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Gates Foundation Grand Challenges

Gates Foundation Grand Challenges — Portfolio

Supports global health innovators through rotating challenge themes in diagnostics, nutrition, and development-focused technologies for public impact.

The Gates Foundation Grand Challenges program is the foundation's principal mechanism for issuing competitive, thematic research funding across global health and development. Launched in 2003 with 14 major scientific challenges and $450 million in initial grants, the program has issued 245 challenge competitions over its history and typically runs 7 to 10 simultaneous open RFPs at any time. Topics

Rotating competitive RFPs across global health and development themes — including diagnostics, nutrition, disease burden, and AI for development — with 7 to 10 challenges open simultaneously and new topics issued year-round.

CycleiHow often this grant runs — e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.Multiple per year
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.25 Aug 2026
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.12–24 months
Award typeiThe form of funding — grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Grant
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.0%
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.

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Last verified: 5 Aug 2026Source: gcgh.grandchallenges.org