Digital Frontiers’ South Asia Regional Digital Initiative (SARDI) activity seeks applications from organizations interested in arranging one-year fellowships for up to five fellows in up to five different Indian think tanks.

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s SARDI activity aims to increase the digital capacity of the private sector and civil society by strengthening their ability to engage in digital and ICT policy issues. SARDI currently implements two activities focused on digital upskilling, policy awareness, and capacity-building with entrepreneurs and micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in India. The program seeks to complement these activities by ensuring MSME perspectives and challenges are incorporated in policy development.

This activity will create sustainable change in the policy ecosystem by sponsoring digital policy-centered fellowships across a set of respected and engaged Indian thinktanks. Fellows will coordinate research, create sustainable feedback loops between government and the MSME sector, hold a series of learning events, and develop public-facing policy recommendations on how digital policies can support MSMEs and women-led enterprises. Fellows will research how digital policies impact MSMEs and women-led enterprises, with a particular focus on how these policies can promote inclusion for marginalized groups. The partner(s) will coordinate internal and external learning events throughout the year for policy fellows to showcase and discuss their research with relevant stakeholders.

Who Should Apply?

• Qualified organizations in India or with a presence in India.

• Must have experience with digital development.

• Must have experience working with the Government of India.

• Experience working with MSMEs preferred.

• Experience designing and implementing similar projects.

The SARDI: India MSME Tech Policy Fellowship program Request for Applications can be found here. Answers to questions can be downloaded in this modification here. Applications are due February 21 to [email protected].

SARDI, part of the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership, seeks to advance economic development in South Asia by increasing the digital capacity of the private sector and civil society and by strengthening their ability to engage on digital and ICT policy issues. SARDI provides digital upskilling for ecosystems and local partners, so that they can better participate in, and benefit from, the digital revolution.