Fifth Cohort: Mental Health Outcomes Financing Accelerator

Deadline: 02-Oct-26

Outcomes Accelerator: Funding and Technical Support for Youth Mental Health Projects

The Outcomes Accelerator supports organisations and consortia developing outcomes-based financing (OBF) models that improve mental health outcomes, particularly for young people. Selected initiatives receive flexible funding, technical assistance, and access to a global expert network to help design, test, launch, and scale financing models linked to measurable mental health outcomes. The fifth cohort prioritises evidence-based, integrated, and community-based mental health interventions, especially those serving young people aged approximately 10 to 25. The programme seeks to mobilise public and private investment, strengthen accountability, and create sustainable pathways for integrating effective mental health services into existing systems. What Is the Outcomes Accelerator? The Outcomes Accelerator is an initiative designed to advance outcomes-based financing for mental health. Instead of funding being linked only to activities or services delivered, outcomes-based financing connects financial investment to measurable results. The Accelerator focuses particularly on mental health because traditional funding models often struggle to provide sufficient resources for prevention, early intervention, and community-based services. The programme aims to help participating organisations develop financing mechanisms that can: - Improve measurable mental health and psychosocial outcomes. - Attract new public and private investment. - Strengthen accountability for mental health programmes. - Support evidence-based interventions. - Improve early intervention for young people. - Integrate mental health services into schools, workplaces, healthcare systems, and communities. - Build evidence for sustainable long-term mental health financing. What Does the Outcomes Accelerator Support? The fifth cohort is seeking projects that use outcomes-based financing mechanisms to improve mental health outcomes. Priority is given to proposals that combine financing innovation with practical, evidence-based mental health interventions.

Supported approaches may include:

- Preventive mental health programmes. - Community-based mental health services. - Youth mental health and psychosocial support. - Early intervention programmes. - Integrated mental health services. - School-based mental health initiatives. - Workplace mental health programmes. - Community-level prevention and support. - Programmes that involve young people in design and governance. - Financing models that connect payments or investment to measurable outcomes. Projects should make mental health or psychosocial outcomes a core component of the financing model, rather than treating mental health as a secondary benefit. Why Is Youth Mental Health a Priority? Young people are a particular focus of the fifth cohort because early intervention can help prevent mental health problems from becoming more severe later in life. The Accelerator encourages projects targeting people approximately 10 to 25 years old. Youth-focused proposals may be particularly relevant when they: - Provide preventive mental health support. - Address psychosocial needs before crisis occurs. - Reduce risks associated with self-harm and suicide. - Improve access to community-based services. - Integrate support into schools or workplaces. - Involve young people in programme design. - Include youth participation in governance and decision-making. - Adapt interventions to local cultural and social contexts. Projects should demonstrate how young people will benefit from the proposed intervention and how outcomes will be measured. What Is Outcomes-Based Financing? Outcomes-based financing (OBF) is a funding approach in which financial resources are connected to predefined and measurable results. In a conventional funding model, an organisation may receive funding to deliver a specific number of activities or services. Under an OBF model, funding arrangements can instead place greater emphasis on whether those activities produce agreed outcomes. For mental health programmes, potential outcomes could include improvements in access, wellbeing, engagement, prevention, or other measurable indicators appropriate to the intervention. The Outcomes Accelerator helps organisations develop and test these types of financing mechanisms so that successful models can potentially attract larger-scale investment and become integrated into public systems. Who Is Eligible? The Outcomes Accelerator is open to different types of organisations and consortia that can contribute to the development and implementation of outcomes-based financing models.

Eligible applicant categories include:

- Outcome funding organisations: Multilateral organisations, bilateral organisations, philanthropic organisations, corporations, and government entities that can provide or mobilise outcome-based funding.

- Service delivery organisations: Non-profit and for-profit organisations that deliver mental health or related services.

- Market support providers: Deal developers, intermediaries, advisory firms, research organisations, and other entities that can support the development of financing mechanisms. - Impact investors: Impact investment funds, development finance institutions, foundations, institutional investors, and organisations providing risk or working capital. - Consortia: Collaborations between organisations with complementary expertise may apply where the partnership strengthens the proposed financing model. Applicants should demonstrate the ability to collaborate across financing, service delivery, research, investment, or technical areas relevant to outcomes-based mental health financing. What Types of Projects Are Prioritised? The strongest proposals are expected to combine measurable mental health outcomes, evidence-based interventions, and innovative financing. Priority may be given to projects that: - Focus o