What We Learned: Reflections from an Early Childhood Development Research Grant Initiative for Africa-based Researchers
By Samuel Asare1, Leila Abdullahi1, Eunice Mueni Williams2
1. ESSA 2. Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre
Introduction
Across Africa, there is no shortage of researchers with the expertise and commitment to generate high-quality evidence on Early Childhood Development (ECD). The greater challenge is ensuring they have equitable access to funding, mentorship, and opportunities to produce and translate research into policy and practice.
This challenge emerged clearly from ESSA and the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre's ECD phase 1 project, which identified limited access to research funding and capacity-strengthening opportunities as key barriers to locally led, policy-relevant research (see report for details). As a university professor from Ethiopia observed:
Researchers based at African institutions have the capacity and motivation to conduct high-quality and context-relevant research if favourable financial support is provided (University Professor from Ethiopia)
Responding to these findings, ESSA and REAL Centre launched and implemented the ECD research grant initiative to strengthen the capacity of Africa-based researchers to undertake high-quality, policy-relevant research with a strong focus on evidence uptake. Funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX), the initiative awarded 31 grants of up to $15,000, supporting a total of 106 researchers across ten African countries between June 2025 to April 2026. The grantees come from the following countries: Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania. With the grant initiative now concluded, this blog reflects on the experience of implementing the programme. We share our experiences supporting grantees, strengthening research-policy linkages and managing a multi-country research grant initiative, and highlight practical lessons that may inform future research funding programmes across Africa.
What the Initiative Made Possible
The ECD Research Grant Initiative was more than a funding approach; it was a capacity-strengthening and learning initiative designed to support Africa-based researchers throughout their research journeys. Throughout the grant period, the programme combined financial support with mentorship, technical guidance, structured feedback, opportunities for peer learning, and engagement with policymakers. Rather than focusing solely on the production of research, the initiative sought to strengthen researchers' capacity, promote locally led evidence generation, and encourage the use of research to inform policy and practice.
Looking back, four aspects of the implementation journey stand out:
Strengthening the Capacity of Africa-based Researchers
For many researchers, particularly those at the early and mid-career stages of their careers, the grants provided an opportunity to lead research that may otherwise not have been possible because of limited access to funding.
Recognising that funding alone is rarely sufficient, the initiative combined financial support with ongoing technical guidance, mentorship, and structured feedback throughout the research process. Researchers received support to refine study designs, strengthen methodologies, navigate implementation challenges, improve data analysis, enhance report writing, and plan for dissemination. This continuous engagement ensured that researchers were supported not only in completing their projects but also in strengthening their overall research capabilities.
For many participants, the experience extended beyond the successful completion of a research project. It provided an opportunity to build confidence as Principal Investigators, strengthen analytical and academic writing skills, and develop their identity as independent researchers. The initiative also created opportunities for learning through peer exchange and technical discussions, enabling researchers to reflect on common challenges and learn from one another's experiences.
By the end of the grant period, researchers had not only completed their studies but had also strengthened the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to lead future research.
Generating Context-Relevant Evidence
Researchers investigated questions rooted in the realities of their own countries and communities. By placing Africa-based researchers at the centre of the research process, the initiative encouraged studies that responded to national priorities, local challenges, and the lived experiences of children, families, practitioners, and communities.
The 31 research projects explored a diverse range of ECD issues, including early learning and play, health and nutrition, inclusive education, caregiving and home environments, child wellbeing, and social protection. While these are shared priorities across many countries, the studies examined them through the lens of local social, cultural, economic, and institutional contexts. This enabled researchers to generate evidence that reflected the realities of the communities they sought to serve, rather than relying on assumptions or models developed elsewhere. The initiative thus contributed to strengthening African-led knowledge production, with locally generated evidence that is both relevant to decision-makers and responsive to the needs of children and families.
The diversity of topics and contexts also highlighted the breadth of expertise among Africa-based researchers. Collectively, the studies generated new knowledge on the factors shaping children's development across different settings, while demonstrating the value of locally led research in addressing national and regional ECD priorities.
Connecting Research with Policy and Practice
From the onset, the initiative encouraged researchers to think beyond producing research reports by engaging policymakers, practitioners, civil society organisations, and community stakeholders throughout the research process.
Many researchers involved stakeholders from the early stages of their projects, helping to shape research questions, improve study design, validate findings, and identify opportunities for evidence uptake. This participatory approach strengthened both the relevance of the research and the likelihood that the findings would inform decision-making, policy and programme improvements beyond academia. Continuous engagement between researchers and decision-makers also helped strengthen trust and encouraged shared ownership of the findings. The experience demonstrated that evidence uptake is most effective when it is considered throughout the research process rather than only at the point of dissemination.
A key milestone in this journey was the Evidence and Policy Dialogue held in Ghana at the end of the initiative, which brought together grantees, policymakers, practitioners, development partners, and other stakeholders. The event provided a platform for researchers to share their findings, receive constructive feedback, and explore practical pathways for translating evidence into policy and practice. More importantly, it strengthened relationships between evidence producers and evidence users, fostering continued dialogue beyond the life of the grant programme.
Building Networks and Collaboration
The grants also fostered a sense of community among researchers working in ECD across the region. Through workshops, feedback sessions, and shared online platforms, grantees learned from one another and built professional networks. Such connections are critical in contexts where researchers often work in isolation or with limited institutional support. The initiative helped lay the groundwork for future collaborations, knowledge exchange, and collective advocacy for ECD research and investment.
What can others learn from our experience?
High Demand for Research Funding from Africa-Based Researchers Requires More Time for Rigorous Application Review Process
The call for proposals received 874 applications from researchers across Africa, reflecting strong demand for funding. While this demonstrated the relevance and attractiveness of the grant opportunity, it also increased the time and effort required to conduct a thorough and transparent assessment of all applications.
The competitive review, due diligence, and grant award processes were more time-intensive than anticipated due to the high volume of applications. Ensuring a rigorous, fair, and high-quality selection process requires careful resource planning.
Funding Alone Is Not Enough
Providing financial support was essential, but one of the clearest lessons from the initiative was that funding alone is unlikely to maximise research quality or researcher development.
Throughout the grant period, researchers benefited from ongoing mentorship, technical guidance, structured feedback, and opportunities for peer learning. This continuous support helped strengthen research methodologies, improve data analysis, enhance report writing, and build confidence in leading research projects.
The experience demonstrated that creating a stronger foundation for both high-quality research and sustainable research capacity strengthens local research ecosystems, building a stronger foundation for both high-quality research and sustainable research capacity beyond individual grants.
Flexibility is Critical in Complex Contexts
Implementing a multi-country research grant initiative across diverse contexts in 10 countries inevitably brought challenges that could not always be anticipated during programme design. Researchers encountered a range of issues, including delays in obtaining ethical approvals, logistical constraints, changing field conditions, and competing institutional priorities. These experiences reinforced that research rarely follows a linear path, particularly when conducted across different countries and operating environments.
Supporting researchers through these challenges required an adaptive approach. Where necessary, implementation timelines were adjusted, practical solutions were identified collaboratively, and ongoing communication ensured that emerging issues could be addressed without compromising the quality or integrity of the research.
At the same time, the experience highlighted the importance of balancing flexibility with accountability. While robust financial management and reporting systems are essential, they should be sufficiently responsive to accommodate genuine implementation challenges. Clear guidance, open communication, and timely technical support enabled researchers to navigate unexpected circumstances while maintaining progress towards project objectives.
Looking back, one of the key lessons is that flexibility should be viewed as a strength rather than a concession. Research funding programmes that are designed to adapt to changing contexts are better positioned to support successful project delivery while maintaining high standards of scientific rigour and accountability.
Targeted Grants for Africa-Based Researchers can Yield High Outcomes
One of the most encouraging reflections from the ECD Research Grant Initiative is that relatively modest investments can make a significant contribution when they are designed to support researchers as well as research. Although each grant was limited to a maximum of US$15,000, the initiative enabled Africa-based researchers to lead studies addressing nationally relevant ECD priorities while strengthening their research capacity, expanding professional networks, and fostering closer engagement with policymakers and practitioners.
The initiative also demonstrated that the value of research grants extends beyond the individual projects they support. Through mentorship, technical guidance, peer learning, and opportunities for policy engagement, researchers developed skills and relationships that will continue to benefit their future work. The programme also contributed to a growing body of locally generated evidence that is better positioned to inform policy and practice because it is grounded in the realities of African contexts.
Looking back, the experience suggests that well-designed research grant programmes do not need to be large to be effective. When funding is combined with capacity strengthening, knowledge mobilisation, and opportunities for collaboration, relatively small investments can help strengthen locally led research ecosystems and support the generation and use of evidence for improved policy and practice.
These reflections reinforce a central message from our journey: investing in Africa-based researchers is an investment in stronger contextually relevant evidence, stronger research systems, and ultimately, better-informed decisions for young children and their families.
Evidence Uptake Should Be Planned from the Onset
One of the most important lessons from the grant initiative was that producing high-quality research is only part of the journey. For research to influence policy and practice, strategies for evidence uptake need to be considered from the earliest stages of project design rather than after studies have been completed.
Throughout the initiative, researchers were encouraged to engage policymakers, practitioners, community stakeholders, and development partners throughout the research process. This ongoing engagement helped ensure that research questions addressed real-world priorities, that findings were validated by those working in the sector, and that opportunities for applying the evidence could be identified early.
The Evidence and Policy Dialogue brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and development partners to discuss emerging findings and explore practical pathways for translating evidence into policy and practice. Beyond providing a platform for dissemination, the dialogue strengthened relationships between evidence producers and evidence users, creating opportunities for continued engagement beyond the life of the grant programme.
The experience also highlighted that effective evidence uptake depends on how research is communicated. Producing high-quality research is only the first step; findings must be translated into accessible, user-friendly formats that respond to the needs of different audiences. Supporting researchers to prepare policy briefs, technical reports, presentations, and other knowledge products, while strengthening their communication and policy engagement skills, increased the potential for research to inform decision-making.
Looking back, we recognise that dissemination should not be viewed as the final stage of a research project but as part of a broader knowledge mobilisation strategy. Future research grant programmes should integrate stakeholder engagement, strategic communication, and evidence uptake throughout the research lifecycle to maximise the value and use of locally generated evidence.
Conclusion
The ESSA and REAL Centre grants initiative demonstrates the transformative potential of locally driven, well-supported research funding in advancing the ECD agenda in Africa. Its benefits extend beyond individual projects to broader shifts in capacity, ownership, and collaboration. At the same time, the lessons learned point to the need for flexibility, sustained support, and an unwavering commitment to equity.
Ultimately, the initiative reinforces a central insight: meaningful progress in ECD requires not only investment in programmes and policies but also in the people and systems that generate and use evidence. By continuing to refine and expand such efforts, there is an opportunity to deepen African researchers’ contribution to global knowledge while ensuring that ECD solutions are rooted in the realities of the communities they aim to serve.
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