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.