Pandemic Fund’s third call for proposals: FAO continues supporting countries strengthen pandemic prevention and preparedness through a One Health approach
The Pandemic Fund has announced its third Call for Proposals, with an envelope of USD 500 million to enhance pandemic preparedness and response with a focus in low- and middle-income countries. With this funding, single-country, multi-country and regional proposals are invited to focus on capacity strengthening for disease surveillance, laboratory systems, and workforce development – critical pillars in the global fight against emerging health threats.
As a key Implementing Entity of the Pandemic Fund, FAO, alongside other Implementing Entities including WHO, UNICEF and the multilateral development banks, are committed to advancing this critical initiative. Through the projects funded under the first and second round of calls, FAO is co-implementing 33 projects across 45 countries, along with other Implementing Entities. This extensive portfolio underscores FAO’s commitment to strengthening global pandemic prevention and preparedness through addressing critical health challenges by leveraging more investment though domestic co-investment and cofinancing as well as fostering cross-sectoral and multi-agency collaboration.
The third call for proposals: two separate phases for the third round
The third round launches via two distinct phases to better align with the diverse needs of countries and regional entities:
Phase-I: Call for single-country and multi-country proposals
- Application portal opens: 14 March 2025
- Submission deadline: 30 May 2025
- Announcement of proposals selected for funding: November 2025
Phase-II: Call for Regional Entity proposals
- Application portal opens: 13 June 2025
- Submission deadline: Mid-September 2025
- Announcement of proposals selected for funding: November 2025
Priorities and key features for the third round
In line with the Pandemic Fund’s medium-term Strategic Plan, this round continues to prioritize high-impact investments in the same three key priority areas as previous rounds:
- Early warning and disease surveillance systems
- Laboratory systems
- Strengthening human resources and community workforce capacity
To ensure broad and equitable participation, the third round of the Pandemic Fund parameters include:
Grant ceilings: Up to USD 25 million for single-country proposals and USD 40 million for multi-country and Regional Entity proposals.
Eligibility criteria: Countries that received single-country grants in the previous rounds are not eligible for single-country grants but can participate in only one multi-country or regional proposal. Countries involved in successful multi-country or regional projects in the previous rounds remain eligible to apply for both single country proposals and one multi-country or regional grant.
Cross-cutting themes: proposals should integrate cross-cutting themes such as One Health, gender equality, community engagement, and health equity, with an emphasis on two cross-cutting enablers – strengthening National Public Health Institutes (or equivalent institutions) and regional or global networks – to foster better coordination, rapid response, and robust public health systems.
FAO encourages interested Member countries and regional entities to contact FAO offices at national, regional and global level to get technical advice and support for the design of impactful multi-sectoral proposals. FAO stands committed to supporting governments and partners in designing impactful proposals that align with national and regional priorities, ultimately aiming to build resilient health and food systems capable of mitigating future pandemic risks.
Find out more about the third call for proposals, including eligibility and application guidance