What we support
IDRC’s Ecosystems and Health (Ecohealth) program works with developing-country researchers to help improve human health and ecosystem conditions.
Our goal? To support developing-country researchers to lead the field of ecohealth to better respond to the challenge of improving human health and environmental conditions in an equitable, sustainable way.
Our focus
Our program builds on more than a decade of experience in building the capacities of researchers around the world in ecosystem approaches to health. This emerging field of research, education, and action recognizes that health and well-being depend on healthy environments, equitable and productive livelihoods, and strong and resilient communities.
Ecohealth practitioners work across disciplines and sectors, and engage communities and decision-makers to tackle environmental challenges that affect human health and development. This type of transdisciplinary research takes a systems approach, linking people and their activities to the ecosystems that support them.
The research also addresses gender and social inequities, and poverty while developing ecologically sustainable strategies for improving health and livelihoods in developing countries.
This is research for development: the results are applied to the local context and beyond, achieving healthier and more environmentally sound development. There is now good evidence that ecosystem approaches to health can improve both human and ecosystem health. Our mission is to move the field forward, establishing strong nodes of leadership in research, training, and practice.
Our research areas
We fund activities that strengthen the field of ecohealth in developing regions to:
- generate and apply knowledge on health problems rooted in ecosystems
- reinforce ecohealth research capacities
- support the scaling-up of research findings into action, policy changes, and improved practices.
We also fund ecohealth research on:
- environmental change, social and economic innovations, and emerging and re-emerging diseases
- the health and ecosystem benefits of agricultural development
How to apply
Each year, in addition to strategic programming and competitive calls for proposals, the Ecohealth program explores new research ideas. Do you have an idea that fits with our priorities? Here’s how to apply:
- Browse our Projects page to better understand the types of projects we fund and to identify knowledge gaps that may interest us. You may also identify research partners by looking at our past and present projects.
- Contact our team to discuss the suitability of your research idea. Send inquiries to ecohealth@idrc.ca.
- Develop a short concept note (3-5 pages) describing your idea; how it fits with our priorities; your proposed approach, partners, and intended outcomes.
Include your research team’s expertise, an initial budget outline (including any other sources of funds), and a project timeline.
Concept notes are reviewed at least twice a year. The next deadlines for submission are September 7, 2012 and February 15, 2013.
If we’re interested in your idea, we'll follow up with you within six weeks of the submission deadline. For successful ideas, it generally takes six to 12 months from the time a concept note is submitted to IDRC until the grant is issued. Due to limited funding, we are unable to fund all submissions. If your idea is unsuccessful, we will let you know.
Learn more on how to apply for IDRC funding, including instructions and application forms,
please consult our Funding page.
Other funding opportunities
Calls for proposals are announced on IDRC's Competition page, on the Ecohealth News page, and in the monthly IDRC Bulletin.
Research teams applying for funding from the Program must be based in organizations capable of administering funds. There is strong competition for limited funding.