Developing countries cannot view the digital transition as a luxury, but as a necessity if cities and countries wish to be a part of the new global economy. To support this transition governments, donors and the private sector each have a role to play, with key actions for each stakeholder group as set out in the ICED report ‘Urbanisation in a digital world’. In this paper we therefore set out key actions for donors as they consider how they can best harness the digital opportunity for developing country cities.