The Mastercard Foundation and University of Cambridge Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund

The Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund (CReSus RF) aims to catalyse new and strengthen existing collaborations between researchers based at the University of Cambridge and universities or research institutes across Africa, with a strong focus on climate resilience and sustainability. The fund supports integrated, interdisciplinary, and innovative research, as well as high-quality research-related training activities, that help shape African responses to climate and sustainability challenges and empower young Africans to lead climate-resilient and sustainable futures.​

Backed by a £7.7 million investment from the Mastercard Foundation, the fund runs from 2025-2030 and issues annual calls up to 2029 for activities typically implemented over 12 months. The scheme is part of the Africa Climate Collaborative, a partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and the University of Ghana, Makerere University, University of Cape Town, and University of Cambridge, and welcomes proposals from all disciplines: sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts that can clearly justify relevance to climate resilience and sustainability.​

Countries Eligible to Apply

Eligibility is defined institutionally rather than by nationality, but the African partner must be based on the continent:

• African side: Researchers (postdoctoral level or equivalent) based at universities or research institutions anywhere on the African continent (any African country), at institutions of comparable standing to a university.​
• Cambridge side: Researchers (postdoctoral level or equivalent) based at the University of Cambridge; in this round, applicants from NIAB are also eligible as Cambridge-side leads for Research Catalyst Grants.​

Awards are made to pairs of researchers (one Cambridge-based, one Africa-based), both at post-doctoral level or above (or with equivalent experience), each with a formal link to a department/faculty/research group at their home institution.​

Awards and Funding Modalities

For this call (second call, closing 15 January 2026), two award types are available:​

Research Catalyst Grants

• Maximum value: Up to £20,000.​
• Purpose: Seed or catalyst funding to initiate new research collaborations or significantly expand existing ones in climate resilience and sustainability.​
• Focus: Clearly justified relevance to climate resilience/sustainability; emphasis on how collaboration adds value beyond what each partner could achieve alone.​
• Eligible costs: Research-related costs (including equipment located in Africa that remains with the African partner institution), but no PI salaries, overheads or grant administration costs.​
• Scope: Multi- and inter-disciplinary approaches encouraged; one application per collaboration.​

Workshop Grants

• Maximum value: Up to £50,000.​
• Purpose: Support high-quality workshops delivered in Africa, co-created and co-delivered by African institutions and Cambridge, focused on skills and knowledge relevant to climate resilience and sustainability.​
• Emphasis: Capacity building of early-career researchers and young people in Africa, including access to resources, mentorship, and networks for professional development.​

Most awards will support activities over 12 months or less, with longer durations considered if well justified.​

Key Eligibility and Priorities

• Applications must be jointly submitted by a Cambridge-based PI and an Africa-based PI, with genuine co-creation and collaboration (not just service provision by one institution for the other).​
• Both PIs should be post-doctoral or above, though equivalent experience may be considered; both must have institutional support and expected employment beyond the award end date.​
• Research must be relevant to climate resilience and/or sustainability, broadly interpreted but clearly justified in the proposal.​
• All disciplines are eligible, with a strong preference for multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary projects and innovative approaches.​
• Proposals that engage young people in Africa (under 36) or deliver clear benefits to them will be prioritised; workshop proposals should explicitly build young people’s skills.​

Application Details

• Current call: Second call, now open.​
• Deadline: 15 January 2026 (applications can be submitted any time before this).​
• Apply online: Via the Cambridge-Africa website application form for the CReSus RF (Research Catalyst or Workshop Grant).​
• Lead applicant: The Cambridge-based PI registers and submits the online form and manages the award through their Cambridge department/faculty/institute.​

Required components typically include:​

• Case for support (including collaboration model and climate resilience/sustainability relevance).
• Itemised budget (using the provided template).
• Lay summary.
• Letters/emails of support from the Cambridge department/faculty and the African institution.
• 2-page CVs for both PIs.
• Contact details for two independent referees (no conflicts of interest, e.g. not from the same department).

Enquiries:

• Email: cresusrf@cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk

  Click HERE to visit the official website. ​