PhD candidates who have completed data collection, and postdoctoral or early-career researchers within five years of PhD graduation who already have climate-and-health data. Applicants must hold citizenship or legal residence in one of the nine eligible countries.
2026 Catalyst Awards
Climate and Health
Research Awards
Catalytic funding for Early Career Researchers transforming existing climate-and-health data into research, policy and practice outputs.
Awards Available
USD
Maximum Award
Months
Project Duration
Eligible Countries
Application note: Read the full call before applying. Incomplete, ineligible or late applications will not be considered. Estimated completion time: 30–45 minutes.
01
Programme Overview
Bridging Evidence
and Impact
The ARCH Program Consortium and Amref Health Africa, through the Pan-African Center for Research and Policy in Climate Change and Health (CPRCCH), invite eligible Early Career Researchers to apply for the Climate and Health Catalyst Awards Program.
The programme supports researchers who already have climate-and-health data and need support to move from evidence generation to analysis, writing, dissemination and final research or policy outputs.
This is not a primary data collection grant. It is designed to catalyse the conversion of existing data into credible outputs that can influence policy and practice.
Beyond Funding
Designed to move research from evidence to influence.
Selected applicants receive catalytic funding together with structured mentorship, technical guidance, capacity strengthening, networking and knowledge-translation support to maximise the impact of their work.
Focus
Evidence → Action
Programme Support
What selected researchers receive
A structured support ecosystem designed to strengthen both the quality of research and its pathway to real-world impact.
01
Catalytic Funding
Up to USD 5,000 per award to accelerate the transformation of existing evidence into meaningful outputs.
02
Structured Mentorship
Expert guidance throughout the programme to strengthen research quality, interpretation and outputs.
03
Capacity Strengthening
Technical and research skills that help Early Career Researchers move evidence toward impact.
04
Networking
Connection to a Pan-African community of researchers, practitioners and climate-health leaders.
05
Knowledge Translation
Support for turning research findings into usable evidence for policy, practice and decision-making.
06
Technical Guidance
Practical support across analysis, interpretation, writing, dissemination and final outputs.
02
Eligibility
Who Can
Apply?
The Catalyst Awards are designed for Early Career Researchers who already possess climate-and-health evidence and are ready to turn that evidence into meaningful research, policy or practice outputs.
Building the next generation of African climate and health researchers.
Research · Evidence · Impact
Eligible Applicant Profiles02 / 02
Applicant Type 01
PhD Candidates
PhD candidates who have completed data collection for their research and require support to analyse and convert existing data into a final research or policy output.
Enrolled in a PhD programme
Data collection phase completed
Registered at an eligible institution
Based in an eligible country
Applicant Type 02
Postdoctoral / Early-Career Researchers
Postdoctoral or early-career researchers within five years of PhD graduation who already have climate-and-health data requiring analysis and conversion into a final research or policy output.
Within 5 years of PhD graduation
Existing climate-and-health dataset
Affiliated with an eligible institution
Based in an eligible country
Critical Eligibility Requirement
This award is not for primary data collection.
Applicants must already have an existing climate-and-health dataset. The award supports analysis, writing, interpretation and dissemination — not the collection of new data.
03
Geographic Scope
A Pan-African
Research Network
The Climate and Health Catalyst Awards are open to researchers who hold citizenship or legal residence in one of nine eligible African countries and are currently residing there.
Eligible Countries
Nine countries. One continental research ambition.
09Eligible
Nations
Nations
01
Botswana
BW
02
Ethiopia
ET
03
Kenya
KE
04
Malawi
MW
05
Mozambique
MZ
06
Rwanda
RW
07
South Africa
ZA
08
Tanzania
TZ
09
Uganda
UG
Residency Requirement
Citizenship or legal residence in one of the above countries is required, and applicants must currently reside in the country indicated in their application.
Geographic Scope
East · West · Southern Africa
04Award Details
Climate & Health Catalyst Awards
Funding that
moves evidence.
The award provides targeted financial support for early-career researchers to transform climate-and-health evidence into scientific outputs, policy products and practical knowledge.
Funding Framework
Every dollar is designed to move research closer to impact.
Designed for
Research → Evidence → Policy
01 / Permitted
Eligible Activities
YES
01Secondary data analysis and statistical work
02Manuscript preparation and scientific writing
03Policy brief and evidence synthesis development
04Data management and quality assurance
05Research dissemination and knowledge translation
06Open-access publication fees
07Approved conference participation
08Communication and collaboration costs
02 / Excluded
Ineligible Expenses
NO
01Salary top-ups or personal allowances
02Tuition fees
03Large equipment purchases
04Unapproved travel
05Entertainment, gifts or alcohol
06Political or religious activities
07Unrelated commercial activities
08Unapproved institutional overheads
Award Parameters
At a glance
01
Total Awards
10
Awards distributed across the eligible geographic scope.
02
Maximum Award
USD 5K
Maximum individual award allocation.
03
Project Duration
12 months
Maximum data-to-output implementation period.
“
Funding Principle
Awards are intended to directly support research activities that move climate-and-health evidence toward publication, policy influence, dissemination and practical application.
Maximum
USD 5,000
04Application Process
The Journey
From Research
to Impact.
A clear five-step application process designed to take you from eligibility assessment to a completed Climate and Health Catalyst Awards submission.
Application Guide
Five steps to complete your application.
05Application
Stages
Stages
01
Step 01
Check Eligibility
Review the eligibility criteria. You must be a qualifying PhD candidate or postdoctoral/ECR within five years of graduation, with an existing climate-and-health dataset.
02
Step 02
Prepare Documents
Gather your motivation letter (1 page), CV (4 pages), concept note (5 pages), institutional letter, two reference letters, ethics approval (if applicable), and work plan/budget.
03
Step 03
Complete Application
Complete all nine sections of the application form. You can save your progress and return later. The form takes approximately 30–45 minutes.
04
Step 04
Review and Submit
Review your complete application before final submission. Ensure all required fields are complete, word limits observed and all documents uploaded.
05
Step 05
Receive Reference Number
On successful submission, you will receive a unique application reference number (CHCA-2026-XXXXXX). Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Ready to Begin
Start your application.
Complete the application at your own pace. Your progress can be saved and resumed later.
05
Submission Requirements
Application Preparation
Everything
you need.
Prepare the following documentation before beginning your application. All documents must be submitted as PDF files, with a maximum file size of 10 MB per file.
01
Document Protocol
File Naming Convention
Surname_FirstName_DocumentType_ClimateHealthCatalystAwards_2026.pdfExample: Okonkwo_Adaeze_MotivationLetter_ClimateHealthCatalystAwards_2026.pdf
Submission Checklist
Required documentation
08Submission
Items
Items
01
Document
Motivation Letter
Maximum 1 page
Explain your motivation for applying and how this award will support your career.
02
Document
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Maximum 4 pages
Academic and professional CV including relevant publications and outputs.
03
Document
Concept Note
Maximum 5 pages
Summary of the proposed project, data to be used and expected outputs.
04
Document
Institutional Support or Affiliation Letter
No page limit
Letter from your institution confirming affiliation and support for the project.
05
Document
Reference Letter 1
No page limit
Professional or academic reference from a supervisor or senior colleague.
06
Document
Reference Letter 2
No page limit
Second professional or academic reference.
07
Document
Ethics Approval Documentation
Where applicable
Approved ethics certificate or evidence of pending/not-required status.
08
Document
Detailed Work Plan and Budget
PDF or spreadsheet converted to PDF
Month-by-month work plan and itemised budget within the USD 5,000 ceiling.
Final Submission Standard
PDF format · Maximum 10 MB per file
Ensure every document is legible, correctly named and uploaded before submitting your application.
Climate & Health
Catalyst Awards · 2026
06Financial Governance
Award Conditions
Important Budget
Restrictions
The following expenses are ordinarily ineligible under this award. Proposed budgets should remain directly aligned with approved research activities and award conditions.
Expenditure Exclusions
Costs outside the approved award scope
Total
12
01Salary top-ups
02Personal allowances
03Tuition fees
04Large equipment
05Unapproved travel
06Entertainment
07Gifts
08Alcohol
09Political activities
10Religious activities
11Unrelated commercial activities
12Unapproved institutional overheads
Financial Governance
All proposed expenditure must be directly attributable to the approved research activities and remain within the conditions of the award.
Compliance
Mandatory
07Applicant Information
Frequently Asked
Questions.
Clear answers to the essential questions surrounding eligibility, funding, project duration, applications and award requirements.
FAQ
Climate & Health Catalyst Awards
Knowledge Centre
Programme Information
08Common
Questions
Questions
No. The award is specifically for researchers who have already completed data collection and need support to move from evidence generation to analysis, writing and dissemination. Applications from researchers still in the data-collection phase will not be considered.
Each award is a maximum of USD 5,000. There are 10 awards available in total. Budget requests must not exceed USD 5,000 and must not include ineligible expense categories.
The maximum project duration is 12 months. Projects must be designed to deliver a final output within this period.
Award recipients are expected to produce one primary technical output (manuscript, policy brief, evidence brief or technical paper), one dissemination output, and a final reflection report.
The application form designates one applicant or team leader. The programme is primarily designed for individual early-career researchers, though collaborative elements may be described in the project section.
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted regarding the next stage. A confirmation of receipt will be sent to all applicants upon successful submission.
Please email esahub@amref.org with the subject line: Query – Climate and Health Catalyst Awards Program – [Your Name].