Global Health Seed Grant

• Principal Investigator (PI): Must be a UCLA faculty member. Adjunct faculty, fellows, and residents are not eligible to serve as PI, but may participate 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 a multidisciplinary team 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.
• Global Partnership: A Primary Global Partner Site Investigator must be included as a co-investigator on the research team.
• Research conducted in low-income and lower-middle-income countries will be prioritized for funding.
• Research in upper-middle-income or high-income countries is unlikely to be funded and will require a clear and compelling justification.
• Projects in upper-middle-income or high-income countries must specifically address the needs of an underserved or resource-limited population within that country.
• Early Career Investigators:
  • Each project 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 different from the UCLA PI.
  • The Global Site Early Career Investigator must be different from the Primary Global Partner Site Investigator.
  • The full proposal must include a mentorship and capacity-building plan describing how the project will support the development of both Early Career Investigators and how their progress will be evaluated.
• IRB and Regulatory Approvals: 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. 
• Funding Restrictions: Training exchanges as stand-alone projects are not supported. Training may be included when it is part of a broader research and capacity-building effort involving Early Career Investigators.
• For projects involving laboratory science, the majority of laboratory work must take place at the global partner site. Projects in which the majority of laboratory work will occur at UCLA or in Los Angeles-based laboratories are not eligible.

• PIs may not receive Seed Grant funding in two consecutive cycles for projects involving the same global partner site. A PI funded in the previous cycle may apply with a new global partner site. 

   

For complete requirements, please review the 2027-2028 Request for Applications.

Letter of Intent (LOI)

Submit Letter of Intent

Applicants must submit an LOI via Qualtrics that includes:nvestigative Team: UCLA PI, Primary Global Partner Site Investigator, additional co-investigators (if applicable), and designated Early Career Investigators from UCLA and the global partner site

• Scientific Disciplines: Two primary scientific disciplines or clinical specialties represented in the proposed research
• Global Partner Site: Partner institution, location, and brief description of its role in the proposed research
• Proposed Project: Tentative project title, brief project summary, and one to three specific research aims, including objectives and anticipated outcomes
• Laboratory Activities, if applicable: Brief description of proposed laboratory activities and confirmation that the majority of laboratory work will take place at the global partner site
• Funding Level Requested: Up to $15,000 or up to $50,000

For projects proposed in upper-middle-income or high-income countries, the LOI must specifically address the needs of an underserved or resource-limited population within that country.

Full Proposal (By Invitation Only)

Invited applicants must submit:

1. Cover Page and Table of Contents/Checklist using the provided template.
2. Research Proposal, maximum four pages, 11-point Arial font with 0.5-inch margins, including:
   • Specific Aims
   • Significance
   • Approach/Methodology
   • Global Health Impact
   • Timeline
   • Global partner site, strengths of the partnership, and collaborative work to date
   • Mentorship and capacity-building plans for Early Career Investigators at UCLA and the global partner site
   • Additional justification for upper-middle-income or high-income settings, if applicable
   • Laboratory activities and capacity at the global partner site, if applicable
3. Biosketches in NIH format for the PI and all co-investigators. A CV may be submitted in lieu of a biosketch for Early Career Investigators.  Application
4. Itemized Budget and Budget Justification.
5. Letter of Support from the Primary Global Partner Site Investigator and any other key collaborators, as applicable.
6. Letter of Support from the UCLA PI's Division Chief or Department Chair confirming that the PI is in good standing and supports the proposed global partnership and research.