Grant Information
NOTE: Beginning April 30, 2025, we will no longer accept phone calls or emails regarding the Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants program. Instead, we will hold nine Zoom sessions per quarter to address questions from potential applicants. Sign up for notification for information. Only .org, .edu, and .ca email domains are eligible for subscription.
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund aims to stimulate the growth of new connections between thinkers working in largely disconnected fields, who, together, may change the course of climate change’s impact on human health. Between Fall 2023 and Summer 2026, we will dedicate $1 million to supporting small, early-stage grants of $2,500–$50,000 toward achieving this goal.
We are primarily, but not exclusively, interested in activities that build connections between basic and 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 aimed at reducing the impact of health-centered activities, such as developing more sustainable systems for healthcare, care delivery, and biomedical research.
Another area of interest is preparation for the impacts of extreme weather and other crises that can lead to large-scale disruptions, immediately affecting human health and the delivery of healthcare. 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.
Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis through July 2026. A review will be conducted quarterly.
Deadline dates for the upcoming cycles are:
- Jan 22, 2026
- April 23, 2026
- July 23, 2026
Application Files
Request for Proposals
Application Instructions
Due Date: As stated in the Contract
Progress and financial reports are required of all BWF grants, and are due on the date specified in the award letter or contract.
BWF has provided progress report guidelines to assist in the preparation and submission of Progress Reports in an acceptable manner. Award recipients must provide BWF with a progress report detailing outcomes as well as a financial report.
I. Progress Report
A Progress Report must be completed (form accessible below) and should contain the following information:
- A brief narrative on the outcome of the project. Please address in your narrative the goals of the project and how/if these goals were met.
- If this activity was a conference, meeting, or a seminar, attach an agenda, a program, and a participant/speaker list.
II. Financial Report
A Financial Report must be completed (form accessible below) and should contain the following information:
- An itemized financial statement reporting how the funds were used.
- For meetings and conferences, include a breakdown of the expenses for speakers, young investigators, postdoctoral students, etc., where appropriate.
Forms/Templates
General
Can I submit a paper application?
No. BWF requires that all applications for this program be submitted electronically. Paper applications will not be accepted.
Can I change my application once submitted?
No. Once your application is submitted, it cannot be changed.
Can Letters of Collaboration be included in the application?
No. Collaborative situations can be described in the five-page Project Plan - there is no need for individual collaborative letters.
How serious are you about the page limit on the project plan?
All applicants must stay within the set five-page limit or the application will be rejected.
Does the bibliography count toward the five-page maximum Research Plan?
No. It is considered part of the required supporting materials. Abbreviations should be limited in the text.
Is there a font or margin requirement for the research plan?
Use standard 11- or 12-point type for the text. The text must be single-spaced, with a one-half inch or larger margins on all sides.
Accessing the Application
Do I need to complete my application in one session?
No, you can start an application and return at a later time to complete the application. When beginning a new application, you are required to establish a ProposalCentral log-in and password if you do not already have one. At any time during the application process, you may click the "save" button, exit the application, and return at a later time.
Logistics
I forgot my user id and/or password. What should I do?
For a forgotten password or user ID, visit the BWF grant application system and click the forgotten password link.
I completed my application. How do I submit it?
Once the application is complete, proceed with the following steps:
- Click “Validate” on the sidebar to see if any errors are identified. All information must be provided prior to application submission.
- If there are no missing items in the application, click on the SUBMIT link on the sidebar. Click the blue SUBMIT button. The application is NOT submitted until you complete this step.
- Applications submissions must occur prior to 3:00 pm (EST) on the day of the deadline. The submit button will disappear after that time. Applicants should receive a confirmation email once your application is submitted. If you do not receive this email, please reach out to BWF.
If I’m having trouble with the electronic application, whom can I contact for help?
For questions about the electronic application, please contact Darcy Lewandowski via email or by phone at 919-991-5132.
October 2025
Yi Yin New York University Moving Into Harm’s Way? Domestic Migration, Climate Risk, and Health Outcomes in the United States
Ying Choon Wu University of California-San Diego Alleviating Eco-Anxiety and Augmenting Self-Efficacy Through Evidence-Based Climate and Health Interventions
July 2025
Samuel Nyarko Indiana University Bridging Disciplines to Advance Climate and Health Solutions Through Transdisciplinary Training
Claire Willison Cornell University Can We Capture Climate and Health Impacts Using Novel Environmental and Social Data Streams?
Ana Estrada Semillero de Ideas (Seedbed of Ideas) Community-Led Climate and Health Communication Strategies in Latinx Communities
Antony Chen University of Nevada-Las Vegas Advancing Climate and Health Education and Workforce Development Across Nevada
April 2025
Brian Han Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Human Health: Building an Interdisciplinary Framework for Action
Samer Rizk Indiana University An Expandable Approach to Climate and Health Education for Undergraduate and Graduate Learners
Rafael de Jesús Crespo Louisiana State University A&M College Strengthening Climate and Health Literacy Through Community-Based Participatory Research in the Gulf South
January 2025
Andrew Budziak International League of Conservation Photographers Visualizing Climate Change and Human Health Through Conservation Photography
Jog Lee Wake Forest University Health Sciences Developing and Evaluating a Climate and Health Curriculum for Medical and Health Professions Students
Ann Gregory University of Calgary Identifying Public Perceptions, Misinformation, and Trust Dynamics at the Intersection of Climate Change and Human Health
2024
Rosalind Reid Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW) Climate Change and Health: Untangling the Science to Tell New Stories
Sriram Iyengar University of Arizona Resilience Informatics and Public Health in Central America
Nikhil Malvankar Yale University Understanding the effect of biogenic methane emissions on rising temperatures & health in diverse environments
Kathrin Schilling Columbia University Climate Change and Rice: New Understanding of Nutrition through Metallome, Proteome, and Metabolome Dynamics
Stephanie Carper Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Climate change increasing pathogen threat to human health
Christina Johnson National Center for Frontier Communities Remote Resilience: Frontier Youth as Active Agents of Change for a Shifting Climate
Brian Wallis The Center for Photography at Woodstock FEAST: Fostering Eco-centric Art & Science Together
Jennifer Runkle North Carolina State University Stories from Cherokee Women: A Matrilineal Perspective on Community Resilience to the Climate Crisis
Carlos Andres Gallegos-Riofrio The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College Ancient Wisdom for a Thriving Future: Unveiling Climate-Resilient, Healthy Food Systems through Caliata’s Terraces
Katherine Graham Georgia Institute of Technology Cross-cutting community investigation of extreme heat wave impacts on water resources and associated impacts on public health
2023
Principal Investigator: Trevor Harris, PhD Texas A&M University Modeling West Nile virus under extreme climate
Principal Investigator: Shahnaz Masani, PhD Michigan State University YOURE(in)CHARJ: A YOUth-led interdisciplinary Research Experience for Climate & Health And Racial Justice
Principal Investigator: Sarah States, PhD Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Inc The Ecoleader Academy: Youth Exploring the Interconnections of Climate, Health and Justice
Principal Investigator: Peter Thorne, PhD The University of Iowa Climate Change and Human Health Solutions
Principal Investigator: Mara Freilich, PhD Brown University Environmental geochemistry, human health, and environmental justice: Hydrogen sulfide and the Salton Sea
Principal Investigator: Nicolas Gauthier, PhD University of Florida Detecting long-term patterns of climate-pathogen covariability
Principal Investigator: Robert Gilman, MD University of Florida The impact of sustainable farming techniques on soil health and human infections
2022
Principal Investigator: David Gonzalez, PhD Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania A SPORK IN THE ROAD: An educational theater piece for climate empowerment.
Principal Investigator: Erik MacIntosh Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Sharing Your Science: An Online Science Communication Pilot Project to Train Climate and Human Health Experts.
Principal Investigator: Lil Milagro Henriquez Mycelium Youth Network Mapping the Impact of Climate Resilient Education on the Social-Emotional Wellness of Youth.
Principal Investigator: Max Cawley North Carolina Museum of Life and Science Imagine Durham: A Whole-Family Humanities Approach to Climate, Health, and Possible Futures.
Principal Investigator: William Marciel de Souza, PhD University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston Data science and genomic approach to mitigate arboviruses in the current era of climate change
Principal Investigator: Christine Goforth Friends of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences North Carolina Climate Change Challenge: Engaging the Public in Citizen Science To Change the World
Principal Investigator: Anpo Jensen International Indian Treaty Council Black Hills Environmental Health Project
Principal Investigator: Gabi Steinbach, PhD Georgia Tech Research Corporation Translational fellowship program for establishing a community for 'Integrative Health and Environment'
Principal Investigator: Bruce Keaulani Living Life Source Foundation Ecological Restoration of a Royal Fishpond with Native Hawaiian Youth as a Climate Change Strategy to Promote Wellbeing
Principal Investigator: Braden Tierney, PhD Weill Medical College of Cornell University Towards combating climate change-induced coral bleaching with optimized DNA sequencing and strain-resolved bioinformatics
Principal Investigator: Ahzin Bahraini Ketab Corp Miami Mangrove Mission
Principal Investigator: LuAnne Pendergraft North Carolina Public Television Foundation Step Up: Youth Voices on Climate Change & Human Health
Principal Investigator: Melissa S Nolan, PhD University of South Carolina Employing big data methods to elucidate the impact of three decade’s extreme weather events on early childhood development in the United States
Principal Investigator: Ginny Whitelaw, PhD Institute for Zen Leadership One Earth, One Health, One With - A leadership summit for people, planet and the future
2021
Principal Investigator: Dana Haine University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Using the power of place-based, solutions-focused case studies, and hands-on STEM instruction to engage diverse youth in learning about extreme heat in Durham, NC
Principal Investigator: Rebecca Fry, PhD University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Climate and Environmental Change and Preterm Birth
Principal Investigator: Nina Fefferman, PhD University of Tennessee- Knoxville A Tasting Menu of Quantitative Modeling for Researchers in the Life and Earth Sciences Tackling the Interface of Climate Change and Health
Principal Investigator: Ami Radunskaya, PhD The Sylvia Bozeman and Rhonda Hughes EDGE Foundation Opportunity for Students from Under-Represented Populations to Build Professional Skills and Networks in Quantitative Life and Earth Sciences at the Interface of Climate Change and Health
Award Timeline
Apr 23, 2026
Rolling Application Deadline
Program Contacts
Victoria McGovern, PhD
Senior Program Officer
Darcy Lewandowski
Program Associate
