Status: Open. Three-page expressions of interest due December 21, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST.
Executive Summary
Coefficient Giving (formerly Open Philanthropy) has opened a call for research and other work that increases the health impact of existing vaccines, mainly for people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The budget is up to $30 million, with no maximum per proposal.
It funds clinical trials, observational studies, modeling and regulatory or policy work that changes how a licensed, WHO-prequalified or late-stage vaccine is used: new populations or geographies, fewer or smaller doses, simpler schedules, new delivery devices, co-administration, or less restrictive cold chain. The first step is a short expression of interest (EOI), due December 21, 2026.
Solicitation at a Glance
- Funder: Coefficient Giving (formerly Open Philanthropy), Science and Global Health R&D fund
- Opportunity: RFP on Vaccine Impact Optimization
- Funding: Up to $30 million total; multiple projects; no per-project maximum
- Award type: Philanthropic grants
- Eligibility: Applicants anywhere in the world; work must primarily benefit people in LMICs
- First step: Expression of interest, up to 3 pages (Word document, excluding references)
- EOI deadline: December 21, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST
Think your vaccine work qualifies? Talk with BW&CO before the December 21 deadline.
What Coefficient Giving Will Fund
- Product and use-case optimization: extending a vaccine to new age groups, pregnant women, people living with HIV or other understudied groups; new geographies; fewer or smaller doses, simpler schedules, dose sparing, new delivery devices or presentations, co-administration and combinations; new indications.
- Evidence and decision support: impact and cost-effectiveness modeling, evidence for WHO SAGE, Gavi and national immunization advisory groups, real-world effectiveness studies and Full Value of Vaccine Assessments.
- Regulatory, manufacturing and delivery support: label extensions, WHO prequalification, and changes to packaging, fill and finish, storage, transport or cold chain that cut delivery costs.
What Is Out of Scope
- Early-stage vaccine development or discovery of a new candidate.
- Non-vaccine interventions, including therapeutics and long-acting injectables.
- Routine service delivery or demand generation without a research or decision-making component.
Eligibility and Requirements
- The vaccine must be licensed or WHO-prequalified, or in late-stage development with an established safety profile.
- Human research requires access to an IRB or ethics committee and past or current clinical research experience.
- Clinical work must follow GLP, GCP and GCLP standards.
- Projects with other funding are eligible if you explain the funding gap.
How Proposals Are Evaluated
- Size of the potential health impact: addressable burden in LMICs and DALYs averted.
- Path to impact: the specific regulatory, program or policy decision the work would inform.
- Relative neglectedness: whether the work would be funded otherwise.
- Cost-effectiveness and team.
How to Submit
Submit a Word document of up to three pages through the link on the RFP page. Describe the idea and vaccine, the decision your evidence would inform, the incremental impact with rough estimates, the proposed design, the team, an indicative budget range and who else funds this question.
Is This Opportunity a Good Fit for Your Company?
It fits vaccine developers with licensed or late-stage products, delivery-device and formulation companies (microarray patches, thermostable presentations, dose-sparing technology), and modeling or regulatory teams with a clear LMIC decision in view. It does not fit early discovery programs.
How BW&CO Can Help
BW&CO has helped deep-tech and life-science founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For this call we help you:
- Check scope and eligibility quickly.
- Build the burden and impact estimates reviewers score first.
- Write the three-page EOI and, if invited, the full proposal.
- Line up academic, NGO or country partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is it due?
Expressions of interest are due December 21, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST.
How much money is available?
Up to $30 million in total, subject to the quality and fit of proposals. Coefficient Giving expects to fund multiple projects and has not set a maximum per proposal.
Who can apply?
Applicants can be based anywhere in the world, including companies, universities and nonprofits. The work must mainly benefit people in low- and middle-income countries.
Which vaccines qualify?
Vaccines that are licensed, WHO-prequalified, or in late-stage development with an established safety profile. Discovery of a new vaccine candidate is out of scope.
Can I apply with an early idea?
Yes. The call welcomes both developed proposals and promising early ideas, and Coefficient Giving may help develop strong ones, including through planning grants.
Can BW&CO help with the expression of interest?
Yes. We can help you build the health-impact case and write the three-page EOI. Book a call with our team.
Source: Coefficient Giving: RFP on Vaccine Impact Optimization