From 23 to 26 March 2026, a selection of 14 POMS mentees and 6 mentors, joined colleagues at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), for a four-day grant development workshop in Nairobi, Kenya.
Participants were selected through an expression-of-interest process inviting early-stage concept notes in One Health infectious disease research, with priority given to members based regionally in Africa. Of these, 4 concepts were selected for collaborative proposal development, and remaining participants were divided into teams according to intersecting research interests.
Each team was challenged to design a proposal worth up to £3 million over 5 years, integrating at least three disciplines.The programme combined practical talks with hands-on mentor support and feedback.
Four One Health proposals
Each team was assigned a mentor who help them prepare an initial 3-slide presentation addressing what and why, how and where, and who. Teams then refined their research question, methods and partnerships in response to peer and mentor feedback. The four proposals addressed major One Health priorities across African settings:
| Title | Focus | Team |
|---|---|---|
| WASH-POMS in sub-Saharan Africa | Animal-inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene approaches at shared human–animal water points | Oluwayomi Adeyemi, Cheikh Binetou Fall, Belinda Mligo and Ursin Bayisenge |
| Lassa virus surveillance in Bauchi State, Nigeria | Combining genomic, environmental and human–rodent interaction data | Yetunde Abioye, Doris Nyamwaya, Constance Agbemelo-Tsomafo and Fay Webster |
| Foot-and-mouth disease control in southern Africa | Using genomic surveillance to inform vaccination and control strategies | Carla Mavian, Charlie Amoia and Tshifhiwa Nefefe |
| Antimicrobial resistance in East and Southern Africa | Mapping transmission and drivers across human, animal and environmental systems | Melanie Hay, Ann Munene and Jean Nepomuscene Hakizimana |
Specialist input
To help teams consider and apply different elements of competitive proposals, specialists talks were woven throughout the programme. Lian Thomas (ILRI), Robyn Alders (ANU, POMS) and Annie Cook (ILRI, POMS) introduced the foundations of proposal design: articulating a clear research vision, assembling interdisciplinary teams and translating ideas into connected work packages.
A second set of talks focused on the practical requirements of a fundable application. Eric Fèvre (ILRI) outlined how applications progress through eligibility checks, peer review and panel assessment, while Tim Connelley (IVVN, POMS) covered alignment with funding calls, budgets, institutional approvals and partner responsibilities.
Further specialist inputs considered how to achieve wider reach and real-world impact: Rose Chesoli (ILRI) introduced Theory of Change; Brian Perry (University of Edinburgh, POMS) examined approaches to impact assessment; Karen Wambui (ILRI) discussed identifying suitable funding opportunities for researchers in LMIC settings; Zoe Campbell (ILRI) demonstrated how gender analysis can be integrated throughout research design and implementation.
One Health in the field
On Day 3, participants visited the ILRI Kapiti Research Station and Wildlife Conservancy, to meet those working at the wildlife-environmental interface to support sustainable livestock management and climate-resilient production
Defending final proposals
In a final mock grant panel, participants were given practical insight into formal proposal defence under conditions designed to mirror a real funding panel. Each team gave a 10-minute, 6-slide presentation followed by questions from mentors and peers, requiring participants to defend their assumptions, justify their choices and respond to criticism in real time.
What participants took away
Participants recorded excellent learning outcomes, particularly in understanding funder expectations. They also told us that their proposals changed substantially as a result of feedback and specialist input, learning to include systems mapping, stakeholder engagement, gender considerations and clearer pathways to impact. Overall, we noted a shift in focus from the narrow technical components of a proposal, those relevant to their own field, toward developing a truly interdisciplinary approach; knowing how to involve collaborators early, share ideas and planning decisions effectively and understand the value and application of outside expertise.
“I gained a new appreciation for working iteratively and sharing ideas before they feel ‘perfect’.”
Melanie Hay, POMS mentee
“I gained clarity on how to articulate interdisciplinary collaboration in a proposal. Rather than describing disciplines separately, I will now present a unified conceptual framework that shows how diverse expertise collectively addresses complex health challenges at the human-animal-environment interface.”
Charlie Amoia, POMS mentee
Reflections and next steps
In a follow-up session after the workshop, mentees and mentors considered which elements could be adapted for online delivery. They emphasised giving teams space to share ideas early and often, setting clear deadlines and milestones, and creating regular opportunities for focused mentor and peer feedback. These reflections help to inform discussions about how POMS can repeat the success of the Nairobi workshop, allowing further opportunity for small group iterative development and relationship-building across the network.
The workshop was made possible through additional support from RVC’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) fund, which supports international collaboration addressing global health, livestock productivity and disease control in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).
