The agri-food industry is rapidly growing and as a result is facing new challenges that can either be observed as opportunities or obstacles. The Ontario Agri-food Research Initiative is a grant that helps eligible organizations fund agri-food research projects. The initiative provides funding to advance key agri-food research and innovation projects for Ontario. The objective of the initiative is to fund demand-driven research activities that can support agri-food policy, programs and the marketplace, along with improving knowledge or technology to help Ontario’s agri-food sector businesses address challenges. Overall, the goal is to aid agri-food businesses and allow them to expand within the market on a local and global scale.
Eligible Applicants
To be eligible for funding, the lead applicant must:
- located in Ontario
- demonstrate capacity to perform quality research activities
- be part of one of the following:
- an industry organization or business
- a non-government organization
- a university or college
- a research organization, institute, or foundation
- a municipal or indigenous government or government agency
Eligible Projects and Type of Funding Available
All proposals:
- must align with one of the ten approved research priority areas
- may need to address more specific priorities as set out under each stream
The three streams are:
Knowledge Mobilization:
- Knowledge Mobilization projects will include outreach and/or engagement activities that support the dissemination, uptake and/or use of existing research to Ontario’s agri-food sector.
- Funding information not available
Research Synthesis:
- specifically address one of seven agri-food sector related research questions provided
- conduct synthesis of prior research in order to detail the status of science and research in Ontario and other relevant or similar jurisdictions
- identify research gaps and provide direction and recommendations that can be used for evidence-based policy, programs, and best management practices (BMP) where applicable
- Funding information not available
Commercialization:
With a focus on later-stage development of previous applied research projects, this stream will fund:
- market validation – to conduct market research to determine the size and quality of the market opportunity for a new and promising technology, product or service.
- Funding Available: Up to $30,000 per project
- product development – to create prototypes, perform field trials, remove any barriers to a market launch or private sector adoption and optimize a minimum viable product that best meets the needs of customers.
- Funding Available: $50,000-$150,000 per project
Deadline
The application intake process is now closed for the year 2021/2022, so make sure to keep an eye out for application openings for future intakes.
