Cessation Grants Program

Vital Strategies’ Cessation Grants Program provides technical and financial support to countries to implement sustainable, evidence-based tobacco cessation services. We focus on implementing evidence-based approaches to achieve population-level impact through strengthening sustainable systems. Specifically, the program supports national and subnational toll-free quit lines, SMS- and app-based mCessation systems, and brief advice counselling. Projects aim to fill identified gaps in the current ecosystem of tobacco cessation services and support a specific tobacco control priority.

We fund

  • Brief advice: Establishing consistent delivery of brief advice at the primary care level (example:, 2A + R model).

  • Toll-free quit lines: Strengthening or establishing national or sub-national quit lines.

  • mCessation: Rolling out readily available services (i.e., text message-based programs, adaptation of cessation apps, integrated models with existing systems).

We do not fund

  • Education programs

  • Agricultural or crop-substitution programs

  • Research, academic studies, pilot studies or prevalence studies

The program fund projects lasting up to 24 months that are grounded in evidence and integrate best practices in outcome and in process. It supports building out sustainable cessation ecosystems, such as integration of evidence-based cessation services into existing programs and health care systems.

For applicants interested in proposing a longer-term project, up to 24 months and $400,000 USD, that focuses on tobacco cessation, please consider applying for a Cessation Grant. The Cessation Grants Program follows the same structure as the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use Strategic and Open Rounds.

For more information and announcements grant rounds please sign up for email updates.