The Optimising Ulcerative Colitis Care: Bridging Knowledge Gaps, Integrating Biomarker-Based Strategies, and Advancing Equity grant supports educational initiatives designed to enhance healthcare professionals' (HCPs) knowledge and skills in the management of ulcerative colitis (UC). The programme addresses three key themes—transitioning from conventional to advanced therapies, educating on the role of biomarkers in long-term management of patients on S1P therapies, and addressing rural and metropolitan disparities in UC care. Ultimately, these efforts seek to address current educational gaps, promote best practices, and improve patient outcomes across diverse clinical settings in Australia.

Overview

This competitive grant programme invites proposals for independent medical education initiatives that empower clinicians with evidence-based tools and approaches in UC management. Projects should aim to bridge knowledge gaps, support the integration of objective and innovative assessment strategies, and equip clinicians to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care.

Funding and Benefits

• Grant Amount: Individual projects requesting up to $150,000 AUD will be considered. The estimated total available budget related to this RFP is $150,000 AUD.
• Project Length: Maximum project length is 1 year.
• Overhead: Award amounts include direct costs, institutional overhead costs (capped at 28% per Pfizer policy), and indirect costs.
• Payment: This RFP is supported by Pfizer International LLC. Payment will be issued by a Pfizer US-based legal entity to the grantee organization.

Eligibility

• Geographic Scope: Australia.
• Eligible Organisations: The following may apply: medical, dental, nursing, allied health, and/or pharmacy professional schools; healthcare institutions (both large and small); professional organisations or medical societies; medical education companies; and other entities with a mission related to healthcare professional education and/or healthcare improvement.
• Organisation Requirement: Only organisations 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).
• Accreditation: For projects offering continuing education credit, the requesting organisation must be accredited.
• Legal Capacity: The requesting organisation must be legally able to receive award funding directly from Pfizer International LLC.

Research Areas and Activities

This RFP seeks to support independent medical education initiatives that address one or more of the following areas:

• Transitioning from Conventional to Advanced Therapies in UC: Educational initiatives covering treat-to-target strategies, use of intestinal ultrasound (IUS), and pursuit of deep remission. Activities may include comprehensive needs assessments, designing educational programmes or digital resources, developing decision-support tools, and fostering multidisciplinary collaborations to share best practices.
• Biomarkers in Long-Term Management of S1P Therapies: Education on the clinical relevance and interpretation of outcome measures, including biochemical markers, to support informed decision-making for patients on advanced therapies, particularly sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators. This includes promoting awareness of biomarker-guided treatment strategies.
• Addressing Rural and Metropolitan Disparities in UC Care: Conducting needs assessments to identify gaps in knowledge, access, and care delivery for underserved settings. Developing educational tools and resources for clinicians, patients, and caregivers to enhance culturally appropriate care. Implementing educational programmes and workshops, potentially in partnership with local healthcare organisations, including through technology-enabled care pathways.

Note: This grant is not intended to support clinical research projects. Projects evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic or diagnostic agents will not be considered.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted via the online portal at www.cybergrants.com/pfizer/IndependentMedEd. First-time users should click "Create your password" to access the system.

In the application:

• For the question "Competitive Grant?" select "Yes".
• Select the following Primary Area of Interest: Gastroenterology - Ulcerative Colitis - IME.
• Select the following Competitive Grant Program Name: 2026 I&I AU Ulcerative Colitis IME.

Required Documents: Complete all required sections of the online application and upload a Project Proposal in the General RFP Submission field. The Proposal should be single-spaced using Calibri 12-point font and 1-inch margins, with a 15-page limit exclusive of references. It must address the following sections: Goals and Objectives, Assessment of Need, Target Audience, Project Design and Methods, Innovation, Evaluation and Outcomes, Dissemination Plan, Anticipated Project Timeline, Additional Information, Organization Detail, and Budget Detail.

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed. Applicants may be asked for additional clarification during the review period.

Deadline and Timeline

• RFP Release Date: 2 April 2026
• Submission Deadline: 1 June 2026 (23:59 Eastern Standard Time)
• Anticipated Grant Award Notification: 24 July 2026
• Anticipated Project Start Date: 1 October 2026
• Anticipated Project End Date: 1 October 2027

Contact Information

For questions regarding this RFP, direct them in writing to the Grant Officer, Akihiro Kamina, at akihiro.kamina@pfizer.com with the subject line "2026 GenMed AU: Optimising Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Management RFP". For technical difficulties with the submission website, please use the "Technical Questions" link at the bottom of the page in the Cybergrants portal.