Early career researchers working at the intersection of climate change and health can apply for the 2026 Climate and Health Catalyst Awards, a research funding programme offering up to $5,000 to help transform existing climate-and-health data into research, policy, and practice outputs. The programme is offered by the ARCH Program Consortium and Amref Health Africa, through the Pan-African Center for Research and Policy in Climate Change and Health (CPRCCH). Unlike grants designed to finance fieldwork or primary data collection, this award focuses on moving existing evidence toward impact, with funding alongside structured mentorship, technical guidance, capacity strengthening, and knowledge-translation support.
Key Eligibility Criteria
Two applicant categories are eligible:
- PhD Candidates: Must have completed data collection, hold an existing climate-and-health dataset requiring analysis, be currently enrolled in a PhD programme at an eligible institution, and hold citizenship or legal residence in one of the eligible countries.
- Postdoctoral and Early-Career Researchers: Must be within five years of PhD graduation, hold an existing climate-and-health dataset requiring analysis, be affiliated with an eligible institution, and currently reside in an eligible country.
Eligible Countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda.
Note: this is not a primary data collection grant. Applicants must already have collected their climate-and-health data.
Award Benefits
- Funding: Up to $5,000 per researcher, covering secondary data analysis, manuscript preparation, policy brief development, data management, dissemination, open-access publication fees, approved conference participation, and communication costs.
- Mentorship: Structured mentorship to strengthen research quality and outputs.
- Networking: Access to a Pan-African network of researchers, practitioners, and climate-health leaders.
- Knowledge Translation: Support turning findings into usable evidence for policy and practice.
The award does not cover salary top-ups, tuition fees, large equipment purchases, unapproved travel, entertainment, gifts, or alcohol.
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Application Requirements
- Motivation letter (max 1 page)
- Curriculum Vitae (max 4 pages)
- Concept note (max 5 pages)
- Institutional support or affiliation letter
- Two reference letters
- Ethics approval documentation, where applicable
- Detailed work plan and budget within the $5,000 ceiling
All documents must be submitted as PDFs, max 750 KB per file.
How to Apply
Applicants complete a nine-section online application form, taking approximately 30-45 minutes, through the Amref application portal. No specific closing date is currently stated, so applicants should review the official portal for the most current deadline.
Disclaimer
Edfrica shares opportunities for informational purposes only. Results and funding outcomes are not guaranteed.
