African Centre for Development Impact - ACDI

25/05/2026

Africa’s story will not change because time passes.
It will change because Africans keep building, creating, questioning, and shaping what comes next.

Today, we celebrate the people, ideas, and possibilities moving the continent forward.

Happy African Union Day.

25/05/2026

📢 Reminder: Our Research Grant Competition Info Session is happening tomorrow.

If you’re planning to apply and still have questions about eligibility, proposal requirements, funding, partnerships, or submission, join us for a live discussion with the ACDI team.

🗓 Tuesday, 26 May 2026
⏰ 3:00 PM GMT
📍 Google Meet

🔗 Join: meet.google.com/yke-egtr-ryn
📝 Submit questions ahead: bit.ly/rfp_QandA

We look forward to engaging with you.

📢 Thinking of applying for ACDI’s Research Funding Call but still have questions?

Join our upcoming Information Session to get clarity on the proposal process and engage directly with the ACDI team.

We’ll discuss:
✔ Eligibility requirements
✔ Proposal expectations and requirements
✔ Funding categories
✔ Team composition and partnerships
✔ Submission process
✔ Live Q&A

Can’t attend with all your questions ready? Submit them ahead of the session and we’ll address them during the discussion.

🗓 Tuesday, 26 May 2026
⏰ 3:00 PM GMT
📍 Google Meet

🔗 Join the session: meet.google.com/yke-egtr-ryn
📝 Submit questions ahead of the session: bit.ly/rfp_QandA

If you are planning to apply, this session is for you.

21/05/2026

📢 Thinking of applying for ACDI’s Research Funding Call but still have questions?

Join our upcoming Information Session to get clarity on the proposal process and engage directly with the ACDI team.

We’ll discuss:
✔ Eligibility requirements
✔ Proposal expectations and requirements
✔ Funding categories
✔ Team composition and partnerships
✔ Submission process
✔ Live Q&A

Can’t attend with all your questions ready? Submit them ahead of the session and we’ll address them during the discussion.

🗓 Tuesday, 26 May 2026
⏰ 3:00 PM GMT
📍 Google Meet

🔗 Join the session: meet.google.com/yke-egtr-ryn
📝 Submit questions ahead of the session: bit.ly/rfp_QandA

If you are planning to apply, this session is for you.

21/05/2026

📢 Reminder: Applications Are Still Open | Funding for Innovative Impact Evaluations in Africa

Evidence creates impact when it moves beyond ideas into implementation.

If you participated in the ACDI Impact Evaluation Training and Matchmaking Workshop (March 2026) or previous DIWA/ACDI Impact Evaluation Trainings (2020 or 2023), this is your opportunity to turn rigorous ideas into policy-relevant action.

The African Centre for Development Impact (ACDI) invites eligible teams of researchers, evaluators, and policymakers across Africa to submit proposals for funding to implement innovative impact evaluations in sectors of strategic importance to governments across the continent.

💰 Available funding:
• $10,000–$15,000 research grants
• GHS 100,000–150,000 for P*s based in Ghanaian institutions
• Exploratory projects: up to $5,000 (or GHS 50,000 in Ghana)
• High-performing studies may be considered for scale-up

❓Have questions about eligibility, proposal expectations, team composition, or the application process?

Join our Information Session and engage directly with the team.
🗓 Information Session: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
⏰ Time: 3:00 PM GMT
📍 Join here: meet.google.com/yke-egtr-ryn

You can also submit your questions ahead of the session here: https://bit.ly/rfp_QandA

🗓 Submission Deadline: Friday, 12 June 2026
⏰ Time: 11:59 PM GMT

Start early. Build your team. Submit strong evidence for impact.

📢 Call for Proposals: Funding for Innovative Impact Evaluations in Africa

The African Centre for Development Impact - ACDI invites teams of evaluators, researchers, and policymakers across Africa to submit proposals for funding to implement innovative impact evaluations in sectors of strategic importance to governments across the continent.

Successful teams may receive research grants ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 (or GHS 100,000 to GHS 150,000 for P*s based in Ghanaian institutions), with exploratory projects eligible for up to $5,000 (or GHS 50,000 for P*s based in Ghanaian institutions). Studies that demonstrate strong success may also be considered for potential scale-up.

We are particularly interested in proposals addressing critical development priorities such as agriculture, health, education, gender, youth empowerment, financial inclusion, and other sectors that contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development across Africa.

To be eligible, the lead African researcher (PI) must have participated in the ACDI Impact Evaluation Training and Matchmaking Workshop (March 2026) or previous DIWA/ACDI Impact Evaluation Trainings (2020 or 2023). Researchers who completed previous trainings but were not awarded grants, or were only co-P*s in previous funded research, also qualify to apply as lead or co-P*s.

Applications will be assessed based on significance and innovation, methodological rigour, policy translation potential, and capacity development through a blinded peer review process.

🗓 Submission Deadline: Friday, 12 June 2026
⏰ Time: 11:59 PM GMT

Download the full Request for Proposals (RFP) here: https://bit.ly/acdi_rfp2026

Please review the full guidelines, eligibility criteria, and submission instructions before applying.

Applications are now open. Eligible teams are encouraged to begin their submissions early.

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Innovations for Poverty Action
International Centre for Evaluation and Development
Ghana Monitoring And Evaluation Forum
African Evaluation Association
ISSER UG
African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs- ACEPA

19/05/2026

: Dr Christelle Akpo

This week, we are pleased to spotlight Dr Yèba Christelle Akpo, a specialist in Agricultural Economics and Policy from Benin whose work focuses on agriculture, food security, productivity, and rural development.

Dr Akpo holds a PhD in Applied Economics from Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, where her doctoral research examined land access and household food security in Benin. She also has advanced training in Agricultural Economics and Policy from Université Thomas Sankara officiel, with specialised coursework at the University of Ghana, Legon.

Her research speaks directly to one of Africa’s important development priorities: building agricultural systems that are more productive, inclusive, and responsive to the realities of households and rural communities.

Through her work with the African Economic Research Consortium, Dr Akpo examined the impact of improved seeds on maize productivity in Benin, contributing to evidence on agricultural innovation, productivity, and food systems.

Her research journey has taken her across several African and international institutions, including the University of Abomey-Calavi, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, the African Economic Research Consortium, and the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca in Romania.

Dr Akpo reflects what ACDI values in researchers: technical depth, policy relevance, and a commitment to generating evidence that responds to real development challenges.

Through the Impact Evaluation Training and Matchmaking Workshop, she joined a growing network of African researchers working to strengthen how evidence is generated, translated, and used for public policy.

We are pleased to recognise Dr Yèba Christelle Akpo as part of our community of researchers advancing evidence for impact across Africa.

18/05/2026

This week on our , we focus on one of the most important building blocks of Monitoring and Evaluation: indicators.

Like a compass, indicators help show whether an intervention is moving in the right direction. They do not create change, but they provide the evidence needed to track progress, measure results, and assess impact.

Without clear indicators, organisations risk making decisions based on assumptions instead of evidence.

Because good decisions begin with good measurement.

14/05/2026

Good research should not end in journals. It should shape decisions, influence policy, and improve lives.

For Adufe Iyanuoluwa Mobolaji, one of the biggest lessons from the ACDI Impact Evaluation Training and Matchmaking Workshop is that research becomes truly powerful when it is designed with policymakers, not just for them.

From understanding quasi-experimental and experimental designs to recognising the value of context-specific, evidence-driven research, her reflection highlights an important truth: policy impact begins with collaboration.

Working closely with policymakers ensures that research does not remain an academic exercise but becomes a tool for real change across sectors like public health and beyond.

We are proud to see participants leave with stronger technical skills, deeper policy perspectives, and a renewed commitment to producing evidence that matters.

Watch her full reflection and hear why the matchmaking session stood out as a game changer.

12/05/2026

Researcher Spotlight: Dr Alhassan Abdul-Wakeel Karakara (Wak Karakara)

Today, we begin our Researcher Spotlight series by celebrating African researchers whose work is helping to connect evidence, policy, and real development impact.

This week, we are pleased to spotlight Dr Alhassan Abdul-Wakeel Karakara, a Ghanaian economist and Lecturer in the Department of Applied Economics at the School of Economics, University of Cape Coast.

Dr Karakara’s work sits at the intersection of applied economics, the blue economy, energy and environmental economics, poverty studies, innovation, and development policy. His research explores how economic systems, environmental conditions, and social realities shape livelihoods, household welfare, and development outcomes across African communities.

He brings both academic and public sector experience to his work. Before joining the University of Cape Coast as a Lecturer, Dr Karakara served in the Ghana Audit Service, where he held roles including Principal Auditor and Audit Team Leader. This background gives his research a strong connection to accountability, public systems, and evidence-informed governance.

Over the years, he has contributed to research on global value chain participation, social protection, taxation, biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, land investments, rural livelihoods, and the blue economy. His work reflects a clear commitment to producing evidence that is not only rigorous, but relevant to policy and development practice.

Through the Impact Evaluation Training and Matchmaking Workshop, Dr Karakara joined a growing network of African researchers committed to strengthening how evidence is generated, translated, and used for better policy decisions.

We are pleased to recognise Dr Alhassan Abdul-Wakeel Karakara as part of our community of researchers advancing evidence for impact across Africa.

11/05/2026

This week on our , we share insights on the role of Monitoring and Evaluation in driving effective interventions.

Like yin and yang, Monitoring and Evaluation are distinct in function, yet interconnected in purpose. Monitoring tracks progress and performance, while evaluation assesses outcomes and long-term impact.

Neither works effectively in isolation. Monitoring without evaluation creates data without learning, while evaluation without monitoring leads to judgment without evidence.

Both create the balance needed for accountability, learning, adaptation, and meaningful impact.

What are your thoughts on this perspective? Share your views in the comments, react, and join the conversation.

08/05/2026

On Thursday, 7 May 2026, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dayo Olaide, a Social Development and Philanthropy Advisor based in Canada, to our office in Ghana.

Dayo’s support and partnership have been invaluable throughout ACDI’s rebranding, strategic planning, and transition journey. From shaping ideas to strengthening direction, his guidance and insights have played an important role in helping ACDI grow with clarity and purpose.

We deeply appreciate his continued commitment to advancing the ACDI vision and the role he continues to play in supporting our growth and long-term impact.

Strong partnerships build strong institutions, and this is one we truly value.

07/05/2026

Strengthening administrative decentralisation in Ghana requires clear policy intent and deliberate investment in the institutions that drive local governance.

The African Centre for Development Impact - ACDI was privileged to engage with the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service - Ghana on the development of a proposed policy brief focused on resourcing the Office of the Head of Local Government Service and Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) to strengthen effective administrative decentralisation.

The meeting brought together key leadership of the Local Government Service, including Prof. Lord Mensah, Head of Service, and Mrs. Felicia Agyemang-Boakye, Chief Director, alongside other representatives.

Discussions focused on positioning the policy brief as both an evidence-based and advocacy-driven document to strengthen institutional support, improve operational effectiveness, and deepen public understanding of Ghana’s Local Government Service system.

Key issues highlighted included inadequate funding, under-resourced decentralised departments, weak operationalisation of administrative decentralisation structures, and the need for more sustainable budgeting and financing arrangements, including potential allocations under the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).

The engagement also highlighted the importance of stakeholder collaboration, strategic advocacy, and public awareness through national platforms and media engagement. It was agreed that further consultations would be undertaken to refine the scope, outputs, and implementation approach for the policy brief and related activities.

At ACDI, we remain committed to advancing evidence-informed governance and strengthening the systems that enable development impact.