Cambridge University Mastercard £50,000 Research Grant 2025

Applications are now open for the Cambridge University Mastercard £50,000 Research Grant 2025

The Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund aims to foster collaborations between researchers in Africa and Cambridge University while promoting high-quality training activities. This initiative focuses on advancing research in Climate Resilience and Sustainability by offering financial support for innovative projects across disciplines.

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Benefits

• Generous Support: Backed by a £7.7 million investment from the Mastercard Foundation, the fund will run from 2025 to 2030.
• Annual Cycle: Awards will be given annually until 2029, supporting activities for the 2029-2030 academic year.
• Funding Duration: Most funded activities will span a 12-month period.
• Further Funding Potential: Recipients can leverage the outcomes of their Research Catalyst Grant to secure significant funding from other organizations.

Key Features of the Program

• Open to all disciplines, encouraging innovative and collaborative research.
• Provides researchers with the opportunity to build networks and secure additional funding through preliminary results.
• Focuses on fostering partnerships that contribute to climate resilience and sustainability research in Africa and globally.

Opportunities

1. Research Catalyst Grant: Up to £20,000
2. Workshop Grant: Up to £50,000

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund:

1. Collaborative Partnership:
   • Proposals must be submitted by two researchers (post-doctoral level or above).
   • One researcher must be based at an African university or research institution, and the other at the University of Cambridge.
2. Academic Discipline:
   • Applications are welcomed from all academic fields, including sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts.
3. Innovative and Multi-Disciplinary Proposals:
   • Proposals emphasizing innovation and incorporating multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary approaches are strongly encouraged.

Required Documents

To apply, applicants must provide:

1. Application Form – Completed with all necessary details.
2. Case for Support – Detailed description of the project and its objectives.
3. Itemized Budget – Use the provided budget template.
4. Lay Summary – A concise, non-technical summary of the project.
5. Letters of Support:
   • From the Cambridge-based Principal Investigator’s (PI) department/faculty. For the Department of Engineering, a letter from the Head of Division is required (an institutional email is acceptable).
   • From the Africa-based PI’s department/institution (an institutional email is acceptable).
6. CVs:
   • Maximum two pages each for both the Cambridge-based and Africa-based PIs.
7. Referee Details:
   • Provide details of two referees with no conflicts of interest (e.g., not from the same department).

Guidelines for Application

1. Prepare Documents: Ensure all required documents are complete and meet the specified guidelines.
2. Submit the Application: Applications must be submitted through the appropriate portal by the specified deadline.

Application Deadline: March 21, 2025.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY