Apply for the UNESCO SCRS Research Continuity Grants for Africa 2026 - six institutional awards of up to $2,000 to restart interrupted science.
Applications are officially open for the first pilot of the Science for Crisis Response and Solutions (SCRS) Research Continuity Grants for Africa, launched by UNESCO. The call awards six institutional grants of up to USD 2,000 each so African researchers can resume or finish a clearly defined piece of natural-science work that was stopped or delayed by armed conflict or a natural or biological hazard.
Funds go to the applicant’s recognized host university or research institute, not as a personal stipend. The grant is designed to protect data, fieldwork, experiments, or analysis that might otherwise be abandoned, and to generate lessons for a future SCRS African Research Continuity Network. Implementation lasts up to six months from receipt of funds. Applications close on 15 November 2026 at 23:59 Paris time.
Quick Facts - UNESCO SCRS Research Continuity Grants for Africa 2026
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Convening Organisation | UNESCO - Science for Crisis Response and Solutions (SCRS) Programme |
| Host Landmark | UNESCO Headquarters city: Paris, France 🇫🇷 (Eiffel Tower & River Seine) |
| Call Type | First pilot call (2026) |
| Number of Awards | Six institutional grants |
| Maximum Amount | Up to USD 2,000 per grant |
| Grant Recipient | The applicant’s recognized host university or research institute in Africa |
| Eligible Field | Natural sciences (or interdisciplinary work with a substantial natural-science component) |
| Eligible Crisis | Armed conflict, natural or biological hazard in the previous 3 years, or continuing material effects |
| Implementation Period | Up to 6 months from receipt of funds |
| Application Languages | English or French |
| Application Deadline | 15 November 2026, 23:59 Paris time |
| Questions Deadline | 14 November 2026 |
| Official Gateway | Official UNESCO SCRS Call Page |
About UNESCO’s SCRS Programme
UNESCO’s Science for Crisis Response and Solutions (SCRS) Programme helps scientific systems continue, recover, and become more resilient before, during, and after crises. This first African pilot recognizes that a small, well-targeted grant can decide whether interrupted research is abandoned or whether data, samples, and analysis are preserved and completed.
Selected scientists will also share lessons learned and help form the nucleus of a future SCRS African Research Continuity Network.
What the Grant Can Support
Funding may cover focused costs that are directly linked to restarting or completing the interrupted research:
- Consumables and small research supplies
- Local fieldwork and research travel
- Data collection, processing, or secure storage
- Minor equipment repair or essential short-term access to equipment or facilities
- Laboratory, publication, or open-access costs
What the grant does not cover
- Salary replacement, honoraria, or personal allowances
- International relocation or long-term subsistence
- Major equipment or construction
- Institutional overheads
- Activities unrelated to the interrupted research
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet all of the following:
- Be an African national based at a recognized university or research institute in an African country.
- Hold at least a Master’s degree or an equivalent recognized research qualification.
- Conduct natural-science research, or interdisciplinary research with a substantial natural-science component.
- Show clearly how an armed conflict or a natural or biological hazard interrupted the work in the previous three years, or how its consequences still materially affect the research.
- Propose focused activities that can be finished within six months and within the USD 2,000 ceiling.
- Provide a signed support letter from an authorized representative of the host institution.
- Confirm that the same costs are not funded from another source.
Applications are welcome from all African countries that meet the crisis criteria. UNESCO particularly encourages applications from women scientists, researchers under 40, and scientists from least developed countries and African Small Island Developing States. Researchers in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe are also especially encouraged; this list is not exhaustive.
How Applications Are Assessed
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Eligibility and crisis link | 20% |
| Scientific merit and relevance to sustainable development or recovery | 25% |
| Feasibility (workplan, timetable, institutional support, risk management) | 20% |
| Use of funds / value for money | 15% |
| Expected results and benefit to institution or research system | 15% |
| Willingness to share lessons and join a future SCRS network | 5% |
Subject to quality and eligibility, UNESCO will also seek gender, crisis-type, and geographic balance.
Required Application Documents
- Completed and signed application form in English or French
- Curriculum vitae
- Proof of the highest relevant qualification
- Signed institutional support letter from an authorized host representative
- Any ethics, research, or fieldwork authorization required for the proposed activities
Read the official Call for Applications (PDF) and Terms of Reference (PDF) before you start.
Step-by-Step Application Process
- Read the official documents on the UNESCO SCRS call page.
- Complete the application form in English or French and gather the required attachments.
- Submit online using the application form on the official UNESCO page.
- If online submission is impossible, email the complete package to scienceresponse@unesco.org with the subject line SCRS Africa Grant Application - [Applicant name] - [Country].
- Deadline: 15 November 2026 at 23:59 Paris time. Questions must be sent by 14 November 2026. Selected applicants are expected to be announced in December 2026, with agreements and transfers in December 2026 - January 2027.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the application deadline?
Applications close on 15 November 2026 at 23:59 Paris time.
How much funding is available?
UNESCO will award six institutional grants of up to USD 2,000 each. Funds are paid to the host university or research institute, not as a personal salary.
Who can apply?
African nationals based at a recognized university or research institute in Africa, with at least a Master’s degree, whose natural-science research was interrupted by conflict or a natural/biological hazard.
Can the grant pay my salary?
No. Salary replacement, honoraria, personal allowances, international relocation, major equipment, construction, and institutional overheads are not eligible.
How long do I have to complete the work?
Up to six months from the date funds are received. A midpoint update and a short final narrative and expenditure report are required.
