DREAM 4 Health Call for Proposal 2026

SEA DREAM aims to fund research that responds to the ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda (APHDA) 2021-2025 Health Priorities, across four thematic areas: (1) Infectious Diseases; (2) Impact of Climate Change on Health; (3) Mental Health; and (4) Strengthening Health Systems and Access to Care.
 
By funding research that aims to address these, SEA DREAM aims to support discovery and innovation that advances science, builds the foundation for the development of new solutions and products, and foster evidence generation for policymaking, tackling some of the most urgent and emerging health challenges in Southeast Asia.
 
Applications submitted to SEA DREAM are not required to fit within a single theme. They may focus on a single thematic area or address multiple themes. Exploring connections across multiple themes and priorities is encouraged only when beneficial to the proposed research.

1. Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases remain a major health challenge in Southeast Asia, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries and vulnerable populations. The region faces ongoing threats from emerging and re-emerging pathogens, vector-borne diseases, neglected tropical diseases, and antimicrobial resistance, compounded by climate change, natural disasters, and inequities in care and treatment.
 
SEA DREAM supports research that explores innovative approaches to prevent, detect, and control infectious disease threats in the region and informs diverse public health strategies, such as, but not limited to: 

• investigating the burden, drivers, and transmission dynamics of communicable, emerging, and re-emerging infectious diseases, including neglected tropical and zoonotic diseases  
• evaluating strategies for outbreak preparedness, early detection, and regional response to public health emergencies  
• addressing antimicrobial resistance, including patterns, drivers, and mitigation strategies  
• examining environmental determinants of infectious diseases, including climate impacts, pollution, and ecosystem changes 
• studying the effects of natural disasters and climate-related shocks on infectious disease risk and explores strategies to improve related regional disaster preparedness  
• exploring factors contributing to inequities in vaccine coverage and access to preventive interventions 

Read DREAM 4 Health’s thematic brief on infectious diseases here.
 
2.  Climate Change on Health 
 
Southeast Asia is one of the regions most affected by climate change, with rising temperatures, extreme weather events, food insecurity, and air pollution already threatening health and livelihoods. These pressures are contributing to more heat stress, outbreaks of vector-borne diseases, malnutrition, and respiratory problems, especially among vulnerable populations.
 
To address these challenges, SEA DREAM supports research exploring diverse approaches to understanding and mitigating the health impacts of climate change, including topics such as, but not limited to: 

• examining the links between climate variability, heat, environmental change, and health outcomes. 
• strengthening the resilience of health systems to climate-related shocks 
• developing early-warning and surveillance systems for climate-sensitive diseases 
• addressing the health impacts of air pollution and other environmental exposures 
• applying One Health approaches connecting human, animal, and environmental health 

Read DREAM 4 Health’s thematic brief on Climate Change on Health here.
 
3. Mental Health 
 
Mental health conditions are a major contributor to disability in Southeast Asia, undermining well-being, daily functioning, and social participation. Vulnerable populations, including children, adolescents, migrants, and those affected by disasters, bear disproportionate impacts. Stigma, limited access, and social and structural barriers further intensify these challenges across the region. 
 
SEA DREAM supports research that guides interventions, fosters innovation, and strengthens mental health outcomes and inclusion across Southeast Asia, including topics such as, but not limited to: 

• investigating the burden, drivers, and risk factors of mental health conditions 
• examining the impact of disasters, pandemics, and climate-related events on mental health 
• evaluating early detection, intervention, and community-based approaches to improve mental health outcomes 
• exploring strategies to reduce stigma, promote inclusion, and address social determinants of mental health 
• fostering innovation to develop scalable solutions for equitable mental health care and psychosocial support

Read DREAM 4 Health’s thematic brief on Mental Health here.
 
4. Health Systems and Access to Care

SEA DREAM supports research that informs policy, strengthens health system performance, and enhances equitable access to quality health services in the region, including topics such as, but not limited to: 

• improving maternal, neonatal, and child health and promoting life-saving solutions and interventions 
• strengthening health system capacity and expanding access to universal health coverage 
• improving inclusion of migrants and mobile populations in health services 
• developing and evaluating digital and innovative approaches for health tools and interoperable health information and data systems 

Read DREAM 4 Health’s thematic brief on Health Systems and Access to Care here.
 
5. Cross-Cutting Theme: Health Equity
 
Health equity is a foundational lens that informs all SEA DREAM-funded research. By centering equity, SEA DREAM seeks to ensure that innovations, interventions, and evidence generated benefit all populations, especially the marginalized and underserved. Health equity considerations are relevant across the four thematic areas, guiding research questions, methods, and implementation strategies to reduce disparities and promote inclusive health outcomes across Southeast Asia.

Read DREAM 4 Health’s thematic brief on Health Equity here.

What are the requirements for a consortium?

• A Consortium must consist of an Administering Organisation (Consortium Lead) and Co-Applying Organisations (Consortium Members), working in a hub-and-spoke model.
• A Consortium must include a minimum of three organisations, each from a different country. 
  Recommended total size of one Consortium is between three to five organisations*, including the Administering Organisation.  
  *In exceptional cases a Consortium may have more than five members where it is beneficial to the overall proposed activities. This must be justified within the application form. 
• A Consortium must include at least one organisation from a Southeast Asian Lower Middle-Income Country (per World Bank definition):  
  Organisations from countries outside of Southeast Asia can be Consortium Members and are eligible to receive funds but are not eligible to be the Administering Organisation. 
• A Consortium must establish a Consortium-level agreement between the respective Lead Organisation and Consortium Members. Organisations may use their own agreement formats or use the agreement template provided by SEA DREAM ahead of the invitation for full application.

Who can be the Administering (Lead) Organisation of a Consortium?

The Administering Organisation, also referred to as the Lead Organisation, is responsible for managing the grant and ensuring that the proposed activities are delivered in accordance with the SEA DREAM’s grants conditions. Therefore, the Lead Organisation holds overall legal and financial accountability, and is required to ensure compliance with SEA DREAM grants conditions across all Consortium Members.

The Lead Organisation is responsible for establishing Consortium-level agreement between the respective Consortium Members. Organisations may use their own agreement formats or use the agreement template provided by SEA DREAM ahead of the invitation for full application.

The Lead Organisation supports the Principal and Deputy Principal Investigator to act as the primary point of contact with SEA DREAM, overseeing:

• Consortium coordination and partnership management
• Operational oversight of Consortium activities
• Financial management of overall Consortium budget and disbursement to Consortium Members
• Reporting & Communication, including Monitoring, Evaluation and Risk Management

The Lead Organisation is the organisation responsible for submitting the application to SEA DREAM.

Key eligibility requirements:

• The Lead Organisation must be: 
  • A public university, 
  • A not-for-profit organisation, or  
  • A private university, involved within a not-for-profit division or clearly marked as not-for-profit generating activities.  
  • Eligible types of organisations include: 
    • Academic and Research Institutions 
      • Public or private universities 
      • Public research institutes 
      • University-affiliated research centres 
      • Independent not-for-profit research organisations 
      • Research centres embedded in hospitals or medical schools 
      • National academies of science or medicine 
    • Government and Public Sector Entities 
      • Public health institutions 
      • National public laboratories 
      • Regional and local government agencies involved in research 
    • Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organisations 
      • International and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs)  
      • Community-based organisations (CBOs) 
      • Health and development networks or alliances
• The Administering Organisation must be from one of these 11 Southeast Asian countries.
• The Lead Organisation must be able to enter into legal agreements in its own name and on its own account. 
• The Lead Organisation must be able to sign up to SEA DREAM’s Grant Conditions and ensure that its Co-Applying Organisations (Consortium Members) sign up to the same conditions. This includes all checks, policies, and procedures that a Grantee needs to abide by as outlined in theSEA DREAM Award letter and Grant Agreement. 
  *SEA DREAM Grant Conditions and SEAMEO Secretariat Grant Agreement will be available on the SEA DREAM Website by March 2026.
• Organisations can submit more than one application as the Lead Organisation; however, Organisations will only be awarded one grant as the Lead Organisation within the same funding round. 
• Organisations can participate as Consortium Members in multiple Consortia within the same funding round, including serving as the Lead Organisation for one Consortium while also being a Consortium Member in others. 
• The Lead Organisation must appoint a Principal Investigator and a Deputy-Principal Investigator, who should both be named in the application.
• All awards will be issued in USD. Any Lead Organisation which is not able to receive funds in this currency should contact the SEA DREAM at grants@sea-dream.org before submitting a preliminary application.

Who can be a Co-Applying Organisation (Consortium Member)?

Co-applying Organisations (Consortium Members) will receive funds through the Lead Organisation in a hub-and-spoke model and play a substantial role in delivering the proposed activities alongside the Lead Organisation.

Consortium Members are responsible for supporting the Co-Principal Investigators in completing agreed project activities, meeting technical and reporting requirements related to their contributions, and complying with the terms set out in their respective individual Consortium agreement.

Consortium Members will host individuals and teams that contribute specific expertise, resources, or capabilities to complement the overall objectives of the Consortium. This could include, but is not limited to, leading a strand of research, or meaningfully engaging in training and development or research ecosystem strengthening activities. We expect all Consortium Members to be involved in designing the proposed activities and preparing the application. 

Whilst they do not manage the grant directly, Consortium Members work closely with the Lead Organisation to ensure the successful execution of the proposed activities.  

The commitment of each Consortium Members to delivering on the aims of the Consortium must be demonstrated within a Letter of Support in the application, which includes a commitment to signing up to a consortium agreement if the application is successful.

Key eligibility requirements:
 

• A Consortium must include at least one organisation from a Southeast Asian Lower Middle-Income Country (per World Bank definition) either as a Consortium Lead or Consortium Member:  
• Organisations from countries outside of Southeast Asia can be Consortium Members and receive funds. 
• All Consortium Members must be: 
  • not-for-profit organisations, or  
  • commercial organisations, involved within not-for-profit divisions or clearly marked as not-for-profit generating activities.  
  • Eligible types of organisations include:
    • Academic and Research Institutions 
      • Public or private universities
      • Public research institutes
      • University-affiliated research centres
      • Independent not-for-profit research organisations
      • Research centres embedded in hospitals or medical schools
      • National academies of science or medicine
    • Government and Public Sector Entities
      • Public health institutions
      • National public laboratories
      • Regional and local government agencies involved in research
    • Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organisations
      • International and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
      • Community-based organisations (CBOs)
      • Health and development networks or alliances
    • Hospitals and Health Service Providers
      • Private or public hospitals and medical centres conducting research
    • Private Sector (conducting research activities that are non-commercial in intent)
      • Commercial organisations (e.g. pharmaceutical, biotech, or health tech firms working under grant-funded models)
      • Social enterprises
• All Co-Applying Organisations (Consortium Members) must be able to sign up to SEA DREAM grant conditions. This includes all checks, policies, and procedures that a Grantee needs to abide by as outlined in the SEAMEO Secretariat Award letter and Grant Agreement.

Principal Investigator 
Definition:

The Principal Investigator (PI) is the individual that leads the Consortium, employed by and based at the Lead Organisation. They are responsible for the management and integrity of the design, conduct, and reporting of the proposed activities, and for managing, monitoring, and ensuring the integrity of any collaborative relationships. Additionally, the Principal Investigator is responsible for the direction and oversight of compliance, financial, personnel, and other related aspects of the proposed activities.  

The Principal Investigator should be an established researcher with experience in leading and managing research projects and partnerships, and should actively promote a diverse, inclusive and supportive environment within the team and across their organisation.

Application requirements:

Within your application you will be asked to provide details about your: 

• international standing as a research leader in your field, 
• experience of leading innovative and creative research, 
• track record of leadership, management and training of others. 

Eligibility Criteria: 

A Principal Investigator must:

• Be employed by and based at an eligible Lead Organisation that can sign up to SEA DREAM’s grant conditions.  
• Hold a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract, or the guarantee of one, for the grant period; including contracts that require to source salary from external grant funding. 
• Have the support from their department and organisation to take on the responsibility of delivering the commitments made and be able to dedicate a significant percentage of their time to the project.
• Be the Principal Investigator in only one application within this funding round. Principal Investigators can apply to lead only one application but may be Co-Principal Investigators in several applications.

Deputy Principal Investigator
Definition:

The Deputy Principal Investigator (D-PI) is an individual who is also based at the Lead Organisation. The D-PI will support the Principal Investigator with the overall leadership of the Consortium and management of the grant. They should have the necessary skills and experience to manage the Consortium if required.

They should be an established researcher with experience of leading and managing large research grants, partnerships and/or training and development programmes.

Application Requirements:

Within the full application, you will be asked to provide details about your:

• international standing as a research leader in your field,
• experience of leading innovative and creative research,
• track record of leadership, management and training of others.

Eligibility Criteria:

As Deputy Principal Investigator, you must: 

• Be employed by and based at the Administering Organisation 
• Have a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract, or the guarantee of one, for the grant period.  
• Have the support from your department and organisation to take on the responsibility of delivering the commitments made and be able to dedicate a percentage of your time to the project.

Co-Principal Investigators
Definition:

A Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) is a named individual representing the Consortium Member(s), or the Lead Organisation in addition to the PI and D-PI. Each Consortium Member must be represented by at least one Co-PI.

The Co-PIs will work in partnership with the Principal Investigator and D-PI, contributing specific expertise, resources, or capabilities that complement the overall objectives of the Consortium. A Co-PI must make a significant and essential contribution to the proposed activities. This could include, but is not limited to, leading a strand of research, or meaningfully engaging in training and development or research ecosystem strengthening activities. We also expect all Co-Principal Investigators to be involved in designing the proposed activities and preparing the application.

Co-Principal Investigators will be responsible for the administrative, financial, and scientific management of their Co-Applying Organisations’ contribution to the proposed activities. 

Application Requirements:

Within the full application, Co-PIs will be asked to provide details about their:

• technical and methodological experience within their field, 
• experience of leading innovative and creative research, 
• track record of working collaboratively, with contributions to training and development of others.

Eligibility Criteria:

A Co-Principal Investigator must:

• Be an experienced researcher, demonstrated through a strong track record of leading on and supporting high quality research. Early career researchers may only be Co-PI if embedded in a formal mentorship arrangement with another Co-PI who is an experienced researcher at their organisation. 
• Be employed by and based at an eligible Co-Applying Organisation that can sign up to SEA DREAM’s grant conditions. 
• Hold a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract, or the guarantee of one, for the grant period; including contracts that require to source salary from external grant funding. 
• Have the support from their department and organisation to take on the responsibility of delivering the commitments made and be able to dedicate a percentage of their time to the project.

Collaborators

You can involve collaborators in your application and grant. 
Collaborators support the delivery of the project but do not lead on a specific component of the research. For example, collaborators could support by: 

• sharing facilities 
• providing access to resources 
• providing expertise, sharing subject-specific knowledge and guidance. 

Collaborators are not paid for their input, but you can request costs for their expenses. In your application, you will need to confirm that you have contacted your proposed collaborators and they are willing to participate. Collaborators do not need to confirm their participation themselves.

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Contact Details

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