Global Health Seed Grant Program RFA

Applicants may apply for one of two funding levels:

• Up to $15,000
• Up to $50,000

Applicants may apply for only one funding level.

Project Period: May 1, 2027 - June 30, 2028
Award Spending Period: July 1, 2027 - April 30, 2028

The total award may not exceed the maximum amount for the selected funding level and must include all direct and indirect costs. If a global partner site has a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA), indirect costs must be included within the total award amount

• Principal Investigator (PI):
  • The PI must be a UCLA faculty member. 
  • Adjunct faculty, fellows, and residents are not eligible to serve as PI but may be listed as co-investigators or Early Career Investigators.
• DGSOM Affiliation
  • At least one investigator on the team must hold a faculty appointment within the David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM).
• Team Composition
  • Projects must include multidisciplinary teams representing either:
    • At least two distinct scientific disciplines (e.g., clinical science and social science), or 
    • At least two distinct clinical specialties (e.g., internal medicine and surgery).
  • Cross-school collaboration within UCLA is strongly encouraged, particularly across two or more UCLA schools. Projects with cross-school collaboration are more likely to be funded. 
• Global Partnership
  • A Primary Global Partner Site Investigator must be included as a co-investigator on the research team. 
  • Applications to conduct research in low-income and lower-middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank's current Country and Lending Groups classification, will be prioritized for funding.
  • Research conducted in upper-middle-income or high-income countries is unlikely to be funded via this mechanism. These proposals may be considered when applicants provide a clear and compelling justification for conducting the proposed research in that population or setting. Proposals focused on upper-middle-income or high-income countries must specifically address the needs of an underserved or resource-limited population within that country.
  • Applicants should refer to the World Bank Country and Lending Groups for the current income classification of the proposed country.
• Early Career Investigators
  • The research team must include:
    • At least one Early Career Investigator from UCLA, and 
    • At least one Early Career Investigator from the global partner site. 
  • The UCLA Early Career Investigator must be a different individual than the UCLA PI. 
  • The Global Site Early Career Investigator must be a different individual from the Primary Global Partner Site Investigator.
  • These roles should provide meaningful research experience and opportunities for capacity-building. 
  • A mentorship plan must be included in the full proposal, along with criteria for evaluating the Early Career Investigators' progress.

UCLA Early Career Investigator Definition: Includes residents, fellows, PhD students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior faculty who are three years or fewer into their first faculty role. UCLA medical students are not eligible for this designation, though they may participate in the project.

Global Site Early Career Investigator Definition: May include clinicians, medical students, graduate students, or junior academicians pursuing a healthcare career.

IRB and Regulatory Requirements

• IRB approval is not required at the time of application. For funded projects, all required UCLA and global partner site IRB and/or regulatory approvals must be obtained before funds are released.

The following activities and proposals are subject to funding restrictions:

• Projects primarily focused on unilateral or bilateral training exchange: 

  The Seed Grant Program does not support general training exchanges as a standalone project goal.

  Training activities may be included if they are part of a broader research and capacity-building effort involving Early Career Investigators.

  If training is proposed, the application must:

  • Identify the individual(s) who will participate in the training.
  • Specify the skills to be acquired.
  • Explain how the training supports the proposed research and capacity-building goals.
  • Address relevant logistical considerations, such as visas, work permits, or visiting scholar requirements. 
• Laboratory-Based Research
  • For projects that include laboratory science, the majority of laboratory work must take place at the global partner site.
  • Projects in which the majority of laboratory work will take place at UCLA or in Los Angeles-based laboratories are not eligible for funding.
  • Applications must describe:
    • The location of laboratory activities
    • Available resources and infrastructure
    • Staffing
    • Oversight
    • Plans for strengthening laboratory capacity at the global partner site 

• Repeat proposals by the same funded PI and partner site in consecutive years: 

  PIs may not receive Seed Grant funding in two consecutive cycles for projects involving the same global partner site.

  A PI who received Seed Grant funding in the previous cycle may apply for a project involving a new global partner site.