The International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU-OAD) will support 18 global projects in 2026, selected to receive a total of EUR 111,161, to continue promoting sustainable development. Of these, 13 projects will receive 80,161 Euros from the IAU, and five additional projects in Africa will receive EUR 31,000 from the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) project, funded through the UK’s International Science Partnership Fund via the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
Since 2012, the IAU has granted close to EUR 1.5 million to more than 200 projects, impacting thousands of lives in over 100 countries. Grants are offered through an annual call for proposals open to anyone worldwide. In 2025, the OAD received 154 applications at stage 1, from which 39 were selected to advance to stage 2. These teams then worked closely with the OAD to strengthen the impact potential of their projects. An independent review panel of experts in astronomy and development evaluated the applications and made the final selections, which were subsequently approved by the OAD Steering Committee. The next call is expected to be announced in April 2026.
Source: https://spaceinafrica.com/2026/01/30/iau-oad-to-fund-18-astronomy-for-development-projects-in-2026/