Introduction
Picture this: A small community in Lagos wakes up each morning to a gray haze. Children cough before dawn, elders develop heart issues earlier than expected, and the local clinic is overwhelmed. Across on the other side of the world, a rural district in Southeast Asia struggles with dusty air stirred up by seasonal burning and rising pneumonia rates. These are not isolated stories—they reflect the stark reality of what happens when climate change, air pollution and public health collide. The good news? There are grant opportunities designed specifically to help projects that bridge the gap between climate, air pollution and health outcomes in low- and middle‐income countries (LMICs) across Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
One such opportunity is the scheme we’ll refer to here as the “Global Think Climate + Health Awards” (a concept representing recent funding calls targeting climate-health co-benefits). For example, the Wellcome Trust launched a scheme entitled Climate and Health Award: Advancing climate mitigation solutions with health co-benefits in low- and middle-income countries. And major analyses show that tackling air pollution gives dramatic health returns, especially in LMICs.
In this blog post I’ll walk you through: what the award is about, why it matters (especially in Africa & Asia), a comparison of key funding features, a detailed step-by-step guide to applying (even if you’re a newbie), key insights and benefits, how to craft your project narrative (akin to a statement of purpose), common mistakes and how to avoid them, FAQs and a conclusion with what you should do next.
Importance of “Grants for Projects Tackling Air Pollution and Disease in Asia-Pacific & Africa”
This section explains why this kind of grant is such a big deal and why you, as someone in Africa or Asia, should pay close attention.
Why it matters
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Massive burden of disease: Around 8 million people died in 2021 because of poor air quality. In the Asia-Pacific region alone, 70% of air pollution related deaths occur.
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Climate-health co-benefits: When you reduce emissions (climate measure) you also reduce air pollutants (health measure). Funding that targets both is highly efficient. For example, the Wellcome scheme funds mitigation and health outcomes.
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Under-funding: Despite the high burden, only ~1% of international development funding goes to clean air projects.
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Local impact potential: A targeted grant in Africa or Asia can translate into hundreds of lives saved, stronger health systems and better climate resilience.
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Strategic timing: With global attention increasing—e.g., at COP29 countries are calling for climate-health funding.
In short, if your project sits at the intersection of air pollution, climate mitigation/adaptation and health outcomes—especially in Africa or Asia—this type of award may be one of the best funding opportunities out there.
Comparison of Key Features
Here’s a table to compare typical features of these climate-health grants (for Africa/Asia) against other standard environmental grants you might see. This helps you understand what makes these awards stand out.
| Feature | Climate + Health Award (e.g., Wellcome) | Typical Environmental Grant | Why it matters for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geographic focus | Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including Africa & Asia | Often wider, global or high-income country focus | Ensures you (in Africa/Asia) are eligible |
| Thematic scope | Air pollution + climate mitigation/adaptation + health co-benefits | May focus solely on environment or climate | Allows you to link health and climate in your project |
| Funding scale | £0.5 m to £2 m per project. 2-4 years. | Varies widely, often smaller | Bigger funding means bigger impact & resources |
| Required team | Trans-disciplinary, LMIC-led, research + policy + community | Often academic only | Signals you’ll need partnerships and local leadership |
| Application complexity | Detailed narrative, strong justification, impact plan | May be simpler | Requires careful preparation and design |
| Intention | Evidence‐generation + policy change + health outcomes | Maybe only one of those | Enables you to plan for real world change |
This comparison shows that to succeed you’ll need to design your project to connect climate + air-pollution + health, ensure local leadership and partnerships and plan for policy or system change.
Step-by-Step Guide to Applying – For Newcomers
Here’s a detailed walk-through from preparation to submission. If you are new to grant applications, this roadmap will clear the fog.
Step 1: Understand the call & eligibility
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Visit the award’s official page (for example the Wellcome “Climate and Health Award”). Download the call document, note eligibility criteria (country, institutions, lead researcher stage, thematic scope).
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Confirm your country / institution qualifies (e.g., an institution in Africa or Asia, LMIC status).
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Be sure your topic aligns (for example: air pollution, disease burden, climate mitigation/adaptation).
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Note key dates: submission deadline, webinars, info sessions.
Step 2: Define your project idea & ensure relevance
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Identify a clear problem in your region (e.g., high PM2.5 from traffic in Nairobi, high respiratory disease burden in a Philippines city).
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Map how the problem links climate (e.g., emissions, climate adaptation), air pollution (source, exposure), and health (disease, burden).
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Draft a project concept: what you will do, who you will partner, expected outcomes.
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Check if your idea is innovative, impactful and trans‐disciplinary.
Step 3: Build your team and partnerships
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Lead applicant should often be based in your country (Africa/Asia).
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At least one co‐applicant (or more) with complementary expertise (climate science, public health, policy, community engagement).
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Identify local stakeholders: government ministry, NGO, health facility, community group.
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Draft partnership agreements or letters of support.
Step 4: Prepare your budget & timeline
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Build a realistic 2-4 year timeline with phases (e.g., Year 1: baseline survey/monitoring; Year 2: intervention; Year 3: evaluation & policy translation).
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Prepare budget lines: staff, equipment (monitoring sensors, health data systems), travel, community workshops, policy dissemination.
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Make sure costs follow the award’s rules (eligible vs ineligible costs).
Step 5: Write your project narrative
Your application will include sections such as: Background & rationale; Objectives; Methods/approach; Partnerships & capacity building; Monitoring, evaluation & outcomes; Policy/impact plan; Budget & timeline.
Tip: Use clear headings, refer to evidence (for example air pollution burden in Asia/ Africa) and focus on how your work will lead to health & climate outcomes.
Step 6: Address key criteria
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Relevance: Show how your project addresses the call’s priorities (climate & health).
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Innovation: Demonstrate what’s new or improving in your context.
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Impact & equity: How will it help vulnerable populations in Africa/Asia?
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Feasibility: Show you have resources, partnerships and capacity.
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Sustainability: What happens beyond the grant? How will capacity remain?
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Policy translation: How will your findings influence policy or practice?
Step 7: Prepare documentation
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Lead applicant CV(s) and co‐applicant CV(s).
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Letters of support from partner organisations.
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Ethics approval plan or note (if required).
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Institutional clearance or endorsement.
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Any previous relevant work/evidence.
Step 8: Submit online & confirm requirements
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Register on the grant portal if needed.
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Upload all parts of your application before the deadline.
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Confirm submission and get reference number.
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Prepare for possible shortlisting or interview.
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If allowed, attend information webinars.
Step 9: After submission – follow-up & readiness
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Keep track of your email and grant portal for updates.
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Prepare for next steps: if shortlisted, you may be asked clarifications or to refine budget, timeline, partnerships.
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Plan for implementation: once awarded, set up your project governance, monitoring system, stakeholder engagement, baseline data collection.
Key Insights & Benefits
Here are some strategic insights and benefits that will help you in your preparation and in thinking about how your project might stand out.
Benefits of winning such a grant
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Access to significant funding (often hundreds of thousands to millions) to implement meaningful climate-health interventions in Africa/Asia.
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Opportunity to build capacity in your institution and region (e.g., monitoring equipment, data systems, research staff).
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Ability to influence policy and practice (because funders expect translation beyond research).
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Network development: connecting with global experts, regional stakeholders, funders and practitioners.
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Profile building: leading a high-impact project boosts your reputation, opens doors to future funding and partnerships.
Strategic insights
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Focus on data & measurable health outcomes: For example, linking PM2.5 reductions to hospital admissions drop gains credibility. Evidence shows lack of data remains a barrier.
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Link climate + health + equity: Projects that show how change will benefit vulnerable groups (women, children, low-income communities) are strong.
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Design trans-disciplinary teams: Integrate experts from environment, public health, policy, communities, and maybe business/technology.
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Plan from day one for policy translation: Funders increasingly ask: “What will change in policy/practice as a result?”
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Use local context and leadership: Projects led by local institutions in Africa/Asia often resonate more than outside-led ones.
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Document the baseline and track change: Without baseline data you may struggle to show impact.
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Consider sustainability: After the grant ends, how will your initiative continue or scale?
Real-world example (inspiration)
An initiative in Nigeria, supported by a global air-quality fund, is deploying 20 low-cost monitors across Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan to track PM2.5 in real time, share data publicly and influence national standards. This kind of project is precisely the type the climate-health grants aim to support.
Project Proposal Narrative – Simple Strong Structure
To help you craft your own narrative, here is a simple structure you can adapt:
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Introduction / Problem Statement
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Describe the air pollution or climate-health challenge in your region (Africa/Asia) with data.
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Why it matters for health (disease burden) and for climate/green solutions.
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Objective(s)
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For example: “To reduce exposure to PM2.5 among children under five in [City], Nigeria through a community-based low-cost sensor network, stakeholder engagement and policy translation over 24 months.”
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Methods / Approach
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Baseline monitoring (air quality, health outcomes).
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Intervention (e.g., clean cookstoves, transport emissions controls, sensor rollout, health awareness campaign).
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Data analysis, health outcome tracking, community engagement.
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Partnerships & Capacity Building
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Lead institution in [Country], co-applicant(s) in [Region].
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Government ministry, local NGO partner, community group.
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Capacity build: training technicians, establishing monitoring system, public data dashboard.
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Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact
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Baseline → periodic measurements → endline.
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Health metrics: hospital admissions, respiratory illness, etc.
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Policy/translation: cite workshops, stakeholder meetings, evidence briefs.
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Sustainability & Scale
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Plan to integrate into national monitoring system, hand over to ministry, scale to other cities.
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Budget for network maintenance beyond project period.
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Budget & Timeline Summary
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24/36-month timeline with deliverables.
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Budget summary with major cost lines.
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Why you/your team
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Highlight your institution’s track record, local knowledge, leadership.
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Emphasize commitment to health equity and climate action.
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Conclusion
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Reinforce why your project matters and what change it will bring for the region.
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Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
| Mistake | Why it hurts your application | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Weak baseline data | Without baseline you may fail to show change or impact | Collect or document baseline before submission or include realistic baseline plan |
| Not showing link between climate & health | Grant calls demand dual focus; single focus may be deemed out-of-scope | Ensure your project narrative clearly connects climate/air pollution reduction to health outcomes |
| Limited or weak partnerships | Funders look for local leadership + partnerships to deliver and sustain | Make sure your team includes local institution, NGO, health stakeholder and related stakeholder |
| Unrealistic budget or timeline | Could signal weak planning and risk-management | Build realistic phases, include risk/mitigation, align budget with activities |
| Ignoring sustainability/scale-up | Funders want legacy beyond grant period | Include plan for continuation, handover, policy integration, scaling |
| Submitting last minute with missing documents | Potential automatic disqualification or reduced credibility | Start early, review all eligibility requirements, gather documents and references well ahead of deadline |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Who can apply for these grants?
A: Generally, lead applicants must be based in a low- or middle-income country (LMIC) institution (often in Africa or Asia) and the project should be LMIC-led. For example one call required that the administering organisation location is an LMIC.
Q: What kinds of projects are in scope?
A: Projects that combine climate/air pollution mitigation or adaptation and health outcomes. For example: reducing particulate matter exposure, establishing monitoring networks, linking emissions reductions to disease prevention. Projects must typically be transdisciplinary, policy-relevant and community-engaged.
Q: Is air pollution alone enough or must climate be involved?
A: The best funding calls require the “co-benefit” – that is, climate action and health improvement. If your project solely addresses pollution without linking climate action or health outcomes, it may be deemed out-of-scope.
Q: What is the typical funding amount and duration?
A: For example, one call offered £500,000-£2 million per project over 2-4 years. Smaller seed grants may exist but you must check the call you plan for.
Q: What are the deadlines and how competitive is it?
A: Deadlines vary by call. It may be one-off or recurring. For example the Wellcome call opened 25 November 2024 and preliminary deadline 18 Feb 2025. Competitiveness is high – expect rigorous review of concept, evidence, partnerships and impact.
Q: Do I have to conduct research or can I implement a project?
A: Many schemes focus on both research and implementation. Some emphasise evidence generation; others accept implementation with monitoring/evaluation. Ensure your proposed project aligns with the call’s stated goals.
Conclusion – Recap and Call to Action
In summary, if you are working in Africa or Asia on a project that intersects air pollution, climate and health, the “Global Think Climate + Health Awards” style of grants offer a powerful way to secure funding, drive real impact, and contribute to healthier communities and cleaner air. You’ll need to craft a strong, transdisciplinary project, build local partnerships, prepare solid data and budget, and tell a compelling story about why this matters now.
Your next steps:
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Check the latest version of the funding call (e.g., review the official call page like the Wellcome “Climate and Health Award”).
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Draft a short concept (problem, objective, approach) and get partner buy-in.
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Outline your baseline, intervention, monitoring/impact plan and sustainability.
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Prepare your team and documentation (CVs, letters of support, budget).
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Submit before deadline with care.
“Small investments in air quality and health today pay dividends in lives saved, diseases prevented and futures changed.”
There are no perfect moments—only well-prepared ones. If you are ready to step up for climate and health in your community, now is your chance.
