Three international research grants for 2026 are now open:
1. Grand Challenges: Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods (Deadline: 28 Apr 2026)
2. Grand Challenges: Cost-Disrupting Innovations to Reduce the Cost of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (Deadline: 28 Apr 2026)
3. Grand Challenges: Innovations in Cost-Disruptive Tools for Diagnosis and Screening (Deadline: 28 Apr 2026)
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1. Grand Challenges: Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods
This initiative supports innovative approaches to understand, measure, and overcome biological constraints that limit the absorption and utilization of micronutrients from fortified foods. It focuses on enhancing nutritional impact in populations where conventional fortification programs are insufficient due to physiological barriers.
Funding Organization: Gates Foundation
Research Scope: Bioscience
Eligibility:
This initiative is open globally to nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, international organizations, government agencies and academic institutions.
Maximum Award: Up to $250,000 USD for each project, with a grant term of 18 months.
Application Process: Applications must be submiited online at: https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/addressing-physiological-barriers-micronutrient-absorption-fortified-foods
Application Deadline: 28 April 2026
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2. Grand Challenges: Cost-Disrupting Innovations to Reduce the Cost of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food
The Challenge aims to transform Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) production by significantly reducing costs while ensuring safe, nutritionally adequate therapeutic foods. By improving affordability, the initiative seeks to expand access to treatment for children suffering from SAM in resource-constrained settings. The program emphasizes measurable, scalable innovations with clear pathways to regulatory acceptance and real-world impact.
Funding Organization: Gates Foundation
Focus Areas:
• Protein Diversification and Dairy Replacement: Reduce reliance on milk powder while maintaining high protein quality and nutrient adequacy.
• Lipid Optimization and Stabilization: Enable use of lower-cost, locally available oils without compromising shelf life or nutrition.
• Packaging Materials Science: Lower packaging costs while improving sustainability and durability.
• Production and Supply Innovations: Enhance manufacturing efficiency, reduce operational costs, and improve scalability in LMIC contexts.
Eligibility:
This initiative is open globally to universities and research institutes, RUTF manufacturers and food processors, ingredient and packaging suppliers, engineering and technology firms, NGOs with strong technical capacity, and for-profit entities.
Maximum Award:
• Option A: Up to $500,000 USD, grant term of up to 18 months.
• Option B: Up to $1,500,000 USD, grant term of up to 36 months.
Application Process: Applications must be submiited online at: https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/cost-disrupting-innovations-reduce-cost-ready-use-therapeutic-food
Application Deadline: 28 April 2026
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3. Grand Challenges: Innovations in Cost-Disruptive Tools for Diagnosis and Screening
The Challenge supports innovative diagnostic and screening solutions that dramatically reduce costs while enabling scalable deployment in low- and middle-income countries. Funding targets transformative high-risk, high-reward innovations, including AI-driven, software-defined, and platform-based approaches that ensure operational feasibility, cost efficiency, and population-scale impact.
Funding Organization: Gates Foundation
Topic Areas:
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• Malaria
• Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
• Maternal and Newborn Health
• Anemia and Women’s Health
• Nutrition Surveillance and Fortified-Food Monitoring
• Enteric Diseases
• Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
• Emerging Pathogens and Syndromic Testing
• Manufacturing Innovations
Eligibility:
This initiative is open globally to research institutes, nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, international organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions.
Maximum Award:
• Option A: Smaller proof-of-concept awards (approximately US$300,000, for each selected project, with a grant term of up to 24 months) to support early feasibility and prototyping, inclusive of technically risky, out-of-the-box concepts.
• Option B: Mid-level awards (approximately US$500,000, for each selected project, with a grant term of up to 24 months) to support product refinement and early validation.
• Option C: Larger awards (approximately US$1,000,000, for each selected project, with a grant term of up to 36 months) to support mature platforms or advanced adaptation toward verification and field readiness, with commensurate evidence of technical readiness, feasibility, and a clear pathway to validation.
Application Process: Applications must be submiited online at: https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenge/innovations-cost-disruptive-tools-diagnosis-and-screening
Application Deadline: 28 April 2026
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For more information, please contact
Ms. Panida Suwannatheerak and Ms. Mananchaya Pissaparn
Tel. 02 470 9654
Email: researchfollowup@kmutt.ac.th
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