Alliance for African Partnership

Faculty Global Engagement Fund

In light of recent uncertainties across the research funding landscape, Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) is pleased to announce that the AAP Faculty Global Engagement Fund is now available to Michigan State University (MSU) faculty members who are doing research in Africa. AAP recognizes that international research funding has faced many recent challenges, resulting in limited opportunities for faculty to conduct international research and limited access funds for conference travel to disseminate their research results. This fund is designed to support:

1. Collaborative research travel: Support for travel to African partner institutions to initiate or deepen collaborative research projects.
2. Conference/workshop travel: Travel funding for faculty members to present research, participate in workshops, or attend conferences that promote partnerships and collaborations with African universities and research institutions.
3. Capacity-building and training travel: Funding to support travel for professional development, capacity-building activities, or training initiatives that enhance academic partnerships and institutional strengthening.

Eligibility

The Faculty Global Engagement Fund supports MSU faculty members to strengthen and develop collaborative partnerships with African institutions through strategic travel. In light of the changing funding landscape, this funds provides crucial support to faculty members whose research activities or partnerships may have been recently affected by changes in external funding availability and shifts in global research funding priorities.AAP seeks to help faculty maintain momentum in their research endeavors and international collaborations by providing travel supportl to African partner institutions and/or to conferences or forums to present their research.

Proposals should address at least one of AAP’s priority areas: agri-food systems; water, energy and environment; culture and society; youth empowerment; education; health and nutrition; and science, technology, and innovation. 

These funds can support:

1. MSU faculty travel to any African country for research, data collection, etc.
2. MSU faculty travel in the US or globally to present their research on Africa at an academic conference or event.

Eligibility requirements for this opportunity are as follows: 

• Applicants must be MSU faculty members conducting research in or about Africa and/or collaborating with African peers at an African partner institution. We especially encourage those who are partnering with one of AAP’s ten African university consortium members (in good standing) to apply.
• All applicants using the funds to carry out research must have successfully completed university requirements related to doing research (e.g., approved research plans, ethical conduct of research or IRB, training and approvals, etc.).
• All fellowship recipients must submit a report on the outputs and outcomes of their trip within one month of their return from the research trip or conference travel.

Review criteria 

• Alignment of proposed activities to AAP’s 3 strategic objectives and 7 priority areas.[JA1] 
• For those traveling for partnership activities (research or capacity building): [JA2] [JA3] Evidence of a collaborative and equitable partnership that strengthens personal, professional, and/or institutional networks in a mutually beneficial and sustainable way. 
  
  
• Quality of short-term outputs/outcomes of proposed activities
• Potential for a sustained, productive partnership; quality of long-term impacts of proposed activities
• Priority will be given to MSU faculty members who are engaged in or have established partnerships with African institutions within the AAP consortium.
• Priority will also be given to those faculty who have had a disruption in funding due to recent change in US government funding and/or global funding priority shifts.
• Past recipients of AAP funding are given lower priority for additional funding.

Funding

• For travel and/or fieldwork expenses, faculty members may receive up to  $5,000. For conference travel, faculty members may receive up to $5,000[JA4] [JA5]  for international travelor up to $1,000 for domestic travel.
• Applicants for research and conference travel awards should specify all additional funding sources, if applicable. 
• Funding can be used for airfare, accommodation, transportation, and/or per diem, as well as conference registration and related costs.
• Travel must be completed within 12 months of the award date.
• There is no required matching funding, but co-funding from other sources will be considered positively during the review process.

Timeline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through May 31, 2025, subject to funding availability. The application process may close early if all funds are awarded before May 31, 2025. All funding must be transferred to recipients by June 13, 2025.

Application Process

Applicants must complete an online application that includes the following documents. Click the following link to access the application: 
https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5j1eVEUrxL87FzM

1) Completion of the application form that covers the following:

• Describe the research topic and its significance
• Indicate any disruptions to previous funding and its impact on your research (optional)
• Outline the activities and dates proposed for this trip
• Identify the expected outputs from these activities and this trip and how they contribute to your field of research
• Describe future plans and potential for partnership activities, including publications and external funding 

2) A 2-page Curriculum Vitae

3) A budget

Indirect costs are not allowed. This is because AAP is an entity directly funded by Michigan State University. Projects funded by AAP do not allow for indirect, administrative, or contingent costs. AAP policy allows funding only for those activities that can be directly attributed to the funded project. Applicants are responsible for communicating with and receiving approvals from appropriate administrative, research, or finance offices at their institutions and to verify that they understand that indirect costs are not allowed under this grant program.

4) A Letter of support from department chair

5) A letter of support from host institution or conference invitation