AgriRisk Initiatives - Research and Development Contribution Funding

• AAFC contribution can be up to $500,000 per year, to a maximum of $2.5 million over five years per recipient.
• A minimum of 15% of eligible project costs must be contributed by the applicant/recipient (cash and in-kind contributions).
• Total government funding (federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal) generally cannot exceed 85% of total project value.

• The applicant must be a legal entity capable of entering into legally binding agreements.
• Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations representing agricultural and agri-business stakeholders (such as producer associations, commodity groups, Indigenous groups, and farm services associations), co-operatives, mutual insurance companies, reciprocals, post-secondary academic institutions, and provincial or territorial governments.
• The project must be focused on the development of new or innovative agricultural risk management tools and align with the program’s priority areas.
• The applicant must demonstrate capacity and resources to deliver the proposed project.

Who is eligible?

• Industry organizations representing agricultural and agri-business stakeholders, such as producer associations, commodity groups, Indigenous groups, and farm services associations
• Co-operatives
• Mutual insurance companies and reciprocals
• Post-secondary academic institutions
• Provincial and territorial governments

Who is not eligible

• For-profit private businesses (only not-for-profit entities are eligible).
• Organizations that are not legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements.

Eligible expenses

• Salaries and benefits for staff directly engaged in project execution (excluding bonuses and limited to additional costs).
• Administrative costs necessary for project management and reporting (up to 10% of total project costs).
• Contracted professional or specialized services, such as consultants, experts, research, and auditing directly tied to the project.
• Project-related travel expenses, including transportation, accommodations, meals, and incidentals, following federal guidelines and with prior approval.
• Purchase or acquisition of capital assets essential for the project, including equipment and installation costs (pre-approval required).
• Materials and office supplies dedicated to the project.
• Costs for developing project materials, communications, outreach, advertising, and translation of public information.
• Meeting venues and related hospitality costs, in line with federal guidelines.
• Project manager’s time related to preparation of annual financial statements for the project (limited to a maximum of two days per year).
• Costs for compliance or financial audits related to the project.
• Other direct project costs with prior written approval, such as shipping, conference fees, construction materials, and necessary translation.

Eligible geographic areas

• All provinces and territories of Canada are eligible.

• Applicant’s capacity to deliver the project, considering available resources and proposed timelines.
• Clarity and effectiveness of risk identification and mitigation strategies within the project proposal.
• Demonstrated alignment with sector risk management priorities and the potential impact on industry needs.
• Clarity of project outcomes and their logical connection to the outlined activities and deliverables.
• Level of industry engagement and number of funding partners, including both cash and in-kind contributions.

• Step 1: Review Application Requirements
  • Consult the ARI R&D Contribution Funding Stream Applicant Guide and download the necessary forms from the ARI website.
  • Ensure you review all five required application forms before beginning.
• Step 2: Complete Online Application Form
  • Fill out the online application form available on the ARI website.
  • Include required organizational and project information as outlined in the Applicant Guide.
• Step 3: Prepare Supporting Documents
  • Workplan Key Activities form with budget estimates.
  • Additional Project Information form.
  • Consent for Use, Disclosure and Copyright form.
  • Designated Signature form.
• Step 4: Submit Application Package
  • Submit the online application form through the ARI website.
  • Submit the additional four supporting documents via email or courier to the ARI program (using a tracking number is recommended).
• Step 5: Confirmation of Receipt
  • Receive an email within two business days acknowledging receipt of your online application.
  • Receive a second email to confirm the Complete Application package has been received.
  • If you do not receive both acknowledgements, contact the ARI program by email or phone.
• Step 6: Evaluation and Approval
  • Your application will be assessed using program criteria.
  • Allow up to 100 business days after the Call for Applications period ends to receive a notification of approval or rejection.
• Step 7: Provide Additional Documentation (If Approved)
  • Complete and submit declarations and a Detailed Budget form for the project.
  • Negotiate contribution agreement details if required.
• Step 8: Sign Contribution Agreement
  • Sign the final Contribution Agreement prepared by ARI to formalize funding and reporting obligations.

• All recipients must use the Business Risk Management Cost Sharing System (BCSS) for reporting and claims submissions after signing the Contribution Agreement.
• Administrative costs cannot exceed 10% of the total project costs.
• Recipients must retain or be able to generate performance indicator data for up to three years after project completion.
• Quebec-based organizations must demonstrate compliance with the M-30 Act during the assessment process.