Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants

Overview

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund aims to stimulate the growth of new connections between thinkers working in largely disconnected fields who might together change the course of climate change’s impact on human health. In the three years between Fall 2023 and Summer 2026, we will dedicate $1M to supporting small, early stage grants of $2,500–$50,000 toward achieving this goal.

We are mainly but not exclusively interested in activities that build connections between basic/early biomedical scientific approaches and ecological, environmental, geological, geographic, and planetary-scale thinking, as well as with population-focused fields, including epidemiology and public health, demography, economics, and urban planning. Also of interest is work piloting new approaches or interactions toward reducing the impact of health-centered activities, such as developing more sustainable systems for health care, care delivery, and biomedical research systems.

Another area of interest is preparation for the impacts of extreme weather and other crises that can drive large-scale disruptions that will immediately impact human health and the delivery of health care. Public outreach, climate communication, and education efforts focused on the intersection of climate and health are also appropriate for this call. This program supports work conceived through many kinds of creative thinking. Successful applicants include academic scientists, physicians, and public health experts, community organizations, science outreach centers, non-biomedical academic departments, and more.

Applicant organizations may submit multiple proposals, but an individual may only serve as a principal investigator/project director on one application during each review period. 

Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis through July 2026. A review will be conducted quarterly. Deadline dates for the upcoming year are: 
Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis through July 2026. A review will be conducted quarterly. Deadline dates for the upcoming year are:
•    January 23, 2025
•    April 24, 2025
•    July 24, 2025