Introduction
The Elsevier Foundation is a corporate nonprofit foundation that supports international partnerships designed to strengthen research capacity, improve health equity and expand opportunities for underrepresented communities.
History and Background
The Elsevier Foundation was established in 2005 with funding from Elsevier, a global provider of scientific and healthcare information and decision-support tools.
The Foundation was created to use financial resources, scientific knowledge, professional networks and technological expertise to address inequalities within global research and healthcare systems.
During its first decade, the Foundation primarily awarded grants to nonprofit organizations working with libraries, nursing faculties and women researchers at the early and middle stages of their careers.
In 2016, it adopted a more partnership-driven approach aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Its programmes subsequently placed greater emphasis on inclusive health, research capacity in developing countries, diversity in science, gender equality, climate action and reduced inequalities.
Since 2005, the Elsevier Foundation has awarded more than US$19 million through over 200 partnerships across more than 70 countries.
The Foundation is based in Amsterdam and operates as a corporate nonprofit organization recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the United States tax code.
Mission and Purpose
The Elsevier Foundation’s purpose is to build capacity and equity in research and health for an inclusive and sustainable future.
Its vision is to serve as a catalyst for inclusive research and health partnerships by convening and highlighting changemakers and accelerating early-stage interventions capable of contributing to systemic change.
The Foundation believes that the exclusion of under-resourced communities from research and healthcare is a major obstacle to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Its work is divided into two principal programme areas: Inclusive Research and Inclusive Health.
Inclusive Research partnerships strengthen scientific capacity, promote diversity in science, support women researchers and improve participation in research systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Inclusive Health partnerships seek to improve healthcare access, strengthen health systems and address the needs of vulnerable and underserved communities.
Across both areas, the Foundation prioritises evidence-based interventions, measurable progress, collaboration and solutions that can attract additional support or be expanded after their initial development.
Governance and Structure
The Elsevier Foundation is governed by a board composed of external experts and ex officio representatives from Elsevier.
External board members contribute knowledge in global health, education, sustainable development, research, diversity, inclusion, innovation and climate change.
Ex officio members are senior representatives of Elsevier and RELX, Elsevier’s parent company. Their participation connects the Foundation with the wider company’s expertise, networks and corporate responsibility programmes.
Board members serve renewable three-year terms. The board provides strategic guidance on programming, governance, new partnerships, emerging issues, ethical responsibilities, financial oversight and legal compliance.
The Foundation is managed by a small operational team led by Executive Director Ylann Schemm. The leadership structure also includes a partnerships director, partnerships manager, treasurer, legal counsel and specialist advisers.
The team develops partnerships, manages grants, monitors programmes, communicates results and connects nonprofit partners with relevant resources and expertise available through Elsevier.
The Foundation publishes annual reports, impact reports and partnership reports describing its activities, finances, governance and programme results.
Funding and Grants
The Elsevier Foundation is funded by Elsevier and forms part of the company’s corporate responsibility programme.
Elsevier finances the Foundation’s grants and covers administrative expenses. It also provides in-kind support through office facilities, marketing, media outreach, scientific content, data, analytics, professional networks and employee volunteers.
This combined funding model allows the Foundation to provide more than financial grants. Partners can also benefit from research information, technical knowledge, communications support, expert advice and opportunities to connect with institutions and professionals.
Historically, the Foundation operated competitive grant programmes. Its current model is more strongly based on carefully developed partnerships with nonprofit organizations, professional associations, academic institutions and international agencies.
Many partnerships operate through three-year cycles and may be renewed when resources are available and the collaboration continues to align with the Foundation’s strategy.
The Foundation also supports awards, research grants, climate-related challenges, disaster-relief initiatives, employee matching gifts and volunteering.
It does not operate as a general-purpose funder for every type of nonprofit project. Funding is concentrated on organizations and initiatives addressing inclusive research, health equity, scientific capacity, women in science and related Sustainable Development Goal priorities.
Applicants should consult individual programme pages because awards and grants have separate application procedures, eligibility requirements and deadlines.
Major Programs and Initiatives
Inclusive Research
The Inclusive Research programme works to make scientific systems more accessible, representative and equitable.
It supports women scientists, early-career researchers, librarians and academic institutions, particularly in countries where access to research information, professional networks and institutional resources remains limited.
Partnerships address research capacity, scholarly communication, gender representation, scientific leadership, access to information and the use of evidence in policy and practice.
OWSD–Elsevier Foundation Awards
The OWSD–Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World recognise women researchers making significant contributions to science.
The awards are delivered with the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World through an open call and international peer-review process.
Selection considers scientific achievement and the applicant’s wider contribution to research environments and society.
Award recipients receive a financial prize and support to participate in major scientific conferences connected to the annual thematic discipline. These opportunities increase their visibility, professional networks and potential for international collaboration.
Research4Life
Research4Life is an international public-private partnership that provides institutions in eligible low- and middle-income countries with free or affordable access to scholarly and professional information.
The partnership includes United Nations agencies, universities, publishers and professional organizations.
Elsevier was one of the original publishing partners that signed the first Research4Life agreement with the World Health Organization in 2001.
Elsevier supplies approximately 13 percent of the content available through Research4Life. The Elsevier Foundation has also contributed more than US$800,000 to training and capacity-building activities since 2008.
Research4Life Country Connectors
The Country Connectors programme strengthens the local use and management of scientific information.
It trains ambassadors and information specialists to build national research communities, conduct outreach, respond to user questions and help institutions make effective use of Research4Life resources.
The initiative operates in countries including Angola, Bhutan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Ghana, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Moldova, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Ukraine.
The partnership has a reported budget of US$70,000 annually for the 2022–2027 period.
Research4Life E-Learning Programme
The Elsevier Foundation supported the development of an online course led by the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Research4Life Capacity Development Team.
The programme helps researchers and librarians improve information literacy, scholarly communication, ethical research practices and research-information management.
Its online format enables participants in resource-constrained institutions to access structured professional training without needing to travel.
TWAS Women in Climate Action Grants
The Women in Climate Action programme is delivered with The World Academy of Sciences.
It provides project grants to women scientists in low- and middle-income countries who are developing locally relevant responses to climate challenges.
The initiative encourages interdisciplinary research, community participation and practical applications of scientific knowledge.
Participating researchers also receive capacity-building and peer-learning opportunities related to leadership, project management and research communication.
The partnership operated with an annual budget of US$100,000 from 2021 through 2026.
Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge
The Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge supports scientists developing chemistry-based responses to environmental and climate problems.
The programme promotes research with practical potential, particularly solutions that can address needs within low- and middle-income countries.
Supported projects can involve waste reduction, pollution control, sustainable materials, clean energy, water treatment and other applications connecting chemistry with climate action.
Gender Summits
The Foundation supports the Gender Summits initiated by Portia.
These international events bring together scientists, policymakers, funders and practitioners to examine how sex and gender influence research priorities, methods, institutions and outcomes.
The summits promote stronger integration of gender analysis in research and encourage institutions to create more inclusive scientific environments.
Female Science Talents
Through its partnership with the Falling Walls Foundation, the Elsevier Foundation supports women researchers seeking to develop their leadership, professional networks and visibility.
The initiative connects participants with an interdisciplinary international community and helps strengthen women’s participation in scientific decision-making.
Inclusive Health
The Inclusive Health programme supports partnerships that improve healthcare delivery and reduce health disparities in underserved communities.
Projects strengthen health professionals, information systems, evidence-based practice and the ability of local institutions to respond to public health challenges.
The programme places particular emphasis on interventions developed with communities rather than solutions imposed without local participation.
Strengthening Health Systems in Somalia
The Elsevier Foundation works with Concern Worldwide to strengthen health-information systems and healthcare capacity in Somalia.
The initiative supports regional health management teams, information officers and healthcare workers serving 12 facilities across five districts in Mogadishu, Banadir and Gedo.
The programme began with a US$50,000 pilot in 2023 and received support of US$100,000 annually from 2024 through 2026.
Its objective is to strengthen timely and effective responses to increases in acute malnutrition and other health pressures linked to conflict, food insecurity, drought and climate change.
Climate Care Champions
The Climate Care Champions programme is delivered with Swasti in India.
Launched in 2025, it equips frontline health workers with knowledge and skills for responding to climate-related health risks.
Participants include Accredited Social Health Activists, Anganwadi workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives serving vulnerable urban and rural communities.
The programme recognises that extreme heat, crop failures, water shortages and other climate impacts disproportionately affect women, children, older people, migrants and low-income households.
Employee Giving and Disaster Relief
The Elsevier Foundation administers initiatives that match employee donations to eligible charitable organizations.
It also supports disaster relief and creates volunteering opportunities through which Elsevier employees can contribute professional knowledge and time to Foundation partners and community organizations.
These mechanisms extend the Foundation’s work beyond institutional partnerships and encourage employee participation in social-impact activities.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
Since 2005, the Elsevier Foundation has provided more than US$19 million in funding through over 200 partnerships in more than 70 countries.
Its programmes have helped underrepresented researchers build professional skills, develop international networks, access scientific information and increase the visibility of locally led research.
Research4Life has grown into a partnership providing access to more than 250,000 peer-reviewed resources from over 185 publishers for institutions in more than 125 countries. The Elsevier Foundation’s financial and training support has helped research communities use these resources more effectively.
Its earlier support for the Medical Library Association’s Librarians Without Borders programme contributed to 20 training grants and 90 workshops in 42 countries.
Women scientists supported through OWSD awards and climate-action grants have undertaken research in health, agriculture, water, environmental protection and sustainable development.
Examples highlighted in the Foundation’s 2025 Impact Report include climate-smart agriculture in Uganda, maternal-health initiatives, disease-detection research and the use of parsley to remove toxic metals from wastewater in Jordan.
In Somalia, Foundation funding strengthens health-management and information systems serving facilities responding to malnutrition and climate-related health emergencies.
The Foundation’s approach seeks to help early-stage programmes establish evidence, demonstrate effectiveness, attract additional funding and develop into sustainable interventions capable of influencing wider systems.
Conclusion
The Elsevier Foundation combines corporate funding, nonprofit partnerships and scientific expertise to advance inclusive research and equitable healthcare.
Its programmes support women scientists, researchers, librarians, health workers and institutions in low- and middle-income countries while promoting climate action, gender equality and access to reliable knowledge.
By combining grants with data, content, professional networks, technical assistance and public visibility, the Foundation helps partners test innovative approaches and build evidence for broader systemic change.
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