Project profile — Fund for Innovation and Transformation - FIT

• Africa, regional (48.62%)
• America, regional (25.69%)
• Asia, regional (25.69%)

• Other Multisector: Multisector aid (43010) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The project aims to advance the use of, and learning from, innovative solutions to global development challenges proposed by Canadian small and medium organizations (SMOs). The project funds the testing of promising and innovative solutions that seek to improve the lives, equality and empowerment of vulnerable women, adolescent girls and younger girls, their families and communities, in developing countries. The Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT) works to support SMOs in their learning process, increase their capacity to measure results, disseminate learning and facilitate knowledge exchange. The FIT also aims to enable organizations to test an innovative solution that can be quick to implement, and for which they can collect data and determine results in a short period of time.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improve delivery and testing of innovative solutions by Canadian SMOs that reduce poverty, advance gender equality and empower women and girls; and (2) enhance the generation and demonstration of evidence and learning from inclusive, innovative solutions to international development challenges by Canadian SMOs, particularly those that aim to empower women and girls and close gender gaps. At the end of the projet, the fund aims to support 50-70 innovations tested by Canadian SMOs.

Results achieved as of March 2023 FIT include: (1) 50 Canadian small and medium organizations (SMOs) funded to test promising solutions in 33 countries—28 of which completed testing during the year. The innovative solutions were related to agriculture, education, health and nutrition, the environment, water supply, sanitation and hygiene, social justice, and human rights. All of the solutions tested focused on gender equality; (2) In close partnership collaboration with local partners, Canadian SMOs tested, gathered evidence, adapted, and improved their innovative solutions. Successes include a holistic, family-centered, gender equity-focused violence prevention and response program that resulted in rural indigenous community members adopting more gender-equitable views and practices and reducing the use of violence at home. Child marriages were prevented by targeting the demand side and educating men seeking child brides about the negative consequences of child marriage. The program also developed financial numeracy and business skills of women living in extreme poverty through the use of digital and analog financial numeracy and record-keeping tools; (3) Established and facilitated 368 connections between Canadian SMOs involved in the delivery and testing of innovative solutions; (4) Facilitated 196 interactions of Canadian SMOs with learning resources developed and disseminated around thematic areas relating to innovative development programming; (5) Supported 25 SMOs to participate in conferences and meetings to share knowledge regarding their innovation processes; and (6) Supported the development and dissemination of 130 communication materials to engage development stakeholders around innovative development programming.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities: Fund for Innovation and Transformation - FIT