The Global Research and Technology Development (GRTD) Research Commissioning Centre (RCC), co-led by 3ie and the University of Birmingham, is running an open competition for a new Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Applied Research Centre, on behalf of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
This Research Centre will work to address gaps in the evidence base on comprehensive SRHR, as well as increase the coherence, use and impact of existing and emerging SRHR research. The Research Centre will be led by a single low- and middle-income country (LMIC) institution or one of an LMIC-LMIC or LMIC-High-Income Country (HIC) co-led institutional partnership. The lead should be an academic or non-profit research institution registered as a legal entity in the respective country.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 17:00 GMT on Monday, 30 November 2026.
At a glance
Background
Global Health remains an Area of Research Interest for FCDO, with plans to invest approximately £256 million until FY 2029/2030 in research to support healthy women, children and newborns; address emerging infectious diseases and diseases of epidemic potential; and strengthen health systems, financing and service delivery. The programme described here makes a core contribution to the UK’s International Women and Girls’ Strategy 2023-2030.
While the strength of evidence on effective interventions for SRHR in LMICs is relatively strong, there are gaps in our understanding of why known, effective interventions and services are not delivered, accessed, or taken up, in certain geographies and population groups.
The Research Centre will bring together experts from across disciplines and SRHR domains in a multi-national consortium focused on at least six diverse LMICs, with the aim of increasing access, choice, quality and sustainability of SRH services and upholding rights. It will demonstrate LMIC thought leadership and inclusive, equitable and mutually beneficial research partnerships.
The Research Centre is not expected to work across all domains of comprehensive SRHR but is expected to address several areas. Comprehensive SRHR means: contraceptive services, maternal and newborn care, prevention and treatment of HIV, and STIs other than HIV; comprehensive sex education; safe abortion care; prevention, detection and treatment of infertility and cervical cancer; counselling and care for sexual health. It does not include gender-based violence (GBV), but the Research Centre is expected to work closely with the FCDO supported GBV What Works Centre.
Pillar structure and purpose
The SRHR Applied Research Centre will have two complementary pillars:
- Pillar 1: SRHR applied research, evidence synthesis and knowledge mobilisation (approximately 80% of funding) will be the Centre’s core function. It will generate and mobilise evidence to improve SRHR outcomes in LMICs. The emphasis is on producing policy-relevant, multidisciplinary research that addresses key gaps in applied SRHR with a strong focus on policy relevance and uptake. It will also provide additional research services, including curation of evidence, communications work, and convening.
- Pillar 2: Responsive evidence, advisory support and rapid research (approximately 20% of funding) will provide a rapid-response research and advisory function for FCDO. It will ensure that FCDO policy teams, country offices and partners can access timely evidence, specialist expertise, and responsive research to inform SRHR policy, programming and influencing opportunities as they emerge. Pillar 2 will be developed as a pilot during an initial phase (of approximately 6-12 months) and refined based on demand and lessons learned.
Percentages are provided for guidance and subject to change.
Location
- Pillar 1 should be focused on at least six LMICs, including but not limited to Africa and South or Southeast Asia, and some fragile and/or conflict-affected settings. Country selection should have a clear rationale based on burden of need and/or contextual opportunity.
- Pillar 2 should extend beyond Pillar 1 countries, based on FCDO and partner need. Demand will be managed with FCDO support.
Thematic areas of focus
Research priorities should be identified by the applying consortium and explore questions pertinent to the range of country contexts in which the consortium is based. The call for Expressions of Interest sets out areas of thematic interest, including:
- access to high-quality, person-centred SRHR services
- strengthening health systems and generating implementation evidence
- equality, inclusion and rights in SRHR
- research in fragile and conflict-affected settings
- digital technologies and innovation
Programme summary
Funding type: Accountable grant
Value: Up to £12m. Funding agreements could be extended if further funding becomes available in the future.
Timeframe: July 2027 – March 2032
Proposal development support: Up to £30,000 will be made available to applicants progressing to Full Proposal stage to support the development of proposals, subject to light-touch due diligence and contracting with the RCC.
Process: Two-stage competition, with Expressions of Interest (EOIs), followed by Full Proposals. Only shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit full proposals.
Management: Once the successful consortium is selected, the grant award and ongoing Research Centre management will be led by FCDO (GRTD) directly.
| Indicative timeline | Date |
|---|---|
| Competition (EOI) launched | 30 September 2026 |
| Virtual Q&A webinar | 6 October 2026, 11:00 BST (10:00 GMT) |
| Deadline for submitting questions | 6 November 2026 |
| Deadline for Expressions of Interest | 30 November 2026, 17:00 GMT |
| Applicants notified of shortlisting decisions | 8 January 2027 |
| Completion of due diligence and contracting for proposal development grants | 26 January 2027 |
| Full Proposal phase launched | 1 February 2027 |
| Deadline for Full Proposals | 16 April 2027, 17:00 GMT |
| Funding decision to preferred bidder | 28 May 2027 |
| Accountable grant signed | Early June 2027 |
Note: In case there are any changes to these dates, the revisions will be reflected here.
Key events
Q&A webinar: Tuesday, 6 October 2026, 11:00–12:00 BST (10:00–11:00 GMT)
A Q&A webinar will be held with the FCDO and RCC teams to address questions relating to applications. Please register here to attend.
Eligibility
- A consortium must consist of at least one and up to two Lead Organisation(s) (Consortium Lead(s)) as well as Co-Applying Organisations (Consortium Members).
- The recommended consortium size is six to eight organisations, and no more than ten.
- The Consortium Lead(s) must be a public university, non-profit research organisation, or a private university with a clearly defined non-profit division.
- Other non-profit organisations in LMICs and HICs may be Consortium Members but not Leads.
- An organisation may lead or co-lead only one EOI and may participate in up to three applications in total.
Please read the full Call for Expressions of Interest document for more information on eligibility criteria.
Evaluation criteria
- Alignment with the call scope and intended impact (25%)
- Research quality (25%)
- Consortium Lead(s) and Members’ expertise and capabilities (25%)
- Consortium structure and governance arrangements (25%)
Please read the full Call for Expressions of Interest document for detailed evaluation criteria.
How to apply
Organisations wishing to submit an EOI for the SRHR Applied Research Centre should submit their application through the RCC’s grant management platform, SmartSimple, by 17:00 GMT on Monday 30 November 2026. Expressions of Interest received after the due time and date will not be considered.
Research Centre budgets are not required at EOI stage, but a template is provided below for applicants’ reference. Budgets will be assessed as part of Full Proposals for shortlisted consortia.
Please note that EOIs that do not conform to the guidance given in the call document will be rejected without appraisal.
- Call for EOIs
- RCC Application Template (for reference only – please apply through the grant management system)
- Proposal development grant budget template
- RCC SmartSimple Grant Management System
- Grant management system user guide
- Proposal development grant applicant guidance
- GRTD Approach Paper
- FCDO Programme Operating Framework (PrOF)
- FCDO Programme Expenditure: Eligible Cost Guidance
- FCDO grant conditions (Accountable Grant Arrangement Template)
- FCDO budget template (for reference only, to be submitted at full proposal stage)
Supporting information
If successful, funding recipients will be required to adhere to FCDO policies on value for money, safeguarding, open science and ethical research standards, including those mentioned below. We strongly recommend reviewing these before applying:
- FCDO Ethical Guidance for Research, Evaluation and Monitoring Activities
- FCDO guidance on safeguarding for external partners
- UKCDR: Guidance on Safeguarding in International Development Research
- FCDO Due Diligence Guidance for External Partners
- FCDO Open Access Policy
- Government Social Research Assurance and Ethical Checklist
- Fraud reporting guidance for FCDO-funded grants
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement 2015;
- UK Government Guidance on Aligning UK international support for the clean energy transition
- UK’s Environmental principles policy statement
The full list of guidance that FCDO-funded research is expected to comply with is set out under ‘Further guidance’ in the Call for Expressions of Interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
SRHR Applied Research Centre FAQs
Contact
To submit a question, please contact rcc@3ieimpact.org using the subject line, ‘SRHR – Request for clarification’.
Please submit all questions by Friday 6 November 2026.
The RCC team will not respond to queries individually but will update the published FAQs at regular intervals to ensure all applicants have access to the same information. Responses to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) not covered elsewhere will be published on this page and circulated to the project mailing list.
FCDO is unable to provide any advice to applicants on the content or administrative structure of the EOIs. Ministers and officials cannot meet with organisations to discuss the competition or the EOIs.
To keep up to date with announcements about this competition, join the mailing list.