By: Geraldo Cebola Joao Lucas
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21 Nov, 2025
Grants for African Researchers: Up to $15,000 for Descriptive Action Research and $35,000 for Comparative Action Research on School Leadership
Are you passionate about enhancing school leadership to promote educational quality, equity, and system resilience across Africa? We are offering up to $15,000 for Descriptive Action Research and $35,000 for Comparative Action Research to support the generation of high-quality, context-specific, and policy-relevant evidence on school leadership in eligible African countries.
The research is an initiative of Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA), VVOB – Education for Development, and Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), under the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) with funding from Mastercard Foundation.
Grants Overview
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Application Deadline: Sunday, 11th January 2026 at 11.59pm GMT
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Eligible countries: Tanzania (Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar) and other African countries.
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Research Duration: 12 months (Descriptive Action Research) and 24 months (Comparative Action Research).
Webinar with more information:
On 2 December 2025, we hosted a webinar to provide additional information to potential applicants.
Grant Amount
Tanzania (Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar)
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Descriptive Action Research Grants: 10 descriptive action research grants, each valued at up to $15,000.
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Comparative Action Research Grants: Four comparative action research grants, each valued at up to $35,000.
Frequently asked questions - Tanzania
Other African countries
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Descriptive Action Research Grants: 15 descriptive action research grants, each valued at up to $15,000.
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Comparative Action Research Grants: 10 comparative action research grants, each valued at up to $35,000.
Frequently asked questions - other African countries
Why this Matters
Evidence reviewed by ACSL, along with insights from stakeholder engagements, identified a research gap in school leadership across the continent. Studies are limited, fragmented, and often insufficiently connected to policy reforms or system priorities.
This complicates efforts to generate distinct and comprehensive insights on leadership itself. Moreover, many African researchers experience inadequate access to research funding, often relying on personal resources to initiate or complete their projects.
Why Fund African Education Researchers
We aim to build local research capacity by directly supporting African education researchers to produce new, context-specific evidence on school leadership that can inform policy, strengthen practice, and advance advocacy efforts across countries.
Who is Eligible
African researchers based in Africa with a PhD and affiliated with an African university, research institution, government department/ministry, or other recognised research or knowledge organisation are encouraged to apply. Experienced researchers without a PhD may also apply, provided they demonstrate a strong research track record.
Proposals that demonstrate collaboration with early-career researchers, include women researchers, involve practitioners such as head teachers or middle-tier educators, and/or reflect geographical diversity are strongly encouraged to apply.
The proposed research must clearly align with one or more of the priority school leadership themes identified in the concept note.
Comments
By: Donald John Manota
Strongly interested in comparative action research
By: Hassan abdi Mohamoud
This opportunity is more than a research grant—it is an empowering platform that amplifies African voices, strengthens indigenous knowledge systems, and equips education leaders with evidence that can reshape the future of schooling across the continent. I am eager to contribute to this mission through descriptive research that captures lived realities, supports policy relevance, and advances educational leadership excellence in Africa.
By: Nasir M. Ali
About the Institute
The Laas Geel Academy of International Relations is a premier institute in Somaliland dedicated to world-class teaching, training, and research in international relations, diplomacy, and security. Through innovative research, the Institute produces strategic research papers, briefings, and in-depth analyses on key political, economic, and security issues to offer actionable insights to Somaliland’s policymakers. By fostering international collaboration through dialogues, workshops, and seminars with global partners, the Academy fosters cross-cultural exchange and elevates Somaliland’s voice in global discourse. Committed to excellence, integrity, inclusiveness, respect, and commitment, its mission is to cultivate skilled professionals and deliver multidisciplinary research on critical areas such as climate change, migration, geopolitics, infrastructure, and regional security, thereby serving as a beacon of knowledge, innovation, and development for Somaliland and the wider Horn of Africa.
By: NIGUSE GEBRU WELDEMARIAM
This is very impressive opportunity.
By: Mulugeta Gebreyesus Tsegai
Great opportunity!
By: Dr Ngonso Blessed Frederick
Thanks for this wonderful initiative.
The school leadership, does it include the primary and secondary school or limited to tertiary institutions?
By: Mackbin Mayanda
I would like to do a comparative study on forensic investigative criminal accounting regarding economic crimes & financial crimes investigation, ligation and break through of cases biased to education background of key participants in the court process
By: George Ngwacho Areba
Exellent
By: Lucy Achieng' Ogol
This is a super initiative. I will definitely try to submit a proposal. Looking forward to the 2nd December 2025 webinar. Thanks and best wishes!
By: Hudson Ouko Ong'ang'a
This is a very timely research grant focusing on school leadership. School leadership and administration plays a key role in ensuring access, quality and equity in education.
By: Farid AMIR
Bonjour, est ce qu'un chercheur algérien peut participer et proposer un projet de recherche ? Cordialement.
