One of WKC’s programmes of research is on the measurement of unmet need for health and social care with a focus on older people. In 2021-22, WKC carried out a global systematic review of unmet need as well as secondary analysis of existing survey data worldwide to estimate the prevalence of unmet need for health and social care among older people in over 80 countries. Findings from these studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals and have also contributed to the 2021 and 2023 WHO-World Bank Global Monitoring Reports on universal health coverage and financial protection. These research findings also supported the inclusion of statements about the importance of measuring unmet need in both the 2023 World Health Assembly Resolution and in the Political Declaration of the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on UHC. Specifically, WHA 76.4 requests the WHO Director General to “review the importance and feasibility of using unmet need for healthcare services as an additional indicator to monitor UHC nationally and globally”. In 2022-23, WKC supported the establishment of a global research consortium to coordinate global scientific efforts to improve methods for measuring unmet need, to fill data gaps particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and to produce policy guidance. In light of these developments, it is timely for WKC to convene WHO Regional focal points and the global research consortium to:

1. Assess the feasibility of measuring unmet health and social care needs within and across regions;
2. Understand regional and country perspectives on the practical value of data on unmet healthcare and social care;
3. Identify region-specific and common needs for research and policy guidance, and
4. Agree on research products that could feasibly be completed under the direction of WKC in collaboration with WHO Regions and external experts to inform policy development and contribute to future UHC Global Monitoring Reports and the 2027 UN High-Level Meeting on UHC.

This meeting is planned for June 2024 (TBC). To inform the discussions of this meeting, research briefs will be prepared that provide evidence-based assessments of the feasibility of measuring unmet healthcare and social care needs in each of the WHO Regions.

• Link to full description: Measuring unmet needs for healthcare and social care
• Link to application:  Measuring unmet needs for healthcare and social care expression of interest
• Maximum funding: Depends on proposal
• Deadline: 26 January 2024

Bagri Foundation Grants for Artistic and Educational Projects

The Foundation provides support, in the form of grants, towards artistic and educational projects. Financial support can be requested by non-for-profit arts organisations actively working in areas listed below.
Areas of interest

1. Promotion of arts and culture of all Asia and the diasporas.
2. Supporting established and mid-career level artists.
3. Partnerships that explore global topics in creative ways.
4. Courses, lectures, research projects, exhibitions and symposiums that cover a wide range of topics from Asia.
5. London is our prime city for showcasing talent. International projects and those in other parts of the UK are considered occasionally. 

• Link to full description: Bagri foundation Grants
• Link to application: Bagri foundation application forms
• Maximum funding:  5,000 – 150,000 GBP
• Deadline: 31 May 2024

Spencer Foundation Vision Grants

The Spencer Foundation invests in research to improve education, broadly conceived. We have identified a critical need for innovative, methodologically and disciplinarily diverse, large-scale research projects to transform education systems for equity. Importantly, we believe that ambitious research must begin with the challenges, problems, and opportunities in education systems. To stimulate research that addresses this need, the Spencer Foundation is investing in a new program designed to provide scholars and collaborators with the time, space, resources, and support to plan a large-scale study or program of research: geared toward real-world impact on equity; drawing on research across disciplines and methods; reliant on meaningful and equitable collaboration with practitioners, policymakers, communities, and other stakeholders; and focused on transforming educational systems.  

Toward this end, the Vision Grants program funds the collaborative planning of innovative, methodologically diverse, interdisciplinary research on education that contributes to transforming education systems for equity. Vision Grants are research planning grants to bring together a team, for 6 to 12 months, to collaboratively develop ambitious, large-scale research projects focused on transforming educational systems toward greater equity. This program takes as core that visionary, interdisciplinary, and collaborative research projects require time, space, and thoughtfulness to incubate and plan.

• Link to full description: Spencer Foundation Vision Grants
• Link to application: Submit an intention to apply to the Spencer Foundation Vision Grant
• Maximum funding:  75,000.00 USD
• Deadline: 7 February 2024

L’Initiative Operational Research : children facing pandemics

L’Initiative is a funding mechanism implemented by Expertise France launched at the end of 2011, which complements the work of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. It provides technical assistance and catalytic funding to around forty Global Fund recipient countries to improve the effectiveness of their grants and strengthen the health impact of funded programs. In this way, L’Initiative contributes to ensuring the effectiveness of pandemic responses and health systems.
Each year, L’Initiative publishes three complementary but distinct calls for proposals, to select catalytic programs aimed at changing healthcare practices and policies. It also aims to bring innovative solutions to scale.

This call for proposals aims to support the emergence of innovative research that improves access to health services and quality of life for children exposed to pandemics, based on the following priorities :

• Links between malnutrition and pandemics ;
• Integration of prevention and screening methods ;
• Improved adherence ;
• Mitigation barriers to health system access ;
• Taking into account children with multiple vulnerabilities ;

To find out more about the application procedure for L’Initiative’s calls for proposals, two information sessions are organized online, on December 12, 2023 at 10:00am (UTC +1) and on January 9, 2024 at 10:00am (UTC +1).

• Link to full description: L’Initiative Children and Pandemics Grant
• Link to application: L’Initiative grant application form
• Maximum funding:  10,000.00 USD
• Deadline: 9 January 2024

Tuberculosis Foundation (KNCV) Request for Proposals

The purpose of this request for proposals is to select a Market Access Technical Partner (MATP) organization, with a proven record of developing and executing market strategies to secure adequate, equitable access conditions in low- and middle-income countries with specific focus on tools relevant to the drug-resistant tuberculosis cascade of care.
The MATP will be responsible for, in collaboration with Unitaid and the ASCENT consortium, designing and executing market shaping interventions to help secure a global affordable market for WHO recommended diagnostics, treatment regimens and supportive tools. The MATP would be a sub-implementer on the ASCENT project and be eligible as a third-party recipient of Project Funding.
A sub-agreement will be executed between KNCV and the MATP. It is estimated that the duration of the Terms of Reference relating to Access will be 18 calendar months with a possible extension for one additional month including periods for responsible close-out and transition to country governments and other scale-up partner(s) who will sustain and expand the implementation beyond the project timeline. The maximum duration would not exceed October 2025.

1. Gap analysis: Unitaid and ASCENT will map health technology tools across the cascade of care, identify key gaps preventing the accelerated introduction of new, shorter MDR-TB regimens in MDR TB high burden countries and recommend a set of products (screening, diagnostics, treatments, and supportive tools) to take forward for detailed market analysis. Unitaid and KNCV will review and make a final selection of products to move to the market analysis stage.
2. Market analysis: the MATP will perform a market analysis and lead the development of a landscape report (or similar document) for TB diagnostics and therapeutics products with an aim to improve equitable access in focus countries. As a priority, the MATP will leverage existing market data and build on work conducted by partners (TPMAT, USAID (US Agency for International Development), Global Fund etc) and experts and contribute to other knowledge product(s) by global stakeholders.
3. Design of access strategy: working in collaboration with the ASCENT consortium and with oversight by Unitaid Secretariat (in consultation with TB MAT and relevant stakeholder groups), the MATP will coordinate the design of access strategies to address screening, diagnostics, treatment and supportive tools gaps in alignment with access-related objectives The design of the intervention must consider transition and scalability within the project timelines and subject to approval by Unitaid.
4. Implementation: the MATP, in collaboration with KNCV and Unitaid, will ensure that the implementation of the access program is carried out through close collaboration with other partners like The Global Fund, USAID and other international donors to ensure that the opportunities are scaled and sustained. As a member of the KNCV consortium, the MATP will collaborate with other consortium members, but will not be required to implement site-specific activities or programmatic support.
5. Access-related programmatic and monitoring support: the MATP will contribute to the development of Country Technical Assistance Plans and recommendations which KNCV will develop and lead the implementation of the access-related components including, but not limited to, product regulatory and registration support, WHO Prequalification Programme (PQ), Global Fund/Unitaid Expert Review Panel (ERP), US FDA and/or another WHO Listed Regulatory Authority (as appropriate), participation in Portfolio Access management team and negotiation with manufacturers.

Prizes and Contests

UNESCO ICT in Education Prize

• Link to full description: The UNESCO ICT in Education Prize 2023
• Link to application:  User guide for applicants
• Maximum funding: 25,000 USD
• Deadline: 5 February, 2024

UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2023

Created in 1997, this Prize is awarded annually to a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to thé defence or promotion of press freedom,especially if risks hâve been involved.Thé lauréate of this year's prize will receive US $25,000 and a medal at a ceremony scheduled to take place on World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2023.Member States and international and régional professional and non-governmental organizations working in thé field of journalism and freedom of expression may nominate up to three candidates for thé Prize.

To submit nominations, please complète thé attached form, in English or in French, andreturn it to thé address indicated by 15 February 2023 at thé latest.

For any additional information you may require, thé Secrétariat of thé Prize(e-mail: unesco-cano-prize@unesco.org) is at thé disposal of your teams.

• Link to full description: Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
• Link to application:  Full text for applicants
• Maximum funding: 25,000 USD
• Deadline: 5 February, 2024