Just around the corner is the deadline for entries to the World Bank Development Marketplace 2007 competitive grant program. This year, approximately $4 million is available for awards of $50-200K to projects that are "improving results in health, nutrition and population for the poor." The program focuses especially on projects that have expansion, sustainability and replicability potential.

Entries must be submitted online by Friday, November 17, 6:00 pm EST (23:00 GMT).

My former colleague John Paul and I had attended the 2006 Development Marketplace awards conference earlier this year. We had been confounded by the magnitude of innovation and possibility present in the atrium of the World Bank (potential that was ironically so accessible yet undertapped by that wealthy institution). Without doubt however, the competition provides important support and opens up opportunities for finalists and winners. Best of luck to those who apply.