The Digital Ecosystem Fund (DEF) equips USAID Missions with flexible, catalytic financing to design and implement activities that foster open, inclusive, and secure digital ecosystems. The fund supports interventions that strengthen the digital ecosystem while also advancing Mission-defined priorities. USAID Missions can propose activities in any sector, and address any aspect of the digital ecosystem that is relevant to local priorities.

2021 Activities

In September 2021, USAID selected nine Missions to receive funding. This round focused on Missions that have a Digital Development Advisor or have completed (or are completing) a Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA). The following Missions received funds:

  • USAID/Benin
  • USAID/Honduras
  • USAID/Mozambique
  • USAID/Nepal
  • USAID/Rwanda
  • USAID/Serbia
  • USAID/South Africa
  • USAID/Ukraine
  • USAID/Vietnam

Learn more about the DEF 2021 activities by downloading this factsheet.

2020 Activities

The "beta" round, launched in early 2020, awarded funding for activities to, among other things, close the digital skills gap, strengthen women’s digital literacy, address misinformation around COVID-19, and draft a digital trade protocol. The following Missions received funds under the beta round: 

  • U.S. Mission to the African Union

  • USAID/Bangladesh

  • USAID/Ethiopia

  • USAID/Kenya and East Africa Regional

  • USAID/Rwanda

  • USAID/Sahel Regional Office

Download the factsheet for the Digital Ecosystem Fund Beta Round.

Project Outcomes

The DEF has completed two rounds of funding, supporting 15 activities across a total of 14 Missions in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe and Eurasia. The following Missions have shared their outcomes having implemented programming as a result of DEF support:

  • USAID/Bangladesh
  • USAID/Sahel Regional
  • USAID/Kenya & East Africa
  • USAID/Ethiopia 

Learn more below about how each Mission supported local communities and government partners through digital ecosystem strengthening across sectors by downloading this factsheet.

For more information, contact digitaldevelopment@usaid.gov.