Overview
The National Research Fund (NRF) is a government initiative implemented by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) under the Ministry of Technology and Science. It aims to support basic and applied research that aligns with Zambia’s national priorities and development goals.
Purpose:
- Drive innovation and knowledge generation
- Address national challenges
- Support commercialization of research
- Build research capacity
Funding Streams
Use two clear cards or columns:
🔹 1. Solicited Funding
- Research aligned with Calls for Proposals
- Presidential/Ministerial directives
- Collaborative, counterpart, and directed research
- Undergraduate mentorship and research
🔹 2. Unsolicited Funding
- Postgraduate research (Masters, PhD, Postdoc)
- Researcher-initiated proposals
- Dissemination grants
- Mobility grants
Thematic Areas
🧪 Agriculture
🐄 Livestock
🐟 Fisheries
⛏️ Mining
🏞️ Tourism
🏭 Manufacturing
🌱 Environmental Sustainability
⚡ Energy
🤖 Artificial Intelligence (AI)
🏥 Health and Public Health
Eligibility
Who can apply?
- Zambian Principal Investigators with at least a Master’s degree
- Public and private R&D institutions
- Early-career researchers
- Differently-abled and female scientists encouraged to apply
🔶 Note: Proposals must be endorsed by the institution of affiliation.
How to Apply
- Check current Calls for Proposals
- Prepare your concept and full proposal
- Submit via the Online Grants Management System:
https://nstcms.nstc.org.zm
📅 Application Cycle Overview (March – December)
Grant Guidelines
Highlights:
- Maximum funding: Varies by call
- Equipment cap: Max 40% of total budget
- Ineligible: Salaries, audit fees, unrelated insurance
- IP & ownership governed by NSTC agreement
- Admin costs: 5% to institutions
Monitoring & Reporting
- Reports Required: Inception, Progress (Technical & Financial), Completion
- Disbursement: Staged based on milestone achievements
- Evaluation: Done by the NRF Technical & Fund Management Committees