African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) Research Grants 2026

The African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, offers research grants to support action-oriented studies on school leadership across Africa.

What it offers

• Sixteen (16) Descriptive Action Research Grants worth up to USD 15,000 each for research conducted within a single educational context over 12 months.
• Seven (7) Comparative Action Research Grants worth up to USD 35,000 each for research conducted across two or more educational contexts over 24 months.

Who can apply

• Applicants must be citizens of an African country and based in Africa.
• The Principal Investigator must hold a Doctorate in Education, Educational Leadership, Educational Management, or a closely related field, earned within the past five (5) years.
• Proposals must include multidisciplinary research teams of three to five members.
• Research teams are strongly encouraged to promote team diversity by including female researchers, young researchers (under 35 years), and researchers with different education levels.

What you'll do

• Conduct rigorous, action-oriented research that addresses Africa’s school leadership challenges.
• Work closely with policymakers, practitioners, school leaders, and implementing institutions to ensure evidence informs policy and strengthens practice.
• Join the School Leadership Community of Learning and participate in the Blended Exchange and Learning Trajectory (BELT).

How to apply

• Submit applications by 11:59 pm GMT on Wednesday, 30th September 2026.
• Attend an information webinar on 20th August 2026 (12:00–1:30 pm GMT | 3:00–4:30 pm EAT) for guidance on the application process.

Good to know

• Cross-country collaborations and proposals addressing gender equality, disability inclusion, rural and underserved communities, and other marginalised groups are strongly encouraged.