Open for Applications – Accelerating Agricultural Innovations 2.0

RDAR (Results Driven Agriculture Research) invites eligible applicants to submit Letters of Intent to the Accelerating Agricultural Innovations (AAI) 2.0.

AAI 2.0 Program Is Now Open to Receive Applications

RDAR is delivering the AAI 2.0 under a Program Administrator Agreement with the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (AGI).

Sustainable CAP is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sectors. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

AAI 2.0 and RDAR
The launch of AAI 2.0 marks an ambitious path forward in Alberta. Supporting RDAR’s mandate to target strategic investment in producer-led, results-driven agriculture research, AAI 2.0 program funding will power new projects that increase competitiveness, profitability, productivity, and sustainability in Alberta agriculture

AAI 2.0 Project Requirements

RDAR invites eligible applicants to submit Letters of Intent (LOI)s that support research projects that demonstrate and accelerate the farm-gate adoption of agricultural innovations and processes for the livestock and crop industries in Alberta.

All AAI 2.0 research projects must:

Contain a ‘Final Mile’ Plan: A clear research extension plan to show how research outcomes will reach Alberta’s producers on-farm, either directly or through ancillary service providers (e.g. veterinarians).
Clearly demonstrate how results of the project will benefit producers and/or value-chain partners.

RDAR Research Priority Areas
RDAR has identified priority funding areas for 2023. These priority funding areas focus on agriculture innovations that will generate the greatest impact, maximize benefits, and increase profitability for Alberta producers. Additional priority funding areas may be announced by RDAR in future.

Click here to view RDAR research priority funding areas.

AAI 2.0 Program Objectives

AAI 2.0 will support research activities and projects that:

Demonstrate the feasibility and potential for application of new innovations (products, technologies, processes, and practices) by determining if the innovation is appropriate for use in Alberta by the end-user and how easily it can be adopted;
Advance the adaptation of existing innovative technologies, products, practices, and processing for Alberta-specific conditions;
Advance new innovations or those proven to work outside Alberta or in industries other than agriculture; or
Evaluate, adapt, or demonstrate the feasibility and potential of such innovations for application under Alberta-specific conditions and producer needs.

AAI 2.0 research activities and projects are to:

Improve knowledge, understanding and collaboration on science-based solutions by the scientific, agriculture and agri-food community to support a sustainable Sector and to improve the Sector’s economic growth and resiliency;
Increase discovery, development and application of agricultural products, processes, practices, services, and technologies; and
Increase supports for the revitalization of diverse Indigenous food and knowledge systems and improved accessibility to co-developed research, development and knowledge transfer supports for Indigenous peoples.

AAI 2.0 Eligibility
To be eligible for AAI 2.0, an Applicant must be one of the following:

an Industry Organization;
a Municipal Government or an agency of a Municipal Government;
a Post-Secondary Institution;
a Primary Producer;
a for-profit Legal Entity, including research companies and businesses offering custom services, consulting, or general services to agricultural clients; or
Not-for-profit Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) organization.

AAI 2.0 Funding
Applications completed to the satisfaction of RDAR will be considered for approval on a case-by-case basis subject to the Program eligibility criteria, assessment criteria, and funding constraints.

Eligible Non-Capital Expenses may be cost-shared:

at 60% grant and 40% Eligible Applicant if the Eligible Applicant is a Post-Secondary Institution or a for-profit Legal Entity; and
at 80% grant and 20% Eligible Applicant if the Eligible Applicant is not a Post-Secondary Institution or a for-profit Legal Entity.

Eligible Capital Expenses may be cost-shared at 25% grant and 75% Eligible Applicant.

In-Kind Contributions are not payable under the Program, but RDAR may consider in-Kind Contributions as part of the Applicant’s required contribution.

AAI 2.0 Program Terms and Conditions

Click here to download the full AAI 2.0 Program Terms and Conditions

How To Apply to AAI 2.0
RDAR will accept Letters of Intent (LOIs) on a continual basis.

All interested Applicants for AAI 2.0 are required to submit a LOI via ARGO (Agriculture Research Grant Organizer), RDAR’s grant management system. To apply to this program in ARGO, select ‘Accelerating Agricultural Innovations 2.0 Program’.

Resources for AAI 2.0 Applicants
RDAR created a tutorial and FAQs about using ARGO to help applicants navigate this resource .

Accelerating Agricultural Innovations – Instructions for Applying with ARGO

Questions?
If you have any questions about AAI 2.0 or require application assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to RDAR at research@rdar.ca. We are here to assist you.

About RDAR
RDAR targets strategic investments in producer-led, results-driven agriculture research to power the competitiveness, profitability, productivity, and sustainability of Agriculture in Alberta. As a not-for-profit corporation, RDAR’s funding comes from the Government of Alberta, the Government of Canada, and Alberta’s Government through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

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