This project supports the development of a Consortium for the African education funding community to share insights and identify promising ways to support policy research in the region.

The African Education Research Funding Consortium aims to shift power to locally led and based researchers, pioneer new realms of research, challenge conventional norms long exhibited in the aid space, and, ultimately, demonstrate new standards at the heart of funders’ relationships with local researchers.

In early 2022, a group of funders—Echidna Giving, Imaginable Futures, the Gates Foundation and Porticus—invited OTT to help organise a Forum for Education Research in/for/by Africa. There was a clear shared vision around what participants would like to see in ten years: African researchers and practitioners driving the agenda!

Forum participants identified five recommendations for funders to support education research and practice in Africa:

1. Drive impact by supporting a long-term vision.
2. Respond to local needs, agendas, and initiatives by funding local organisations in ways that support their own missions.
3. Provide funding across the generation, communication and use of evidence.
4. Deliberately support the inclusion of women, young people, minorities and other disadvantaged groups in education research.
5. Promote dynamic learning.

Following the Forum, OTT has been facilitating the development of the funders’ consortium to take these recommendations forward. The consortium currently consists of 12 funders, mobilising over +370m+ in education research funding.

Phase I (Foundation – 2022-2023)

The Consortium concluded its pilot phase in December 2023 with a focus on establishing the groundwork for the Consortium, including charting out the vision, mission, and objectives for the Consortium, and establishing governance structures, membership criteria, and Secretariat roles.

Phase II (2023-2024)

In the second phase, the group continued to  pursue its mission to support members in implementing the five recommendations by focusing on these workstreams:

• Community Building and Convening – Strengthening relationships among funders and other stakeholders.
• Knowledge Sharing – Generating and disseminating insights on effective implementation of the consortium’s recommendations.
• Accountability –  Monitoring members’ adherence to the established recommendations. 
• Communications and Advocacy – Expanding funder engagement, advocating for the consortium’s mission and sharing lessons learned to encourage broader adoption of its principles.

Activities such as peer networking and expert input sessions, annual progress analysis and background notes, bi-monthly research and news roundups, and consultations with other established collaboratives were instrumental in strengthening engagement, facilitating knowledge-sharing, monitoring progress, and refining the Consortium’s strategic direction.

Phase III (February – July 2025)

The latest phase aims to transform the lessons of the past two years into concrete actions that strengthen education research funding in Africa. The focus is moving from strategic planning to active implementation. Key priorities are:

• Sustaining Momentum – Transitioning into action-oriented activities to build on past achievements.
• Responsive Design – Adapting the consortium’s structure to better meet members’ pressing needs and potentially expand participation.
• Fostering Strong Collaborations – Creating a trusted, inclusive environment that encourages meaningful contributions and shared ownership.

The operationalisation of these priorities will be carried out through proposed services aimed at ensuring a practical and impactful implementation.

Learn more about the consortium

Phase IV (November 2025 – January 2026)

OTT Consulting Ltd. is carrying out a three-month landing period of the Africa Education Research Funding Consortium. The project prioritises high-impact activities to ensure that the work of the past three years is meaningfully documented, offers pathways for translation into tangible outcomes and takeaways, and positions AERFC as a valuable space and strategic asset within the education funding landscape. This includes consolidating and sharing intelligence on funder priorities, practices, and emerging trends to inform future collaboration.

Dates

• Phase I: October 2022 – December 2023
• Phase II: January – December 2024
• Phase III: February – July 2025
• Phase IV: November 2025 – January 2026

Budget

• Phase I: USD 139,868
• Phase II: USD 92,132
• Phase III: USD 55,000
• Phase IV: USD 34,000