The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in sub-Saharan Africa — with funding from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Government of Norway, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Wellcome — is pleased to announce a call for proposals to support the establishment and operationalization of the Capacity Strengthening Hub (the Hub). 

This call is open to organizations or consortia of organizations with demonstrated expertise in research and innovation management and experience supporting capacity strengthening of Science Granting Councils (SGCs) in sub-Saharan Africa.

Purpose of the call:

SGCI invites an organization or a consortium of organizations with proven expertise in research and innovation management to submit proposals to establish and operate the Hub. 
Under the guidance of the CSC, and in close collaboration with the PMT, the Hub will facilitate the development and monitoring of a collective plan focused on institutionalization of strengthened capacities of the individual Councils.  
It will also curate and disseminate toolkits, guidelines and training materials via a one-stop online platform. The Hub will also provide space for regular trainings to Councils to ensure a critical mass of staff receives the training and applies it in daily practices.  
The Hub will also implement a structured MEL mechanism to track progress in the organizational development of each Council and adapt support.  
Over time, the Hub will expand its offerings and integrate new topics, ensuring all Councils, regardless of size or maturity. can access and apply best practices in research and innovation management. 
The Hub will not be responsible for the implementation of the capacity-strengthening activities such as training, peer-learning, staff exchanges and mentoring programs to strengthen institutional capacities. Separate funding will be made available for the implementation of these activities.

Eligibility criteria:

Only proposals that meet the following eligibility criteria will be considered:

Organizations or consortia of organizations with proven expertise in research and innovation management.
Applicants must have independent legal status (or “legal personality”) and be capable of contracting in their own right and name, receiving and administering funds, and have authority to direct proposed project activities. Applicants must be able to demonstrate legal status through written documentation and be based in sub-Saharan Africa.
Legal status will only be reviewed if and when applicants are selected following technical selection.
Knowledge of national STI systems and the research and development funding landscape in sub-Saharan Africa, including the key actors (organizations), policies and the roles of SGCs in brokering, facilitating, funding and coordinating the interactions among stakeholders.  
Experience in working with public sector STI organizations (especially SGCs) in Africa, in the context of capacity strengthening. 
Experience in research funding processes, research management and engaging the public, private and community sectors in research. 
Experience in contracting with different service providers.
Knowledge of research ethics, research excellence and gender and inclusion approaches in research. ANNEX 1 provides a series of questions to help guide the integration of GEI in research and project implementation.
Expertise and experience in MEL and data-management systems and frameworks.  
Ability to work in English and French is a requirement. Portuguese is an asset. Applications without the required language capabilities will not be evaluated.

Funding scope and duration:

The Hub recipient will receive a maximum of CAD500,000 over approximately 2.5 years, with potential for renewal. The expected start date will be July 1, 2026.
IDRC reserves the right to fund additional proposals from this call if/when more funding becomes available.
IDRC is under no obligation to issue any funds prior to the applicant returning a fully executed Grant Agreement to IDRC.
All grants are subject to sufficient funds being made available to IDRC by the Parliament of Canada and SGCI funders.
IDRC reserves the right to cancel this call for proposals at any time without prior notice and/or to not issue any grants under this process.

Read here for more information.

Submission deadline, 30 April 2026, at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Workshops to write grant proposals

Upcoming opportunities