About this opportunity
PAST is pleased to announce the fifth call for funding proposals under its Andrea Leenen Memorial All from One Research Grant Programme. The award supports African based field, laboratory or museum collections research in all fields of African palaeontology, including palaeoanthropology, Stone Age archaeology, palaeobotany, palaeoecology, palaeoclimatology and allied disciplines. Projects must be innovative and show exceptional promise in providing new information that speaks directly to one of the three core themes of the All from One campaign.
The three themes are the shared African origins of humankind, from the Late Miocene ape antecedents through to the emergence of modern human behaviour and their relevance to an improved understanding of human unity; palaeo climatic and palaeoecological change and its relevance to the modern climatic and environmental crises; and prehistoric extinctions and their relevance to the modern biodiversity crisis.
In 2026 to 2027, PAST will allocate up to US$25,000 per project and will award grants to a maximum of two projects. These awards sit alongside the standard PAST research grants programme that has been running since 1994. Grants are renewable for up to three years, subject to a satisfactory and detailed progress report, a new application stating the need for and goals of additional funding, and the availability of PAST funds.
Eligibility
is limited to African based post-doctoral and senior researchers, or African nationals based overseas who maintain a formal affiliation and a demonstrably well established collaborative relationship with an African institution. Overseas applicants who lead a team may include overseas collaborators but must ensure significant participation by other African based researchers, and PAST funds only the team leader and the African based researchers and support staff. The research itself must be located in Africa and based at an African institution through which funds can be awarded and disbursed, and any material collected or produced must be curated at an African institution in line with national and institutional protocols so it stays available for future researchers.
Pre-applications must be submitted by 23 October 2026. PAST will inform applicants of its decision on whether a full proposal is invited within several weeks of that
Application timeline
Pre-applicants invited to submit a full proposal receive the special application guidelines document and form, with a full
Application timeline
of 5 February 2027 and final decisions announced by 23 April 2027. The primary research described in the proposal must be scheduled for completion within twelve months of the award date and unexpended funds must be returned to PAST.
What you receive
- Up to US$25,000 per project to support African based field, laboratory or museum collections research
- Grants renewable for up to three years subject to a progress report, a new funding application and available PAST funds
- Awards sit alongside the standard PAST research grants programme that has run since 1994
- Support for African undergraduate and postgraduate student training linked to the research project
- Contribution to sustainable palaeontological infrastructure and technical capacity in African institutions
Who can apply
- African based post-doctoral researchers, or African based senior researchers
- African nationals based overseas who maintain a formal affiliation and a demonstrably well established collaborative relationship with an African institution
- Overseas team leaders may include overseas collaborators but must ensure significant participation by African based researchers, since PAST funds only the team leader and the African based researchers and support staff
- Research must be located in Africa and based at an African institution through which funds can be awarded and disbursed
- Material collected or produced must be curated at an African institution under relevant national and institutional protocols and remain available for future study
- For collections curated in South Africa, applicants must follow the DSTI and NRF National Science Collections Facility protocols
- Specialised analysis of collected samples may occur overseas only when appropriate facilities are demonstrated to be unavailable in Africa
Who should not apply
- PAST does not fund salaries or institutional overhead
- PAST does not fund permanent equipment, except when the equipment will be donated to strengthen the technical capacity of an African institution after the research award period and a formal letter of agreement is provided
- Researchers without an African based host institution or an African nationality with a formal African affiliation cannot lead a funded project
- Projects that do not address at least one of the three All from One themes are not eligible
Documents to prepare
- Pre-application of no more than 500 words that covers the provisional project title, a brief description of the research problem, goals, location, methods and expected results, a provisional list of collaborators and the nature of student involvement or the contribution to African palaeontological infrastructure, and the potential for public outreach
- Preliminary budget showing costs in major categories requested from PAST, with a separate column for amounts pending from or requested from other sources including overseas sources
- Formal letter of agreement with the receiving institution whenever permanent equipment is proposed for donation
- For invited full applications, the special PAST application guidelines document and the completed PAST application form
- Documentation for overseas applicants confirming the formal affiliation and the established collaborative relationship with the African institution
How to apply
- Read the current PAST Call for All from One Grant Proposals 2027 at https://past.org.za/wp-content/uploads/Call-for-All-from-One-Grant-Proposals-2027.pdf
- Draft a pre-application of no more than 500 words that addresses the five required points listed by PAST, plus a preliminary budget in the requested two column format
- Confirm that at least one of the three All from One themes is central to the project, that the research will be located in Africa, and that material collected or produced will be curated at an African institution
- Send the pre-application to PAST Africa at hq@pastafrica.co.za before the pre-application deadline of 23 October 2026
- Wait for the PAST decision on whether a full proposal is invited, which PAST communicates within several weeks of the pre-application deadline
- If invited, complete the special application guidelines document and the full application form and submit them by 5 February 2027
Selection process
- PAST reviews every pre-application against the 500 word limit, the three All from One themes, the requirement for African based research and the preliminary budget structure
- PAST informs applicants of its decision on whether a full proposal is invited within several weeks of the 23 October 2026 pre-application deadline
- Invited full applications are assessed against the special PAST application guidelines document, the contribution to African student training and the contribution to African palaeontological infrastructure or technical capacity
- Final decisions are announced by 23 April 2027
- Projects must be scheduled for completion within twelve months of the award date, with unexpended funds returned to PAST
- A detailed report on preliminary results and a summary of expenditure must be submitted no later than fifteen months after the award date
Sources and verification
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Questions applicants ask
What is the maximum award?
In the 2026 to 2027 cycle PAST allocates up to US$25,000 per project and awards grants to a maximum of two projects.
What are the deadlines?
Pre-applications must be submitted by 23 October 2026, invited full applications are due by 5 February 2027 and final decisions are announced by 23 April 2027.
Can researchers based outside Africa apply?
Yes, African nationals based overseas may apply as long as they maintain a formal affiliation and a demonstrably well established collaborative relationship with an African institution, and the project includes significant participation by African based researchers.
Are salaries and overhead eligible?
No, the programme does not fund salaries or institutional overhead.
Can the grant pay for permanent equipment?
Permanent equipment is generally ineligible. An exception may be considered when the equipment will be donated to strengthen the technical capacity of an African institution and a formal agreement guarantees its future use.
Can research activities take place outside Africa?
Specialised analysis of collected samples may occur overseas only when appropriate facilities are demonstrated to be unavailable in Africa. Collected material must be curated at an African institution.
Can the funding be renewed?
Yes, funding may be renewed for up to three years subject to a satisfactory progress report, submission of a new funding application and the availability of PAST funds.
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