Civitas ID Gets $500,000 Gates Foundation Grant for Digital Identity Infrastructure

Aug 11, 2026
Civitas ID has received a $500,000 Gates Foundation grant to build open source digital identity infrastructure for people who lack trusted documentation.

Civitas ID has received a $500,000 grant from the Gates Foundation to build open source digital identity infrastructure for people who lack trusted documentation, the nonprofit announced in a press release.

The grant runs for two years and will support technology based on open standards and artificial intelligence. Civitas ID said the work targets a documentation gap that affects nearly a billion people, with an initial focus on displaced populations.

The nonprofit is building three parts: verifiable digital credentials that institutions can issue and check, a wallet where individuals hold their credentials, and a platform that helps people find services and aid. The system is built on W3C Verifiable Credentials, Decentralized Identifiers, and open protocols.

Civitas ID said it is working on partnerships and pilot programs in Colombia and Kenya. The credentials are designed for use by governments, banks, employers, healthcare providers, and schools.

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