The call for applications for the Thuthuka funding instrument 2023 is now open.

Note: UFS internal closing date is 8 May 2023

The Thuthuka funding instrument aims to develop human capital and improve the research capacity of researchers and scholars. This funding instrument also supports the advancement of individuals from master’s to doctoral level in all fields of research; grants are awarded for well-structured research projects that demonstrate the prudent use of funds.

The objectives of the Thuthuka funding instrument are to

• promote the attainment of a doctoral qualification by early career researchers and scholars employed at South African public universities, science councils, and other research institutions as recognised by the NRF;
• promote the research development of early career researchers and scholars employed at South African public universities, science councils, and other research institutions as recognised by the NRF;
• promote the attainment of an NRF rating by early career researchers and scholars in the recent post-PhD phase, in particular black and female researchers and persons with disabilities; and
• promote the attainment of an NRF rating by researchers and scholars who have been unable to realise their potential or sustain their research ability by virtue of the lack of an enabling research environment or due to family responsibilities.

Who is eligible to apply?

• Only South African citizens and South African permanent residents with a valid South African identity document (ID) number may apply. Individuals who are in the process of obtaining permanent residence will not be considered.
• Applicants must be employed on a full-time permanent or full-time contractual basis. Support staff such as technicians and research assistants, part-time lecturers, doctoral students, and postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to apply for a Thuthuka grant.
• Female applicants employed on a fixed-term half-day appointment in order to accommodate family responsibilities are eligible to apply.

Exclusion criteria (Please consult the attached funding guideline for your reference).

For more information regarding the call, kindly consult the Funding Framework document and the Thuthuka Institutional Support Form for your information and convenience.

Kindly attach the Institutional Support form to your application.

Please find the updated Application Guide for Thuthuka Grant Applications 2023.

The internal deadlines for Thuthuka grant applications are:

• First submission: Friday 14 April 2023
• Feedback from reviewers: Friday 21 April 2023

Working on revision and editing based on UFS reviewer feedback (applicants)

• UFS internal closing date: Monday 8 May 2023, by close of business

Approval and validation by the designated authority (DA) at UFS

 Note: Internal UFS closing date is 8 May 2023

The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the FirstRand Foundation (FRF) have partnered to pursue the goal of increasing the proportion of suitably qualified black African academic staff and academic staff with disabilities at South African public universities, by establishing the Black Academics Advancement Programme (BAAP).

This programme is a targeted intervention aimed at promoting the development of specifically black academics, black South African citizens, and academic staff with disabilities, by accelerating the training of PhD and post-PhD candidates to enhance their research training and accelerate their progression to becoming established researchers.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be black South African citizens, or South African citizens with a disability.
• Applicants must hold a permanent, full-time academic appointment at one of the 26 public universities in South Africa, or a fixed-term appointment that extends for the full grant period plus one additional year.
• Applicants must not have received or hold a valid NRF A, B, C, or P rating at the time of commencing the programme. Should an NRF Evaluation and Rating application and the BAAP application be submitted simultaneously and both are successful, the BAAP grant will not be awarded.
• This grant may not be held concurrently with a Thuthuka grant. In cases where the BAAP and Thuthuka applications are submitted simultaneously and both are successful, the Thuthuka grant will not be awarded.
• New Generation Academics Programme (nGAP) scholars are excluded from applying for this call.

Applicants must apply on the NRF Connect System here. 

Kindly attach the DVC nomination letter to your application.

For more information pertaining to this call, please refer to the Framework and Application documents.

Note: Internal UFS closing date is 8 May 2023

Support for Y-rated researchers

The Research Development Grants for Y-Rated Researchers is one of the NRF instruments that develops a transformed and highly skilled science and technology community. In driving this programme, both the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the NRF recognise the need to deliberately provide dedicated support to emerging and promising researchers to hasten the process of establishing themselves as established researchers.

Financing support

The Research Development Grants for Y-Rated Researchers is made possible through contract funding from the DSI. Each application may request funding of not more than R300 000 for a period of three years. Financial requests must be in line with the requirements and accurately reflect the financial needs of the proposed work. Excessive budget requests are not well received by the review panels.

Eligibility

• Research Development Grants for Y-Rated Researchers grant holders may only hold ONE Y-rated research grant. Previous Y-rated grant holders are not eligible to apply again.
• Each new principal investigator may only submit ONE application to this call.
• Principal investigators must choose between submitting an application in this funding instrument or in the Competitive Programme for Rated Researchers (CPRR). An application submitted to this instrument will not be reviewed if there is another application submitted for CPRR funding.
• Full-time employees at an NRF-recognised research institution in South Africa who are eligible to apply and who hold a valid NRF Y-rating at the time of application, may submit an application.
•  NRF-rated part-time employees on contract at an NRF-recognised research institution (as defined above) in South Africa who hold a valid Y-rating may apply, on condition that their appointment at the South African institution is (at least) for the duration of the project applied for in the application. The length of the contract should be stated in the application form. The primary employment of the individual concerned must be at that institution. A contract researcher appointed at a research institution on behalf of a third party to fulfil a very specific function for the latter does not qualify for support.
• Successful Y-rated applicants will be eligible for funding for the duration of their awarded grant, up to a maximum of three years. The grant allocation will be allowed to run for the duration of the award, even if the principal investigator loses his/her rating status during this period.

NB: Applicants must ensure that their curriculum vitae is updated on the NRF Connect System. This curriculum vitae is used in the assessment processes, and incomplete or outdated input will jeopardise the application.

For more information pertaining to this call, please refer to the Framework document.

 UFS internal closing date: 8 May 2023 (both calls)

Competitive Support for Unrated Researchers (CSUR)

The Competitive Support for Unrated Researchers (CSUR) is an instrument to support ring-fenced, once-off grants that are competitive and discipline-based in nature. The instrument is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the National Research Foundation (NRF) to drive transformation consistently and strategically by primarily supporting basic research as the foundation of knowledge production in the disciplines of the Humanities, Social and Natural Sciences.

Eligibility

• CSUR grant holders will only qualify for ONE CSUR grant cycle (three years). Thereafter, they will be expected to enter the rated stream and apply for funding from other NRF instruments such as the Competitive Programme for Rated Researchers (CPRR). Current or previous CSUR grant holders are not eligible for further CSUR funding.
• Each new principal investigator (PI) may submit only ONE CSUR application to this call. However, a researcher may participate in more than one project either as a co-investigator or collaborator. Postdoctoral fellows, students, technical and support staff are NOT eligible to apply.
• Full-time employees at NRF-recognised research institutions in South Africa who do not hold a valid NRF rating at the time of application are invited to apply.
•  NRF-unrated part-time employees on contract at an NRF-recognised research institution (as defined above) in South Africa who do not currently hold a CSUR grant may apply, on condition that their appointment at the South African institution is for (at least) the duration of the project applied for. The length of the contract should be stated in the application form. The primary employment of the individual concerned must be with that institution. A contract researcher appointed at a research institution on behalf of a third party to fulfil a very specific function for the latter does not qualify for support.
• Successful unrated applicants will be eligible for funding for the duration of their awarded grant, up to a maximum period of three years. The grant allocation will be allowed to run for the duration of the award, even if the principal investigator is awarded an NRF rating during this period. Once rated, the principal investigator will be expected to enter the CPRR funding stream.
• Applicants who complete their projects funded through the Thuthuka rating track will not be considered for CSUR funding and are therefore advised to apply for rating so that they will be eligible to apply for either the Development Grant for Y-rated researchers or the CPRR.
• Retired unrated academics/researchers may apply. 

Please refer to specific conditions in the framework document.

Competitive Programme for Rated Researchers (CPRR)

The Competitive Programme for Rated Researchers (CPRR) is a highly competitive, discipline-based funding instrument that supports both basic and applied research as the foundation of knowledge production in the disciplines of the Humanities, Social and Natural Sciences. The instrument is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the National Research Foundation (NRF) to drive transformation consistently and strategically by primarily supporting basic research as the foundation of knowledge production in the disciplines of the Humanities, Social and Natural Sciences. Furthermore, this instrument is restricted to persons who hold a current NRF rating.

Eligibility

• CPRR grant holders may hold ONE CPRR grant at a time as a principal investigator. Funding in this round will support successful applications for a maximum period of three years, 2023-2025. A project with a duration of one year or less does not qualify.
• Each new principal investigator may submit only ONE CPRR application to this call. However, a researcher may participate either as a co-investigator or collaborator in more than one project.
• Full-time employees at an NRF-recognised research institution in South Africa who hold a valid NRF rating at the time of application are invited to apply. Postdoctoral fellows, students, technical and support staff are NOT eligible to apply.
• NRF-rated part-time employees on contract at an NRF-recognised research institution (as defined above) in South Africa who do not currently hold a CPRR grant may apply, on condition that their appointment at the South African institution is for (at least) the duration of the project applied for.
• Successful rated applicants will be eligible for funding for the duration of their awarded grant, up to a maximum of three years. The grant allocation will be allowed to run for the duration of the award, even if the principal investigator loses his/her rating status during this period. However, once the grant period has expired, the principal investigator will not be able to reapply to the CPRR funding stream until a new rating is obtained.

Please see the attached funding framework for more eligibility criteria related to CPRR.