To sustain a substantial portfolio of MRC research awards (grants) aiming to improve Global Health through collaborative partnerships of the world's best researchers and contribute to overseas development assistance. Research projects within the Global Health Portfolio focus on improving the research evidence to promote the health and welfare of populations in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). The portfolio currently comprises just over 450 active research projects of which around a third specifically relate to health research in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

UK Research Organisations eligible to receive UKRI research funding

Research Organisations in LDCs eligible to receive UKRI research funding

Technology transfer is through joint participation (UK and LDC) in research projects involving academic researchers, technical staff, research or healthcare and delivery organisations, stakeholders, study participants and policy makers (e.g. Ministries of Health). Research funding also supports capacity strengthening in terms of provision of laboratory equipment, training and career development.

Joint research projects - shared knowledge, methodological approaches, shared tools, skills, shared equipment, shared access to data and software, capacity strengthening and training.

Research projects within the MRC Global Health Portfolio will develop new methodologies and approaches and new research knowledge around pathogen identification and surveillance, diagnostics and treatment developments, behavioural interventions, evidence to support health systems management and delivery, predictive models of disease transmission, improved prevention technologies, across the spectrum of priority infectious and non-communicable diseases in LDCs. Research outputs are reported to MRC through the Research Fish system and will include research publications, collaborations, staff secondments, dissemination of ideas, scientific meetings, workshops, policy influence, research tools and methods, databases, software, IP, product development and spin-outs. The MRC Global Health Portfolio will provide robust and accessible evidence to improve human health and welfare across a spectrum of disease priorities in LDCs.

Current or in progress

https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/units/mrc-gambia

International@ukri.org

This programme aims to support translational projects that deliver tangible outputs to in-country users in the form of more sustainable or enhanced agriculture/aquaculture production systems. Projects must be developed and executed in partnership with non-academic collaborators/user organisations based in ODA countries.

UKRI via BBSRC and NERC

The programme is funded by the BEIS managed Global Challenges Research Fund and other-ODA funding.

Academics based at UK research organisations are the primary award holders. All projects are developed collaboratively with in-country partners (non-academic organisations including third sector, private sector or public sector organisations e.g. businesses, agricultural cooperatives or other user organisations)

Cash grant for consumables and travel. Towards the end of these projects, route to application could involve licensing agreements with third parties, spin-out formation, formation of a social enterprise.

GBP 3.2 million allocated

Biotechnology and biological sciences, natural environment.

This programme will support: - Development of technologies that improve effectiveness, resilience, and environmental impact of production systems. - Translation of fundamental and applied biosciences into application in LMIC countries. - Research and innovation capacity building in DAC-listed countries with strengthened international collaboration links for future work. - Improved access future funding (public or private) having developed technologies further.

Completed

22 months

https://www.ukcdr.org.uk/funding-call/sustainable-enhancement-of-agriculture-and-aquaculture-production-translation-call/

International@ukri.org

To deliver funds allocated under the GCRF across a range of challenges in the EPSRC space.

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) acting as part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

UK universities and RCUK-eligible research organisations; non-UK higher education institutions and other research organisations; not-for-profit and private sector organisations with appropriate research capacity.

Various project partner including research organisations, NGOs, government functions, private enterprise in LDCs.

Joint research projects with LDC partners and projects including LDCs as study areas.

19 grants with a total value of just under GBP 18 million across the full grant

Knowledge transfer in the fields of: Engineering; water engineering; healthcare diagnostics; medical prosthetics and orthotics; renewable energy; energy systems and decentralised use of energy, modelling healthcare management approaches (e.g tracking infectious disease), mathematical sciences, physical sciences.

The programme will deliver activities centered around increasing knowledge and addressing specific challenges faced by LDCs through research and technology, as well as to develop mutually-beneficial multi-disciplinary partnerships between researchers in the UK and developing countries, with the benefit of capacity building within LDCs.

Current or in progress

The projects under this programme range from 1-4 years in duration with the latest finishing in September 2023. Note that many have been extended due to the disruption from the global pandemic.

www.ukri.org

International@ukri.org

This project aims to enhance the food security, nutrition and welfare of the poor through greater involvement of the private sector, both UK and African, in innovation for agriculture and food systems.

Innovate UK through the Global Challenge Research Fund

Grants are provided by Innovate UK, funded by the Global Challenge Research Fund. Previous FCDO funding to the AgriTech Catalyst part of the programme was withdrawn in July 2021

Research organisations and charities

Grant

GBP 20.8 million

Agriculture and food.

Increased pace and scale of uptake of food security and food systems innovation by farmers in South Asia and Africa. Increased investment by the private sector in sustainable intensification and post-harvest innovation.

Current or in progress

2019-2024

https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/programme/agrifood-africa-connect/

International@ukri.org

The Energy Catalyst's mission is to accelerate the innovation needed to meet SDG 7 - "Affordable and clean energy" - by providing financial and advisory support to innovators we help create strategic partnerships, uncover insights, and develop business models to improve lives in Africa and Asia and Indo-Pacific.

Innovate UK through the Global Challenge Research Fund

Businesses, research organisations and others are provided by Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation

Research organisations

Cash grant plus non-financial support in the form of travel and business incubation support.

Total ODA Energy Catalyst budget 2015 – 2026, including non-grant and opex costs is as follows: - GBP 61 million DFID - GBP 28.8 million GCRF - GBP 8 million ICF - GBP 20 million BEIS Ayrton via UKRI

Energy access

Accelerate access to affordable, clean energy services for poor households and enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia by supporting the development, testing and/or scale up of innovative technologies and business models.

Current or in progress

The programmes ODA element began in 2015 and is currently due to run until 2026 with individual projects which vary from 6 months to over 3 years.

https://energycatalyst.ukri.org/

To work in partnership with the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of developing countries, supporting delivery of effective weather and climate services. This includes provision of equipment, training and technology transfer. Note – many, but not all, countries worked with are LDCs.

The UK contribution to the WMO VCP is funded through the UK Public Weather Service (PWS) programme.

The beneficiaries are mainly the NMHSs of developing countries.

Developing country institutions where engagement will: • Improve protection of life and property overseas through the provision of sustainable public weather services (including local weather warning delivery). • Sustain, and optimally improve, levels of weather observation data and forecasts available globally.

GBP 860,013

• Observations: providing support to significant, remote, climate observations/measurements on small islands • Forecast Information/Delivery: including access to Met Office model information/data and training • Support for media communications (TV, web) and effective delivery of forecasts and weather warnings • Climate Data Management: including support for software, and training, to aid the effective management of data, and provision of products to stakeholders (national, regional, global) • Scientific/management training to help build capacity • Emergency support especially in terms of natural disasters

Current or in progress

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/what/working-with-other-organisations/international/development/vcp

Karen McCourt, UK VCP Manager, Met Office (karen.mccourt@metoffice.gov.uk)

This is a trilateral programme, jointly implemented with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Government of India's Department of Biotechnology (DBT). The objective is to address pressing global development challenges in food security and maternal and child health by blending the best of UK and Indian science with developing country experience from Asia and Africa. The programme provides an innovative way in which the UK-India cooperation is extended to new tripartite partnerships on science and research. The expected results are to: (i) deliver new institutional arrangements and research that provide new solutions to key development challenges, (ii) test new innovations/models across different environmental and cultural settings, and (iii) build the global evidence base for poverty reduction.

Grants to research organisations in the UK, Asia and Africa to carry out trilateral research projects based on competitive bidding. Funds are provided from FCDO to UKRI [Medical Research Council - MRC] who in turn disburse funds to research organisations. The programme is co-funded by UKRI and DBT, with DBT paying for the Indian research organisations and FCDO and UKRI supporting developing country and UK research partners.

Each project includes at least one partner from the UK and one from a developing country in scope for the competition.

18 collaborative research projects have been supported across 14 countries in Asia and Africa including in LDCs such as Nepal, Malawi, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda; 11 projects have been delivered and 7 projects are currently under implementation

Cash grants for research, trans-national collaborations and travel as well as non-monetised benefits of research capacity strengthening, including skills transfer opportunities, through three-way collaborations between research organisations in the UK, India/Asia and Africa

Total ODA budget committed from FCDO during 2014 – 2024: GBP 6,128,571. This is match funded by UKRI and DBT.

Aquaculture for development, and women and children's health. The aquaculture research element has been delivered and is now closed.

Current or in progress

February 2014- March 2024

Nupur Barua, Head FCDO South Asia Research Hub Nupur.barua@fcdo.gov.uk

CHIC is a challenge fund for supporting humanitarian innovation in conflict. CHIC identifies and scales innovations that apply new insights, technologies and approaches to increase survival or improve the lives of the most vulnerable people and the hardest-to-reach in humanitarian crises caused by conflict.

Grand Challenges Canada

Grants made to academic/research institutions, private sector, or NGOs.

Grants made to academic institutions, private sector, or NGOs.

Seed grants (smaller grants for promising early-stage innovations) and 'Transition to Scale' (TTS) projects (larger grants to more mature innovations, with proof of concept, assessed as being ready to scale) . These are selected through open Request for Proposals (RFPs) for Seed innovations, and through a combination of calls and more targeted invitations for TTS.

The total lifetime value of the fund now stands at around GBP 28 million. The UK contribution is GBP 9 million.

Conflict-affected populations.

Increased survival and improved lives among the most vulnerable populations affected by humanitarian crises caused by conflict through the implementation of humanitarian innovations.

Current or in progress

2019-2023

https://humanitariangrandchallenge.org/

Tarah Friend, tarah.friend@fcdo.gov.uk

The HIF develops and tests innovations in the humanitarian system. It is an independent, grant-making programme open to the entire humanitarian community.

Elrha

NGOs

Grants made to academic institutions, private sector, or NGOs.

Competitive grant-making process based on calls for proposals on specific topics. Larger grants for innovations with proof of concept.

GBP 15 million

Humanitarian-affected populations

Improve outcomes for people affected by humanitarian crises by identifying, nurturing and sharing more effective and scalable solutions.

Current or in progress

2019-2023

https://www.elrha.org/programme/hif/

Tarah Friend, tarah.friend@fcdo.gov.uk

To achieve conditions for infrastructure investment in developing countries that both supports economic growth and is low-carbon. CCG does this by providing tools and evidence that support investment decision-makers in countries in Africa and Asia to take an integrated and climate compatible approach to deployment of critical infrastructure capital. With a focus on energy and transport, the research addresses how the design of physical infrastructure, regulatory and market systems can promote decarbonisation and how different infrastructure systems interact and can evolve to secure low carbon futures.

UK Government through FCDO.

Universities; National and International Research Groups and Organisations with research capability.

CCG national partnerships component supported by research grants through competitive calls for proposals.

GBP 38 million

Focus on systems and system inter-dependency across multiple other infrastructure sectors. Initially energy and transport.

Lenders, investors and governments identify appropriate low-carbon development pathways, and access the best policy, regulatory, market model and risk mitigation options to implement them.

Current or in progress

October 2020 to March 2025

https://climatecompatiblegrowth.com/

Lily Ryan-Collins, FCDO.

AT2030 tests "what works" to improve access to life-changing Assistive Technology (AT) for all. The AT2030 consortium brings together partners who have not traditionally focused on AT with experts, innovators and AT users to experiment with new ideas and thinking. Innovations are being trialled across three domains: community-led, systems-focused and market-driven interventions, divided into programme clusters: Data & Evidence, Innovation, Country Implementation and Capacity & Participation.

Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

Grants to United Kingdom and international partner institutions and organisations working on research and innovation for assistive technology, and assistive technology innovators. Provided by FCDO through grant manager and administrator GDI Hub CIC.

The programme is mainly targeted at LMICS in Africa and South Asia including several LDCs. Every project includes at least one programme partner one from a developing country, including within the LDCs in which we work. UK research and innovation organisations partner with locally based research and innovation organisations.

AT2030 provides AT innovators with grant funding, and tailored venture building support including technical assistance on product development from global experts. Additionally, AT2030 provides access to learning materials, and mentorship opportunities, facilitating the brokering and matchmaking of partners, investors, and experts, providing access to a growing global network of disability pioneers and innovators.

AT Impact Fund: GBP 3.3 million Country Capacity Assessments: GBP 1.2 million Remaining programme which facilitates technology transfer: GBP 1.7 million

Fields or sectors that AT2030's activities fall within: assistive technology, healthcare, global coordination, research, evidence and impact, AT innovation, market shaping, education, global standards, community work.

As of the end of March 2021, AT2030 had achieved the following outcomes and impact. To note, while a proportion of AT2030 (around 33%) operates in or for LDCs, the statistics are not disaggregated by LDCs only (unless otherwise noted). Many of the global public goods produced by the programme will however be as relevant for LDCs as they are for LMICs. - 12 million people reached directly and indirectly with AT or AT services or programmes. - 7 new models to improve access to AT have been tested and have begun to scale with a focus on innovative technologies, AT ventures, innovative service delivery, models and global capacity support. These are global public goods and particularly relevant to LDCs. - 32 AT tools developed and lessons shared to support LDC countries and global agencies working in LDCs improve access to AT. These are global public goods and available to all but particularly relevant for LDCs and LMICs. - 55 partnerships with organisations have been established and supported to improve access to AT and its related services. - AT Impact Fund (in-country pilot activities are underway in 3 LDCs: Sierra Leone, Togo, and Uganda. These will stimulate demand, improve the supply of AT and create a more enabling and sustainable market environment.

Current or in progress

October 2018 – September 2024.

- https://www.at2030.org/ - https://atimpactfund.com/ - https://www.disabilityinnovation.com/who-we-are/where-we-work

Joel Burman, Director of Operations, Global Disability Innovation Hub, Tel: 0203 108 6577 j.burman@ucl.ac.uk