BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES

The Global Health Supply Chain Summit (GHSCS) Group is proud to launch the 2026 Global Health Supply Chain Research Challenge. Since its launch in 2021, the initiative has drawn an increasingly large pool of applicants from over 30 countries around the world.

Through this challenge, we plan to provide up to two (2) small seed research grants of up to $13,000 to the authors of research proposals reflecting high impact and academic development potential, for work to be completed over a 9-month period in 2026.  Throughout this period, a core team from GHSCS comprising senior researchers with editorial experience in leading academic journals will provide project and research capability development mentorship to the selected research teams at least on a monthly cadence. Completed research work will be presented at the 2026 Global Health Supply Chain Summit (location and dates TBD).

We encourage applicants to focus on one of our key supply chain themes: Data-Driven Supply Chains, Supply Chain Sustainability and Self-Reliance, Private Sector Engagement, Regional Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical Management, and the Role of Health Financing.

While we welcome applications within all global health supply chain spaces, we encourage applicants to focus on proposals that contribute original knowledge to one or more of the following topics within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs):

• Study challenges or best practices of using data to drive decisions within health supply chains
• Analyze barriers and propose approaches to improving sustainability and self-reliance of health supply chains
• Critically assess opportunities for leveraging the private sector and innovators to address gaps and realize efficiencies in health supply chains
• Study effectiveness of pharmacovigilance systems and best practices to improve pharmaceutical management programs and patient safety
• Evaluate opportunities to increase manufacturing of health products in support of regionalization goals
• Assess best practices for leveraging or enhancing health financing mechanisms to build sustainable supply chains

We also encourage submissions from applicants who are strongly motivated to develop their research capabilities and for whom mentorship on high-quality research production constitutes a good fit with their career plans.

ELIGIBILITY

Individuals or organizations with education or experience in health supply chains and pharmaceutical management may submit research proposals on topics that fit within the themes described above. The principal investigator team must include at least one person from LMIC.

What SHOULD the research proposal and MENTORSHIP Application contain?

1. Cover page containing title of the proposal, names, affiliations and emails of the team
2. Background / Description of the problem
3. Research goals & objectives
4. A brief review of prior work in this area to highlight unique contribution of this project
5. Research Methods
6. Significance of the research / potential next steps
7. Deliverable expected as the outcome of the proposed project
8. Anticipated potential challenges and potential solutions to those challenges
9. Roles & Responsibilities of the different people in the research team
10. 1-page itemized budget and budget justification
11. Bios of the author(s)
12. A personal statement including career development goals for at least one submitting researcher[1]

The main content of the proposal (items 3-9), excluding the cover page, budget, bios, and personal statement should not exceed 3000 words.

USE OF HUMAN SUBJECTS

All research projects involving human subjects conducted in connection with this must have written evidence of compliance with required federal guidelines and approval from an institutional review board (IRB). IRB approvals must be maintained and in effect throughout the project’s connection with the program.

How do I submit a research proposal AND MENTORSHIP APPLICATION?

• Click on "Submit Proposal HERE" tab on the left and fill in the form. You will attach your proposal in pdf format to the submission.
• Submit your research proposal before 11:59 pm GMT by January 5, 2026.

FUNDING

The winning team(s) will be awarded up to $13,000 each; this is inclusive of travel expenses for one person from the team to attend GHSCS 2026. Overheads or fees may not be charged on these awards by any of the receiving authors’ employing institutions.

What happens after my research proposal has been submitted?

• A committee from GHSCS Group representatives will review the research proposals based on the following evaluation criteria:
  • Content level (quality, appropriateness, rigor, coherence/justification)
  • Level of description (clarity, completeness)
  • Significance of expected results
  • Qualifications and research development potential of the author(s)
• The top submission(s) will be selected, after an interview, and awarded a grant
• The awardees will be announced by January 26, 2026
• A research committee at the GHSCS Group will provide mentorship for the research ad-hoc support as needed throughout the research study
• Final research reports will be due around November 10, 2026
• The team will have an opportunity to present their research findings at the GHSC2026 Summit (location and date TBD)

 

Timeline Recap

Open to Submissions ~  November 14, 2026

Submission Deadline ~ January 5, 2026 @11:59 pm GMT

Evaluation and Decisions ~ January 26, 2026

 

Questions? Please email ghsc.summit@gmail.com with subject like “2026 Research Development Proposal:”