Educate Girls DIB

The world’s first Development Impact Bond in education surpasses both target outcomes.

The world’s largest development impact bond for education

The success of the Educate Girls Development Impact Bond (DIB) led to the Quality Education India DIB, which aims to change the lives of 200,000 primary school children in India. Partnering with an impressive coalition of public and private partners, as social investor we’ve provided 2.9 million Swiss francs in up-front working capital to three local NGOs for improving education quality.

The first phase of the program raised 9.2 million Swiss francs1. The intention is to double the size of the DIB in the coming years. If learning targets are met, the outcome funders will make payment each year, with up to a 8 percent IRR.

Investment in social outcomes

As social investor, UBS Optimus Foundation is providing up-front working capital to frontline NGOs so they can get to work improving education.

Implementation

The education NGOs aim to improve literacy and numeracy in children. The focus is on predefined and measurable learning outcomes, not on any set activities.

Outcome funding

The outcome funders repay the social investor – with a possible return – if learning outcomes are achieved. Repayment and returns fund further philanthropic programs.

CHF 11 million

over four years will provide quality interventions to improve literacy and numeracy for 200,000 children

< 50%

by the age of 10 (grade 5), fewer than 50% of Indian primary school pupils have reached the reading level of a 7-year-old (grade 2)

See what leaders say about the world’s largest development impact bond in education

This landmark financial instrument applies an entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy and is likely to change the lives of over 200,000 children in India by driving up standards in literacy and numeracy. If the potential of this type of funding is unleashed, it could improve the lives of generations to come too.
Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India
We’re delighted to be involved with this innovative project, applying our experience from the successful Educate Girls pilot DIB. The Quality Education India DIB will achieve greater scale and also provide scope for innovation by comparing different education programs.
Phyllis Costanza, CEO, UBS Optimus Foundation, social investor
The DIB is providing a crucial resource to allow us to train principals and teachers in integrated schools and drive up the quality of education for children in Gujarat. By aligning investment in projects with outcomes achieved, this type of outcome-based funding ensures maximum impact for the money spent.
Aditya Natraj, Founder and CEO, Kaivalya Education Foundation, implementation partner
Outcome-based funding models – which incentivize a more targeted focus on improving outcomes – are ideally suited to driving quality in education. The DIB’s ambition is to drive meaningful improvement in learning outcomes at scale, while also leveraging our learnings to help government and other funders make informed policy and spending decisions.
Geeta Goel, Country Director, India, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, outcome funder
By bringing together an impressive collection of public and private sector partners for the first time, this DIB has the potential to transform education outcomes in India. Our intention is to double the DIB’s size in the coming years.
Manoj Badale, Chairman, British Asian Trust, outcome funder

Scaling quality education in India

You’ll find more information on our official Quality Education India DIB webpage.

The world’s first development impact bond in education

We piloted the Educate Girls DIB in 2015. It enrolled out-of-school girls and improved education in Rajasthan, India – it was so successful, it surpassed both its targets.

Maternal and Newborn Health DIB

Want to know how a development impact bond is helping mothers and baby in rural Rajasthan, India?

First social success note

An innovative pay-for-performance financing solution to drive return-seeking capital to social businesses looking to address the world’s most entrenched challenges.

1 9.2 million Swiss francs consists of over 9 million Swiss francs of outcome funding with underlying program costs of 8 million Swiss francs for the base case. The balance is reserved among others for verification of results, communications and legal expenses.

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