The Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa is made possible by a generous gift from the Motsepe Foundation. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research will administer the Fund together with the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs, in collaboration with the Center for African Studies.
The primary purpose of the Fund is to support faculty-led and student-driven research projects that focus on advancing key challenges and opportunities facing Africa, including, but not limited to, the following areas:
- emerging technologies and the Fourth Industrial Revolution
- climate change and its effect on health, livelihoods, agriculture, water, and/or sanitation
- renewable energy and its benefit to infrastructure and/or society
- health
- aging
- materials science
- governance and policies needed for an entrepreneurial economy
Special consideration will be given to projects that propose multidisciplinary collaboration between Harvard faculty across more than one School and/or that include collaboration with Africa-based academics, and proposals that integrate the arts and humanities into STEM projects (STEAM).
Application:
The 2025/26 award cycle will open October 6, 2025. Applications will be due December 8, 2025.Prospective 2025/26 applicants may review the Request for Applications to determine eligibility and understand the funding priorities. The application portal will be open on Monday, October 6, 2025.
Please note that this fund is only open to Harvard faculty members.
Please contact Lindsay Moats, Student Support and Outreach Officer, at Lmoats@fas.harvard.edu for any questions regarding the Motsepe Fund.