Leadership Development (LEAD) Program

Leadership Development (LEAD) Program

The IAHPC Leadership Development (LEAD) Program is designed to support academic institutions and civil society organizations aspiring to build leadership capacity to develop constructive partnerships and improve palliative care service provision in their countries or regions.

Civil society organizations include a wide variety of networks and groups: non-governmental organizations (NGOs), professional associations (such as national palliative care organizations), charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, and foundations that function outside of government to provide support for collaborative partnerships, and leadership on specific issues. Sometimes called the “third sector” to differentiate it from the public (governmental) and private sectors (businesses and corporations)—civil society organizations can influence and inform the actions of policymakers and businesses – in this case to advance and improve palliative care provision.

The LEAD program aligns with the four thematic areas of work identified in the IAHPC 2020-2024 Strategic Plan. It falls under Advocacy, and seeks to achieve the IAHPC Strategic Objective 1.2: “To develop a global cadre of IAHPC members to advocate for improved access to essential palliative care medicines at national, regional, and global levels.”

The LEAD Program Award

The LEAD Program includes a seed grant awarded to institutions/organizations working to advance palliative care in their countries, and provides IAHPC mentoring from IAHPC staff and board members as appropriate for a period of two years.

Applicants are required to complete an online application in English and to present a project proposal focusing on how they will build institutional capacity to facilitate constructive relationships and partnerships with all relevant actors, including government officials and media representatives as appropriate, with the goal of improving access to services for people with palliative care needs.

Project proposals may relate to leadership at specified levels of governance to:


Selected institutions or organizations are awarded US $1,000 for the first year, with another amount to be determined (not exceeding US $1,500) for the second year.

Grantees for the 2023-2024 term have been awarded. No applications are received at this time.

Grantees 2023-2024