Gates Foundation Grand Challenges
Grand Challenges
Open continuously
No deadline — apply whenever you are ready.
A family of calls rather than one scheme. Grand Challenges Explorations-style awards have historically been around USD 100,000 for phase 1 with follow-on funding up to about USD 1 million; larger targeted challenges award more. Each challenge publishes its own award size.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
private · supranational
Deadline: Fixed cut-off dates — New challenges are issued regularly; over 250 challenges have been published. Recent examples include Innovations in Decentralized Pan-Orthoebolavirus Diagnostics (July 2026), the 2026 Grand Challenges Annual Meeting Call-to-Action (June 2026), Innovations in Cost-Disruptive Tools for Diagnosis and Screening (May 2026) and Breakthrough Innovations to Reduce Severe Acute Malnutrition Treatment Costs (March 2026).
This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.
Quick — mostly identity and bank details.
Who can apply
- Sectors: health, agri
- Stage: idea stage, pre-seed and seed
- R&D activity required
Open to individuals, universities, non-profits and companies worldwide; several challenges specifically prioritise applicants based in low- and middle-income countries.
How to apply
- Browse the open challenges list on gcgh.grandchallenges.org
- Read the individual challenge page for award size, eligibility and deadline
- Submit the online application before the challenge deadline
Related reading: How grant deadlines actually work
Source. https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/challenges
"We challenge innovators around the world to work on urgent priorities in global health and development. We issue new challenges regularly and award the most promising proposals with grant funding."
Verified on 14 August 2026
Source: funder's homepage — the programme page was not found
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