TDR Call for Applications: 2025–2026 Joint WHO Western Pacific Region/TDR Impact Grants for Implementation Research for Regional Priorities

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The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO) and the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) are pleased to announce the 2025–26 Call for Applications for the Joint WPRO/TDR Impact grants for regional priorities focused on implementation research on communicable diseases.

This call is for applications to conduct implementation research that will inform policy and public health practice for reaching the unreached, with a focus on communicable diseases. The call is open to primary investigators who are based in low- and middle-income countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region including:

American Samoa, Cambodia, China, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.

Eligibility: 

  • Only applicants from the WHO Western Pacific Region are eligible.
  • Proposals must be submitted in English.
  • Research proposed must be conducted in the Western Pacific Region.
  • The Principal Investigator (PI) must be based in an institution located in a low- or middle- income Western Pacific country or territory, including national tropical/communicable disease control programmes, ministries of health, academic institutions, research institutes and nongovernmental organizations.
  • The research project must relate to the objective and scope described in the present call and include a strategy for engagement of key stakeholders in the research process;proposals submitted should include an acknowledgment letter signed by the manager of the programme area or the person in charge of the programme or institution related to the project at the appropriate level of the public healthcare services.
  • Applicants must demonstrate past experience in operational and/or implementation research.
  • Applicants are encouraged to incorporate the hypothesis-driven problem-solving approach and consider agile methods such as human-centred design thinking when developing their research proposals.

Funding details:

  • Up to US$ 15 000 per grant. Co-funding from domestic or other sources is encouraged.
  • Study duration:The maximum duration for the study is 12 months. The anticipated commencement of the research is January 2026, considering the time required for selection, obtaining ethics clearance, and finalizing contracts. However, this may be determined on a case-by-case basis. The research project must be completed by the end of 2026 (no-cost extension is not permitted).

Read here for more information.

Application deadline, 16th of July, 2025 at 23:59 PHT.

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