Closing the Gap – Funding for women’s neurological health

Important dates

• Intake: November 5, 2026
• Submission deadline: December 2, 2026 at 11:59 pm
• Notice of decision: January 8, 2027

All projects funded through this call for proposal must start no later than March 31, 2027.

Overview

Closing the Gap is the Alberta government’s inaugural women's health innovation funding call. It is designed to: 

• accelerate solutions that improve health outcomes for women 
• advance the sustainability of Alberta's health system 

This grant funding will prioritize innovations: 

• that address a clearly demonstrated gap in women's neurological health
• have a credible pathway to measurable improvements in: 
  • prevention
  • timely diagnosis 
  • access to care
  • patient outcomes
  • health system efficiency 

Funding 

A total of $5 million is available through the program, with up to $1 million awarded per project. 

Projects may receive funding for up to 2 years.

Eligibility

These groups are eligible to apply for funding:

• health system organizations and partners
• provincially recognized post-secondary institutions
• Indigenous governments, organizations and representative bodies
• municipalities (cities, towns, villages, etc.)
• federally or provincially registered for-profit entities, including sole proprietorships, corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies 
  • For-profit entities must apply with an eligible organization from the above list as the co-applicant. 
  • The co-applicant cannot be another for-profit entity.

How to apply

Step 1. Read the guidelines

• Review the Closing the Gap: Women’s Health Funding Competition Program Guide.

Step 2. Complete the application package

• Fill out the Closing the Gap: Women’s Health Funding Competition Grant Application Form.
• The application is completed and submitted through the online form.
• To avoid losing your work, we recommend drafting the application in a separate document before entering information into the application form.
• To save your progress and continue later, click the Save button and enter your email address. 
  • You will receive an email from [email protected] containing a link to return to your application and information about the link’s expiration date.

Step 3. Submit the application package

• Click the Submit button at the bottom-right corner of the last page of the application.
• When prompted, enter your email address in the pop-up window and click the Submit button to send your application.
• You will receive a copy of your submitted application and an email from [email protected]. 
  • This email will contain instructions for forwarding the required supporting documentation as email attachments to [email protected].
• You will also receive an automated notification confirming that your application has been received.

After you apply

Your application goes through this process:

Step 1. Initial screening

Applications are screened for completeness and eligibility.

Step 2. Review and scoring

Applications that pass initial screening undergo review. Applications are assessed based on alignment with: 

• program objectives
• potential impact
• feasibility and readiness 
• system integration feasibility 

Step 3. Internal review and funding decisions

Applications recommended through the review process are considered against the following: 

• program priorities
• provincial needs
• available funding
• overall strength of the application

Step 4. Decision notification

All applicants will receive formal notice of the funding decision.

Step 5. Final grant agreements

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for further discussion or refinement of their proposal before final grant agreements are completed.

Reporting

Awarded projects will be given a contractual grant agreement. This agreement will outline the terms and conditions of support and must be signed by both parties prior to the release of payment.

As a part of this agreement, grant recipients must regularly report on the financial status of projects and on the outcomes achieved. The schedule and reporting requirements will be outlined in the agreement. Both parties must agree to any significant variations in project scope or other requirements of the contract.

Related news

• Investing in women’s and children’s health

Contact

Connect with the Closing the Gap grant team at [email protected].