Call for Proposals: The Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP) Project

Call for Proposals: The African Think Tank Platform (ATTP) Project

The African Union (AU) Commission invites applications from African Think Tanks to participate in the Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP) Call for Proposals. The ATTP project is a five-year, $50 million initiative by the African Union, with funding from the World Bank Group, aimed at enhancing the capacity and influence of African think tanks.

Key Objectives

• To establish a sustainable platform for effective cooperation and harmonization on regional policy issues among country-level policymakers, regional blocs, and think tanks across Africa.
• To encourage collaboration in policymaking for regional integration priorities that offer significant positive externalities and reduce negative ones.
• To conduct policy research on six priority themes that align with the AU’s Agenda 2063, the World Bank's Africa Strategy, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a strong emphasis on gender.

The initial priority themes include economic transformation and governance, climate change, food security, regional trade, human capital, and digitalization. These themes may be updated during the implementation of the ATTP project, subject to approval by the Think Tank Platform Steering Committee (TTPSC), to address emerging demands on the continent.

Expected Outcomes

• Short-Term
  • Operational Think Tank Platform, engaging policymakers and researchers.
  • Increased research on priority issues, with a focus on motivating female researchers.
  • Enhanced capacity for regional policy coherence.
• Medium-Term
  • Improved policymaking and implementation of continental, regional, and national plans across Africa.
  • Strengthened collaboration among think tanks, policymakers, and stakeholders.
• Long-Term
  • Sustainable development through evidence-based policies.
  • Achieving the goals of the AU Agenda 2063.

Eligibility Criteria

• Think Tanks must submit a joint application as a consortium consisting of 3-5 African think tanks, with one designated as the lead.
• Proposals must outline comprehensive activities addressing at least four of the six initial priority themes.
• Applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing regional integration priorities by addressing regional and cross-border issues, aligning research and policy endeavors, and actively supporting regional cooperation. All applicants must be African Think Tanks with formally established organizations legally registered in one of the 55 African countries.
• All required proposal documents must be submitted in English, and an additional copy in one of the African Union's official languages can be submitted.
• Firms or individuals who are ineligible or sanctioned by the World Bank Group are not permitted to participate.

Required Documents

• All Interested Think Tanks must include the following information as part of their proposal submission:
  1. Completed ATTP Application Form
  2. Project work plan and budget (up to four years)
  3. Curriculum vitae (CV) of consortium coordinator
  4. CV of deputy consortium coordinator
  5. CVs of research team members (top 2 experts from each think tank)
  6. Past research and engagement experience
  7. Signed commitment letter from all consortium members and the lead think tank confirming their agreement to the consortium plan and active participation in its execution
  8. Copy of the legal registration for each consortium member
  9. Board of trustees’ structure for each consortium member
  10. Audited financial reports (up to three years) for each consortium member

• Download the call for proposal documents via: https://africathinktankplatform.africa/callforproposal

How to Apply

• Before applying, all applicants must read carefully the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to understand the application process and requirements thoroughly available on: https://africathinktankplatform.africa/faq
• All interested Think Tanks must submit the completed application via this link: https://africathinktankplatform.africa/callforproposal

Application Timeline

• ATTP Call for Proposals Launch Date: Thursday, 24 July 2025
• ATTP Call Proposal Submission Deadline: Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Contact Information

For any questions or inquiries, please contact the ATTP Secretariat at attpinfo@africanunion.org.