Sub-Saharan African institutions often lack the human and technical capacity to document biodiversity data and knowledge. We invest in creating the skills, adding the knowledge and tools, and developing relationships that will help our grantee partners succeed.

Our grantmaking focuses on partnerships, training capacity, strengthening networks, reaching into related sectors, sharing knowledge, and improving project evaluation. Our three Capacity Building initiatives are:

• Initiative 1: In-Project Training – Builds in-project capacity with formal courses and experiential (on-the-job) training across our grant portfolios. As grants are developed within the Freshwater and Pollinator Programs, we survey capacity-building needs to ensure that all projects are getting the types of training needed to strengthen their internal capacity. Grantees in both Programs engage in professional networks, short technical courses, and budget funds for training. Grantees succeed when training is targeted at professionals, MSc, or Ph.D. levels, transfer of know-how from Ex-African experts is an explicit aim of the project, and when experiential (on-the-job) training is a major element of the project.

• Initiative 2: Biodiversity Informatics Training – Funds long-term professional training, African training capacity, and links training to project opportunities. Training courses are a way to build partnerships with those who share our interest in Biodiversity Informatics.

• Initiative 3: Regional Capacity Support and Partnerships – Includes investments in conferences and partnerships that strengthen African regional systems for Biodiversity Informatics.