Nominations open for Climate and Health Catalyst Awards

Deadline: 30-Sep-2026

The Climate and Health Catalyst Awards support early career researchers in Eastern and Southern Africa who already have climate-and-health data and are ready to translate their evidence into impactful research, policy, or practice outputs. Each award provides up to US$5,000 in catalytic funding, alongside expert mentorship, technical guidance, capacity strengthening, research-network access, and support for translating research findings into policy and practice. The programme aims to strengthen research quality and build a Pan-African community of climate-and-health researchers and leaders.

About the Climate and Health Catalyst Awards

The Climate and Health Catalyst Awards are designed for researchers who have already generated climate-and-health evidence and need targeted support to turn that evidence into meaningful outputs. Rather than focusing on initial data collection, the programme supports researchers who are ready to analyse existing data, strengthen their research, and communicate findings in ways that can influence policy and practice. The programme combines financial support with a broader research-development ecosystem, helping awardees strengthen both their research outputs and professional networks. How Much Funding Is Available? Each selected researcher can receive up to US$5,000 in catalytic funding. The funding is complemented by non-financial support, including: - Expert mentorship. - Technical guidance. - Research capacity strengthening. - Access to research networks. - Support for knowledge translation. - Assistance in translating findings into policy and practice. - Connections with a Pan-African community of climate-health leaders. The combination of funding and structured support is intended to help researchers move from existing evidence toward practical and influential outputs. Who Can Apply? The awards are intended for early career researchers in Eastern and Southern Africa who already possess climate-and-health data.

Applicants must:

- Be early career researchers. - Already have climate-and-health data. - Be ready to translate their evidence into research, policy, or practice outputs. - Be enrolled in or affiliated with an eligible institution. - Be based in an eligible country in Eastern or Southern Africa. The programme particularly supports researchers who have reached the stage where additional analysis, interpretation, knowledge translation, or development of final outputs is needed.

Eligibility for PhD Candidates

PhD candidates can apply if they have completed the data collection phase of their research. The award can support candidates who already possess the required climate-and-health dataset but need additional assistance to: - Analyse their data. - Strengthen their research findings. - Complete final research outputs. - Translate evidence into policy or practice. - Develop impactful outputs from their completed data collection. PhD applicants should therefore be beyond the initial data-collection stage and ready to use their existing evidence.

Eligibility for Postdoctoral and Early Career Researchers

Postdoctoral researchers and other early career researchers may also apply. Eligible researchers must generally be within five years of completing their PhD and must already possess an existing climate-and-health dataset. The award can help these researchers conduct further analysis and translate their existing evidence into outputs with potential relevance to research, policy, or practice. What Type of Research Does the Programme Support? The awards focus on research at the intersection of climate and health, particularly where existing data can be transformed into useful evidence and actionable outputs. Applicants should demonstrate that their available data have the potential to contribute to meaningful research, policy, or practice outcomes. The programme is particularly relevant for researchers who have already completed a substantial part of their research process and now need support to maximise the value and impact of their evidence. What Support Do Awardees Receive? The Climate and Health Catalyst Awards provide more than financial assistance. Selected researchers benefit from a structured support ecosystem that can include: - Expert mentorship to strengthen research and professional development. - Technical guidance for analysing and developing outputs from existing data. - Capacity strengthening to improve research skills and quality. - Access to relevant research networks. - Support for communicating and translating research findings. - Assistance in connecting evidence with policy and practice. - Opportunities to engage with a wider Pan-African community of climate-health leaders. This approach is intended to help researchers strengthen both the quality and potential impact of their work. Research-to-Policy and Practice Translation A key focus of the programme is helping researchers move beyond producing research findings and toward knowledge translation. Awardees receive support to consider how their evidence can be communicated and applied by policymakers, practitioners, and other relevant stakeholders. This can help researchers turn existing climate-and-health datasets into outputs that are more accessible, relevant, and useful for decision-making. Why the Catalyst Awards Matter Climate change is increasingly connected with health challenges, creating a need for strong evidence that can inform effective responses. Researchers in Eastern and Southern Africa generate valuable climate-and-health evidence, but additional resources and technical support may be needed to analyse datasets, strengthen research outputs, and communicate findings effectively. The Catalyst Awards address this gap by combining targeted funding with mentorship, technical support, capacity strengthening, and research-network opportunities. Key Facts About the Climate and Health Catalyst Awards

- Programme: Climate and Health Catalyst Awards

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