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Science For Africa Foundation

Annual Giving
$28.7M
Grant Range
$100K - $1.0M

Science For Africa Foundation (SFA)

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $28.7 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Varies by program
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $1,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Pan-African

Contact Details

Overview

Science for Africa Foundation (SFA) is a pan-African organization established to support, strengthen, and promote science and innovation across the African continent. With total revenue of $29.7 million in 2024 and expenses of $28.7 million, SFA serves as a major funding intermediary for African scientific research. The foundation designs and oversees research interventions, mobilizes funds to support African scientists, and provides grant-making schemes across multiple scientific domains. Their mission focuses on promoting science, innovation, evidence and policy for improved health and economic prosperity in Africa, with an emphasis on intra-Africa collaboration and evidence-based policy making mechanisms.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Grand Challenges Africa

  • Seed Grants: Up to $100,000 (for innovative research ideas)
  • Transition to Scale Grants: Up to $1,000,000 (for scaling proven innovations)
  • Application method: Periodic open calls for proposals

DELTAS Africa

  • Supports leadership development for African research networks
  • Application method: Program-specific calls

H3Africa (Genomics)

  • Funds genomics research and capacity building in Africa
  • Application method: Coordinated program calls

Clinical Trials Community Africa Network

  • Supports clinical research infrastructure and trials
  • Application method: Network-based funding opportunities

Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowships

  • Leadership development for African scientists
  • Application method: Fellowship application process

Priority Areas

  • Leadership for African Research Networks
  • Science Innovation, Translation and Entrepreneurship
  • Clinical Research & Trials Community
  • Mental Health R&D
  • Climate, Health, Agriculture and Biodiversity
  • Public Engagement with Science
  • Research Management Capacity Strengthening
  • Health Research
  • Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly detailed, but funding focuses exclusively on African-led scientific research and innovation initiatives.

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel:

  • CEO: Dr. Tom Kariuki
  • Chief Operating Officer: Raynold Zondo
  • Chief Scientific Officer: Dr. Evelyn Gitau
  • Board Chair: Professor Alinah Segobye

The foundation emphasizes African leadership and governance in directing scientific priorities and funding decisions for the continent.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are managed through periodic funding rounds and calls for proposals in specific research priority areas. The foundation uses "open transparent calls for proposals" to seek "the best ideas" from across the continent. Interested applicants should monitor the funding section of the SFA website for current opportunities.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by program and are typically specified in individual calls for proposals.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed but competitive given the pan-African scope of applications.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are program-specific and typically outlined in individual funding calls.

Application Success Factors

Based on SFA's stated evaluation criteria, successful applications demonstrate:

  • Scientific Excellence: Strong research methodology and innovation potential
  • Impact Potential: Clear pathways to achieving Sustainable Development Goals
  • Milestone-Driven Approach: Well-defined deliverables and timelines
  • Global Access Commitments: Plans for broad dissemination and accessibility of results
  • African Leadership: Strong African principal investigators and institutions
  • Collaborative Networks: Emphasis on intra-Africa collaboration
  • Capacity Building Components: Integration of training and development elements
  • Policy Relevance: Connection to evidence-based policy making

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • SFA is a major funding intermediary, not a direct donor - they mobilize and distribute funds from international partners to African researchers
  • Focus proposals on African-led solutions to African challenges with global relevance
  • Emphasize collaborative approaches that build networks across African institutions
  • Include strong capacity building and knowledge transfer components
  • Demonstrate clear pathways from research to implementation and policy impact
  • Monitor the SFA website regularly as funding calls are periodic and time-limited
  • Consider starting with seed grants ($100,000) before applying for larger scale-up funding

References

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