Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Women's Health - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Eligibility

Who is eligible for grants?
This initiative is open to research institutes, nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, international organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions. Please note that all applicants will be expected to comply with the Foundation's global access clause. We encourage groups to build upon existing and/or complimentary projects/studies/trials and to collaborate with other institutions. We particularly encourage applications from projects led by women and/or researchers at institutions based in LMICs and/or involving collaboration with women-led or LMIC-based organizations. Only individuals who are applying through a legally recognized corporate entity are eligible.

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.

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?
Projects with a duration of up to two years and a maximum requested budget of $250,000USD are eligible for funding. Exploratory projects with shorter durations/lower budgets that focus on high-risk, innovative areas are strongly encouraged and will be given priority. Budgets should be commensurate with the scope of work proposed. Indirect costs should be included in the budget and should not exceed 10-15% of the total award (subject to the Gates Foundation's indirect cost 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 was submitted?
Once an application is submitted, an email confirmation will be sent.

I'm 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]