The Emerging Nations Science Foundation is a donor-supported, non-profit and non-governmental organization based in Trieste, Italy.

ENSF has been officially recognized as non-profit organization by the Italian authorities on June 04, 2008, as stated in the Presidential Decree no. 0132, approved by the President of the Region of Friuli Venezia-Giulia. The decree and the statute of ENSF are published in the official bulletin “Bollettino Ufficiale Della Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia” of June 18, 2008, pp 21-25. It is available online.

The foundation's mission is to promote R&D in science and technology in emerging nations in Africa, the Middle East, the Indian Sub-continent and South-East Asia by:

• Awarding fellowships and prizes to young scientists;
• Offering travel grants to support North-South and South-South collaboration among scientists;
• Funding grants for the purchase of equipments by scientific and educational institutions and;
• Highlighting science policy issues in emerging nations by organizing international conferences;
• Funding grants for international conferences in Science and Technology.

The Foundation plans to publish electronic research reports of its fellows, senior scientists and participants of sponsored conferences.