Project grants in HPV vaccination

Background and context

HPV vaccination has the potential to prevent more than 90% of HPV-attributable cancers, including cervical cancer. This primary prevention intervention represents one of the most effective interventions for addressing cervical cancer, particularly for women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which still bear 90% of cervical cancer deaths globally. In December 2022, the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) recommended a single-dose schedule for HPV vaccination, representing a further opportunity to overcome many challenges in increasing access and coverage for the vaccine in many settings.

Although there has been a renewed momentum to accelerate access to primary prevention through HPV vaccination programmes, in particular building on Gavi’s revitalisation of their HPV programme with the objective to reach 86 million adolescent girls by 2025, and more recently with the first Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum, access to HPV vaccination remains limited in LMICs.

In 2023, UICC conducted a landscaping report to generate knowledge about current and potential engagement for civil society organisations (CSOs) to act towards access to HPV vaccination. The report highlighted three areas where support would be particularly required: resources for implementation, communication for public education and knowledge for advocacy.

Call for applications for project grants

Based on the needs identified in the context of the landscaping report, UICC launched this grants opportunity to support high-impact CSO-led projects at the national level enabling organisations to advocate, raise awareness and mobilise communities for HPV vaccination.

• Project scope: Projects supported demonstrate their relevance in terms of increasing access to HPV vaccination for girls under 15. This can comprise advocacy projects, awareness campaigns, community mobilisation and implementation research projects. 

• Geographical scope: The grants are open to all countries, with the exception of countries which are unable to receive funds from Switzerland. 

• Eligible organisations: The applicants have to be UICC members, with a track record in managing cancer control projects. 

• Funding: The grants awarded support projects of USD 20’000. 

• Project duration: Projects have a maximum duration of one year, starting in November 2024. 

• Selection criteria: Projects demonstrate local relevance, feasibility, potential for impact, sustainability and political readiness for HPV vaccine introduction and/or scale-up.

Download the grant application guidelines

Projects awarded

Review Committee

• Chair: Cathy Ndiaye, Senegal, Director of HPV Vaccine Programs, PATH
• Mary Adeoye, Switzerland, HPV Programme Manager, Gavi
• Anu Agrawal, USA, Vice President, Global Cancer Support, American Cancer Society
• Rose Anorlu, Nigeria, FIGO Committee on Women’s Cancers, Nigeria 
• Paul Bloem, Switzerland, Senior Technical Officer at World Health Organization
• Jen Donofrio, USA, Senior Program Officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Mary Eiken, USA, CEO, International Gynecologic Cancer Society
• Somesh Kumar, India, Senior Director, Technical Leadership and Innovation, Jhpiego
• Diep Nguyen, Australia, Research Fellow at the Daffodil Centre
• Margaret Stanley, UK, IPVS Past President, Professor, Cambridge University 
• Nayab Waheed, Belgium, Project Lead CHIC, University of Antwerp
• Heather White, USA, Executive Director, TogetHER for Health 
• Alex Wright, UK, Global Lead, Cancer Research UK