The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation), in partnership with global collaborators under the Grand Challenges initiative, has announced a new Request for Proposals (RFP) entitled “Accelerating Innovation in Vaginal Formulations in Support of Women’s Health.” 

This call seeks bold, high-quality research ideas that can advance women’s reproductive and vaginal health, particularly within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The initiative responds to the persistent underinvestment in women-centered science and aims to inspire a new generation of evidence-based, user-driven innovations. 

Proposals are invited that: 

• Leverage the biology of the vaginal microenvironment to develop novel or improve existing formulations while maximising overall vaginal health, scalability, and local production.   

• Integrate end-user perspectives to define what constitutes a desirable and acceptable vaginal product for women. 

• Strengthen African-led discovery and translational research, generating culturally and biologically relevant evidence. 

Why This Matters: 

Despite representing over half of the global population, women remain underserved by scientific research. This Grand Challenges call aims to redress that imbalance by supporting research that reflects women’s biology, realities, and priorities—ensuring science works for every woman, everywhere. 

How to Apply 

Researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs are invited to submit applications by; 16 December 2025 (17:00 East Africa Time). 

View full RFP details here: https://scienceforafrica.foundation/funding/womens-health-innovation-accelerating-innovation-vaginal-formulations-support-womens-health 

Enquiries

Grand Challenges Africa Team: [email protected]