A*STAR FY26 Human Potential Programme - Prenatal/Early Childhood (PEC) Grant Call

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Background

Human capital is Singapore's most valuable resource. With persistently low birth rates, an ageing population and a declining workforce, a national priority for Singapore to optimise each individual's potential from young and throughout life.

The Human Potential (“HP”) Programme was set up as part of the Human Health and Potential (“HHP”) domain under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (“RIE”) 2025 plan and continues to be a key priority under the 2030 plan. The HP Programme is aimed at:

• improving holistic health, wellness, and academic readiness of individuals; and
• increasing their economic contribution over their lifetime.

The Prenatal/Early Childhood (PEC) Grant Call is a national competitive funding scheme dedicated to build ecosystem capacity and capabilities in HP.

PEC is one of the three strategic focus areas under the HP Programme and focuses on improving child’s physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development and maternal health and well-being in order to optimise developmental outcomes and set the right trajectory for an individual’s life course.

It will also tap on the momentum of past RIE2025 PEC Grants to catalyse collaborations between multi-disciplinary research performers and operational agencies to deepen our understanding of early life health and development by supporting targeted, evidence-based interventions that promote physical, metabolic, mental, and socio-emotional well-being during the maternal, prenatal, and childhood periods—critical stages that influence outcomes across the life course.

This FY26 grant call concerns “Empowering Caregivers to Foster Healthy Development”, within the life course from preconception, pregnancy to early-mid childhood (-1 to 10 year olds).

For more information of the grant call, please refer to ‘PEC26 Briefing Webinar Slides (Final)(UPDATED)’ PDF and ‘PEC26 Grant Call Information Sheet (UPDATED)’ file as attached.

Research Areas

For more information on the specific research themes, please refer to ‘PEC26 Grant Call Information Sheet (UPDATED)’ file as attached below.

Funding Details

Tier 1: Funding is up to $500,000 (inclusive of 30% indirect cost) for a period of up to 3 years.

Tier 2: Funding is up to $2M (inclusive of 30% indirect cost) for a period of up to 3 years.

1. Researchers from all Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), public sector agencies, public hospitals, public healthcare institutions, and public research entities (hereinafter referred to as “eligible organisations”) are eligible to apply.
2. Proposals should be driven by one Lead Principal Investigator (Lead PI) with the stature and reputation to drive collaborations with research partners.
3. The lead/team PI must:

• Have a minimum of 0.7 FTE primary appointment with an eligible organisation; and
• Have a laboratory or research programme that carries out research in Singapore.
  

To note:

• Researchers who have primary/joint appointments in publicly funded institutions may participate in the call as Co-Is.
• Researchers who are salaried by this PEC26 awarded project cannot be PIs/Co-Is on this project.
• Researchers from private organisations (local and/or foreign) may only participate as collaborators.
• Ministries/Public Agencies whose officers have expertise relevant to the project may participate as collaborators with supporting justification.

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Tier 1:

• Only young researchers (who have completed their PhD or MBBS/MD/BDS within the past 7/10 years respectively) can apply.
• Young investigators under this tier must work with a mentor for research guidance if they have not received external competitive funding exceeding S$500,000 (direct cost only) within the past 5 years to conduct their own research project as the PI.

Note: This Tier is intended for new investigator's independent project, and not to provide additional funding for the mentor's project.

Tier 2 & Tier 3:

Lead PIs must:

• Hold a primary appointment in an eligible local public institution and be salaried by the institution;
• Be an independent PI with a demonstrated track record of research, as evidenced by the award of nationally competitive funding (international funding to be considered on a case-by-case basis) and/or have a substantial publication record. 

Lead PIs should also:

• Demonstrate the capability and relevant scientific and/or technical expertise to independently lead and/or coordinate research programmes commensurate with the scope and complexity of the proposed project.
• Directly oversee a substantial proportion of the proposed research activities and be responsible for the overall scientific direction and delivery of the project.
• Provide strategic leadership and coordination across the programme by integrating the contributions of all research partners and ensuring effective collaboration. For collaborative proposals, each work package should be led by an appropriate qualified Team PI to ensure scientific leadership, accountability and delivery of each component of research.

Submission

1. Interested applicants are to submit the following completed files (i.e. ‘PEC26 LOI Template’ file and ‘PEC26 LOI Ppt Template’ file) using the templates attached through your Host Institution’s Research Office to Human Potential Coordinating Office (HPCO) via the link here by 24 August 2026 (Monday), 5pm.

Please note that applications should only be submitted by One Lead Principal Investigator (PI).

2. LOI applications must be endorsed by the Host Institution's Research Director (or equivalent).

3. Shortlisted applicants will be invited by A*STAR to submit a full proposal application.

Note:

• SingHealth PIs are to please refer to your respective Institutional Research Administrators for guidance on internal deadlines and submission procedures set by your institutions.

Contact Person

Email: HPPO@hq.a-star.edu.sg

Additional Information

Please refer to A*STAR’s website here and attachments below for more information:

PEC26 Briefing Webinar Slides (Final)(UPDATED)
PEC26 Grant Call Information Sheet (UPDATED)
PEC26 LOI Template
PEC26 LOI Ppt Template