The Borrow Foundation is pleased to announce a call for grant applications.
About the charity
The Foundation is a UK-based charity, a not-for-profit organisation, registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Our mission is to promote the improvement of oral health primarily in children through the prevention of oral diseases.
Our focus is on population oral health and the need to reduce inequalities within and between countries.
Over the past decade, the reach and scope of the work supported by the charity have expanded greatly. Previous calls have proved to be a key factor in this, with grants having been awarded around the world to leading health agencies, government bodies, academic institutes, dental associations, and NGOs / charities.
Our priorities
The adoption by the World Health Assembly of the landmark Resolution on oral health in 2021 (WHA74.5), the WHO Global Oral Health Strategy in 2022 (WHA75(11)), and the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan in 2023 (WHA76(9)), has generated renewed momentum for the global oral health agenda. These policy documents, which place considerable emphasis on population oral health and prevention, as well as the need to address the unacceptable inequities in oral health, have greatly influenced our strategic thinking.
The goals set by the trustees towards the mission, centred on implementation research, will inform the charity’s decision-making and allocation of resources over the period 2025 – 2030. They are closely aligned to the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan, which translates six strategic objectives into a set of evidence-informed actions that can be adapted to the appropriate national context.
Scope of the call
Under this call, to help achieve the Foundation’s mission and thereby contribute to the advancement of the WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan, we are inviting grant applications for the support of:
- Implementation research*, which will inform the development of policies and strategies for the improvement of child population oral health, and help translate evidence into practice, leading to an increase in the number of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that:
- Develop research-informed policies and action plans in relation to the prevention of oral disease in children
- Develop research-informed methods to implement their action plans
- Undertake feasibility / pilot testing and evaluation of their action plans.
- Research that identifies ways to reduce inequalities in child oral health within or between countries
- Capacity building in dental public health in LMICs.
Applying for a grant
The grant application form can be accessed through the following link:
The deadline for grant applications is 30 October 2025.
We will be pleased to receive applications for joint or match funding.
Determining the applications
Applications will be determined by 31 March 2026 at the latest.
The award of any grants is entirely at the discretion of the Foundation.
This call for grant applications and any claim (including non-contractual claims) arising out of it or its subject matter shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.
*More on implementation research Implementation research is the scientific study of methods to promote the uptake of research findings and other evidence-based practices into routine practice or care. It covers a wide range of research disciplines and designs and many implementation science frameworks are available to facilitate the process. These frameworks explain and describe the various stages and activities which can be used in implementing programmes and practices and can vary in focus, depending on different contexts and aspects of the implementation process. In relation to our mission and goals, a wide range of stages or steps is relevant. These may include identifying the needs of a population group, understanding the evidence base to support change, identifying potential enablers and barriers, conducting feasibility / pilot testing, developing a theory-based implementation plan, undertaking monitoring of implementation quality, through to evaluating programme outcomes. |
The Borrow Foundation (a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, with registered number 03303900).