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The Burroughs Wellcome Fund: Climate + Health Excellence (CHEX) Centers Award

General Information

Program Description

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund announces the Climate + Health Excellence (CHEX) Centers award. This new institutional research and training opportunity aims to bridge gaps between fields crucial for understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change on human health. The grant supports innovative research to define health impacts, develop interventions, translate discovery science into practical applications, and enhance public understanding of Climate + Health. The goal is to help Centers of Excellence achieve strategic goals by fostering stable collaborations between people, departments, and institutions.

Limitation

Schools may submit one (1) application for Penn’s internal competition

Eligibility

  • Applications from institutions just starting to integrate Climate + Health into their planning are expected to be uncompetitive.
  • Institution: Must be affiliated with a U.S. academic or research institution.
  • Research Focus: Develop strong connections in research, education, and public communications to understand and mitigate climate change’s impact on human health.
  • For any sponsored research projects, the applicant must be eligible to serve as Principal Investigator for the project, unless otherwise noted in the LSO. Please see Penn’s PI Eligibility requirements to ensure you are eligible. 

Award Information

  • A total research award of $10,000,000 ($2M/year)
  • Grant Duration: Grants are awarded for a five (5) year term.
  • Budget Allocation: Training grant elements should not exceed 20% of the total budget.
  • Overhead Costs: BWF does not provide overhead. Administrative costs to run the program are allowable direct costs.
  • Use of Funds: Interdisciplinary research activities leading to mechanistic insights for climate change consequences for human health, with potential for mitigating or preventing health effects.
  • Up to three awards will be made over two rounds of applications.

Application Details

  • Letter of Intent Deadline: August 7, 2025
  • Invitation-only Full Application Deadline: December 4, 2025
Apply here

Limited Submission Opportunities Protocol 

What is a Limited Submission Opportunity? When a funding agency or foundation limits the number of applications Penn can submit, the OVPR manages a two-part internal review process to select the proposal that advances to the funder. 

What is the Review Process for Limited Submissions? The selection process begins at the school level, where candidates are vetted to choose a finalist for the OVPR round. Applicants must follow their home school’s deadlines and submission instructions. A committee of reviewers then recommends candidates to the Senior Vice Provost, who selects the final nominee. 

Where do I find out about limited submission opportunities on the OVPR website? The newly designed website lists LSOs. Use the filters on the left to refine your search. Opportunities are listed in summary form. Click on the title of an opportunity to see the full details. 

How do I apply? When the full detail page for the opportunity is open, click the “APPLY HERE” button at the bottom right of the screen. This starts your application process using InfoReady. Log in with your PennKey credentials. After you submit your application, InfoReady processes it for the first round of review at your school. If selected as the Penn nominee, you will be notified directly and will begin the submission process to the funder with the Office of Research Services and PennERA.