The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) invites African researchers and practitioners interested in developing their skills in impact evaluation to apply for its Fellowship Program to be completed in Fall 2027 or Spring 2028. Selected fellows  will audit coursework, develop skills in quantitative development research, access a personalized mentorship program to develop their research ideas, and build their research networks. Fellows will spend 16 weeks either in residence at UC Berkeley or participating virtually. 

Tracks: Applicants can apply to one of two tracks–the Practitioner Track or the Academic Track–as either a Resident (in-person at UC Berkeley) or Non-Resident (online) Fellow. Fellows will be given the choice of either Fall 2027 (August through December) or Spring 2028 (January through May). In the application, you will select one preferred track. 

The application deadline is 5:00 PM GMT on January 17, 2027. 

ELIGIBILITY

Across both tracks: 

To be accepted to the CEGA Fellowship, applicants must demonstrate the following:

• Be fluent in English (written and spoken), and a strong communicator. 
• Be from an East African or West African country and have completed at least up to secondary school education in an African institution.
• Have at least a Master's degree, are currently enrolled in a PhD, or have completed a PhD (within 8 years) in economics, political science, statistics, epidemiology/public health, or another social science discipline.
• Plan to return to an institution in East or West Africa after the fellowship. If currently enrolled in a PhD program outside the African continent, scholars may complete their PhD before their return.

The Practitioner Track is intended for professionals interested in improving their research skills to grow in their careers in African government ministries, think tanks, or NGOs. Applicants to the Practitioner Track should: 

• Work for an NGO, think tank, or government ministry in East or West Africa, with a goal to grow into more senior careers. 
• Be actively using or promoting the use of evidence to improve economic and social well-being for populations.

The Academic Track is intended for early career scholars who intend to pursue an academic career. Application to the Academic Track should: 

• Either be a doctoral student or hold a current staff position within a university or research institution, preferably one that supports policy-relevant, quantitative social science research.
• Be prepared to develop their own research proposal and/or be embedded within a faculty’s existing research project. 

Resident fellows must be from a country eligible for a J-1 visa under current U.S. visa requirements: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles, Uganda. Please note that this is subject to change dependent on US regulations.  Non-Resident fellows will be prioritized from currently subject to U.S. visa restrictions: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

OVERVIEW

CEGA’s Global Networks program invites joint proposals from CEGA Fellows and CEGA Affiliates to conduct policy or programmatically-relevant impact evaluations in East and West Africa. 

A total of $200,000 in research funding will be awarded to 3-4 projects. Individual projects may request up to $67,000. 

Proposed studies must use a rigorous research design capable of identifying causal effects and must demonstrate that the project can be successfully implemented. Priority may be given to extensions of CEGA-funded pilot grants. 

We prioritize research that addresses important questions with the potential to advance knowledge and inform policy or programmatic decision-making. Competitive proposals should articulate both the broader significance and innovation of the research question and its relevance to the specific policy or programmatic context in which the study will be conducted.

We particularly encourage projects that are developed in collaboration with an end user of the evidence, such as a government agency, policymaker, or implementing organization, and that respond to a concrete policy or programmatic need. Applicants should describe how the proposed research is connected to partner priorities and how the collaboration will extend beyond study implementation to support the use of evidence and strengthen institutional capacity. Letters of support from key stakeholders can be submitted to document this engagement and commitment.

Proposals must also demonstrate the viability of the intervention, program, or approach being studied. Applicants should provide sufficient detail and supporting evidence to establish that what is being evaluated is well developed, can be implemented as proposed, and is supported by partners with the capacity and commitment to carry it out. Purely qualitative or descriptive studies are not eligible for funding.

Eligibility: 

We will award teams of scholars made up of at least one CEGA fellow (see here) and at least one CEGA affiliate (see here). Please see the accompanying “Global Networks Co-Authorship Statement,” which lays out expectations for collaboration between the CEGA fellow and CEGA Affiliate. We will accept proposals from UC Berkeley PhD students if a CEGA Affiliate sponsors the study. 

Applications will be accepted for research conducted in any of the following countries: Benin, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Applications must be in English.

Proposal Materials Required:

1. Research Proposal - please adapt this template (go to File → Make a Copy)                              
   1. Budget Narrative (example)
   2. Budget (Excel sheet): This document must be completed in its entirety using the accompanying excel sheet

       

We will offer two types of awards to support original research led by UC Berkeley PhD students. A total of approximately $80,000 will be made available through this competition:

(1) travel grants up to $5,000 for scoping and/or short-term fieldwork;

(2) seed grants up to $20,000 for extensive, longer-term projects.

Proposed research must involve rigorous evaluation of programs or policies designed to alleviate poverty and promote social or economic development in low- and middle- income countries. Grant funds may be used to cover travel and lodging, data collection or access, data analysis, and related activities. Grants may not be used for student payment.

Researchers that have previously received CEGA funding are eligible for additional CEGA funding if they have completed requested retrospective surveys, interim and final reports, or other required deliverables.

Deadline: November 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time

Eligibility Criteria: Doctoral students at UC Berkeley can apply.

Each application must include a nomination from a CEGA faculty affiliate sponsor. The nomination should be emailed to Sam Bordia (bordia@berkeley.edu) by the submission deadline (simply stating, "I have reviewed the proposed research and agree to nominate the applicant for this award" is adequate). 

Application Process:

Please complete the Application Form. Applications must include a proposal describing the research (no more than 2 pages) and a budget.