Climate Impacts Awards: Unlocking urgent climate action by making the health effects of climate change visible

Climate Impacts Awards: Unlocking urgent climate action by making the health effects of climate change visible is sponsored by Wellcome. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Lead applicant career stage:Administering organisation location: Anywhere in the world (apart from mainland China) Up to £2. 5 million per award We expect to make around 10-15 awards in this highly competitive funding scheme. Hi, I'm Georgia and I work as a Research Manager in Wellcome's climate and health team.

Thank you so much for taking an interest in the Climate Impacts Awards. We have been running the Climate Impacts Awards since 2023 and it is the only scheme, meaning an annual call, that we have in the climate and health portfolio at Wellcome. We have funded 37 projects to date through three rounds.

The aim of this scheme is to make the impacts of climate change visible across a wide range of physical and mental health outcomes in order to drive urgent climate policy at scale. And there are really three key elements to this scheme. One, investing in research.

We are looking for proposals that can identify an evidence gap that can be filled within a short time frame by generating or synthesizing data and insights on the context-specific, direct and environmentally mediated health effects of climate change. Two, influencing change.

Teams must also articulate a clear theory of change within their proposal and a strong understanding of policy levers either at the local, national, and multilateral levels as well as a track record of influencing policy. There must be a climate policy opportunity that can be targeted within the three-year timeline, whether focusing on adaptation, mitigation, or loss and damage.

We are not looking to support broad advocacy campaigns but something much more specific and targeted. And three, engaged research. Research must be designed using an engaged research approach which meaningfully includes the voices of key stakeholders including policy and decision makers and communities impacted by climate change.

And this does not just refer to the qualitative methods you may use in your project, but in the entire design, team composition, development, and implementation of the project. We have made changes to the research that will be supported through this scheme. We are still looking for proposals that can generate or synthesise evidence on significant health issues arising from climate impacts.

But we are also looking for proposals that account for the economic consequences of the health impacts of climate change at various levels. There are many different methods to quantify the economic impacts of health damages from climate change. We will accept a range of approaches and economic and econometric measures and tools for this analysis.

There is a need for more evidence and better understanding of the cost of climate change related health outcomes to create an urgent argument for action and advance progress on the three pillars of climate policy adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage. We are looking for transdisciplinary teams that combine all of the necessary expertise to deliver the project and bring together key stakeholders in research, policy and society.

This is a global call and we are looking for teams from around the world but will prioritise funding for research that involves and serves the needs of communities most impacted by the health effects of climate change. The teams must have climate and health expertise, particularly meteorological expertise as well as relevant economic expertise.

And we are looking for mature teams that have experience working together and delivering policy relevant projects, influencing policy, and working in strong collaboration with communities impacted by climate change. The team must have one lead applicant and up to seven coapplicants.

But with all the requirements for the teams, we expect to see close to the limit of coapplicants on the project, and there must be at least one applicant based at each study site in multi-sight projects, but there is no limit to the number of collaborators. We list all of the stages of the application process on the scheme page. But a few things to note.

Firstly, please read through the entire scheme page. We make sure everything you need to know is on there. And this is a very competitive call and we understand the burden it is to apply.

So we want to ensure that all proposals we receive are in scope. We only accept full proposals for this scheme which are due on April 8th. Make sure that your proposal fits the scope of this scheme.

Particularly pay attention to what is not in scope which is listed on the scheme page. Eligible and in scope proposals will be reviewed by our Climate Impacts Awards advisory funding committee who provide us with recommendations for shortlisting and the final funding stages. We are introducing interviews for shortlisted proposals this year.

These interviews will take place from July 21st to 23rd. Shortlisted applicants will receive further information on the interview process in advance. Final decisions will be released in August and we cannot provide specific feedback to proposals that were not shortlisted.

Now, we do list on the scheme page what is in and out of scope for the Climate Impacts Awards, namely that we are looking for direct and environmentally mediated impacts of climate change on health. But if you are unclear about whether your proposed idea would be in scope for this scheme, you can send a very brief summary of your idea, no more than 200 words, to climateimpacts@welcome. org, and you must do this by the 6th of March.

Include the title of the call, 2026 Climate Impacts Awards, in the subject line. Based on this information, we will aim to reply to your email within one week with an in scope or out of scope response. Now, this is not a requirement and it will not impact your likelihood of being funded.

The confirmation that a proposed idea is in scope does not guarantee that the final proposal will fulfil all of the requirements for the scheme and it also doesn't constitute an active invitation to apply for the scheme. We cannot answer questions on the competitiveness of proposals. We will be hosting a webinar for potential applicants on February 23rd.

Be sure to register for that on our scheme page. From the climate and health team, we wish you the best of luck. * Be of an appropriate size for the proposed research.

Teams must consist of one lead applicant and at least one coapplicant, and must not exceed one lead applicant and seven coapplicants. There must be at least one applicant based at each study site in multi-site projects. There is no limit to the number of collaborators, but all team members must be essential to the delivery of the project.

* Be transdisciplinary, combining knowledge from different scientific disciplines, with that of public and private sector stakeholders and communities. See the OECD report for further information on what we mean by transdisciplinary. In particular, the team should include a strong collaboration with impacted communities and policy/decision makers to ensure research uptake.

* Demonstrate strong climate and health knowledge (including meteorological) and relevant economic expertise. It must also include the necessary expertise, technical skills and organisational support to deliver the proposed research. * Demonstrate a history of collaborating and successfully delivering projects.

* Have a track record of working in climate and health research and activities, including but not limited to: * Involving and co-producing with communities most impacted by climate change * Collaborating with policy experts and partners * Influencing policy at local, national, regional and global levels * Designing and delivering communications and/or engagement activities * Incorporating economic analysis within climate and health evidence * Demonstrate a commitment to actively fostering a diverse, inclusive and supportive research environment and equitable partnerships within the team structure (particularly in teams that include organisations from both the Global South and the Global North).

The UK Collaborative on Development Research (UKCDR) has resources on this topic. * Have a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract, or the guarantee of one, for the duration of the award. The contract should not be conditional on receiving this award.

Lead applicants with less than three years remaining on their contract at the point of application must have secured their next position at an eligible organisation and provide a letter of support from them. * Be a team leader who wants to advance transdisciplinary research on the impacts of climate change on health and has experience leading transdisciplinary teams.

* Have prior experience of conducting policy-relevant research, engaging appropriate policy partners in climate and/or health and an established policy network. * Have knowledge brokering skills such as the ability to bring together research teams and policy makers and/or impacted communities. * Actively foster a diverse, inclusive and supportive research environment within their team and across their organisation.

There can only be one lead applicant on applications to this scheme. Wellcome cannot make awards to teams with co-lead applicants. Coapplicants can be based at the same or different organisations as other applicants, including in different countries.

They can be at any career stage and come from any relevant discipline. We encourage teams to consider including at least one early-career stage researcher. * Be essential for delivery of the project and make a significant contribution, for example in designing the proposed research and leading a specific component of the project.

Coapplicants do not need to have a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract. Collaborators are distinct from coapplicants. Collaborators support the delivery of the project but don't lead on a specific component of the research.

For example, collaborators could support by: * providing access to tools or resources such as datasets or clinical records * providing access to organisations led by or working in collaboration with lived experience experts * providing expertise on working in different countries * sharing subject-specific knowledge and guidance, for example expertise on statistical analysis or measurement of specific variables Collaborators do not have to meet eligibility requirements.

Collaborators cannot receive a salary or compensation for the time spent on the proposed project. You can request costs to cover their expenses, for example for their grant-related travel and the costs associated with providing the agreed input into the research, including the materials and consumables involved. These should be costs directly related to the research.

### If you’ve spent time away from research #### Career breaks, parental leave, sick leave You can apply for this award if you have spent time away from research (for example, for a career break, parental leave or long-term sick leave). We will take this into consideration during the review of your application. If you have retired, you must contact us before applying.

You must have a guarantee of space from your administering organisation for the duration of any award. Lead and coapplicants can be part-time. Their part-time work should be compatible with delivering the project successfully.

We will accept resubmissions from proposals that were shortlisted **once** in any previous round of the Climate Impacts Awards. Teams must demonstrate significant revisions to the application based on the decision letter provided. Previously shortlisted proposals must also be in scope for this year’s awards.

You cannot apply for this call if: * You intend to carry out activities which involve the transfer of funds into mainland China. * You cannot demonstrate that you can dedicate enough time and resources to the project, if funded. * You are already an applicant on two applications for this funding call: * You can only be a lead applicant on one application and a coapplicant on another one.

* You can be a coapplicant on two applications. You must demonstrate that you have sufficient capacity for both projects if funded. * The applications should be for different projects with no overlap of activities.

* You already have applied for, or hold, the maximum number of Wellcome awards for your career stage. ## Is your organisation right for this scheme? The administering organisation is where the lead applicant is based.

It is responsible for submitting your final application to Wellcome and managing the finances of the grant if it is awarded. The administering organisation must be not-for-profit and can be a: * higher education institution * healthcare organisation * non-governmental organisation Commercial organisations are not eligible to apply as administering organisation for this call.

However, coapplicants and collaborators can be based at commercial organisations. Multilateral organisations can apply. Please **contact us** to discuss further.

Proposals must meet all scheme requirements. ## Is your research right for this scheme? ### What your research proposal must include We are looking for proposals that can generate or synthesise context-specific evidence on significant health issues arising from climate impacts.

We are also looking for proposals that account for the economic consequences of the health impacts of climate change at various levels. We will seek to fund projects that can use this research to advance narratives and support the development of policy solutions that can be scaled to multiple settings.

We will prioritise funding for research that involves and serves the needs of communities most impacted by the health effects of climate change. We will support proposals that: * **Invest in policy-relevant research.

**Teams must: * Identify an evidence gap that can be filled within a short time frame (for example, 12-18 months within the project duration) by generating and/or synthesising data and insights on the context-specific, direct and environmentally mediated health effects of climate change.

* Articulate clearly their methodological approach and why it is appropriate; we accept all forms of methodologies including arts and social sciences-based and traditional knowledge-based methods. * Be able to assess associated economic costs of the health effects of climate change and to communicate these in a way that is appropriate for decision makers.

There are many different methods to quantify the economic impacts of health damages from climate change. The costs can be direct costs (i.e. healthcare expenses for climate-sensitive illnesses), indirect costs (i.e. productivity losses, reduced income, long-term health impacts) and intangible costs (i.e. non-financial burdens related to morbidity/mortality).

We will accept a range of approaches and economic/econometric measures and tools for this analysis. * **Influence change. **Teams must: * Articulate a clear theory of change within their proposal and strong understanding of policy levers either at the local, national and multilateral levels, as well as a track record of influencing policy.

There must be a climate policy opportunity that can be targeted within the 3-year timeline whether focusing on adaptation, mitigation or loss and damage.

* Demonstrate the demand driving the research from decision makers, the policy goals of the proposed set of activities and how these can be achieved within the timeframe of the award (recognising that policy change is often incremental, takes time and cannot always be easily attributable). * Show how their research design is innovative and will help drive impact, supporting meaningful and sustainable climate and health action.

* Include a visibility and narrative plan, to ensure that the evidence can be meaningfully communicated to key stakeholders and build momentum. * **Engage people. **Teams must: * Meaningfully engage relevant stakeholders and communities from the outset, valuing the expertise of knowledge of different stakeholders.

This should be reflected in the composition of the team as well as the design of the research proposal. Wellcome supports the use of an engaged research approach. This approach asks researchers to include engagement in the design of their project, while being inclusive of a range of stakeholders.

In particular, we would expect to see the inclusion of the policy partners the team will work with in the proposal.

For this award, relevant stakeholders and communities could include: * local or national governments * civil society and community-based organisations * international or multilateral organisations * private sector or legal sector We strongly encourage you to provide letters of support from any collaborator involved in the project. Upload these in the ‘Additional information’ section of the form.

These letters will not count towards your two page A4 limit for additional information. Research with Indigenous communities should follow best practice protocols (see the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance for guidance).

#### Inclusive research design The proposed research should be equitable, diverse and inclusive in a way that is appropriate to the place in which the research is conducted and the aims of the research or other activities.

* **Who defines and does the research**: we expect our applicants to demonstrate to us that their research team has substantive input from, and engagement with, the primary end users or subjects of their research, be they patients, participants or policymakers.

* **How the research is done**: we expect our applicants to demonstrate to us that their research agenda and the design and conduct of their research substantively engages with the needs and values of the people and communities who are participating in, or are the subject of, their research. * **Who benefits from the research**: Wellcome already has a commitment to focusing on those most affected by our health challenges.

We expect our applicants to be able to demonstrate within their research and activity plans that their outputs will be made meaningfully accessible and used by those who most need it and, if appropriate, those who participated in the research.

Wellcome’s Climate and Health team have modified the scope of this round of the Climate Impacts Awards, guided by learnings and insights from the past year and broader trends in the climate and health space. What is in/out of scope this year may not be the same next year.

* Proposals where the primary focus is on the current or future direct and environmentally mediated physical or mental health outcomes attributable to climate change (Haines and Ebi 2019 for definitions, figure 3). * Proposals that will also assess associated economic costs of the health effects of climate change. * Proposals that include the three key elements of: 1.

An evidence gap that can be filled in the short time available 2. A clear pathway to influence change including a theory of change 3.

An engaged research approach with key stakeholders identified * Proposals where the primary focus is on:​ * socially mediated health effects (such as migration and livelihoods) - we are aware that all health outcomes have a social context but we are looking for research where environmentally driven aspects of climate change are the primary driver(s) of a given health outcome.

* health co-benefits attributable to the consequences of climate change action (mitigation or adaptation); or the unintended consequences of maladaptation. * current or future health effects attributable to the drivers of climate change (for example: burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, waste decomposition).

Proposals cannot focus solely on fossil-fuel related air pollution but can include air pollution as a secondary driver of a given health outcome. * Impacts of climate change on health systems. * Proposals where the primary activity is evaluating an intervention.

* Proposals where the goal of the project is general advocacy for a specific issue, rather than a specific climate action target that can be achieved in a realistic timeframe through targeted and co-produced evidence and communications activities. * Proposals where the three key elements listed above are not articulated. View previous projects that have been awarded through this scheme.

## Research costs we will cover ##### Lead applicants based in the UK or Republic of Ireland You cannot ask for your salary if you work for a: * higher education institution * healthcare organisation You can ask for a contribution to your salary if you work for a: * non-governmental organisation (NGO) If you want to claim your salary on this award, you must contribute at least 10% of your research time.

The amount we pay will be proportionate to the time you contribute to the award, for example if you contribute 30% of your time to the award we will fund 30% of your salary.

##### Lead applicants based outside of the UK or Republic of Ireland You can ask for a contribution to your salary if you work for a: * higher education institute * healthcare organisation * non-governmental organisation If you work for a higher education institute, research institute, or healthcare organisation, we will only pay your salary if you hold a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract that states that you must get your salary from external grant funding.

Your administering organisation must confirm: * that you must get salary recovery from external grant funding * they will guarantee to provide salary support, including any salary not covered by Wellcome, if you cannot get it from other sources for the period of time that you will be working on the grant If you want to claim your salary on this award, you must contribute at least 10% of your research time.

In all cases, the amount we pay will be proportionate to the time you contribute to the award. For example, if you contribute 30% of your time to the award we will fund 30% of your salary. Coapplicants must contribute at least 10% of their research time to the award in order to claim a contribution to their salary.

##### Coapplicants employed by higher education institutes, research institutes or healthcare organisations 1. ###### Coapplicants with permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contracts Coapplicants with these contract types can ask for a contribution to their salary if their employment contract states that they must get their salary from external grant funding.

The amount we pay will be proportionate to the time they contribute to the award, for example if they contribute 30% of their time to the award we will fund 30% of their salary.

The coapplicant’s employing organisation must confirm: * that they must get salary recovery from external grant funding * they will guarantee to provide salary support, including any salary costs not covered by Wellcome, for the period of time that the person will be working on the grant 2.

###### Coapplicants who don’t have permanent, open ended or long-term rolling contracts Coapplicants without a permanent, open ended or long-term rolling contract can request salary depending on the amount of their time they will spend on the grant: * Less than 80% of coapplicant’s time on the grant: they can request salary proportionate to the time they will spend on the grant.

Their organisation must guarantee space and salary support if they cannot get it from other sources for the period of time they are working on the grant. Their post cannot be dependent on the application being successful. * 80% or more of coapplicant’s time on the grant: they can ask for their full salary.

Their organisation does not have to guarantee salary support if salary cannot be obtained from other sources for the period of time they are working on the grant. The post can be dependent on the application being successful.

* If the coapplicants are employed on the award as research assistants and they are to spend 100% of their time on the award, their post does not need to be underwritten by the administering organisation and can be dependent on the application being successful. Alternatively, coapplicants may get their salary through employment on another grant.

##### Coapplicants employed by charities, social enterprises, non-governmental organisations or commercial organisations Coapplicants can ask for salary if they are employed by these organisations. The amount we pay will be proportionate to the time they will contribute to the award. Their employment contract does not need to state that they must get their salary from external grant funding.

#### Staff working on your programme We will cover the salary costs of all staff, full or part-time, who will work on your grant.

Staff members may include: * research assistants or technicians employed on your grant * experts with lived experience * specialist service staff and technical experts, for example in environmental sustainability, data analysis, fieldwork and clinical studies * project manager, if you have multiple applicants on your programme * support if you or a member of staff employed on your grant is disabled or has a long-term health condition Humanities and social science researchers can ask for funds for research or teaching replacement to cover the cost of a temporary replacement lecturer.

They must retain at least a 10% commitment to teaching.

* can cover up to 33% FTE of your contracted time * are usually for a person at a more junior level than the postholder * can be spread across the full period of the grant Researchers who already get buyout costs from another grant (funded by Wellcome or elsewhere) can ask us for this cost, but only for the period of time on the award when they won't receive buyout costs from another grant.

Researchers must provide a letter from their employing organisation, confirming that their contract includes a teaching commitment. They should include this in the grant application. #### PhD/Research Masters fees We do not provide studentships or PhD/Research Masters fees for staff on this award.

Staff salaries should be appropriate to skills, responsibilities and expertise.

Organisations should use their salary scales to calculate these costs, which should include: * employer’s contributions, including any statutory obligations (for example, National Insurance contributions if you’re based in the UK) and pension scheme costs * Apprentice Levy charges for UK-based salaries * any incremental progression up the salary scale * locally recognised allowances such as London allowance You should allow for salary pay awards during Year 1.

If the pay award is not yet known, applicants should use the International Monetary Fund inflation rate, selecting the ‘inflation, average consumer price’ option as indicator. From Year 2 onwards, you should use your organisation’s current pay rates. We’ll provide a separate inflation allowance for salary inflation costs.

Read about the responsibilities of grantholders and organisations we fund. If you have named people on your grant whose salaries will be funded by Wellcome, you can ask for visa or work permit costs to help them take up their posts at the host organisation.

You can also ask for: * visa costs for the person's partner and dependent children * essential associated costs, such as travel to attend appointments at a visa application centre or embassy, and essential English language tests * Immigration Health Surcharge costs for the person, their partner and dependent children if they will be in the UK for six months or more.

If you or a member of staff working on your grant is disabled or has a long-term health condition, you can ask for adjustment support to help you carry out your project.

Costs can include, but are not limited to: * additional costs for staff to help with day-to-day activities related to your project * assistive technology to help use computers, research equipment or materials – for example, text to audio software * care costs for assistance animals if you need to travel. We will not pay for capital or building costs, such as access ramps.

You can ask for these costs if your government and/or employer: * does not cover any of the costs * only covers some of the costs (if they do, we will only meet the shortfall). The costs we provide must not replace the support you may get from the government or your organisation, who are responsible for providing these costs. If you don't know what these costs are now, you canask for them after we've awarded your grant.

We will pay for the materials and consumables you need to carry out your project, including: * laboratory chemicals and materials (for example reagents, isotopes, peptides, enzymes, antibodies, gases, proteins, cell/tissue/bacterial culture, plasticware and glassware) * project-specific personal protective equipment (PPE) that is above the standard expected for the setting * printing associated with fieldwork and empirical research * associated charges for shipping, delivery and freight.

We will provide funds if you need to outsource specialised elements of the project to organisations that are not already involved as applicants or collaborators, on a fee-for-service basis.

This work can include: * synthesising compounds or reagents * building medical devices * preclinical studies, such as toxicology or pharmacology studies * undertaking large scale data analysis Where multiple Contract Research Organisations are involved in a project, use a separate line item to request costs relating to each one.

You can ask for the cost of access to shared equipment, facilities or services if they’re essential to your project.

These may include materials and consumables, plus a proportion of: * maintenance and service contracts * staff time costs for dedicated technical staff employed to operate the equipment or facility We don’t cover the costs of: * depreciation or insurance * other staff, for example, contributions towards departmental technical, administrative and management staff time We do cover these costs if related to animal housing facilities.

If the facilities or equipment were paid for by a Wellcome grant, you can only ask for access charges if: * any support for running costs and maintenance contracts has ended You can ask for the equipment you need to carry out your project where: * it is not available at your administering organisation or through collaborations, and * you will be the main user, with priority access to it.

At least 50% of the use must be for Wellcome-funded activities. This can include small multi-use pieces of equipment such as desktop microscopes or shakers. Costs may include purchase, delivery, installation, maintenance and training, where necessary.

You can purchase second-hand equipment if it is more environmentally sustainable to do so.

We will cover VAT and import duties if: * the usual UK exemptions on equipment used for medical research don’t apply * you’re applying from a non-UK organisation, and you can show these costs can’t be recovered #### Equipment maintenance We will cover maintenance costs for equipment that is: * funded by us or another source * essential to the proposed project * five years old, or will become five years old during the lifetime of the grant * cost effective and environmentally sustainable to keep maintaining it