The Pfizer Quality Improvement Competitive Grant Program – Improving the Vaccination Environment to Prevent Respiratory Infectious Diseases in Older Adults and High-Risk Individuals supports initiatives designed to enhance the vaccination environment and promote the prevention of respiratory infectious diseases among older adults and high-risk individuals in Japan.

Overview

This program seeks to establish systems that enable older adults and high-risk individuals who wish to be vaccinated to receive vaccination smoothly and reliably. Projects should also foster an environment in which people can receive vaccination with confidence through appropriate risk communication. The focus is on improving the vaccination environment, not on supporting clinical research or evaluating therapeutic or diagnostic agents.

Funding and Benefits

• Funding Range: Individual projects requesting up to 7,500,000 JPY will be considered.
• Project Length: Maximum project length is 2 years (January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2028). An extension up to 3 years is possible.
• Costs Included: Award amounts include direct costs, institutional overhead costs (capped at 28% per Pfizer policy), and indirect costs.
• Important Note: Grants will be distributed following a fully executed agreement and submission of Final Protocol, Documentation of IRB/IEC Approval, Regulatory Approval (if applicable), Exemption or Waiver.

Eligibility

• Geographic Scope: Japan.
• Applicant Eligibility Criteria: The following may apply: medical, dental, nursing, allied health, and/or pharmacy professional schools; healthcare institutions (both large and small); professional organizations; government agencies; and other entities with a mission related to healthcare improvement.
• Organizations Only: Only organizations are eligible to receive grants, not individuals or medical practice groups (i.e., an independent group of physicians not affiliated with a hospital, academic institution, or professional society).
• Collaborations: Collaborations within institutions (e.g., between departments and/or inter-professional), as well as between different institutions/organizations/associations, are encouraged. All partners must have a relevant role, and the requesting organization must have a key role in the project.
• Project Lead: The applicant must be the Project Lead/Principal Investigator (PI) or an authorized designee. The Project Lead/PI must be an employee or contractor of the requesting organization.
• Legal Requirement: The requesting organization must be legally able to receive award funding directly from Pfizer International LLC.

Research Areas and Activities

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• Establishing access environments that enable people to receive vaccination smoothly.
• Education on risk communication related to vaccination.
• Communication education to address vaccine hesitancy.
• Improving communication techniques that promote vaccination.
• Developing and embedding vaccination approaches tailored to the living environment of older adults and high-risk individuals.

Vaccination to prevent respiratory infectious diseases that affect older adults and high-risk individuals should be covered, including one or more of the following: COVID-19, pneumococcal disease, and RSV infection.

Projects are expected to be evidence-based (education and/or quality improvement) and follow generally accepted scientific principles. Projects that include an overt description of system-based changes will be given high priority.

Application Process

• Submission Method: Applications must be submitted via the online portal. A new online application system will be introduced in mid-August. The login URL for the new system and detailed application procedures will be provided through an update to this RFP on or after mid-August.
• Requirements for Submission: Complete all required sections of the online application and upload the proposal (see Appendix) in the Proposal/Protocol field.
• Proposal Format: Project Proposals/Protocols should be single-spaced using Calibri 12-point font and 1-inch margins. There is a 15-page limit exclusive of references.
• Questions: Questions regarding this RFP should be directed in writing to the Grant Officer, Akihiro Kamina (meg.japan@pfizer.com), with the subject line “Improving the Vaccination Environment to Prevent Respiratory Infectious Diseases in Older Adults and High-Risk Individuals and release date”.

Deadline and Timeline

• RFP Release Date: 24 JUN 2026
• Submission Deadline: 15 SEP 2026 (23:59 Eastern Standard Time). Applications submitted after the due date will not be reviewed.
• Anticipated Grant Award Notification: 28 OCT 2026
• Anticipated Project Start Date: 1 JAN 2027
• Anticipated Project End Date: 31 DEC 2028