2026 Grand Challenges Annual Meeting Call-to-Action - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Eligibility

Who is eligible for grants?

• Participants registered for the 2026 GCAM may submit one application as the Primary Applicant (PA) on behalf of an eligible affiliated organization for either an individual pilot project or a collaborative pilot project. Participants may serve as collaborators on multiple applications.
• Collaborative pilot proposals must involve participants from multiple institutions, and all collaborators must be registered participants in the 2026 GCAM. Priority will be given to new or newly expanded collaborations.
• Applications are welcome from nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, international organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions.
• Individuals, as well as organizations classified as individuals for U.S. tax purposes, are not eligible to receive funding under this initiative.
• We encourage proposals led by investigators based in low- and middle-income countries, as well as proposals led by women investigators and women-led institutions.

Upon registration, applicants must provide information about the tax status of their organization as different terms and conditions may apply. You should confirm your organization's tax status with the appropriate advisor or entity within your organization such as your grants or contracts department, finance, or office of sponsored research. The foundation may request additional information regarding your tax status. For information about tax statuses, you may check with your own advisors and review information provided on the Internal Revenue Service web site at: www.irs.gov.

Application Process

What must my application include?
Please refer to the Application Instructions document.

Can I submit multiple applications?
Participants registered for the 2026 GCAM may submit one application as the Primary Applicant (PA) on behalf of an eligible affiliated organization for either an individual pilot project or a collaborative pilot project. Participants may serve as collaborators on multiple applications.

Am I able to edit my proposal once submitted?
Yes, you may edit your proposal up until the specified deadline.

What amount of indirect cost is available?
Details of the foundation indirect cost policy guidelines can be found here: Gates Foundation's indirect cost policy.

Review Process 

How does the review process work?
Please refer to the Rules and Guidelines document.

Can I get a list of potential reviewers who might be assigned to my application?
No. We do not make public the roster of reviewers.

Can I request that my application not be reviewed by a specific individual?
No. However, we will ask reviewers to self-identify conflicts of interest and will not assign reviewers with conflicts.

Will I receive specific feedback on my application if it is not selected?
Due to the rapid proposal and review timelines applicable to this RFP, applicants with proposals that are not selected for award may receive a notification of decline without specific feedback.

Award Information 

Are grant awards made directly to individuals? 
No. All awards are made to the organization where the individual holds their primary appointment. Institutions must agree to the terms and conditions governing each grant award prior to award activation.

How much money will each grant provide? 
We will consider proposals for awards of up to $100,000 USD for individual pilot projects, or $200,000 for collaborative pilot projects, with a grant term of 18 months. Proposed budgets should be commensurate with the scale and complexity of the work. Indirect costs are allowable and must be included within the total requested funding, in accordance with the Gates Foundation's indirect cost policy).

Intellectual Property and Confidentiality

How can applicants protect their ideas and ensure confidentiality when sharing concepts in proposals? 
When submitting materials to the Foundation please keep in mind that because we have a focus on achieving charitable outcomes, we view information that we obtain through our grantmaking as a public good. Subject to the Gates Foundation's Privacy & Cookies Notice, the Foundation may also share information you provide to us (either orally or in writing) with third parties, including external reviewers, consultants, contingent workers, key partners and co-funders. You should assume that nothing will be kept confidential and should not include any information in the proposal, budget, supplemental materials, or reports that you consider proprietary.

Who owns Intellectual Property in funded projects?
Grantees retain ownership of intellectual property (IP) developed through foundation-funded grants. The foundation does, however, require that grant outputs be made widely available to the intended beneficiaries. You can read more here: Gates Foundation Global Access and IP Policy

Technical Support 

I forgot my password. How do I reset my password? 
You can request to update your password within the application site. If you continue to have issues, please reach out to [email protected].

How will I know if my application is submitted? 
Once an application is submitted, an email confirmation will be sent.

I am having trouble uploading my application file. What should I do? 
If you are having issues submitting your application, we would encourage you to submit from a different browser. If the issue persists, please email the specifics of your problem to [email protected].

How often do you intend to update the Frequently Asked Questions, and do you plan to provide answers to all questions submitted? 
We will periodically post answers to questions as they are submitted, but do not have a specific schedule. We will provide answers on this page that are of relevance and of general interest to potential applicants. For answers to specific questions that are not covered here, please email [email protected]