Call For Proposal

Climate change and its variability is an important health challenge of 21st century that impacts all lifeforms. Its severe consequences on health have become clearer in recent years which are lurking to undermine the accomplishments made globally in improving healthcare. It is imperative to undertake mitigation and adaptation actions to raise awareness about climate sensitive health concerns and to channel results into actionable solutions.

Recognising this challenge, Grand Challenges India (GCI) under the ambit of DBT- Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) are launching a program on ‘Accelerating Catalyzing Solutions for Climate Change’s Impact on Health in India’. This program is directed at addressing the challenges posed on the human health and healthcare system in context to climate change and its variability.

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Click here to view RFP

The purpose of this call is to catalyse research efforts and support innovative solutions to adapt, mitigate or reverse the combined, deleterious effects of climate change on human health. The key features of this call are:

   * Support locally led, system-level research and ideas that are scalable and sustainable,

   * Support cross-cutting solutions at the intersection of multiple scientific and engineering disciplines combining their complementary and synergistic research strengths,

   * Encourage research interests for building adaptive capacities and resilient healthcare to deal with climate-related health problems,

This RFA is India-led and proposals are solicited from Indian nationals having good scientific record and working within the country in established academics, research institutions, medical research institutions, Indian companies, not-for-profit organizations, trusts, foundations. GCI encourages collaborations based on the belief that synergies between experts across diverse disciplines are important for the challenges that we seek to address.

   * Please note that Global partners may be included, but proposals must demonstrate at least 80% of the funding is going to an investigator working in the country. Through national and global collaboration, we expect that sharing experimental methods, data, and resources will ultimately improve the ability to compare and validate local research findings and to develop interventions and products that can have impact at a greater scale.

   * Please read the following carefully to understand the category you will be applying under and the documentation that may be requested should your proposal be selected for further financial due diligence. This call is open to:

      i) In case of the applicant being an Indian academic scientist, researchers and Ph.D students (citizen of India) who must be willing to incubate at a recognized incubator submit a letter of intent for same.

     ii) Indian institution/ universities/ public research organization: Academic institutions established in India and having NAAC/ UGC/ AICTE or any equivalent recognition certificate or any other Public/Government supported organization; Non-profit organizations/ Government entities/ Institutes/ R&D Organizations will include Academic Research Institutes, Universities, Research Foundation, Medical Colleges and Institutes – both public and private who are valid legal entities such as Trust, Society or established under central or state statute.

    iii) An Indian Company is defined as one which is registered under the Indian Companies Act, 2013 and minimum 51% of the shares of the Company should be held by Indian Citizens holding Indian passport [Indian Citizens do not include Person of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India(OCI) holders].

    iv) Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) incorporated under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 having a minimum half of the persons who subscribed their names to the LLP document as its Partners should be Indian citizens [Indian Citizens do not include Person of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) holders].

    v) Society/ Trust/ NGO/ Foundation/ Association established in India under the relevant Indian Law having at least half of the stakeholders (partners/ trustees/ members/ associates etc.) as Indians.

Note: The evaluation of eligibility shall be based on the status of documents as on the closing date of the call. 

Applications are required to be submitted online only. Please Click here to view the Proposal Proforma detailing the steps in registration and proposal submission, and documents required for submission. Please note this proforma is a guiding document only. Proposal submitted through any other mode except Online portal will not be considered.

For queries, please contact:

Mission Director, Grand Challenges India, Email: mdpmubmgf.birac@nic.in

Senior Program Manager, Grand Challenges India, Email: pmubmgf3.birac@nic.in

Announcement Date: 03-12-2023
Last Submission Date: 31-01-2024 04:00 PM