Global Engagement Grants
Our Global Engagement Grants offer funding for innovative projects by faculty, researchers, and students that blend work in research, education, and capacity building.
Throughout the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Minnesota along with our global community and academic partners found new ways to connect when travel was not possible. Through the new Global Engagement Grants program, we aim to build on this momentum.
Global Engagement Grants also provide an opportunity to collaborate around specific CGHSR focus areas and with other UMN centers and colleges that share our priorities. In 2021 our focus is on global women's health initiatives, and future calls may center on issues such as human migration and health, health workforce development or specific areas of global health capacity building.
Global Engagement Grant Spotlight
Announcing 2022 Global Engagement Grant Recipients
We were grateful to receive a number of robust proposals for our new Global Engagement Grants program this year, and were impressed by the quality and strength of the partnerships and projects proposed. Grant recipients in the Open Call and Global Women's Health categories will develop innovative projects and build new collaborations across local and international teams.
Learn more about this year's Global Engagement Grant Recipients

Photo courtesy of Nida Sajid
Global Engagement Grants Around the World
Especially in a time when global travel is not possible, Global Engagement Grants support collaborations across our local and global community to continue global health work and combat newly emerging crises.
2022 Global Engagement Grants
Open Call Global Engagement Grant Recipients
Social and Ecological Impact of Waste Management
- PI: Nida Sajid, PhD, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, College of Liberal Arts
- Co-PI: Rishikesh Narayan, PhD, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Goa
- Project Team: Sudhir Krishna, PhD, MBBS, IIT Goa; Sabiha Hashami, PhD, Indian Institute of IIT Goa; Sarah Binte Ali, PhD, IIT Goa
Maximizing collaborative roles for allopathic, traditional and faith healers for treating women with breast cancer
- PI: Beth Virnig, PhD, MPH, UMN School of Public Health
- Project Team: Shalini Kulasingam, PhD, UMN School of Public Health; Adwoa Bemah Boamah Mensah, Ph.D., MPhil, FGCNM, FWACON, RN, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; John Amuasi, MBChB. MS. MPH. PhD., Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Capacity building - Vitreoretinal surgery in Uganda
- PI: Dara Koozekanani, MD, PhD, UMN Medical School
- Co-PI: Erik van Kuijk, MD, PhD, UMN Medical School
Global Women’s Health Engagement Grant Recipients
Determining Efficacy of a Maternal and Neonatal Simulation and Debriefing Intervention to Improve Clinical Competence of Diverse Students at the University of Nairobi
- PI: Cynthia Sherraden Bradley, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, UMN School of Nursing
- Project Team: Miriam C. A. Wagoro, RN, PhD, University of Nairobi; Blasio Omuga, MBCHB, MMED, University of Nairobi; Joyce Jebet, RCHN, BScN, MSc, PhD, University of Nairobi; Lilian Omondi, BScN, MScN, PhD, University of Nairobi
Use of simulation for global medical education in obstetrics and cesarean delivery in a resource-limited rural setting: a partnership between University of Global Health Equity School of Medicine, Rwanda and University of Minnesota
- PI: Rebecca Petersen, MD, UMN Medical School
- Project Team: Rahel Ghebre, MD, MPH, UMN Medical School; Abebe Bekele, MD, University of Global Health Equity, Rwanda
Discover How to Apply
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Global Engagement Grants are designed to offer funding for innovative projects that do not necessarily fall into a single category of research, education or capacity building. Applications are open in the fall.
Eligibility
Current faculty, academic staff, masters, medical, and doctoral degree students from academic units throughout the University of Minnesota system are eligible. Grant proposals should clearly demonstrate how the project will advance known needs in communities both locally and globally.
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:
- Interdisciplinary nature of the proposed project or research plan and the ways in which it contributes to the advancement local and global needs
- Where appropriate, evidence of partnership with community organizations
- Intellectual merit, cohesiveness, and feasibility of the project proposal or research plan and the clarity with which it is conveyed to a non-specialist
- Soundness of the budget request
- For graduate student applicants: Academic record and strength of faculty advisor letter of support
- Alignment with CGHSR values, which include mutual partnership, equity, sustainability, interprofessional engagement, and relevance to partners
Application Process
Applications for Global Engagement Grants will open in fall 2022.
Applications will include the following components:
Project Proposal: The project proposal section of the application form describes the scholarly or research interest of the project and includes:
- Objectives and expected outcomes of the project (100 words max)
- Justification of known need, interdisciplinarity (500 words max)
- Outline of proposed activities clearly demonstrating the intellectual merit, interdisciplinary nature
- Likely impact of the project on needs in the community you are hoping to support
- Methods (500 words max)
- Acknowledgement that you will apply or have applied for the University’s Institutional Research Board (IRB) approval for proposed activities (if required)
Supplemental Documents: The components listed below must be submitted via the application form as well.
- Budget Proposal
- Biosketch
- Academic Transcript
- Graduate students: Letter of support from academic advisers
Grant Requirements
Release of funds is contingent upon appropriate Institutional Research Board approval (if required) and necessary approval(s) from community partners. Grant recipients must submit a report consisting of a description of funded scholarly and/or creative activities and a brief account of how the grant funds were spent, along with a list of other support received. We also request photos taken during the activities be submitted as JPEG files along with the report, with approval from photo subjects.
Following COVID-19 Guidelines: Awardees need to follow all the guidelines and safety protocols in place at the University of Minnesota throughout project implementation. This includes but is not limited to complying with any restrictions in on-campus or community work and following any stay at home orders, personal protective equipment requirements, social distancing and training procedures to assure personal safety.