Application Invited for the Global Mental Health program

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About the Organization

Global Health is a priority for Grand Challenges Canada because we believe improving and ensuring equal access to health for all people worldwide will improve and save lives, and transform communities. Our focus is to empower innovators who are closest to the world’s health challenges because they have the knowledge and are best positioned to develop lasting solutions. Grand Challenges Canada has identified seven areas as having the greatest potential for impact using innovation: maternal, newborn and child health; early childhood development; mental health; safe abortion; sexual and reproductive health; sanitation; and gender equality. We are connecting innovators to funding, networks and resources they would otherwise not have to develop bold ideas, test them, and transition to innovations that make a profound difference.

About the Grant

Grand Challenges Canada’s Global Mental Health program supports Bold Ideas with Big Impact.® The aim of the program is to seed and transition to scale high impact innovations that support the mental health needs of underserved individuals, in particular young people, in low-and middle-income countries.

Mental health challenges contribute to 14 percent of the global burden of disease worldwide; 81 percent of this burden occurs in low- and middle-income countries. Individuals living with mental health challenges in these regions experience a scarcity of resources and a shortage of trained professionals, limiting their access to evidence-based treatments. Support for mental health services in low- and middle-income countries consistently lags behind other health priorities, despite the fact that mental health challenges are a prominent global health concern.

Youth Mental Health

The global mental health burden is magnified for youth living in low resources settings. The majority of mental health challenges – 75 percent – start before the age of 24. Poor mental health in youth negatively impacts the development of social connections, cultural belonging, emotional wellbeing, educational opportunities, and economic resources. The majority of these challenges can be addressed and supported if mental health conditions are identified and treated early. Despite this, only 12.5 percent of development assistance for mental health targets youth. With the added stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic, this critically neglected cohort needs more investment and innovation.

Our Approach

The Global Mental Health program seeks transformational, affordable, and accessible innovations that have the potential to be sustainable at a larger scale. We fund early-stage seed innovations that target youth mental health as well as later-stage Transition-to-Scale innovations addressing mental health challenges across the lifespan.

By investing in innovations that integrate mental health care into education, health, and social care settings in low- and middle-income countries, Grand Challenges Canada supports person-centered, community-based mental health services that meet people where they are.

The Global Mental Health program has launched its second round of funding. Seed grants of up to $250,000 CAD are available for innovations that seek to enhance mental health literacy and/or provide youth-friendly services to address the mental health needs of the most underserved young people, aged 10 – 24, in low- and middle-income countries.

Innovations must take a person centered, rights-based approach, and must involve young people and young people with lived experiences of mental health challenges from the outset.

Priority will go to youth-led organizations, defined as organizations in which fifty percent (50%) or more of the individuals in key leadership positions are youth 35 years of age or under.

Eligibility Criteria

• ONLY legally incorporated institutions from the countries listed in Appendix A of the Request

for Proposals or Canada are eligible to apply to this Request for Proposals. For more

information about the eligibility criteria please refer to Section 3.3 in the Request for

Proposals.

• ONLY projects being implemented in the countries listed in Appendix A of the Request for

Proposals are eligible to apply to this Request for Proposals.

Eligible institutions include academic institutions, public and private research organizations,

non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, limited liability companies (LLCs) or other

recognized entities capable of supporting the proposed activities, administering grants and

that are legally incorporated in an eligible jurisdiction (Appendix A of the Request for

Proposal).

• GCC does NOT fund individuals, sole proprietorships, partnerships, unincorporated trusts,

or any entity that does not have legal capacity to enter into a contract.

Application Deadlines

November 23, 2021 at 12:00 pm EST (5:00pm UTC) – All applicants MUST register for an account on the Grand Challenges Canada Fluxx Portal by this date. ONLY applicants registered by this date will be eligible to submit an application.

December 1, 2021 at 12:00pm EST (5:00pm UTC) – All applicants MUST submit an application via Grand Challenges Canada Fluxx Portal by this date to be considered for funding. Proposals submitted after this date and time will not be accepted.

For more information please check the Link

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