Seed Grant Program

Supporting UCLA faculty in advancing global health research

The DGSOM Global Health Program (GHP), in collaboration with International Health Services, is pleased to offer a Global Health Seed Grant Program, launched in 2019, to (1) support faculty involved in multidisciplinary global health research in low- and middle-income countries, (2) establish or further build long-term global research partnerships that address pressing health questions relevant to the local setting, and (3) strengthen the capacity of early-career investigators at UCLA and global partner sites.

The eleven awarded teams to date are using funds to collaborate with researchers and trainees in Mozambique, Peru, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, and Vietnam, to launch initiatives focused on improving health and advancing health equity.

List of projects awarded in 2019 through 2024:

  • 2020/2021
    • A study of an adapted approach to HIV-exposed infant follow-up using fever as a criterion for testing to improve timely diagnosis and antiretroviral therapy in Mozambique
    • Adapt the TransAction intervention for trans women with/at risk of HIV in Vietnam
  • 2021/2022
    • The use of long-term preserved corneas for perforated corneal ulcer in Vietnam
    • A new algorithm to detect critical congenital heart disease at different altitudes in Peru
    • Mixed-methods study to collect data about what affects adherence and engagement in care among hypertensive adults in Thailand
  • 2022/2023
    • Feasibility of Antenatal Syphilis and HIV Point of Care Testing to Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmission in Uganda
  • 2023/2024
    • Psychiatric comorbidity and recovery outcomes among STAR-OM patients in Vietnam
    • Optimization of mHealth follow-up in Cameroon: A multi-methods approach
  • 2024/2025
    • Pulmonary and Economic Outcomes of Treated Tuberculosis in a TB-endemic Population in Peru
    • Forest Conservation & Human Health at the Intersection of Community Based Participatory Research & Ethnography in Togo
    • Development of a clinical decision support tool to address the epilepsy treatment gap in Uganda: A pilot study

For this upcoming year, awards are available at two funding levels: (1) up to $50,000 and (2) up to $15,000 for a period of one year.  We anticipate awarding multiple grants this year.

2026-27 Application process and timeline

For complete details, please review the Request for Applications

  • Step 1: Letter of Intent
    Due: Friday, October 10, 2025 – 5:00 PM PST (via Qualtrics)
    All applicants must submit a Letter of Intent before submitting a full proposal.
  • Step 2: Notification to Submit Full Proposal
    Week of November 10, 2025
    Applicants invited to submit a full proposal will be notified by email.
    Please review the [Scoring Criteria for Reviewers] and [FAQs] when preparing your application.
  • Step 3: Full Proposal Submission
    Due: Thursday, December 10, 2025 by 5:00 PM PST
    Resources: [Application Package] | [Budget Justification (Mednet login required)]
  • Step 4: Award Announcement
    Early-to-mid March 2026
  • Step 5: Award Period
    May 2026 – June 30, 2027
    (contingent on UCLA and global partner site IRB approvals)

The terms of this award may be amended should University funding be significantly compromised due to unforeseen circumstances.