Key success criteria and final twists for your EDCTP3 stage-1 proposal
16th February 2026 at 10:52 am
The EDCTP3 two-stage calls closing on 4 March 2026 represent a major funding opportunity for Global Health research and innovation in sub-Saharan Africa. For many consortia, the scientific concept is already defined, and proposal writing is well underway. At this point, the key challenge is no longer eligibility or topic fit, but how to position a strong stage-1 proposal that convincingly demonstrates excellence, relevance and impact, and secures an invitation to submit a full stage-2 proposal. This blog highlights what EDCTP3 evaluators focus on at stage 1 and provides practical guidance to help applicants strengthen their proposals at this decisive step.
The EDCTP3 two-stage topics closing on 4 March 2026
The current EDCTP3 call portfolio includes four two-stage Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs), all of which are open for submission in the Funding & Tenders Portal:
- HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2026-01-TB-01-two-stage
Global Collaboration Action for the development of TB drugs for therapy and chemoprophylaxis in adults and children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Indicative JU budget: €30.0 million. Expected contribution: €10.0 million per project. Three projects expected to be funded. - HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2026-01-LRTI-02-two-stage
Global Collaboration Action for prevention and treatment of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in sub-Saharan Africa.
Indicative JU budget: €33.9 million. Expected contribution: €8.475 million per project. Four projects expected to be funded. - HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2026-01-HIV-03-two-stage
Global collaboration action towards better prevention, treatment and clinical management of HIV co-infections or co-morbidities in sub-Saharan Africa.
Indicative JU budget: €25.0 million. Expected contribution: €5.0 million per project. Five projects expected to be funded. - HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2026-02-CH-01-two-stage
Global Collaboration Action on climate and health in sub-Saharan Africa.
Indicative JU budget: €25.0 million. Expected contribution: €5.0 million per project. Five projects expected to be funded.
While the disease focus differs, the stage-1 evaluation logic is highly consistent across all four topics. Here are some key points that you need to be aware of and may wish to focus on during the remaining weeks until the submission deadline:
1. Stage 1 is about strategic excellence, not technical completeness
At stage 1, EDCTP3 evaluators are explicitly instructed to assess Excellence and Impact. This has important implications for how you prioritise content. What evaluators want to see clearly at stage 1 includes:
- A precisely framed scientific and clinical problem, grounded in the realities of sub-Saharan Africa.
- A credible innovation logic that goes beyond incremental improvement.
- Clear alignment with EDCTP3’s Global Health mission, including capacity strengthening and equitable partnerships.
- A convincing pathway towards clinical relevance and policy or practice uptake, even if detailed plans come later.
2. Demonstrating Global Collaboration is not optional
Across all EDCTP3 topics, Global Collaboration is not a label, but a core evaluation lens. At stage 1, evaluators will look closely at how collaboration with sub-Saharan African partners is embedded in the concept. Strong stage 1 proposals typically:
- Position African partners as scientific and clinical leaders, not only recruitment or field sites.
- Show how the project contributes to sustainable research capacity, including clinical trial readiness where relevant.
- Reflect local disease priorities, health system constraints and socio-economic context.
Therefore, we recommend to explicitly state what would be impossible to achieve without the proposed Africa–Europe collaboration. This helps evaluators see the added value immediately.
3. Clarifying the clinical ambition early
Even at stage 1, EDCTP3 proposals are expected to signal a clear clinical trajectory, especially for TB, LRTI and HIV topics. Evaluators want reassurance that the project is heading towards outcomes that matter for patients and health systems. This means:
- Being explicit about where on the clinical development pathway your project sits.
- Indicating the type of evidence you aim to generate over the project lifetime.
- Avoiding vague promises of future trials without a credible logic.
For the climate and health topic, clinical ambition translates into clarity on how climate-driven evidence will inform prevention, preparedness or health system adaptation.
4. Impact at stage 1 is about plausibility, not promises
Impact sections at stage 1 often fail because they read like generic Horizon Europe impact text, detached from EDCTP3 realities. Evaluators are looking for plausible, context-aware impact pathways. Effective stage 1 Impact sections:
- Link outcomes to specific policy, guideline or programme contexts in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Address who will use the results and under what conditions.
- Show awareness of regulatory, ethical and access-related constraints.
5. Expected in-kind contributions for RIAs under EDCTP3 2026 Work Programme
For those call topics, Global Health EDCTP3 estimates that the JU contribution to be matched by an equal or greater financial and/or in-kind contribution from other contributing partners would allow the outcomes of these topics to be addressed appropriately. However, as explained during the EDCTP3 Info Day Q&A session: For the RIA actions of the Work Programme 2026, it is expected that the requested funding from Global Health EDCTP3 would be matched equally or with greater financial and/or in-kind contribution from partners. The contributions can consist of financial contributions and/or in-kind contributions. This is not an eligibility requirement, which means that it does not preclude submission and selection of a proposal with a different contribution profile. For the first stage evaluation, the proposals will be evaluated and ranked against the following award criteria in General Annex D (see annexes to the call in F&T portal). While not an eligibility criterion, additional activities (as financed by contributing partner) may have a favourable effect on the evaluation.
Looking for support for your African-European collaborative proposal and project? Our team has the necessary expertise!
Since our foundation, we have been collaborating with organisations in Africa for many years. We bring hands-on experience from our involvement in the recently approved HUNADIA project under the EDCTP3 2025 Work Programme. In addition, we were a partner in Supporting LIFE, an Africa-focused global health project aimed at fighting child mortality. For consortia preparing stage-1 submissions, we are here to help you sharpen your stage 1 narrative and focus, align Excellence and Impact with EDCTP3 expectations, decide what to signal now versus develop at stage 2 and, if wished, act as a partner for communication, dissemination and impact, or as strategic proposal support.
At accelopment, we have extensive experience in securing EU funding for research and innovation projects. Our team of experts supports researchers, companies and institutions throughout the entire funding process – from strategic grant planning to proposal writing, project management and communication and dissemination. With deep knowledge of Health projects, we help our partners maximise their chances of success in securing European health research grants. We are currently involved in several HORIZON Health projects, including EXPOSIM, EU PAL-COPD, GLIOMATCH, GENEGUT and more, and look forward to supporting researchers in the upcoming calls.
Are you ready to start working on a proposal? Get in touch with our experts to see how we can support you in turning your idea into a competitive EDCTP3 proposal.
