Deadline: January 15, 2026.

The Mastercard Foundation and University of Cambridge Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund aims to catalyse new and strengthen existing collaborations between researchers in Africa and Cambridge and support high quality training activities. The focus of the scheme is research on climate resilience and sustainability.  This focus is interpreted broadly so long as the linkage of the research to these areas can be justified in the application for the award.  Awards are made to pairs of researchers (post-doctoral level and above although due consideration will be given for equivalent experience), one from an African university or research institution and one from the University of Cambridge.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

1. They encourage applications from across the sciences, social sciences, humanities and arts and from all academic subject areas.
2. They particularly encourage innovative research. Multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research proposals and research related training activities are welcomed.
3. Applications are invited from pairs of researchers (post-doctoral level and above) from the University of Cambridge and African universities or research institutes, across all disciplines to initiate and/or strengthen research collaborations that address key challenges in climate resilience and sustainability. 
4. In this round, they will also consider Research Catalyst applications from NIAB and Wellcome Sanger Institute. 

FUND

Applications can be made for a Research Catalyst Grant for up to £20,000 or a Workshop Grant for up to £50,000 regardless of discipline and dependent on justification for funding requested.

APPLICATION

1. The online application form has been designed to allow both applicants (Cambridge and Africa-based) to log in, update, save and eventually submit electronically.
2. To access the form, the Cambridge based applicant must Register Here. Only applicants with @cam.ac.uk, @niab.com and @sanger.ac.uk email addresses can register.
3. The Cambridge-based applicant must then log in to the Mastercard Foundation and University of Cambridge Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund (CReSus) application form, where they will see the words “Invite a 2nd applicant to view/edit this submission”. Click on this link in order to invite the Africa-based applicant to register and edit the forms.
4. If you are eligible to apply, but are unable to register on the page above, then please contact cresusrf@cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk
5. If you have already registered, please Log In to access the form.

Find more information on the OFFICIAL WEBSITE