Eligibility 

Who can apply for an APN RPF?

• Applications must be recipients of the APN IRF award within the past five (5) years. Historically marginalized persons and communities are strongly encouraged to apply, including women, Indigenous people, gender diverse, LGBTQIA+, persons with disabilities, among others. 
• Please refer to the APN and Next Gen Application Guidebook for more details on eligibility requirements. 

I am a former APN IRF recipient, but from before 2020. Can I still apply?

• No. Only APN IRF recipients from the past five (5) years (2020-2024) will be considered for the fellowship. 

I am an APN IRF recipient from between 2020 and 2024, can I apply to research a policy issue that is unrelated to my APN IRF-sponsored research?

• No. APN RPF supports the advancement of APN-IRF sponsored projects (conducted by the applicant).  

What is the purpose of the APN RPF?

• APN RPF enables scholars to seek affiliation with African regional and national policy think tanks, institutions, and advocacy organizations operating in the fields of peacebuilding, security, and development for up to 6 months, offering up to $12,000 to recipients to take leave from their teaching and administrative roles for the period.

Can I apply as part of a research group/team?

• No. The APN Research Policy Fellowship is only eligible to proposals from individual applicants.

Is there an age limit?

• No. However, applications will be considered based on personal experience. Preference will be given to early- to mid-career academics, as well as experienced practitioners and policy analysts. Please refer to the APN and Next Gen Application Guidebook for more information on eligibility requirements.

I currently hold a faculty position at a university or research organization outside of Africa. Am I still eligible?

• No. Applicants must be based at an institution or regional/national organization in Africa.

I have full-time employment in Africa, but I am temporarily stationed outside of the continent. Am I eligible to apply?

• Yes. However, you must submit a letter of employment from your employer in Africa as proof of your stationing via the online application portal. In addition, please note that you are expected to be resident in an African country for the entire duration of the project. 

Will the program support outside scholarships or enrollment in a degree-awarding program at a university?

• No. APN RPF supports only research selected for the award, including fieldwork and related networking activities.

What disciplines are eligible?

• APN RPF is open to researchers from all disciplines and fields. However, successful proposals will demonstrate a solid grasp of social science literature, tools, and research methodologies, and be focused on a policy-specific issue related to African peacebuilding.

What themes or topics are more likely to be successful?

• Proposals must build upon the applicant’s APN IRF-sponsored research with a policy-specific approach. All themes and topics related to peacebuilding in Africa are welcome. However, you are advised to take a look at the list of suggested thematic priorities for APN RPF in the APN and Next Gen Application Guidebook. Original and innovative topics are more likely to be successful.

I have applied for an APN research fellowship in the past but was unsuccessful. Am I still eligible to apply?

• Yes. If you have applied for the APN RPF fellowship in the past and were NOT accepted, you may apply if you meet all eligibility requirements. Please use feedback from reviewers’ comments on your previous application(s) as a guide in preparing your current application/proposal.

Application Process

What is the application process?

• To be considered for the fellowship, applicants must first submit a one-page letter of interest which details the title, duration, and relevance of the proposed project to peacebuilding mechanisms, policies and practices in Africa, by November 8, 2024, 11:59 pm EST  

• After the review of the letters of interest, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit  required application materials including the application form, research proposal and bibliography, CV, proposed project timeline, and proposed  budget  on the OpenWater portal by January 31, 2025, 11:59 pm EST. Reference letters can be submitted separately, but are required by February 5, 2025, 11:59 pm EST.
• Please refer to the APN and Next Gen Application Guidebook for more details. 

Application Components

Can photographs, charts, and graphs be included in the research proposal?

• Yes, but these must fit within the seven (7) and nine (9) pages allowed for the entire proposal.

Do I need to submit my APN IRF project outputs?

• No.

What do I do if I have been shortlisted and invited to submit a full application?

• The APN and Next Gen program will instructions on how to submit following materials through the Open Water portal:

• Completed Open Water Portal Application Form 
• Project Proposal with a complete bibliography and cover page
• Titles of potential publication(s)
• Current CV
• Proposed Project Timeline
• Proposed Project Budget
• Two Reference Letters

Awarding of Fellowships

What do I do if my application is selected for an APN Research Policy Fellowship?

• Once a nominee has been notified and accepted the offer, the following documents are required to finalize award processing:

1. An official letter from the applicant’s home institution or organization indicating the acceptance of the terms of the fellowship award and support for the applicant’s research project, which must be written on institutional stationery, signed and dated by the relevant head of administration;
2. A scanned copy of the applicant’s highest university degree;
3. A signed statement by the fellow declaring that all fellowship research will be completed within the time stipulated and that the funding will be used only for research activities proposed in the fellowship award application; and,
4. A scanned copy of the biodata page of the applicant’s passport.

Once these documents have been received and approved by the program, an award letter will be sent confirming fellowship award status.

Please note that all selected applicants will be required to submit a detailed budget indicating the funds necessary to complete the proposed research, which is taken into consideration in determining the final fellowship award amount.

You will also be asked to confirm your availability to attend two workshops in July and January 2025.

When can I begin my affiliation and project, if my proposal is selected for funding?

• Fellows are expected to commence their projects no later than July 2025 and finish by March 2026. 

What do APN Research Policy Fellowships NOT cover?

• Fellowship awards do not cover university overhead, individual or institutional contributions, salary support, social security, or other insurance programs. They cannot be used for payment on loans, mortgages, other personal indebtedness, or the storage of personal or household effects. Other excluded expenses will be conveyed to fellows during the final budget proposal and review process.

Does the program offer administrative support for travel visas and research clearance?

• No. Fellows are responsible for obtaining their own visas, official documentation, and research clearances. Fellows will be responsible for consulting an Institutional Review Board (IRB) on their own and having their proposed research approved before any involvement of human subjects may begin.

If I receive an APN Research Policy Fellowship, is it compulsory that I attend the two Fellows’ workshops?

• Yes. Attendance at the two APN and Next Gen training workshops, for which you will be asked to prepare specific materials and presentations linked to your research, is mandatory. Failure to attend can lead to the termination of your award. These will take place in July and January 2025. By applying you understand that, if selected, your presence and participation in both workshops will be required.

Do I have to pay my way to attend and participate in the workshops?

• No. The APN and Next Gen Program will make all necessary arrangements and cover your travel, accommodation, meals, and other expenses related to the workshop attendance. These need not be included in the project budgets. In special circumstances, fellows will be reimbursed for the full costs of independently arranged travel. In the event that the workshop is held virtually, fellows who require special accommodation with access to good internet facilities will be reimbursed for the full costs of such arrangements.

What kinds of outputs or products are expected from APN fellows at the conclusion of their projects?

• Outputs and products may include, but are not limited to books, at least one Policy Review Analysis Paper and one (1) peer-reviewed article in a reputable policy-related journal on their research findings and analysis of issues linked to a policy framework, mechanism, or action. 

Do Research Policy Fellowships go directly to fellows or are they channeled through the recipient’s university or organization?

• APN Research Policy Fellowships are paid directly to the fellows in three separate installments, pending submission and approval of required progress reports at the beginning, in the middle, and towards the end of the project. In addition to the Interim and Final progress reports, fellows are expected to submit a draft publication before the second workshop in January 2025.

I am currently applying for several research fellowships. If I am awarded an APN Research Policy Fellowship, can I also accept funding from other sources?

• Yes. However, please note that no awardee may hold two concurrent SSRC fellowships/grants at the same time. Should you receive two different SSRC fellowships/grants simultaneously, you will be asked to forego one of your own choosing. Past or current beneficiaries of an SSRC fellowship may apply for an APN fellowship only if their current award will be completed by the time the next APN fellowship commences in July 2025.