Research & Innovation Fellowship Grants 2026
The SHARPER Consortium invites applications for the 2026 Research & Innovation Fellowship Grants. These prestigious fellowships provide dedicated funding, institutional support, and multi-country scientific mentorship to accelerate high-impact epidemic preparedness and health systems innovation across Africa.
Fellowship Overview
The Research & Innovation Fellowship Grants 2026 represent a flagship funding track under the SHARPER Consortium, designed to empower exceptional early-career African investigators who demonstrate strong potential to establish independent research programs in epidemic preparedness, outbreak analytics, and health system resilience.
Each fellow receives an intensive research grant of $40,000 for a duration of 6 Months to execute a rigorous scientific project, establish cross-institutional collaborations, and produce high-quality evidence that informs regional and global public health policies. A total of 3 competitive fellowship awards will be granted in this cohort.
Fellows will be embedded within the SHARPER Pan-African network, gaining direct access to senior scientific mentors across our consortium partner institutions, dedicated technical working groups, open data resources, and specialized leadership training.
Eligibility Criteria
Target Applicant Profile
Early-career researcher (within 0–7 years post-PhD or equivalent research qualification; or a mid-level research officer/scientist transitioning to independence).
Institutional Endorsement & Affiliation
Applicants must hold a primary academic, research, or clinical appointment at an African university, public health institute, or biomedical research center, accompanied by an official institutional commitment letter guaranteeing protected research time.
Priority Thematic & Scientific Domains
Proposals must directly align with one or more of SHARPER's key scientific priority areas:
- Health systems strengthening & pandemic equity
- Genomic epidemiology & pathogen surveillance
- Outbreak analytics, mathematical modelling & early warning
- Community-centred preparedness & behavioural sciences
- Decolonial frameworks for African health sovereignty
- Diagnostics innovation & point-of-care technologies
- One Health, climate change & zoonotic spillover
- Ethical, legal & human rights frameworks in emergencies
Fellowship Timeline
Call for Fellowship Proposals Opens
August 2026
Fellowship Submission Deadline
30th September 2026 (23:59 GMT)
International Peer Review & Selection
September 2026
Fellowship Award Notification & Onboarding
October 1, 2026
Budget & Expenditure Guidance
Fellowship budgets are capped at $40,000 USD for the 6-month period. All expenditures must be directly linked to research objectives, clearly itemized in the Excel budget calculator template, and supported by a written justification.
| Expense Category | Allowable Expenditures | Guideline Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Fellowship Stipend & Personnel | Fellow protected research time, research assistants, data analysts. | Up to 45% |
| Research Consumables & Lab | Reagents, sequencing kits, lab consumables, software licenses. | Up to 30% |
| Fieldwork & Primary Data Collection | Participant logistics, community engagement, field enumerators. | Up to 25% |
| Scientific Dissemination & Travel | Consortium workshop travel, open-access journal publishing fees. | Up to 15% |
| Institutional Indirect Costs | Host institution administrative overhead & project governance. | 10% Max |
Fellowship Deliverables & Milestones
Milestone Technical Reports
Month-3 mid-term progress update and comprehensive Month-6 final fellowship report.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
At least one lead-author manuscript submitted to an international open-access journal.
Policy & Practice Brief
Translational policy summary for regional public health authorities and Africa CDC.
Mentorship & Skills Transfer
Organizing at least one local workshop or training seminar for junior researchers.
Need help with your fellowship application?
The SHARPER Secretariat and Grants Management Office are available to assist with inquiries regarding eligibility, proposal structure, or institutional requirements.
Research & Innovation Fellowship Grants 2026
Early-career researcher (within 0–7 years post-PhD or equivalent research qualification; or a mid-level research officer/scientist transitioning to independence).
Required Documents
- Fellowship Research Proposal (PDF)
- Itemized Budget & Narrative (XLSX)
- Institutional Endorsement Letter
- Principal Fellow & Mentor CVs (Max 3 pages)
- Ethical Approval or Exemption Plan
Application Templates
Common Questions
Who qualifies as an early-career fellow? ↓
Researchers within 0–7 years post-PhD (or equivalent terminal research qualification) or mid-level research scientists transitioning toward independence.
Can multiple co-investigators be listed? ↓
Yes. Cross-disciplinary partnerships and multi-institutional collaborations within Africa are strongly encouraged.
What is the payment disbursement schedule? ↓
Funds are disbursed in two tranches: 60% upon contract signing and 40% upon satisfactory submission of the mid-term technical and financial report.
Have questions regarding this fellowship track?
Our team can help verify eligibility, provide proposal guidance, or assist with portal submissions.
Contact Grants Desk →