OVERVIEW: The Pfizer Foundation aims to improve healthcare access for underserved people in developing countries and makes grants in the areas of global health, disaster relief and humanitarian aid and women’s and girls’ causes.
IP TAKE: Pfizer makes over $30 million a year in grants, donations and strategic assistance to improve healthcare for underserved people in developing countries around the world. This funder partners with large nonprofits, governmental agencies, NGOs and for-profit social enterprises. Geographic areas of priority include Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The Pfizer Foundation works only with preselected grantee-partners and does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch. Pfizer Inc. offers grants to laboratories that are willing to undertake research and evaluations that are of strategic importance to the company via its Independent Grants program.
PROFILE: The Pfizer Foundation is the charitable arm of the global pharmaceutical company Pfizer. Based in New York City, the foundation’s overarching goal is to “address the challenges of a complex and evolving global health landscape.” The foundation’s main areas of grantmaking interest are healthcare access for underserved people, women’s and children’s health initiatives, non-communicable diseases, humanitarian relief and education.
It is worth noting that the Pfizer Foundation is run separately from Pfizer’s Independent Grants program, which sponsors research and education that is “aligned with Pfizer’s medical and/or scientific strategies.”
Grants for Global Health
Pfizer’s Global Health and Innovation Grants program aims to improve healthcare access for underserved populations in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Launched in 2016, the program awards about 20 grants of $100,000 each year to nonprofits, social enterprises and NGOs working to bring high quality community-based healthcare to areas of high need. Grantees include India’s Sevamob, which runs mobile testing and treatment clinics for infectious diseases including COVID-19, tuberculosis, hepatitis C and HIV, and Jacaranda Health, a Kenyan organization that provides emergency intervention for mothers and newborns who have experienced complications from childbirth. The foundation has also demonstrated interest in supporting efforts to prevent and treat noncommunicable diseases in underserved areas of developing countries. The foundation has partnered with Access Accelerated and governmental agencies in Ghana, Kenya and Vietnam to scale up screening measures using technology.
Grants for Disease Research
The Pfizer Foundation does not name disease research as an area of grantmaking interest, but Pfizer Inc.’s Independent Grants have supported research on cancer treatments, autoimmune and rare diseases that are of strategic importance to the company. Pfizer maintains a database of current RFPS for these grants on its website with links to application materials, due dates and guidelines for each project. Applicants are selected based on methodology and the amount of funding requested to complete investigations in which the company maintains interest.
Grants for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid
The Pfizer Foundation responds to natural disasters and humanitarian crises with cash grants, product donations and strategic assistance in drug and vaccine distribution. In 2020, the foundation partnered with the International Rescue Committee to deliver life-saving healthcare interventions in areas of high need in 40 countries around the world. Other grantees include the International Medical Corps, the Acumen Fund, the American Red Cross, the United Way, World Health Partners and Give2Asia.
Grants for Women and Girls
The Pfizer Foundation broadly supports women’s and girls’ causes via its Women’s and Children’s Health Initiatives. Grantmaking has prioritized initiatives in African nations in recent years, and topical areas of interest include reproductive health and vaccination programs. Grantee partners include CARE, the International Rescue Committee, Save the Children and World Vision.
Grants for Higher Education
The Pfizer Foundation does not name higher education as an area of grantmaking interest, but tax filings indicate that the foundation supports public and private colleges and universities in the U.S. Past grantees include the University of Michigan, Duke University, Cornell University, Ohio State University and the University of Connecticut, among others.
Important Grant Details:
The Pfizer Foundation makes over $30 million a year in grants. Grants generally range from $5,000 to $600,000, but several COVID-19 response grants have been made in amounts over $1 million. This funder mainly works with large nonprofits, NGOs and social enterprises that aim to improve healthcare access globally. For additional information on past grantmaking, see the foundation’s recent tax filings.
The Pfizer Foundation does not accept applications for any of its grantmaking programs. Pfizer Inc. maintains a database of RFPs for its Independent Grants. General inquiries may be directed to the foundation via telephone at 212-733-4250.
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