ACSL School Leadership Descriptive and Comparative Action Research Grants

About the Grant

The ACSL School Leadership Action Research Grant supports applied, policy-relevant research aimed at strengthening school leadership across Africa. The grant is implemented under the African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) in partnership with Education Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA), VVOB – Education for Development, and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA).

The program encourages context-sensitive, practice-oriented research that contributes evidence to inform leadership development, system reform, and policymaking at school and system levels. Funded projects are expected to engage relevant stakeholders and demonstrate clear pathways to policy influence.

What Is Offered

  • Up to USD 15,000 for Descriptive Action Research
  • Up to USD 35,000 for Comparative Action Research

Funding may support multiple research phases, including fieldwork, stakeholder consultations, data collection and analysis, travel, living expenses during research periods, transcription, translation, research assistance, specialized software, and dissemination activities.

The grant duration is 12–24 months and is non-renewable.

Eligibility & Requirements

  • Applicants must be African-based researchers or institutions working in school leadership, education, or related fields.
  • Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, think tanks, civil society organizations, and independent researchers with demonstrated research capacity.
  • Projects must focus on school leadership and be conducted in Tanzania (mainland and Zanzibar) or other eligible African countries.
  • Comparative research proposals must involve more than one country or context.
  • Applicants resubmitting previously unsuccessful proposals must include a brief statement explaining how earlier feedback was addressed.

Deadline & Application Process

Application deadline:
Sunday, 11 January 2026, 11.59pm GMT

Applicants are required to submit a project abstract, responses to application questions, a detailed budget and justification, a work plan and timeline, and supporting documentation as specified in the Application Guide.

Note: The grant does not cover institutional overheads or administrative fees. All costs must be directly linked to research activities.