Gates Foundation is currently accepting applications Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.
About Gates Foundation Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods 2026
This initiative supports innovative approaches to understand, measure, and overcome biological constraints that limit the absorption and utilization of micronutrients from fortified foods. It focuses on enhancing nutritional impact in populations where conventional fortification programs are insufficient due to physiological barriers.
Benefits of Gates Foundation Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods 2026
- They will consider proposals for awards of up to $250,000 USD for each project, with a grant term of 18 months. Application budgets should be commensurate with the scope of work proposed. Indirect costs will be considered and should be included in the budget for the up to $250,000 USD award (subject to the Gates Foundation's indirect cost policy).
Gates Foundation Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods 2026 Requirements
- This initiative is open globally to nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, international organizations, government agencies and academic institutions.
- Multi stakeholder collaborations are encouraged. Individuals and organizations classified as individuals for U.S. tax purposes are not eligible to receive an award from the foundation as part of this initiative.
They are looking for proposals that consider:
- Clear framing of the problem:
- Explicit articulation of how inflammation, infection, EED, metabolic conditions, or gut dysbiosis limit micronutrient absorption and utilization.
- Defined target population and context where fortification effectiveness is currently constrained.
- Strong biological rationale
- Mechanistic understanding (e.g., hepcidin-mediated iron blockade, impaired fat absorption, microbiome–nutrient interactions).
- Clear linkage between proposed solution and the underlying physiological barrier.
- Innovative and testable solution
- Novel fortificant formulations, delivery approaches, or adjunctive therapies.
- Microbiome-modulating, anti-inflammatory, or gut-repair strategies integrated with fortification.
- Development or validation of practical biomarkers to identify or stratify affected populations.
- Feasibility and scalability
- Practical pathway for integration into existing fortification platforms or delivery systems.
- Cost-effective design appropriate for low-resource settings.
- Consideration of regulatory, manufacturing, and supply chain implications.
- Measurement and evaluation plan
- Clearly articulated theory of change with appropriate outcomes related to micronutrient absorption, status, and functional impact.
- Inclusion of inflammation and/or gut function biomarkers where appropriate.
- Rigorous study design with defined milestones and go/no-go criteria.
- Equity and context relevance
- Focus on populations with high burdens of infection, undernutrition, or systemic inflammation.
- Engagement with local partners and alignment with national nutrition strategies.
- Risk assessment and mitigation
- Consideration of potential unintended consequences (e.g., microbiome disruption, pathogen proliferation, adverse nutrient interactions).
- Defined strategy for mitigating and managing scientific and implementation risks.
- Team capability
- Multidisciplinary expertise as required for the topic (nutrition, immunology, microbiome science, implementation science, product development).
- Demonstrated ability to translate discovery into scalable impact.
They will not fund proposals that focus on:
- Agricultural and plant biology related topics of research.
- Live biotherapeutics which will encounter regulatory challenges for use in food.
- Public health data collection and population status assessment.
- Policy making and advocacy.
- Commercialization and marketing solely.
Application Date and Process
- Click on the link to the application website to apply.
Application Deadline
28 April, 2026
Opportunity Application
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Gates Foundation Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods 2026
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