Climate change is no longer only an environmental issue—it has become one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, poor air quality, and the rapid spread of mosquito-borne diseases are placing unprecedented pressure on healthcare systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

To help address these growing challenges, Nexa, a global climate and health innovation initiative, is investing in bold, locally led innovations that enable health systems to anticipate climate-related risks and respond before they become health emergencies.

Led by Grand Challenges Canada and the Science for Africa Foundation, together with an international consortium of funding partners, Nexa is now accepting applications for its 2026 Climate and Health Innovation Funding Opportunity.

Organizations and innovators from Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean are invited to submit innovative solutions that strengthen healthcare systems and protect vulnerable communities from climate-driven health threats.

Application Deadline: July 22, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) / 6:00 p.m. UTC

About Nexa

Nexa is a global initiative dedicated to accelerating climate and health innovations that improve the resilience of health systems facing increasing climate-related challenges.

Rather than applying one-size-fits-all approaches, Nexa prioritizes locally led innovations, recognizing that health workers, researchers, innovators, and humanitarian organizations working directly within affected communities understand their challenges better than anyone else.

The initiative focuses on turning climate-risk information into practical health actions that reduce illness and save lives.

Nexa is co-led by:

• Grand Challenges Canada
• Science for Africa Foundation

Working alongside global partners including:

• Novo Nordisk Foundation
• Sanofi Foundation
• Fund for Innovation in Development
• Global Grand Challenges Network
• Botswana Innovation Fund
• NCST Malawi
• NCST Rwanda
• Institut Pasteur Dakar
• South African Medical Research Council
• Government of Canada

Why Climate and Health Innovation Matters

Climate change is creating new health emergencies across the world.

Approximately 3.6 billion people currently live in regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change.

The effects are becoming increasingly severe, including:

• Expansion of mosquito-borne diseases into new regions.
• Increased frequency of extreme heat events.
• Poor air quality affecting millions of people.
• Greater pressure on already overstretched health systems.

Communities that experience the greatest risks include:

• Pregnant women
• Children
• Older adults
• People living with chronic illnesses
• Rural and underserved populations
• Communities with limited healthcare access

Without stronger healthcare systems capable of anticipating these risks, millions of people remain vulnerable.

Community-Led Innovation Drives Nexa

Unlike many global funding initiatives, Nexa’s priorities have been shaped directly by frontline professionals.

In January 2025, Grand Challenges Canada, the Science for Africa Foundation, the Global Grand Challenges Network, and The Geneva Learning Foundation launched the largest global climate and health survey ever conducted.

The survey gathered responses from:

• More than 6,400 health and humanitarian workers
• Across 107 low- and middle-income countries

These insights helped identify the most urgent climate-health challenges and informed Nexa’s investment priorities.

Nexa’s Areas of Focus

Applicants should develop innovations that address one or more of the following priority areas.

1. Climate-Informed Early Warning and Monitoring Systems

Nexa seeks innovations that help communities detect climate-related health risks before they escalate into emergencies.

Examples include:

• Early warning systems
• Climate surveillance platforms
• Disease forecasting tools
• Integrated weather and health monitoring systems
• Risk prediction technologies
• Community alert systems

Solutions should help communities prepare for:

• Mosquito-borne diseases
• Extreme heat
• Air pollution
• Other climate-driven health risks

2. Climate-Responsive Patient Care Delivery

Healthcare providers need better tools to continue delivering quality care during climate emergencies.

Nexa supports innovations that improve:

• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Patient monitoring
• Continuity of healthcare services
• Health service delivery during climate stress

Projects may focus on:

• Heat-related illnesses
• Air pollution-related diseases
• Malaria
• Dengue
• Other mosquito-borne infections

What Kind of Innovations Does Nexa Support?

Successful proposals may include innovations that:

• Combine weather data with health information.
• Improve disease prediction.
• Support healthcare decision-making.
• Enable rapid response before disease outbreaks occur.
• Improve patient care during climate events.
• Help healthcare systems remain operational during climate stress.
• Strengthen local healthcare capacity.
• Reduce climate-related illness and deaths.

Nexa particularly encourages practical, scalable, and community-driven solutions.

Why This Funding Opportunity Is Important

Climate change affects countries differently.

Local innovators understand local realities better than external organizations.

Nexa therefore prioritizes:

• Local leadership
• Community ownership
• Evidence-based innovation
• Sustainable health solutions
• Scalable technologies
• Strong partnerships

The initiative seeks solutions that can create lasting improvements while protecting the most vulnerable populations.

Who Should Apply?

This funding opportunity is ideal for:

• Health innovators
• Universities
• Research institutions
• Technology developers
• Public health organizations
• NGOs
• Healthcare providers
• Social enterprises
• Climate innovators
• Humanitarian organizations

Applicants should have innovative ideas capable of strengthening healthcare delivery in climate-vulnerable settings.

Benefits of the Nexa Climate and Health Innovation Funding

Selected innovators will benefit from:

• Funding to advance innovative climate-health solutions.
• Opportunities to scale impactful innovations.
• Global visibility.
• Collaboration with leading international partners.
• Access to an international climate-health innovation network.
• Support for strengthening local healthcare systems.
• Contribution to improving health outcomes in climate-vulnerable communities.

Important Deadline

Applications must be submitted by July 22, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. UTC).

Late applications may not be considered.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should review the complete funding guidelines and application requirements before submitting their proposals.

Applicants are encouraged to prepare early and ensure their projects clearly demonstrate how they will strengthen climate resilience within healthcare systems.

 Apply Here

Final Thoughts

Climate change is rapidly transforming global health challenges, demanding innovative and locally driven responses. Through Nexa, innovators across Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean have an opportunity to develop groundbreaking solutions that help healthcare systems anticipate climate risks, protect vulnerable communities, and improve health outcomes for millions of people.

Organizations with bold ideas that combine climate science, healthcare, technology, and community engagement are strongly encouraged to apply before the application deadline.

For more information, visit the official website

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