Lead Exposure Action Fund
The Lead Exposure Action Fund supports global research, interventions, and advocacy to measure, reduce, and raise awareness of lead exposure, with a focus on high-burden, low-resource countries.
Funder: Coefficient Giving
Due Dates: Rolling (expressions of interest accepted anytime)
Funding Amounts: Grants range from ~$40,000 to over $17 million; over $60 million given to date; typical grants $100k–$2M+
Summary: Supports global projects to measure, reduce, and raise awareness about lead exposure, focusing on data collection, intervention, and policy advocacy.
Key Information: Most funding targets low- and middle-income countries; proactive outreach is common, but unsolicited EOIs are welcome.
Description
The Lead Exposure Action Fund (LEAF) is a global grantmaking initiative from Coefficient Giving aimed at accelerating progress toward a world free of lead exposure. LEAF supports projects that address the problem through three main strategies:
- Measurement: Collecting data on lead prevalence, conducting blood lead level surveys, identifying major sources of exposure (e.g., paint, spices, consumer products), and improving measurement methodologies.
- Mitigation: Implementing interventions to reduce exposure from urgent and addressable sources, such as eliminating lead in paint or spices, and piloting mitigation for other sources like cookware, ceramics, and cosmetics.
- Mainstreaming: Raising the profile of lead exposure on national and international policy agendas and increasing funding commitments from governments, aid agencies, and other philanthropies.
LEAF prioritizes work in low- and middle-income countries, where lead exposure is most severe and resources to address it are limited. Since its inception, the fund has made over 40 grants totaling more than $60 million, with individual grant sizes ranging from less than $100,000 to over $17 million.
