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CAAIN Funding

A Three-Step Process*

We do not hand over money and then walk away from the recipients. Instead, we partner with groups that respond to a particular funding call and successfully navigate a defined three-step process, reimbursing up to 40% of the eligible costs they incur over the life of their project. The three steps are:

  1. Project Application
    This initial step is open to applicants from across Canada who feel their agri-food innovation meets the parameters of the funding call in question. To make it past this stage, project groups must be Canadian and include at least two small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They are required only to fill out and submit a short form providing a high-level summary of their concept and a brief description of their team’s composition.
  2. Expression of Interest
    This phase is by invitation only and indicates that the applicant has met a minimum standard and is asked to provide significantly more project information, including an abbreviated financial workbook. The information submitted is evaluated by the CAAIN Technology and Science Advisory Committee (TSAC), a panel of external experts who recommend which submissions move on to the final stage.
  3. Full Project Proposal
    The third step in the process is also invitation only, and requires the applicants to complete and submit a comprehensive project description, including a full financial workbook. The documentation is reviewed by TSAC, which passes along its recommendations to CAAIN’s Board of Directors for final funding  approval.

* Please note that the process described is exclusive to CAAIN funding calls suported by Innovation,Science and Economic Development Canada. It is not relevant to the Prairie Agtech Validation Program.

For complete details, we invite you to download our latest Program Guide or email your questions to info@caain.ca.

Funding-Related Frequently Asked Questions

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CAAIN reimburses up to 40% of eligible costs incurred by projects that have been approved through one of our funding calls. At the moment we do not accept unsolicited requests for financial support. But stay tuned to this site, and if things change, we'll provide an update. Better yet, become a member and be the first to know.

Part of our mandate is to grow the Canadian agri-food industry. To do so, we must support projects that will generate skilled private-sector employment, which, in turn, depends on the success of small businesses that are the backbone of our nation's economy. Hence our requirement for the active involvement of at least two SMEs. That said, there's nothing saying major corporations, academic institutions, and research organisations can't get in on the action. In fact, we encourage such collaboration.

SME stands for "small and medium-sized enterprise," which for our purposes we define as any company with fewer than 500 employees.

When you respond to a CAAIN funding call, all the information you'll need will be included in the relevant program guide. You can also click here to review the Guidelines for Eligible and Ineligible Costs for Ultimate Recipients.

CAAIN doesn't provide grants. Our process is to reimburse up to 40% of eligible project costs to a maximum of $3 million for any one team. We do not respond to unsolicited requests for financial support, regardless of how good the concept might be. We reimburse only those applicants who successfully respond to one of our funding calls.