Supporting early-stage, collaborative health scholarship
Seed Grants support exploratory projects that catalyze novel ideas and collaborations and build a case for larger-scale or more expansive projects that will help people live healthier and longer lives. This grant program supports co-designed projects that will be implemented with a global partner. Proposals without a strong collaborative focus with partners in low and middle-income countries are unlikely to be successful.
Preference will be given to projects that build an evidence base for impact, design and test solutions, or pilot interventions. Other examples of funded projects may include—but are not limited to—exploring local needs, defining scope of work, validating feasibility of activities, and testing initial ideas.
Grant Amount: up to $35,000
Project Duration: up to 12 months
Application status: OPEN
Letters of intent due Friday, September 4, 2026 via Infoready.
Proposals must meet the following criteria:
- Projects must be co-led by a U-M faculty member and a collaborator based in a low- or middle-income country (LMIC).
- The Principal Investigator must be a CGHE member and must not currently hold an active CGHE grant. (Those in postdoctoral or staff roles are not typically eligible; however, we welcome potential applicants to reach out with any questions about eligibility.)
- Projects must include collaborators from a low- or middle-income country (LMIC).
- Projects must include faculty from at least three distinct University of Michigan schools, colleges, or units.
- Align with the least one of the thematic priorities of the center.
- Clearly articulate how the proposed work could contribute to improved health and health equity in LMIC settings.
- Projects must demonstrate meaningful co-design and collaboration with global partners.
Tips for Successful Applications
- Work with your global partners to ensure the proposed project addresses a critical problem. Clearly communicate this critical need in your application.
- Schedule a consultation with a project manager at the center to discuss your project idea and receive pre-submission feedback to strengthen your proposal. Reach out to us via email at [email protected]
- Join a challenge group to learn more about current projects and receive multidisciplinary input on your project idea.
- Check out the member portal to learn about U-M and associate members around the world, and connect with potential collaborators from diverse disciplines.
- Attend center events and learn more about co-designing projects for impact.
Featured Stories
The latest round of funding from the center supports research initiatives focused on climate and health data in Bangladesh, stress reduction in Ecuador, nutrition strategies for electronic waste recycling, HIV risks for displaced women in Ukraine, and esophageal cancer risks in Ethiopia.
A collaboration between the University of Michigan and Aga Khan University in Nairobi, the study will build out nationally representative datasets on key determinants of health and economic well-being among older Kenyan adults.