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.
Through these grants, CGHSR supports creative, novel approaches to global engagement through funding designed to advance sustainable, equitable health globally. Global Engagement Grants also provide an opportunity to collaborate around specific CGHSR focus areas and with others who share our priorities.
Global Engagement Grant Spotlight
Learn about our 2022–2023 Global Engagement Grant Recipients
We are thrilled to announce the recipients of 2023 Global Engagement Grants! Each of the projects selected this year exemplify the CGHSR mission to advance health worldwide through collaborative partnerships, sustainable programs, and academic excellence. Grants have been awarded in the Open Call and NRC-RIM Community Engagement categories.

Photo courtesy of Nida Sajid
Global Engagement Grants Around the World
Especially in a time when global travel remains difficult, Global Engagement Grants support collaborations across our local and global community to continue global health work and combat newly emerging crises.
2023 Global Engagement Grants
Open Call Global Engagement Grant Recipients
Vaginal/neovaginal microbiome alterations, gender affirmation therapy and implications for sexually transmitted infections in Thai transgender women
- PI: M. Kumi Smith, PhD, MPIA, UMN School of Public Health
- Co-PI: Amaraporn Rerkasem, MD, Chiang Mai University Research Institute for Health Sciences
Assessment of sound waves from liver vessels via artificial intelligence to detect liver cancer in resource-limited settings
- PI: Jose Debes, MD, PhD, MS, UMN Medical School
- Co-PI: Ju Sun, PhD, UMN College of Science and Engineering
Creation of the First Point-of-Care Ultrasound Fellowship in Ecuador
- PI: Andrea Dreyfuss, MD, MPH, UMN Medical School & Ultrasound Fellowship Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Hennepin Hospital
A One health initiative to combat rodent infestation threats to public health and well-being of vulnerable communities in Latin America
- PI: Claudia Muñoz-Zanzi, DVM, PhD, UMN School of Public Health
- Co-PI: Piedad Agudelo Florez, Universidad CES, Medellín
Evaluating adaptation, acceptability, and sustainability of an online, trauma treatment certificate program for building the capacity of Malaysian professionals working with refugees.
- PI: Patricia Shannon, PhD, LP, UMN School of Social Work, College of Education and Human Development
- Co-PI: Chris Mehus, Ph.D., LMFT, UMN College of Education and Human Development
Ghana Telehealth Outreach and Technical Assistance Program (GHTOTAP): A pilot project
- PI: Jessica Simacek, PhD, UMN Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, College of Education and Human Development
- Co-PI: Emmanuel Bonney, MPhil, PhD, UMN College of Education and Human Development
- Project Team: Jed Elison, PhD, UMN College of Education and Human Development; Anita Randolph, PhD, UMN Medical School
An enhanced education program improves postnatal maternal knowledge of neonatal jaundice in Jinja, Uganda
- PI: Jameel Winter, MD, UMN Medical School
- Co-PI: Businge Alinaitwe, BSN, Sanyu Africa Research Institute, Mbale Regional Referral Hospital
NRC-RIM Community Engagement Grants
Afghan Healthcare Navigation
- Organization: Afghan Cultural Society
- Project Lead: Atefa Tavasoli, Fellow of Neurosurgery, UMN Medical School
- Project Manager: Amina Baha, Operations Director & Founder, Afghan Cultural Society
- Partners: UMN School of Social Work; Advocates for Human Rights; Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC) Clinic
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
Open Call 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 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
CGHSR will give additional consideration to proposals that align with existing and emerging portfolios, including Global Women’s Health, Human Health and Migration, Global Health Ethics, and Climate Change/Environmental Health.
Application Process
The application for 2022-2023 Global Engagement Grants is now closed. The information below details the process from 2022 for reference.
Applications for Global Engagement Grants will be accepted until October 31, 2022 at 11:59pm CDT. Grant applications must be submitted through the Google form application, also available at z.umn.edu/GEGs2022. See a preview of the full application here.
Please review the Request For Proposals (RFP) document for details on 2022-2023 Open Call Global Engagement Grant application requirements. 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:
- Project title
- Objectives and expected outcomes of the project (150 words max)
- Justification of known need (500 words max)
- Outline of proposed activities clearly demonstrating the intellectual merit, interdisciplinary nature (300 words max)
- Likely impact of the project on needs in the community you are hoping to support (300 words max)
- Description of how you intend to measure impact (300 words max)
- Methods (500 words max)
- Duration of the project
- 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 are submitted via the application form as well.
Required:
- Budget proposal
- For graduate student applicants:
- Academic transcript
- Letter of support from academic advisor
Optional:
- Biosketch of the principle investigator
- Letter of support from project partner
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. A final report template will be provided. Reports should be submitted within two months of the end of the funded activity. 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.
Questions
All questions related to the application process, requirements, or eligibility should be directed to Katy Griffin at [email protected].