Deadline: 2-Jun-23

MSD is launching the inaugural round of a social impact grants program, Solutions for Healthy Communities.

The new Solutions for Healthy Communities Grant Program aims to catalyze innovation in community solutions that facilitate access to quality health care for underserved populations in countries where MSD operates. The program will invest in solutions that are designed and led by local stakeholders to meet local needs and priorities.

Focus Areas

• The Solutions for Healthy Communities Program will consider grant applications consistent with the following areas of interest. Successful proposals will seek to expand access to quality health care via community-based solutions that reach populations that are historically underserved by the healthcare system. These populations include, but are not limited to:
  • People displaced as a result of humanitarian crises or conflicts
  • Indigenous populations
  • People living in poverty
  • People living in rural areas
  • Migrant populations
  • People who are from minoritized ethnicities
  • People with diverse gender identities and/or sexual orientations
  • People living with disabilities

Sample Interventions

• Solutions should include approaches that are new and innovative for the relevant community, in an effort to improve the reach and impact of community health services – for example, by expanding health services offered in community settings, growing the capacity of community health organizations or providers, or testing new models to address the social determinants of health for patient populations. Sample interventions could include efforts to:
  • Strengthen community-based healthcare systems or service delivery organizations
  • Optimize mobile clinics or telemedicine solutions to better reach rural communities
  • Grow capacity and reach of community health workers
  • Develop and/or strengthen partnerships that bridge across community and clinical settings to improve outreach to underserved populations

Funding Information

• Grants will cover two years of project implementation, and awards will range in size from $50,000 – $300,000 for two years.

Eligibility Criteria

• Non-profit organizations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Canada, Latin America, and Asia Pacific are eligible to apply. Programs operating within 50 miles of an MSD site will be prioritized.
• MSD is only able to fund non-profit organizations. MSD cannot provide funding to city health departments, other government entities, hospitals, or health systems.

Ineligibility Criteria

• The following organizations or projects are not eligible for support:
  • Organizations or other entities which purchase, recommend, use, reimburse or prescribe MSD products or have the ability to influence the purchase, utilization, prescribing, formulary position, pricing, reimbursement, referral, or recommendation of or payment for MSD products, such as patients, health care professionals (HCPs), or payers.
  • Projects that directly influence or advance MSD’s business, including the purchase, utilization, prescribing, formulary position, pricing, reimbursement, referral, or recommendation of or payment for its products
  • Project funds being used to pay HCPs who are licensed to prescribe medication
  • Project funds being used to buy computers or laptops (these may be rented instead)
  • Individuals (including travel support for individuals to meetings)
  • For-profit organizations
  • Political organizations, campaigns, and activities
  • Fraternal or labor organizations and activities
  • Religious organizations or groups whose activities are primarily sectarian in purpose
  • Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, caste, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, national origin, veteran’s status, or disability
  • Capital campaigns, including new construction/renovation of facilities and endowments
  • Basic or clinical research projects, including epidemiological studies, clinical trials, or other pharmaceutical studies
  • Purchase of supplies or equipment unrelated to the proposed project
  • Direct medical care or services, including medical screening or testing, direct telehealth services family planning services, purchase of medicines, contraceptive supplies, vaccines, or medical devices
  • Development of new drugs or medical devices
  • Fund-raising events, such as benefit dinners or galas
  • Meetings/symposia/or conferences that do not have or are not associated with longterm project objectives
  • Payment of staff salaries not aligned with the proposed project
  • Organizations that request a grant greater than 50% of their current annual budget

For more information, visit MSD.