Grand Challenges Senegal joins the Nexa consortium. Grand Challenges Senegal, hosted by the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, is joining Nexa, a global climate and health innovation fund co-led by Grand Challenges Canada and the Science for Africa Foundation. To bring this opportunity to Senegalese innovators, Grand Challenges Senegal is partnering locally with the Pasteur Network and ANRSA (Agence Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique Appliquée). Through this call, Grand Challenges Senegal will fund up to 6 projects, to be implemented in Senegal, with grants of up to $200,000 USD each to support bold, locally-led innovations at the intersection of climate change and health. The full Request for Proposals is attached, with details on eligibility, funding focus, and how to apply.
Responding to the climate-health emergency
About ANRSA
Established in 2008 (Decree 2008-513, amended by Decree 2014-1187) under the authority of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the National Agency for Applied Scientific Research (ANRSA) is Senegal’s institutional hub for the valorization of scientific research. Its mission: to oversee and coordinate the transformation of research results and innovations into products and services, driving the country’s economic and social development.
Climate change is reshaping the global health landscape: worsening air quality, deadly heatwaves, and shifting patterns of mosquito-borne disease. In response, Nexa backs bold, locally-led innovations that help frontline health systems anticipate and respond to climate-related health risks.
The initiative draws on the largest global survey ever conducted on climate and health, gathering insights from more than 6,400 health professionals across 107 countries.
A local partnership for Senegalese innovators
To bring this opportunity to Senegalese innovators, Grand Challenges Senegal is partnering locally with the Pasteur Network and ANRSA (Agence Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique Appliquée). This local partnership will support Senegalese organizations in submitting their innovation projects.
What Nexa funds
Two priority areas are open for funding:
- Climate-informed early warning and surveillance systems tools that integrate weather and health data to anticipate risks linked to heat, air quality, and mosquito ecology.
- Climate-adapted care delivery innovations that strengthen triage, diagnosis, treatment, and continuity of care in response to mosquito-borne infections (malaria, dengue), extreme heat, and poor air quality.
Priority health outcomes include malaria, dengue, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, chronic kidney disease, and pregnancy-related complications (hypertension, gestational diabetes, heat stress).
Funding amount and duration
For this call, Senegal is eligible under the Proof of Concept stream:
- Funding: up to 200,000 USD per project
- Duration: 18 to 24 months
- Grand Challenges Senegal will fund up to 6 projects in Senegal
- Funding will primarily take the form of grants (loan or equity financing possible in some cases)
Who can apply?
Legally constituted organizations: businesses, social enterprises, NGOs, non-profit or for-profit organizations, and research or academic institutions, based in Senegal (or another eligible African country).
Not eligible: individuals, sole proprietorships, unincorporated trusts or partnerships, and United Nations agencies.
How and when to apply
- Deadline: Tuesday, July 22, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. UTC
- Applications must be submitted online via Grand Challenges Canada’s Fluxx portal: gcc.fluxx.io
- Accepted languages: French or English
The full Request for Proposals, including detailed eligibility criteria, evaluation guidelines, and eligible countries, is available for download below.
📄 Download the full Request for Proposals (PDF)
Need help?
For any questions about this funding opportunity, contact OpenCompetitions@grandchallenges.ca or visit www.nexaclimat.org.
Good luck to all innovators!
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