Experts
The Community’s digital public infrastructure experts focus on responsible product design and identifying and mitigating risks in an evolving digital world.
David Porteous
Founder and CEO,
Integral: Governance Solutions
Edoardo Totolo
Deputy Managing Director, Center for Financial Inclusion
Jayshree Venkatesan
Senior Director, Consumer Protection & Strategic Industry Engagement, Center for Financial Inclusion
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DPI Resources
A LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS
Foundational Elements of DPI for Inclusive Finance
This report provides an analysis of the three foundational elements of DPI for inclusive finance: digital ID, digital payments, and consent-based data exchange. It also identifies open questions that need to be addressed to advance and refine DPI for inclusive and sustainable development.
