AWHF Moses Mapesa Research Grant – Call for applications
Applications are now open for the AWHF Moses Mapesa Research Grant. The African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) is a special organization created in 2006 by the African Union and UNESCO. Think of us as partners dedicated to helping African countries take really good care of their amazing cultural and natural heritage – the kind that’s so important it’s recognized around the world! Our main goal is to support African countries in tackling the challenges they face with the 1972 World Heritage Convention. This includes helping put more fantastic African places on the World Heritage List and making sure the sites already listed are well looked after and managed. We became an official partner of UNESCO in 2010, and we’re proudly hosted by the Government of South Africa at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, representing the whole African continent.
Introducing the Moses Mapesa Research Grant
We are absolutely delighted to announce the Moses Mapesa Research Grant! We set up this grant to give a helping hand to African doctoral and master’s students who are doing research on natural and cultural heritage. Our hope is that this grant can really boost your academic journey by offering financial support – especially for things like fieldwork – if you’re focusing your research on World Heritage Sites or places on national Tentative Lists across Africa. Through this initiative, AWHF wants to encourage more academic work and help build a fantastic new group of African experts who are passionate about protecting, conserving, and sustainably managing Africa’s incredibly rich heritage.
Eligibility – AWHF Moses Mapesa Research Grant
Are you wondering if you can apply? Here’s who the call is open to:
* You are currently, or plan to be, registered in 2026 in a Doctoral or Master’s programme (or Masters 2 if you’re in a Francophone country) at an African university.
* Your dissertation research needs to be in the field of either natural or cultural heritage and focused on an African World Heritage Site or a site listed on a national tentative list.
* You are comfortable communicating fluently in English, French, or Portuguese.
* You are a citizen of an African Union Member State that is also a party to the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
What the AWHF Moses Mapesa Research Grant Offers**
The grant amounts will be different based on your research proposal, but the maximum award is USD Five Thousand (5,000.00). The exciting part is that your fieldwork needs to happen within 9 months from when the contract is signed (that’s between May 2026 and February 2027). This award is here to help you fund research projects that explore these fascinating topics related to a World Heritage or tentative listed site in Africa:
* Looking at traditional ways of managing heritage (like custodianship systems!)
* Planning for and managing risks to heritage sites
* Understanding heritage in conflict or after conflicts
* How we manage and conserve heritage
* The connection between heritage and climate change
* How we share and explain heritage to others
* Heritage and its link to economics or starting businesses
* Heritage and making sure development is sustainable
* Getting the word out about heritage and building awareness
* Heritage, the legal side of things, and human rights
* Using digital technologies and AI for heritage
* Thinking about the Authenticity of heritage
* Connecting heritage, young people, and passing down knowledge through generations
Remember, your chosen topic must be connected to a World Heritage site (you can see the list here: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/) or a tentative listed site (find those here: http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/) in Africa. Don’t forget to check those links to see the sites available in different countries!
**If You Get the Grant: What Comes Next?**
So, if you’re one of the students awarded a grant, congratulations! At the beginning, we’ll need you to share a more detailed description of your research (along with proof that you’re registered for your degree). Then, towards the end, we’ll ask for a final report showing your research results or your finished dissertation/thesis, plus a financial report. Everything you submit needs to be in French, English, or Portuguese. It’s super important that your projects are carried out between May 2026 and February 2027 (that’s within the 9-month timeframe!). Just a heads-up, if the research isn’t completed within that contractual period, you would need to return the grant funds to the AWHF.
Putting Your AWHF Moses Mapesa Research Grant Application Together
Ready to apply? Here’s what you need to include in your application package:
* Your completed application form (make sure your supervisor co-signs it!).
* A letter from you telling us why this grant is important for your research (keep it to 1 page maximum, please!).
* Your updated CV (no more than 2 pages!).
* Proof that you are registered for your course and/or a letter of acceptance from your university or higher learning institute.
* Your research proposal (this should be 2 pages maximum) which needs to cover:
* Your full name, the university you’re connected with, your country, the level of your degree, the title of your research, and the World Heritage or tentative listed site you’re focusing on.
* A description of your research (what are your goals/objectives, research questions, why is this research important, what’s the scope, and what do you expect to find?).
* How you plan to do your research (your approach, timeline, and how you’ll analyze your findings).
* Your bibliography (the list of sources you’re using).
* Your budget (show us where all your funds are coming from, and be specific about the fieldwork items this grant would help with and why you need funding for them).
* Also, include a budget showing any other supportive funds you might have, mentioning where they come from and the amounts.
Deadline for Submission
The deadline for submission is Midnight SAST on 31 July 2025. However, applicants are highly encouraged to submit their proposals prior to the deadline. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
9. Evaluation and Selection Process
An inter-disciplinary and cross-regional selection committee will review the applications. The following items will be strongly considered during selection:
- Eligibility of applicant,
- Completed application package (application form, CV, motivation letter, transcript of qualification or current enrolment & complete research proposal),
- Quality and relevance of the research proposed,
- Gender, language, and geographic balance.
Application Procedures – AWHF Moses Mapesa Research Grant
- The application form (English, French and Portuguese versions) can be downloaded below.
- Completed applications should be submitted via the Moses Mapesa Grant 2026/27 Application Link before the deadline. No physical copies will be accepted.
