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PROGRAMS

 



Rapid Response to Business Opportunities

**FILLED – next intake TBD**

Our Rapid Response programs are aimed at solving immediate impediments to commercialization of agricultural and agri-tech products or services. The Business Opportunities grant is intended to enable Ontario businesses in the sector respond quickly to global market opportunities and close business deals with real and established clients.

All grants are given on a reimbursement basis, with the submission of itemized eligible receipts and a trip report. The maximum grant amount for the Rapid Response to Business Opportunities program is $10,000 per application. 

The three primary criteria to qualify for our Rapid Response to Business Opportunity program are as follows:

  1. Prior contact and interaction between the Ontario business and another organization must have occurred. This prior interaction has required time, effort and investment on the part of the Ontario business and can be demonstrated, and there is a high potential to close business agreements based on the prior interaction between the companies.

  2. Benefit to Ontario’s agriculture sector beyond your own profit margin 

  3. The opportunity must be innovative (innovative products, process, technology, services or new markets) in Ontario’s agri-tech, agri-food and agri-products sector.

 So in a nutshell, the program requires that the purpose of the trip is a meeting of existing contacts to ensure or negotiate the sales of the innovative ag-sector product or process that benefits Ontario.
To apply email [email protected]



Rapid Response to Research Needs                                                         

**FILLED – next intake TBD**
Our Rapid Response programs are aimed at solving immediate impediments to commercialization of agricultural and agri-tech products or services. The Business Opportunities grant is intended to assist innovative Ontario businesses in the sector to access research expertise that will address a specific issue or problem that is limiting the commercialization of innovation in a short lifetime.

For Rapid Response to Research Needs, the eligibility requirements are as follows;

  • Project will connect Ontario businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators to the appropriate research capacity at a university, not-for-profit research institute or private research company.

  • Focused research effort can realistically be applied to a problem facing the applicant in order to get a resolution or answer within 6 months.

  • The project must relate to an opportunity that is innovative (e.g. innovative products, process, technology or service) in Ontario’s agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sector.

  • Solving the issue will help to advance the innovation to the next phase along a commercialization pathway.

The Rapid Response to Research Needs grant is a cost-sharing program, with the grant matching the applicant up to $20,000. Reimbursement is made with itemized receipts and a project results report. All research must be conducted by an eligible third party (university, industry lab, etc).


OMAFRA 2019-20 Call for Proposals

Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative

 

Submission Deadline: January 23, 2020

 

The Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative offers funding for research that stimulates innovation to support the growth and competitiveness of Ontario’s agri-food sector, promotes food safety and strengthens rural communities. The new research initiative combines and builds on the success of OMAFRA’s former New Directions and Food Safety Research Programs. The new Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative will be jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. More information is available on the Ministry’s website. 

 

Research Priority Areas

  • Global Market Analysis
  • Food Safety
  • Automation – Barriers and Adoption by the Sector
  • Bio-Based Production Systems

Who is Eligible

  • A research organization, institute, or foundation
  • A university or college
  • An industry organization or business
  • A non-government organization
  • A government or government agency*
  • Lead applicant must be located in Ontario. Researchers outside the province of Ontario may collaborate on research projects

* Federal and provincial government researchers are not eligible to receive funding, but are eligible to collaborate on projects.

How to Apply

Applicants can submit funding proposals by completing the application template in OMAFRA’s Research Management System (RMS). If you have not used the RMS in the past, you must register to obtain login information. If you are registered but have not used the most recent version of RMS, you will be required to use the “forgot password” feature to update your password. If you have any problems registering or logging in, please contact the RMS Administrator at [email protected].

 

For more information click here

 



Capacity Building                                                                                        

**FILLED – next intake TBD**
Our Capacity Building grant offers up to $10,000 to help provide professional grant writing services, with the purpose of attracting R&D or capital assistance dollars from government programs and investors. Projects must be innovative in the agricultural sector and show benefit to Ontario.



 

 

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