The Gates Foundation is part of the Grand Challenges partnership network. Visit <a href="https://www.grandchallenges.org" target="_blank">www.grandchallenges.org</a> to view the map of awarded grants across this network and grant opportunities from partners.

The Grand Challenges family of initiatives fosters innovation to solve key health and development problems. See below for Grand Challenges grant opportunities with the Gates Foundation as sole or contributing funder.

Grant Opportunities

Grand Challenges

Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Women's Health

This RFP is jointly launched by several Grand Challenges funding partners, including Grand Challenges Africa (Science for Africa Foundation), Grand Challenges Brazil (Brazilian Ministry of Health and the National Council on Research), Grand Challenges India (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council), Grand Challenges South Africa (South African Medical Research Council), and the Gates Foundation. Each RFP may differ in its geographic focus, topic areas, and funding levels. Please review the eligibility criteria and specific requirements for each RFP carefully. The individual RFPs are listed separately <a href="https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenges/JTdCJTIyc29ydCUyMiUzQSUyMmRlc2NlbmRpbmclMjIlMkMlMjJzb3J0RmllbGQlMjIlM0ElMjJkYXRlJTIyJTJDJTIybnVtYmVyUGVyUGFnZSUyMiUzQTEwJTJDJTIycGFnZU51bWJlciUyMiUzQTAlN0Q=/JTdCJTIyeWVhcnMlMjIlM0ElNUIlNUQlMkMlMjJjaGFsbGVuZ2VzJTIyJTNBJTVCJTIyMzk0JTIyJTVEJTJDJTIydGVybXMlMjIlM0ElNUIlNUQlMkMlMjJpbml0aWF0aXZlcyUyMiUzQSU1QiU1RCUyQyUyMmxvY2F0aW9ucyUyMiUzQSU1QiU1RCU3RA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>. If you qualify for more than one, we encourage you to apply to the RFP that best aligns with your proposed project and geographical location.
Please note: Grand Challenges Brazil will review proposals submitted by Brazilian organizations through the link on this webpage. Proposals selected to receive financial support from the Brazilian Ministry of Health / GC Brazil must be led by researchers linked to non-profit Science, Technology and Innovation Institutions (Instituição Científica, Tecnológica e de Inovação – ICT), registered in Brazil.
Before applying, applicants should familiarize themselves with the supporting documents for this Grand Challenge, including the Rules and Guidelines, Application Instructions, and Frequently Asked Questions.
If you are planning to apply to this RFP, we will be hosting a dedicated webinar on November 20, from 6:00 to 7:00 AM Pacific Time. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the RFP technical details and an opportunity to have your questions answered. To participate in the webinar, please <a href="https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/2957503f-d95d-47b0-8bfa-b7d28f55266c@296b3838-4bd5-496c-bd4b-f456ea743b74" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">register</a> and <a href="https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=ODhrKdVLbEm9S_RW6nQ7dMKiReMZsCJFmCa42S92Da1UMFBSMVlMQUNLSlRDOVNOMFdNR0dSUUFXNC4u&amp;origin=lprLink&amp;route=shorturl" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">submit your questions</a> in advance. If you cannot attend live, the webinar will be recorded and available on this challenge page after the session.
<h2>Background</h2>
Local delivery of drugs into the vagina for prevention and treatment of female-specific conditions remains understudied and under-utilized despite clear potential advantages such as discreetness, potent local efficacy, large surface area for drug absorption, high potential for API dosage sparing, potential for fewer systemic side effects, as well as providing autonomy and empowerment of women. Several key drivers may be responsible for this lag, including paucity of mechanistic biological data, particularly from high-burden settings such as low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to support the development of specific formulations for vaginal use as well as a persistent misconception that vaginally delivered products may not be embraced by women and their sexual partners. Several of our priorities for impactful products for sexual and reproductive health will require vaginal delivery for immediate, on-demand use. We seek to catalyze the development of innovative technologies and approaches that can safely and effectively deliver a wide range of vaginal products. We expect these approaches to have user appeal, including promotion of self-care capability and other beneficial features that women seek, hence the need to couple discovery research with high-quality end-user input.
<h2>The Challenge</h2>
We are soliciting applications that contribute to development of vaginal formulations that promote optimal drug delivery within the vaginal compartment while positively supporting the vaginal milieu, and that also possess beneficial effects, even if unrelated to the API intended effect, that a user might consider desirable, such as enhancement of sexual pleasure. We anticipate identifying product-agnostic features that promote vaginal health and that broadly appeal to women to advance product development and formulations for women's health. We welcome innovations at any stage of development that meet the scope of this call.
Applicants may apply to address one or more of the following objectives of this challenge:
<ol>
<li>Leverage biology for vaginally administered products: In this objective, we seek: 1) innovative formulations and delivery approaches that leverage the biology of the vaginal microenvironment to support development of novel delivery technologies and that have high potential for scalable, low-cost manufacturing options; and 2) novel components that could be incorporated into and improve existing formulations (e.g. films, tablets/inserts) that would promote maintenance of or transition to an optimal vaginal microbiome and/or promote other benefit to the vaginal mucosal epithelium. Specifically, we seek to assess and de-risk novel approaches to vaginal delivery that can leverage and support features of the vaginal milieu including mucus, host cells and microbes for drug delivery and as such we anticipate proposals including evaluation of the impact of these novel approaches or components on changes in the microbiome and vaginal host components (cells/cytokines, mucins, glycans, lectins, etc.).</li>
<li>Define characteristics of an ideal vaginal product: In this objective, we seek to support qualitative studies aimed at identifying and understanding specific features of a vaginally administered product that would most appeal to women such that many women, especially those of reproductive age in LMICs, would seek to use such a product (for example, 'what would you hope to achieve when using this product in your vagina?'). We are particularly interested in defining ancillary benefits (such as odor control, sexual enhancement, etc.) that could be derived from a vaginally delivered product that would likely not be supported by other routes of administration, as well as identifying major hurdles that may prevent a woman from seeking out or preferring a vaginal product. We acknowledge that there may be regional, cultural, demographic or other preference differences, and are seeking to identify desires or barriers that are commonly expressed by women across these demographic differences. Applicants may propose methods to prioritize preferences such that the vaginal product developed can benefit as many women as possible. In sum, we aim to gather insights into preferred and achievable characteristics that would transform vaginal products from 'tolerable' to 'desirable'.</li>
</ol>
Funding Level
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 and in line with allowable costs of the targeted funding organization for which the applicant is eligible. Indirect costs should be included in the budget and should not exceed 10-15% of the total award (subject to the <a href="https://docs.gatesfoundation.org/Documents/Indirect_Cost_Policy.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gates Foundation's indirect cost policy</a>).
Eligibility Criteria
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.
We are looking for proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Focus on vaginal delivery approaches that do not require retrieval and disposal after use and can be adapted for extended- or slow-release of active ingredients.</li>
<li>Use innovative, rigorous qualitative approaches that improve or deepen our understanding of standard acceptability metrics.</li>
<li>Generate biological or end-user data from low- and middle-income regions and comply with national regulations on data security, data protection and privacy.</li>
<li>Propose rigorous scientific approaches to study a clear research question and whose rationale is clearly supported by peer-reviewed literature.</li>
<li>Demonstrate feasibility with preliminary data in support of the proposed approach; if no preliminary data exists, then the proposal should be limited in scope.</li>
<li>Request the appropriate funds and time to achieve the objectives of the proposed work. Exploratory projects of lower cost but higher risk are strongly encouraged and will be prioritized.</li>
<li>Promote a diverse, inclusive, and supportive research environment, with priority for collaborations involving LMIC-based experts in reproductive health.</li>
</ul>
We will not fund proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Evaluate the impact of currently available vaginally inserted products on the vaginal milieu (e.g. menstrual products, contraceptive devices, over-the-counter probiotics, etc.).</li>
<li>Focus on approaches that would not be feasible or affordable in low- and middle-income countries, including personalized medicine. If these approaches are included, the feasibility of scalable, low-cost development should be explicitly stated.</li>
<li>Focus on the development of therapeutics or interventions for specific conditions, such as treatment for STIs or contraceptive products. While these types of interventions may be used as a test case within the proposal, the work itself should focus on formulations.</li>
<li>Are focused solely on basic exploratory scientific research without a clear translational pathway, including potential end-use scenarios, scalability considerations and regulatory or manufacturing implications.</li>
<li>Center solely on focus groups and interviews. These methods or qualitative approaches are acceptable if embedded within rigorous mixed-methods study designs that generate quantitative, actionable insights beyond anecdotal data or standard acceptability metrics such as affective attitudes.</li>
<li>Do not consider end user preferences or assume end-user preferences. For the purposes of this RFP, end-users can be defined as women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries. Proposals may focus on subgroups (e.g., adolescents, post-partum women), but the target group must be explicitly defined and justified.</li>
<li>Primarily depend on traditional acceptability questionnaires or surveys (e.g., “if x hypothetical product existed, how interested would you be in using it?”).</li>
<li>Do not directly address one of the core objectives as outlined above.</li>
<li>Cannot be accomplished within a two-year maximum project duration or within the stipulated budget maximum.</li>
<li>Support researchers or research teams who are affiliated with the tobacco industry, or who receive (or are applying for) funding from the tobacco industry, which includes manufacturers and distributors of e-cigarettes or vaping products.</li>
</ul>

We are soliciting applications that contribute to development of vaginal formulations that promote optimal drug delivery within the vaginal compartment while positively supporting the vaginal milieu, and that also possess beneficial effects, even if unrelated to the API intended effect, that a user might consider desirable, such as enhancement of sexual pleasure.

Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Womens Health

Grand Challenges Brazil

Grand Challenges India

Grand Challenges India - Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (GCI-BIRAC) announce an open call on 'Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Women's Health,' a program directed at addressing challenges that limit effective local drug delivery for women's health, particularly in managing reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
This initiative seeks to catalyze the development of context-driven innovative technologies and approaches that can safely and effectively deliver a wide range of vaginal products. By promoting discovery research informed by high-quality end-user input, the call emphasizes the importance of coupling scientific innovation with women's preferences, cultural contexts, and lived experiences.
<h2>Background</h2>
Local vaginal drug delivery remains an underexplored and underutilized approach for the prevention and treatment of female-specific conditions, despite its clear potential advantages, including discreetness, potent local efficacy, large surface area for drug absorption, potential for lower API doses, and fewer systemic side effects as well as providing autonomy and empowerment of women. Progress in this area has been limited by a lack of mechanistic understanding of the vaginal milieu, especially in high-burden, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and by persistent misconceptions regarding the acceptability of vaginally administered products among women and their partners.
Vaginal formulations hold significant promise for the management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), contraceptive innovation, and maintenance of a healthy vaginal microbiome. Emerging scientific and translational opportunities make this an opportune time to reposition vaginal products as both public health tools and user-preferred interventions, for immediate, on-demand use. Evidence suggests that women's interests often extend beyond primary therapeutic or preventive functions to include secondary benefits such as odor control, sexual enhancement, and privacy of use.
While there has been meaningful progress in delivery systems such as gels, films, and intravaginal rings, major gaps remain in acceptability, scalability, affordability, and integration into routine care in LMICs (Das Neves et al., 2021; Hussain et al., 2022). Addressing these gaps will require the development of innovative, scientifically rigorous formulations that integrate end-user perspectives and are adaptable to diverse settings.
Therefore, this initiative seeks to catalyze the development of innovative technologies and approaches that can safely and effectively deliver a wide range of vaginal products with strong user appeal, promoting self-care and other beneficial features that women value, while coupling discovery research with high-quality end-user insights.
<h2>The Challenge</h2>
GCI-BIRAC are soliciting applications that contribute to development of vaginal formulations that promote optimal drug delivery within the vaginal compartment while positively supporting the vaginal milieu, and that also possess beneficial effects, even if unrelated to the API intended effect, that a user might consider desirable, such as enhancement of sexual pleasure. GCI-BIRAC anticipate identifying product-agnostic features that promote vaginal health and that broadly appeal to women to advance product development and formulations for women's health.
GCI-BIRAC welcome innovations at any stage of development that meet the scope of this call.
Applicants may apply to address one or more of the following objectives of this challenge:
<ol>
<li>Leverage biology for vaginally administered products: In this objective, GCI-BIRAC seeks: 1) innovative formulations and delivery approaches that leverage the biology of the vaginal microenvironment to support development of novel delivery technologies and that have high potential for scalable, low-cost manufacturing options; and 2) novel components that could be incorporated into and improve existing formulations (e.g. films, tablets/inserts) that would promote maintenance of or transition to an optimal vaginal microbiome and/or promote other benefit to the vaginal mucosal epithelium. Specifically, GCI-BIRAC seek to assess and de-risk novel approaches to vaginal delivery that can leverage and support features of the vaginal milieu including mucus, host cells and microbes for drug delivery and as such we anticipate proposals including evaluation of the impact of these novel approaches or components on changes in the microbiome and vaginal host components (cells/cytokines, mucins, glycans, lectins, etc.).</li>
<li>Define characteristics of an ideal vaginal product: In this objective, GCI-BIRAC seeks to support qualitative studies aimed at identifying and understanding specific features of a vaginally administered product that would most appeal to women such that many women, especially those of reproductive age in LMICs, would seek to use such a product (for example, 'what would you hope to achieve when using this product in your vagina?'). GCI-BIRAC is particularly interested in defining ancillary benefits (such as odor control, sexual enhancement, etc.) that could be derived from a vaginally delivered product that would likely not be supported by other routes of administration, as well as identifying major hurdles that may prevent a woman from seeking out or preferring a vaginal product. GCI-BIRAC acknowledges that there may be regional, cultural, demographic or other preference differences, and are seeking to identify desires or barriers that are commonly expressed by women across these demographic differences. Applicants may propose methods to prioritize preferences such that the vaginal product developed can benefit as many women as possible. In sum, it is aimed to gather insights into preferred and achievable characteristics that would transform vaginal products from 'tolerable' to 'desirable'.</li>
</ol>
Call to Action
India has the opportunity to lead the world in transformative women's health innovation, being home to over 400 million women of reproductive age. The unique biological, cultural, and healthcare realities of Indian women, spanning diverse geographies from urban metros to rural communities, demand locally relevant, affordable, and acceptable vaginal health solutions.
The initiative aims to bridge the critical gap between cutting-edge vaginal formulation science and ground-level implementation in India. The initiative is calling on innovators, researchers, and product developers to push the boundaries of women's health by creating context-driven, bold, transformative solutions for vaginal formulations. GCI-BIRAC encourages applications that combine scientific rigor with creativity, integrating both biological insights and the real-world preferences of women.
This is an opportunity to design products that are not only therapeutically effective but also genuinely desirable, products that women will choose to use because they address their needs, enhance their well-being, and fit seamlessly into their lives.
GCI-BIRAC welcome proposals at any stage of development, from early-stage discovery to near-market innovations. Your work could redefine what is possible in vaginal health, uncover new ways to leverage the vaginal microenvironment, and identify product features that resonate across diverse populations. By coupling cutting-edge science with user-centered design, you have the chance to deliver products that are safe, effective, and widely embraced.
Through this initiative, India can demonstrate global leadership in women's health, catalyze low-cost, high-impact technologies, and inspire the next generation of innovators to think boldly and inclusively.
Deliverables
By the end of this program, the initiative aims to generate actionable knowledge and prototype innovations that are regulation-ready, market-viable, and designed for widespread adoption across India's diverse contexts. The initiative will deliver outcomes across two strategic objectives:
Objective 1: Biology-Driven Formulation Innovation (Leveraging the Vaginal Microenvironment for Indian Women)
<ul>
<li>Novel Formulations or Components: Proof-of-concept mechanisms adapted to Indian environmental and storage conditions, low-cost, locally sourced, with potential for extended or on-demand delivery</li>
<li>Biological Characterization: Impact on vaginal microbiome, epithelial health, pH, mucosal immunity; compatibility with common vaginal conditions; preliminary safety/tolerability</li>
<li>Scalability Roadmap: Cost analysis, manufacturing pathways, stability testing under Indian conditions, regulatory alignment with CDSCO.</li>
</ul>
Objective 2: User-Centered Design Research (Defining characteristics of an ideal vaginal products)
<ul>
<li>Comprehensive User Insights: Preferences, barriers, ancillary benefits (odor control, sexual wellness, menstrual support), across ≥3 demographic segments.</li>
<li>Actionable Design Principles: Prioritized features, regional/cultural mapping, discreet vs. conspicuous formats, preferred delivery formats.</li>
<li>Implementation Framework: Messaging, distribution channels, pricing/willingness-to-pay, community engagement strategies.</li>
</ul>
GCI-BIRAC is looking for proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Focus on vaginally delivery approaches that do not require retrieval and disposal after use and can be adapted for extended- or slow-release of active ingredients.</li>
<li>Use innovative, rigorous qualitative approaches that improve or deepen our understanding of standard acceptability metrics.</li>
<li>Generate biological or end-user data from low- and middle-income regions and comply with national regulations on data security, data protection and privacy.</li>
<li>Propose rigorous scientific approaches to study a clear research question and whose rationale is clearly supported by peer-reviewed literature.</li>
<li>Demonstrate feasibility with preliminary data in support of the proposed approach; if no preliminary data exists then the proposal should be limited in scope.</li>
<li>Request the appropriate funds and time to achieve the objectives of the proposed work. Exploratory projects of lower cost but higher risk are strongly encouraged and will be prioritized.</li>
</ul>
GCI-BIRAC will not fund proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Evaluate the impact of currently available vaginally inserted products on the vaginal milieu (e.g. menstrual products, contraceptive devices, over-the-counter probiotics, etc.).</li>
<li>Focus on approaches that would not be feasible or affordable in India and low- and middle-income countries, including personalized medicine. If these approaches are included, the feasibility of scalable, low-cost development should be explicitly stated.</li>
<li>Focus on the development of therapeutics or interventions for specific conditions, such as treatment for STIs or contraceptive products. While these types of interventions may be used as a test case within the proposal, the work itself should focus on formulations.</li>
<li>Are focused solely on basic exploratory scientific research without a clear translational pathway, including potential end-use scenarios, scalability considerations and regulatory or manufacturing implications.</li>
<li>Center solely on focus groups and interviews. These methods or qualitative approaches are acceptable if embedded within rigorous mixed-methods study designs that generate quantitative, actionable insights beyond anecdotal data or standard acceptability metrics such as affective attitudes.</li>
<li>Do not consider end user preferences or assume end-user preferences. For the purposes of this RFP, end-users can be defined as women of reproductive age in India and low- and middle-income countries. Proposals may focus on subgroups (e.g., adolescents, post-partum women), but the target group must be explicitly defined and justified.</li>
<li>Primarily depend on traditional acceptability questionnaires or surveys (e.g., “if x hypothetical product existed, how interested would you be in using it?”).</li>
<li>Do not directly address one of the core objectives as outlined above.</li>
<li>Cannot be accomplished within a two-year maximum project duration or within the stipulated budget maximum.</li>
<li>Support researchers or research teams who are affiliated with the tobacco industry, or who receive (or are applying for) funding from the tobacco industry, which includes manufacturers and distributors of e-cigarettes or vaping products.</li>
</ul>

Grand Challenges India - Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (GCI-BIRAC) announce an open call on 'Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Women's Health,' a program directed at addressing challenges that limit effective local drug delivery for women's health, particularly in managing reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Grand Challenges Africa

Note that this Request for Proposals is being launched by multiple partners, across variable geographies, topic areas, and funding levels. Please review the requirements for each RFP to determine your eligibility. African researchers located in South Africa should apply through the corresponding country-specific Grand Challenges portal; African researchers located in all other African countries should apply <a href="https://agaseke.scienceforafrica.foundation/Login.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">through the Grand Challenges Africa portal</a>; Brazilian researchers located in Brazilian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges Brazil portal; and Indian researchers located in Indian organizations should apply through the Grand Challenges India portal. Researchers outside of these geographies should apply through the Gates Foundation Grand Challenges portal. Please consult the information provided in the subsection on geography of interest to ensure that your application fits the requirements of the RFP you are applying to.
Before applying, applicants should familiarise themselves with the supporting documents for this Grand Challenge, including the <a href="https://scienceforafrica.foundation/funding/womens-health-innovation-accelerating-innovation-vaginal-formulations-support-womens-health/rules-and-guidelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rules and Guidelines</a>, <a href="https://scienceforafrica.foundation/funding/womens-health-innovation-accelerating-innovation-vaginal-formulations-support-womens-health/application-instructions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Application Instructions,</a> and <a href="https://scienceforafrica.foundation/funding/womens-health-innovation-accelerating-innovation-vaginal-formulations-support-womens-health/faqs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Frequently Asked Questions.</a>
Application Deadline
Tuesday, 16 December 1700HRS, East African Time (EAT)
<h2>Background</h2>
Local delivery of drugs into the vagina for prevention and treatment of female-specific conditions remains understudied and under-utilized despite clear potential advantages such as discreetness, potent local efficacy, large surface area for drug absorption, high potential for API dosage sparing, and potential for fewer systemic side effects. Several key drivers may be responsible for this lag, including paucity of mechanistic biological data, particularly from high-burden settings such as low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to support the development of specific formulations for vaginal use as well as a persistent misconception that vaginally delivered products may not be embraced by women and their sexual partners. Several of our priorities for impactful products for sexual and reproductive health will require vaginal delivery for immediate, on-demand use. We seek to catalyse the development of innovative technologies and approaches that can safely and effectively deliver a wide range of vaginal products. We expect these approaches to have user appeal, including promotion of self-care capability and other beneficial features that women seek, hence the need to couple discovery research with high-quality end-user input.
<h2>The Challenge</h2>
We are soliciting applications that contribute to development of vaginal formulations that promote optimal drug delivery within the vaginal compartment while positively supporting the vaginal milieu, and that also possess beneficial effects, even if unrelated to the API intended effect, that a user might consider desirable, such as enhancement of sexual pleasure. We anticipate identifying product-agnostic features that promote vaginal health and that broadly appeal to women to advance product development and formulations for women's health. We welcome innovations at any stage of development that meet the scope of this call.
Applicants may apply to address one or more of the following objectives of this challenge:
<ul>
<li>Leverage biology for vaginally administered products: In this objective, we seek: 1) innovative formulations and delivery approaches that leverage the biology of the vaginal microenvironment to support development of novel delivery technologies and that have high potential for scalable, low-cost manufacturing options; and 2) novel components that could be incorporated into and improve existing formulations (e.g. films, tablets/inserts) that would promote maintenance of or transition to an optimal vaginal microbiome and/or promote other benefit to the vaginal mucosal epithelium. Specifically, we seek to assess and de-risk novel approaches to vaginal delivery that can leverage and support features of the vaginal milieu including mucus, host cells and microbes for drug delivery and as such we anticipate proposals including evaluation of the impact of these novel approaches or components on changes in the microbiome and vaginal host components (cells/cytokines, mucins, glycans, lectins, etc.).</li>
<li>Define characteristics of an ideal vaginal product: In this objective, we seek to support qualitative studies aimed at identifying and understanding specific features of a vaginally administered product that would most appeal to women such that many women, especially those of reproductive age in LMICs, would seek to use such a product (for example, 'what would you hope to achieve when using this product in your vagina?'). We are particularly interested in defining ancillary benefits (such as odor control, sexual enhancement, etc.) that could be derived from a vaginally delivered product that would likely not be supported by other routes of administration, as well as identifying major hurdles that may prevent a woman from seeking out or preferring a vaginal product. We acknowledge that there may be regional, cultural, demographic or other preference differences, and are seeking to identify desires or barriers that are commonly expressed by women across these demographic differences. Applicants may propose methods to prioritize preferences such that the vaginal product developed can benefit as many women as possible. In sum, we aim to gather insights into preferred and achievable characteristics that would transform vaginal products from 'tolerable' to 'desirable'.</li>
</ul>
Funding Level
It is expected that successful awardees will be awarded grants in the range of $100,000–200,000. With a funding duration of up to 24 months. 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
Eligibility Criteria
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.
We are looking for proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Focus on vaginal delivery approaches that do not require retrieval and disposal after use and can be adapted for extended- or slow-release of active ingredients.</li>
<li>Use innovative, rigorous qualitative approaches that improve or deepen our understanding of standard acceptability metrics.</li>
<li>Generate biological or end-user data from low- and middle-income regions and comply with national regulations on data security, data protection and privacy.</li>
<li>Propose rigorous scientific approaches to study a clear research question and whose rationale is clearly supported by peer-reviewed literature.</li>
<li>Demonstrate feasibility with preliminary data in support of the proposed approach; if no preliminary data exists then the proposal should be limited in scope.</li>
<li>Request the appropriate funds and time to achieve the objectives of the proposed work. Exploratory projects of lower cost but higher risk are strongly encouraged and will be prioritized.</li>
<li>Promote a diverse, inclusive, and supportive research environment, with priority for collaborations involving LMIC-based experts in reproductive health.</li>
</ul>
We will not fund proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Evaluate the impact of currently available vaginally inserted products on the vaginal milieu (e.g. menstrual products, contraceptive devices, over-the-counter probiotics, etc.).</li>
<li>Focus on approaches that would not be feasible or affordable in low- and middle-income countries, including personalized medicine. If these approaches are included, the feasibility of scalable, low-cost development should be explicitly stated.</li>
<li>Focus on the development of therapeutics or interventions for specific conditions, such as treatment for STIs or contraceptive products. While these types of interventions may be used as a test case within the proposal, the work itself should focus on formulations.</li>
<li>Are focused solely on basic exploratory scientific research without a clear translational pathway, including potential end-use scenarios, scalability considerations and regulatory or manufacturing implications.</li>
<li>Center solely on focus groups and interviews. These methods or qualitative approaches are acceptable if embedded within rigorous mixed-methods study designs that generate quantitative, actionable insights beyond anecdotal data or standard acceptability metrics such as affective attitudes.</li>
<li>Do not consider end user preferences or assume end-user preferences. For the purposes of this RFP, end-users can be defined as women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries. Proposals may focus on subgroups (e.g., adolescents, post-partum women), but the target group must be explicitly defined and justified.</li>
<li>Primarily depend on traditional acceptability questionnaires or surveys (e.g., "if x hypothetical product existed, how interested would you be in using it?").</li>
<li>Do not directly address one of the core objectives as outlined above.</li>
<li>Cannot be accomplished within a two-year maximum project duration or within the stipulated budget maximum.</li>
<li>Support researchers or research teams who are affiliated with the tobacco industry, or who receive (or are applying for) funding from the tobacco industry, which includes manufacturers and distributors of e-cigarettes or vaping products.</li>
</ul>

Grand Challenges South Africa

This RFP is jointly launched by several Grand Challenges funding partners, including Grand Challenges Africa (Science for Africa Foundation), Grand Challenges Brazil (Brazilian Ministry of Health and the National Council on Research), Grand Challenges India (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council), and Grand Challenges South Africa (South African Medical Research Council). Each RFP may differ in its geographic focus, topic areas, and funding levels. Please review the eligibility criteria and specific requirements for each RFP carefully. The individual RFPs are listed separately <a href="https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenges/JTdCJTIyc29ydCUyMiUzQSUyMmRlc2NlbmRpbmclMjIlMkMlMjJzb3J0RmllbGQlMjIlM0ElMjJkYXRlJTIyJTJDJTIybnVtYmVyUGVyUGFnZSUyMiUzQTEwJTJDJTIycGFnZU51bWJlciUyMiUzQTAlN0Q=/JTdCJTIyeWVhcnMlMjIlM0ElNUIlNUQlMkMlMjJjaGFsbGVuZ2VzJTIyJTNBJTVCJTIyMzk0JTIyJTVEJTJDJTIydGVybXMlMjIlM0ElNUIlNUQlMkMlMjJpbml0aWF0aXZlcyUyMiUzQSU1QiU1RCUyQyUyMmxvY2F0aW9ucyUyMiUzQSU1QiU1RCU3RA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>. If you qualify for more than one, we encourage you to apply to the RFP that best aligns with your proposed project.
Before applying, applicants should familiarize themselves with the supporting documents for this Grand Challenge, including the Rules and Guidelines, Application Instructions, and Frequently Asked Questions.
If you are planning to apply to this RFP, we will be hosting a dedicated webinar on November 20, from 6:00 to 7:00 AM Pacific Time. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the RFP details and an opportunity to have your questions answered. To participate in the webinar, please register and submit your questions in advance. If you cannot attend live, the webinar will be recorded and available on this challenge page after the session.
<h2>Background</h2>
Local delivery of drugs into the vagina for prevention and treatment of female-specific conditions remains understudied and under-utilized despite clear potential advantages such as discreetness, potent local efficacy, large surface area for drug absorption, high potential for API dosage sparing, potential for fewer systemic side effects, as well as providing autonomy and empowerment of women. Several key drivers may be responsible for this lag, including paucity of mechanistic biological data, particularly from high-burden settings such as low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to support the development of specific formulations for vaginal use as well as a persistent misconception that vaginally delivered products may not be embraced by women and their sexual partners. Several of our priorities for impactful products for sexual and reproductive health will require vaginal delivery for immediate, on-demand use. We seek to catalyze the development of innovative technologies and approaches that can safely and effectively deliver a wide range of vaginal products. We expect these approaches to have user appeal, including promotion of self-care capability and other beneficial features that women seek, hence the need to couple discovery research with high-quality end-user input.
<h2>The Challenge</h2>
We are soliciting applications that contribute to development of vaginal formulations that promote optimal drug delivery within the vaginal compartment while positively supporting the vaginal milieu, and that also possess beneficial effects, even if unrelated to the API intended effect, that a user might consider desirable, such as enhancement of sexual pleasure.We anticipate identifying product-agnostic features that promote vaginal health and that broadly appeal to women to advance product development and formulations for women's health. We welcome innovations at any stage of development that meet the scope of this call.
Applicants may apply to address one or more of the following objectives of this challenge:
<ol>
<li>Leverage biology for vaginally administered products: In this objective, we seek: 1) innovative formulations and delivery approaches that leverage the biology of the vaginal microenvironment to support development of novel delivery technologies and that have high potential for scalable, low-cost manufacturing options; and 2) novel components that could be incorporated into and improve existing formulations (e.g. films, tablets/inserts) that would promote maintenance of or transition to an optimal vaginal microbiome and/or promote other benefits to the vaginal mucosal epithelium. Specifically, we seek to assess and de-risk novel approaches to vaginal delivery that can leverage and support features of the vaginal milieu including mucus, host cells and microbes for drug delivery and as such we anticipate proposals including evaluation of the impact of these novel approaches or components on changes in the microbiome and vaginal host components (cells/cytokines, mucins, glycans, lectins, etc.).</li>
<li>Define characteristics of an ideal vaginal product: In this objective, we seek to support qualitative studies aimed at identifying and understanding specific features of a vaginally administered product that would most appeal to women such that many women, especially those of reproductive age in LMICs, would seek to use such a product (for example, 'what would you hope to achieve when using this product in your vagina?'). We are particularly interested in defining ancillary benefits (such as odor control, sexual enhancement, etc.) that could be derived from a vaginally delivered product that would likely not be supported by other routes of administration, as well as identifying major hurdles that may prevent a woman from seeking out or preferring a vaginal product. We acknowledge that there may be regional, cultural, demographic, or other preference differences, and are seeking to identify desires or barriers that are commonly expressed by women across these demographic differences. Applicants may propose methods to prioritize preferences such that the vaginal product developed can benefit as many women as possible. In sum, we aim to gather insights into preferred and achievable characteristics that would transform vaginal products from 'tolerable' to 'desirable.'</li>
</ol>
Funding Level
Projects with a duration of up to two years and a maximum requested budget of Up to $250,000 USD (~R4.5 million) per project 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 and in line with allowable costs of the targeted funding organization for which the applicant is eligible. Indirect costs should be included in the budget and should not exceed 5% of the total award (subject to the <a href="https://www.samrc.ac.za/sites/default/files/attachments/2024-09/SAMRC%20Terms%20and%20Conditions%20of%20Funding.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SAMRC Terms and Conditions of funding</a>).
Eligibility Criteria
This initiative is open to research institutes, NGOs, academic institutions, government agencies, and for-profit companies, with priority given to women-led projects and collaborations based in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Projects must be based in South Africa and led by South African principal investigators, who are citizens or permanent residents. All applicants are expected to comply with the Foundation's global access clause. Applicants are encouraged to build upon existing or complementary projects, studies, or trials, and to engage in collaborations with other institutions. Applications from teams led by women and/or researchers at LMIC-based institutions or involving collaboration with women-led or LMIC-based organizations, are strongly encouraged. Only individuals applying through a legally recognized corporate entity are eligible.
We are looking for proposals that:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Focus on vaginally delivery approaches that do not require retrieval and disposal after use and can be adapted for extended- or slow-release of active ingredients.</li>
<li>Use innovative, rigorous qualitative approaches that improve or deepen our understanding of standard acceptability metrics.</li>
<li>Generate biological or end-user data from low- and middle-income regions and comply with national regulations on data security, data protection, and privacy.</li>
<li>Propose rigorous scientific approaches to study a clear research question and whose rationale is clearly supported by peer-reviewed literature.</li>
<li>Demonstrate feasibility with preliminary data in support of the proposed approach; if no preliminary data exists then the proposal should be limited in scope.</li>
<li>Request the appropriate funds and time to achieve the objectives of the proposed work. Exploratory projects of lower cost but higher risk are strongly encouraged and will be prioritized.</li>
<li>Promote a diverse, inclusive, and supportive research environment, with priority for collaborations involving LMIC-based experts in reproductive health.</li>
</ul>
We will not fund proposals that:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Evaluate the impact of currently available vaginally inserted products on the vaginal milieu (e.g., menstrual products, contraceptive devices, over-the-counter probiotics, etc.).</li>
<li>Focus on approaches that would not be feasible or affordable in low- and middle-income countries, including personalized medicine. If these approaches are included, the feasibility of scalable, low-cost development should be explicitly stated.</li>
<li>Focus on the development of therapeutics or interventions for specific conditions, such as treatment for STIs or contraceptive products. While these types of interventions may be used as a test case within the proposal, the work itself should focus on formulations.</li>
<li>Are focused solely on basic exploratory scientific research without a clear translational pathway, including potential end-use scenarios, scalability considerations and regulatory or manufacturing implications.</li>
<li>Center solely on focus groups and interviews. These methods or qualitative approaches are acceptable if embedded within rigorous mixed-methods study designs that generate quantitative, actionable insights beyond anecdotal data or standard acceptability metrics such as affective attitudes.</li>
<li>Do not consider end user preferences or assume end-user preferences. For the purposes of this RFP, end-users can be defined as women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries. Proposals may focus on subgroups (e.g., adolescents, post-partum women), but the target group must be explicitly defined and justified.</li>
<li>Primarily depend on traditional acceptability questionnaires or surveys (e.g., "if x hypothetical product existed, how interested would you be in using it?").</li>
<li>Do not directly address one of the core objectives as outlined above.</li>
<li>Can not be accomplished within a two-year maximum project duration or within the stipulated budget maximum.</li>
<li>Support researchers or research teams who are affiliated with the tobacco industry, or who receive (or are applying for) funding from the tobacco industry, which includes manufacturers and distributors of e-cigarettes or vaping products.</li>
</ul>
Application Submission
All applications must be submitted directly through the Grand Challenges South Africa online portal (RedCap): <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsamrc-redcap.mrc.ac.za%2Fsurveys%2F%3Fs%3DK9EL9FLPFXJEHJHL&amp;data=05%7C02%7CKarabo.Kgomo%40mrc.ac.za%7C1866ef4376b6441f44d208de1525c6d5%7Cf1930bff9b514d0cb2bdc26a9e0f4600%7C0%7C0%7C638971449165598983%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=b3jIENZek4Ggub2jN7RmCexuWNYTnOmhRVwXXzZc8AU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GCSA Women's Health Innovation Call</a>. (Submissions via email or any other method will not be accepted).
Applicants are required to complete the following within the portal:
<ol>
<li>Project Proposal – Complete all registration fields, including the Applicant Profile.</li>
<li>Uploads – Applicants must provide the following documents:
<ul>
<li>Full Proposal –<a href="https://www.samrc.ac.za/sites/default/files/attachments/2025-10/GCSA%20Vaginal%20Formulations%20Proposal%20Template%202025.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Proposal Template</a> (Signed by the institution)</li>
<li>Budget – Upload as a Microsoft Excel or PDF file using the <a href="https://www.samrc.ac.za/sites/default/files/attachments/2025-10/SAMRC%20Project%20Budget%20Template.xlsx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">official budget template</a>. provided in the RFP.</li>
<li>Curriculum Vitae (CVs) – Upload CVs for the Principal Investigator and all Co-investigators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
Submission Requirements:
<ul>
<li>Proposals must comply with all formatting and file size limits specified in the RFA.</li>
<li>Applications must be complete, responsive, and submitted by the deadline.</li>
<li>Applicants must meet all SAMRC eligibility criteria (e.g., South African PIs, citizens, or permanent residents).</li>
</ul>
For questions regarding the RFP, selection criteria, or application instructions, applicants can contact Karabo Kgomo | SAMRC <a href="mailto:Karabo.Kgomo@mrc.ac.za">Karabo.Kgomo@mrc.ac.za</a> ) for South Africa–specific guidance.
Budget Guidelines
<ul>
<li>Budgets submitted must include all applicable taxes.</li>
<li>South African applicants must prepare budgets in South African Rands (ZAR).</li>
<li>Applicants from other eligible countries may prepare their budgets in South African Rand or USD, noting that the exchange rate for awards will be based on the USD/ZAR rate at which the SAMRC received the funds.</li>
<li>All direct line items must be auditable.</li>
</ul>
Allowable costs:
<ul>
<li>Personnel: Soft-funded posts for individuals working on the project (e.g., post-docs, students, technicians, project managers) will be funded, provided an accurate estimation of time allocation is provided, and they are not already funded by other means.</li>
<li>Consultants: Local and/or foreign consultants providing a service or capability not available among project partners but essential for the completion of project deliverables.</li>
<li>Equipment: Partial or full support for the cost of equipment directly required for the project. Budget limitations may apply.</li>
<li>Supplies, consumables, and other direct laboratory or research costs.</li>
<li>Sub-contracts: Any local or international organization providing essential services or capabilities not available among project partners.</li>
<li>Travel and accommodation directly related to the project's execution.</li>
<li>Institutional overhead: An indirect cost rate of 5% is allowed.</li>
</ul>
Non-Allowable Costs:
<ul>
<li>Salaries of permanent or fixed-term staff, e.g., tenured staff, professors, etc. That is fully covered by the host institutions.</li>
<li>Purchase or construction of buildings.</li>
<li>Rental costs for space owned by the institutions participating in the project.</li>
<li>Recruitment or retrenchment costs for staff.</li>
<li>Purchase of office furniture.</li>
</ul>
Review and Evaluation of Proposals
Eligibility Screening:
<ul>
<li>All applications will be screened by the SAMRC and Grand Challenges funding partners for completeness and responsiveness to the call and its administrative requirements/provisions.</li>
<li>Incomplete or non-responsive applications, or those submitted after the deadline, will not be processed further.</li>
</ul>
Evaluation: All eligible applications will be reviewed by local and international experts, considering at least the following criteria:
<ul>
<li>Significance / Relevance / Impact: Potential impact on public health outcomes.</li>
<li>Approach: Innovation, rationale, work plan, and cost-effectiveness.</li>
<li>Team: Size, reach, experience, and complementarity of project partners.</li>
<li>Environment: Availability of infrastructure, equipment, and resources; unique features of the project environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements.</li>
</ul>
Timeline
<div class="responsive-table"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Milestone</th>
<th>Date</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>RFP Launch</td>
<td>Tuesday, 28 October 2025</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Application Close</td>
<td>Tuesday, 16 December 2025, 8:30 p.m. SAST</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Review &amp; Approvals</td>
<td>Jan – March 2026</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Notification of Awards</td>
<td>April 2026</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Anticipated Project Start</td>
<td>April/May 2026</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
Additional Information
<ul>
<li>Ethics and regulatory approvals must be obtained before disbursement.</li>
<li>Funders may verify information provided by applicants.</li>
<li>No responsibility for costs incurred in preparing applications.</li>
<li>Funders may amend or withdraw the RFP at any time.</li>
<li>Successful applicants may be asked to address reviewer comments or negotiate budgets.</li>
</ul>
Contact for queries: Karabo Kgomo | SAMRC <a href="mailto:Karabo.Kgomo@mrc.ac.za">Karabo.Kgomo@mrc.ac.za</a>

Accelerating Development of Innovative, Exceptionally Low-Cost Maternal and Child Nutrient Ingredients and Products

Before applying, applicants should familiarize themselves with the supporting documents for this Grand Challenge, including the terms and conditions of the <a href="https://submit.gatesfoundation.org/res/p/RFPTermsConditions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gates Foundation</a>, the <a href="https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/sites/default/files/files/low-cost_nutritients_cost_rules_and_guidelines.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rules and Guidelines</a>, <a href="https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/sites/default/files/files/low_cost_nutrients_application_instructions.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Application Instructions</a>, and <a href="https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/accelerating-development-innovative-exceptionally-low-cost-maternal-and-child-nutrient-ingredients" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Frequently Asked Questions</a>.
If you are planning to apply to this RFP, we will be hosting a dedicated webinar on November 12, from 7:00 to 8:00 AM Pacific Time. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the RFP details and an opportunity to have your questions answered. To participate in the webinar, please <a href="https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/e41294d9-be6c-4906-a5db-bd5aedaa5e75@296b3838-4bd5-496c-bd4b-f456ea743b74" target="_blank" title="https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/73a86f86-39cf-419c-8eff-333f5dc22ca7@296b3838-4bd5-496c-bd4b-f456ea743b74" rel="noopener noreferrer">register</a> and <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/sUWxxATXyT?origin=lprLink" target="_blank" title="https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=odhrkdvlbem9s_rw6nq7dnyuf4phutfbmfmat6jkpdduqk5dtlk1tvjqwldktdbpreduntrlqzjrtc4u" rel="noopener noreferrer">submit your questions in advance</a>. If you cannot attend live, the webinar will be recorded and available on this challenge page after the session.
<blockquote>This is a call for transformative innovation. We seek solutions that ensure every mother and child – regardless of where they live – can access the essential nutrients to survive and thrive.
</blockquote>
<h2>Background</h2>
Malnutrition remains one of the most urgent and pervasive threats to maternal, newborn, and child health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It contributes to nearly half of all under-five child deaths and is a significant driver of maternal and child morbidity and mortality. During the first 1,000 days of a child's life (from conception to a child's second birthday), nutritional deficiencies can cause irreversible physical and cognitive impairments, limiting educational attainment, economic productivity, and lifelong health. In LMICs, where poverty, limited health services, and food insecurity intersect, the burden of malnutrition disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations, exacerbating inequities and hindering progress toward global development goals.
Targeted interventions that improve maternal nutrition before and during pregnancy are essential for breaking this cycle.
Despite decades of evidence demonstrating the importance of adequate intakes and effectiveness of nutrition interventions, many solutions are inaccessible in LMICs due to high costs of nutrients and final products.
The nutrients we are particularly interested in are calcium, choline, and omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (specifically docosahexaenoic acid – DHA).
Calcium supplementation has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) (1.5–2.0 g elemental calcium daily in populations with low dietary intake) since 2011 as a strategy to reduce the risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women. In two recent randomized trials in India and Tanzania, a low-dose regimen (500 mg elemental calcium daily) was found to be noninferior to the high-dose regimen (1,500 mg) in reducing preeclampsia incidence, supporting the possibility of a simpler, lower-dose strategy.
Choline is an essential nutrient that supports fetal brain development, memory function, and placental health, with increasing evidence linking adequate maternal intake to improved child neurocognitive outcomes. The U.S. National Academies of Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) all recommend adequate intakes (450–480 mg/day), yet studies consistently show that most pregnant women consume less than recommended, making insufficiency highly prevalent.
DHA supports fetal brain, eye, and nervous system development. A Cochrane meta-analysis found that omega-3 supplementation including DHA in pregnancy reduces the risk of preterm birth (before 37 weeks and before 34 weeks). The WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommend ≥200 mg/day of DHA for pregnant and lactating women, while the EFSA advises 100–200 mg/day DHA in addition to regular omega-3 intake. This is consistent with recommendations from professional societies such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids. Despite this alignment across authorities, dietary surveys show that most pregnant women worldwide do not meet these targets, particularly in regions with low fish consumption.
The United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation (UNIMMAP) is a standard formulation that provides a base reference for antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation and is used in this call for proposals.
<h2>The Challenge</h2>
High input costs, complex production processes, and limited manufacturing capacity in LMICs keep the price of essential nutrient ingredients and products prohibitively high. As a result, millions of women and children cannot access proven, lifesaving interventions.
At the same time, there is a clear opportunity: innovations across the entire product lifecycle - raw material sourcing, ingredient formulation, manufacturing methods, and packaging - can dramatically lower costs while maintaining quality. Advances in biotechnology, materials science, food technology, and other industries provide models that could be adapted to nutrition.
We are not seeking incremental improvements. This call is for transformative, bold solutions that can reduce costs by at least 50% compared to current baselines, while maintaining or improving safety, efficacy, and user acceptability. We want to support the development and validation of scalable, sustainable strategies that make high-quality nutrient ingredients and products affordable for LMIC health systems and ensure equitable access for every mother and child.
Based on Latham BioPharm Group research, the commonly available pharmaceutical quality ingredients for the nutrients of interest are calcium carbonate, choline bitartrate, choline chloride, and algal DHA powder. The lowest prices reported are 2.1 USD/kg, 5.8 USD/kg, 1.2 USD/kg, and 52 USD/kg (30% purity) respectively. The target cost for exceptionally low-cost nutrient ingredients should be at least 50% below the lowest price identified.
Focus Areas
Applicants may propose projects under one of the following options:
<div class="responsive-table"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Option</th>
<th>Scope</th>
<th>Key Requirements</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>A</td>
<td>Development of exceptionally low-cost nutrient ingredients (calcium, choline, DHA)</td>
<td>
<ul>
<li>≥50% cost reduction compared to current lowest prices (CaCO₃ $2.1/kg, choline chloride $1.2/kg, algal DHA powder $52/kg, etc.)</li>
<li>Must meet pharmacopeial standards and International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) Q7 Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements</li>
<li>Expected to be stable, allergen-free, culturally inclusive (vegetarian, halal, kosher), and taste neutral</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>B</td>
<td>Development of a low-cost prenatal supplement (UNIMMAP MMS + 500 mg/day calcium)</td>
<td>
<ul>
<li>Target cost &lt; US$2 per 180-day regimen</li>
<li>Informed by consumer research (acceptability, usability, palatability)</li>
<li>Demonstrated 3 month real-time and 6-month accelerated stability at ICH Q1 (Zone IVb)</li>
<li>Ideally meet WHO GMP requirements</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>Development of an advanced prenatal supplement (MMSplus: UNIMMAP MMS + 500 mg/day calcium + 100 mg/day nicotinamide + 450 mg/day choline + 200 mg/day DHA)</td>
<td>
<ul>
<li>Multiple dosage forms or units acceptable (not limited to a single tablet)</li>
<li>Informed by consumer research - Demonstrated 3 month real-time and 6-month accelerated stability at ICH Q1 (Zone IVb)</li>
<li>Ideally meet WHO GMP requirements</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
Funding Level
<div class="responsive-table"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Option</th>
<th>Scope</th>
<th>Target (summary)</th>
<th>Funding</th>
<th>Duration</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>A</td>
<td>Exceptionally low-cost nutrient ingredients (Calcium, Choline, DHA)</td>
<td>≥50% cost reduction vs current lowest prices; pharmaceutical quality; stable, allergen-free, culturally inclusive</td>
<td>Up to US$500,000 per ingredient</td>
<td>Up to 18 months</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>B</td>
<td>Low-cost prenatal supplement (MMS + 500 mg Calcium)</td>
<td>Less than US$2 per 180-day regimen; consumer informed; 6-month accelerated stability in Zone IVb</td>
<td>Up to US$200,000</td>
<td>Up to 12 months</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>Advanced prenatal supplement (MMSplus)</td>
<td>Consumer informed; 6-month accelerated stability in Zone IVb</td>
<td>Up to US$400,000</td>
<td>Up to 12 months</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
 Application 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 <a href="https://docs.gatesfoundation.org/Documents/Indirect_Cost_Policy.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gates Foundation's indirect cost policy</a>).
Eligibility
This initiative is open globally to nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, international organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions. We invite innovators from nutrition, biotechnology, food technology, pharmaceuticals, and beyond to apply. Only individuals who are applying through a legally recognized corporate entity are eligible.
What We Are Looking For
Successful proposals will demonstrate bold thinking, technical rigor, and a pathway to scale. Specifically, we are seeking proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Present transformative cost-reduction strategies, not incremental improvements, with a clear pathway to achieve ≥50% cost reduction.</li>
<li>Provide specific steps and/or end-to-end solutions, including credible cost modeling at scale (e.g., 3 million regimens per year).</li>
<li>Demonstrate technical feasibility with the ability to generate meaningful data within 12–18 months.</li>
<li>Clearly outline team capabilities and expertise, with strong preference for collaborations involving LMIC partners.</li>
<li>Include a justified budget, which will be reviewed for alignment with scope and deliverables.</li>
<li>Consider and enable manufacturing in LMICs, ensuring cultural and dietary inclusivity (vegetarian, halal, kosher).</li>
<li>Are informed by consumer research, addressing acceptability, usability, and adherence.</li>
</ul>
We encourage applicants to identify and build collaborations with organizations that bring complementary expertise. Where appropriate, the Foundation may facilitate connections among applicants working on related challenges.
We will not fund proposals that:
<ul>
<li>Rely solely on price negotiation or procurement tactics (e.g., bulk purchasing).</li>
<li>Offer only stepwise, incremental improvements with minimal cost impact.</li>
<li>Focus on delivery models (e.g., distribution, supply chain tools, or market shaping) without product innovation.</li>
<li>Address nutrients or products outside the defined scope.</li>
</ul>

High input costs, complex production processes, and limited manufacturing capacity in LMICs keep the price of essential nutrient ingredients and products prohibitively high. As a result, millions of women and children cannot access proven, lifesaving interventions.
This call is for transformative, bold solutions that can reduce costs by at least 50% compared to current baselines, while maintaining or improving safety, efficacy, and user acceptability. We want to support the development and validation of scalable, sustainable strategies that make high-quality nutrient ingredients and products affordable for LMIC health systems and ensure equitable access for every mother and child.