WHO Africa and TDR Impact Grants 2026–2027: Call for Implementation Research for Regional Health Priorities

The 2026–2027 Joint WHO African Region/TDR Impact Grants are now accepting applications for implementation research projects focused on addressing regional public health priorities in Africa.

The initiative is jointly launched by the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) and TDR, the WHO-hosted Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases. It aims to strengthen health research capacity in developing countries while supporting research that can improve the delivery of high-quality and cost-efficient healthcare in resource-poor settings.

About the Impact Grants

The Impact Grants for Regional Priorities support implementation research that can help translate evidence, policies and health interventions into practical solutions that work in real-world settings.

TDR explains that the programme is designed to strengthen the research capacity of individuals and institutions in countries, generate knowledge and implementation strategies that countries can apply, and encourage cooperation between researchers and national and international partners.

The programme has focused on implementation research since 2014, with WHO regional offices working with TDR to identify research priorities relevant to their regions.

Key Objectives

The 2026–2027 call seeks to support public health-oriented implementation research that can contribute to stronger healthcare systems and better health outcomes.

The initiative particularly aims to:

• Strengthen health research capacity in developing countries.
• Support researchers and institutions undertaking implementation research.
• Generate evidence that can improve the implementation of public health interventions.
• Develop practical and cost-efficient healthcare solutions for resource-poor settings.
• Support research addressing important regional health priorities.
• Encourage collaboration between researchers, health institutions and other relevant stakeholders.

TDR’s broader Impact Grants programme supports researchers and public health practitioners, including those working in ministries of health, academic institutions, research institutes, NGOs and professional or civil service organisations involved in relevant health research.

What Is Implementation Research?

Implementation research focuses on understanding how health interventions, programmes, policies and evidence can be effectively put into practice.

Rather than simply asking whether a health intervention works, implementation research can examine questions such as:

1. How can an effective intervention be delivered successfully in a particular community?
2. What barriers prevent health programmes from reaching the people who need them?
3. How can health services become more efficient and affordable?
4. What approaches can help governments and health institutions implement evidence-based solutions?
5. How can successful interventions be adapted to different local settings?

This makes implementation research particularly important in settings where resources are limited and health systems must achieve the greatest possible impact with available resources.

Who Can Apply?

This opportunity is intended for health researchers, public health practitioners and relevant institutions in developing countries, particularly those working on implementation research connected to the African Region’s public health priorities.

Potential applicants may include professionals and researchers working through:

• Universities and academic institutions
• Research institutes
• Ministries of Health and public health programmes
• Tropical and communicable disease control programmes
• Non-governmental organisations
• Professional societies
• Civil service organisations involved in relevant health research

TDR states that cooperation between researchers from different institutions, particularly collaboration involving researchers from more than one country, is strongly encouraged.

Geographical eligibility: The call is focused on the WHO African Region, meaning applicants and research activities should meet the specific country and institutional eligibility requirements stated in the official 2026–2027 call documentation.

The information provided for this announcement does not list the individual eligible countries or detailed institutional eligibility criteria, so applicants should consult the official call page before submitting a proposal.

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Grant Focus

The grants are intended to support public health-oriented implementation research that addresses identified regional priorities.

Projects should therefore demonstrate a clear connection between the proposed research and practical health challenges affecting communities and health systems.

Successful proposals should ideally demonstrate:

• A clearly defined public health problem.
• A strong implementation research question.
• Relevance to regional priorities.
• Potential to improve health service delivery or public health outcomes.
• A realistic research methodology.
• Potential for the findings to be applied by health systems or policymakers.
• Appropriate institutional capacity and partnerships.

TDR notes that its Impact Grants are intended to produce research findings that can contribute to national strategies and action plans for controlling and treating diseases of poverty.

Application Languages

Applicants can submit their proposals in any of the following languages:

• English
• French
• Portuguese

This provides researchers across the African Region with multiple options for preparing their applications.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted electronically through the eTDR portal.

Applicants should:

1. Review the complete call documentation.
2. Carefully check the eligibility requirements.
3. Identify a research project that aligns with the stated regional priorities.
4. Prepare the required proposal and supporting documentation.
5. Ensure that all required information is complete.
6. Submit the application through the eTDR portal before the deadline.

Applications should be prepared carefully because competitive grant programmes generally require proposals to clearly demonstrate the relevance, feasibility and potential impact of the proposed research.

Visit HERE to learn about the WHO Africa and TDR Impact Grants 2026–2027

Application Deadline

The deadline for submitting applications is:

15 September 2026 at 17:00 CEST

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit before the final hours of the deadline to avoid technical problems or incomplete submissions.

Why This Opportunity Matters

The Impact Grants are particularly relevant for researchers who want their work to move beyond academic publication and contribute to real improvements in public health practice.

TDR’s Impact Grants have previously supported implementation research across different regions and have been used to strengthen links between research institutions, healthcare delivery and disease-control programmes.

For African researchers, this type of funding can provide an opportunity to develop locally relevant evidence addressing challenges that may not be adequately captured by research conducted elsewhere.

Conclusion

The 2026–2027 Joint WHO African Region/TDR Impact Grants provide an opportunity for researchers and public health practitioners to develop implementation research addressing important health priorities in the African Region.

The programme combines research capacity strengthening, evidence generation and practical health-system impact, making it particularly relevant to researchers whose work aims to improve how health interventions are delivered in resource-constrained settings.

Eligible applicants should carefully review the full call requirements and submit their proposals through the eTDR portal before 15 September 2026 at 17:00 CEST.

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