Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa
Internal — Harvard University only
Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa supports Harvard faculty and students in research addressing Africa’s challenges and opportunities, with emphasis on multidisciplinary collaboration.
Funder: Harvard University
Due Dates: October 5, 2026 (2026/27 applications open) | December 7, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (2026/27 application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $150,000 in direct costs for one or two years (2025/26 RFP terms)
Summary: Supports faculty-led and student-driven research addressing key challenges and opportunities facing Africa.
Key Information: Only Harvard faculty may apply; the 2025/26 RFP also requires principal investigator rights at their School.
Description
The Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa supports faculty-led and student-driven research addressing Africa’s challenges and opportunities. Made possible by a gift from the Motsepe Foundation, the fund is administered by Harvard’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs, in collaboration with the Center for African Studies.
Research priorities include emerging technologies and the Fourth Industrial Revolution; climate change and its effects on health, livelihoods, agriculture, water, and sanitation; renewable energy and its benefits for infrastructure and society; health; aging; materials science; and governance and policies for an entrepreneurial economy. Special consideration goes to multidisciplinary collaboration across Harvard Schools, collaboration with Africa-based academics, and projects integrating arts and humanities into STEM research (STEAM).
