Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is pleased to announce a new funding opportunity to understand and demonstrate how One Health research on emerging epidemic threats can help to protect the health and livelihoods of vulnerable populations, strengthen local food systems, and promote environmental sustainability.

This Call will fund multi-institutional One Health research projects in known geographic hotspots for emerging epidemics as well as regions which are characterized by human, animal, and environmental drivers of infectious epidemics, such as unsustainable environmental and land-use patterns, loss of biodiversity, and increasing interaction between humans and wildlife.

The objective of this Call for Concept Notes is to support implementation research that applies a One Health approach to identify, implement, and assess potential innovations in policies, programs, or practices that can support countries in better preventing, preparing for, and responding to emerging infectious epidemics.

Applications are encouraged to address at least one of the following research themes:

• Understanding and addressing intersectoral drivers of epidemics
• Identifying and developing structural, systemic, and policy level interventions
• Strengthening data systems for enhanced multisectoral communication, coordination, and collaboration

Funding Information

• Duration of research grants: 36 months
• Budget: Between CA$2–5 million per project. A total of CA$16 million in funding is available for this funding opportunity.

Geographic Focus

Proposed research must take place in one or more of the following countries from the following three regions:

• Southeast Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Latin America: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela
• Central, East, and West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Uganda

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible projects will be undertaken by multi-institutional research consortia, comprised of at least two organizations with experience in leading or working within consortia or networks of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, and in supporting communities of practice or centers of excellence. Consortia are expected to consist of researchers, community organizations, practitioners, and policy actors that will work toward achieving commonly defined research objectives, assessing progress of work, and evaluating project results.

For more information, visit IRDC.