Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program

Q: How much funding can be received?

Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $750000 per project.

Q: What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Q: Is the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program is a Grant and Funding

Q: Who are the financial supporters of the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program?

Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program is funded by Alberta Innovates

Q: Who can I contact for more information about the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program?

You can contact Alberta Innovates.

Q: Where is the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program available?

The Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program program is available the province of AB.

Last Update: July 22, 2025

AB, Canada

Fosters innovation and promotes sustainable practices in agriculture

At a glance

Eligible Funding

Max. $750,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Timeline

Unspecified

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Professional, scientific and technical services
Public administration

Funds Providers

Unspecified

Program status

Open

Overview

The Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment Program offers funding up to $750,000 to foster innovation and promote sustainable practices in agriculture, bioindustrial, and environmental sectors. Eligible activities include technology development and applied research within a Technology Readiness Level range of 3-7, prioritizing projects with long-term benefits for Alberta.

Financing terms and conditions

This program offers funding support up to a maximum of $750,000 per project.
Alberta Innovates will cover up to 50% of total eligible project costs.
Exceptions to the matching requirement or maximum funding amount may be made based on project impact and strategic importance to Alberta.
Funding from applicants and project partners should preferably include some cash contributions, although in-kind contributions are also accepted.
Fund matching from private, government, and in-kind sources is encouraged.
Funding is contingent on milestone achievement and progress reporting.
Alberta Innovates will only contribute towards eligible project costs incurred after the date of the funding approval.
Staggered payments will be made based on milestone completion.

Activities funded

Technology development projects focused on advancing applied research or technology within a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) range of 3-7.
Knowledge translation projects to support environmental sustainability, improved policy, and best practices.
Collaborative initiatives to promote innovation and sustainable practices in agriculture, forestry, energy, and natural resource management.
Research projects aligned with economic diversification, emissions reduction, and environmental policy improvement.
Projects supporting the development and deployment of Bioindustrial Materials, Bioenergy, and Circular Economy solutions.
Environmental innovation projects focusing on Water Innovation and Land Management Solutions.
Advancements in food technology and Climate Smart Agriculture.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 130,000

Establishing a technology training center for seniors

$ 150,000

Developing a community art hub for local artists

$ 120,000

Launching a local organic food delivery service

$ 40,000

Starting an educational podcast series for youth empowerment

$ 200,000

Developing a mobile healthcare clinic for remote areas

$ 140,000

Launching a digital platform for eco-friendly products

Eligibility

Applicants can be from categories such as technology developers, industry, industrial associations, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research and development (R&D) organizations, post-secondary institutions, municipalities, not-for-profit organizations, government research labs, and individuals.
Applicants are not required to be based in Alberta but must demonstrate a clear value proposition for Alberta, and projects that are researched, piloted, demonstrated, or implemented in Alberta with long-term positive impacts will be prioritized.
All applicants must exist as a corporate person with up-to-date corporate filings and a corporate bank account.
Applicants must demonstrate authorization to undertake the proposed project and execute a grant with Alberta Innovates on standard terms.
Applicants cannot be prohibited from receiving Alberta Innovates funding due to past bad debt or not being in good financial standing with Alberta Innovates, InnoTech Alberta, or C-FER Technologies.
Applicants should have strong end-user partnerships and funding from other organizations is preferred.
Project funding can be supported by cash or in-kind contributions, and collaboration with other funding agencies is encouraged.
Applicants are encouraged to include Alberta’s post-secondary and research institutions in the project consortium where appropriate.
Projects must align with the objectives of the program for which funding is requested and be at Technology Readiness Levels 3 to 7 at the start.
Successful applicants must be legally able to execute the Investment Agreement.

Who is eligible?

Technology developers
Industry participants
Industrial associations
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Research and development (R&D) organizations
Post-secondary institutions
Municipalities
Not-for-profit organizations
Government research labs
Individuals

Eligible expenses

Labour costs for individuals working directly on the project.
Costs of materials directly attributable to the project.
Acquisitions of capital improvements critical to the project’s performance, pro-rated over the project period.
Acquisitions of software or information databases necessary for the project, pro-rated to the project period.
Direct operating costs incurred specifically for the project.
Travel expenses necessary for project execution, including economy airfare and reasonable accommodation and meals.
Publishing costs directly related to knowledge translation activities associated with the project.
GST on eligible expenses that is unrecoverable.
Other costs pre-approved by Alberta Innovates in writing as eligible expenses.

Eligible geographic areas

Alberta

Selection criteria

Innovation Opportunity: Evaluation of how the proposed project addresses a challenge and its strengths and advantages relative to the current state. Alignment with Alberta Innovates and program priorities will be assessed. The feasibility to the target end-user or industry and its relevance is considered important.
Proposed Commercialization Pathway: Evaluation of the plan to advance technology or knowledge towards market readiness or end-user adoption, including potential risk mitigation strategies.
Project Overview: Assessment of the clarity of objectives, deliverables, outcomes, quality of project design and methodology, practicality of timelines, and achievability of the project plan.
Impact: Evaluation of the potential environmental, economic, social, and other impacts of the project on Alberta.
FP Evaluation for Technology Development Projects: Emphasis on Innovation Opportunity, Market Opportunity, and Commercialization Pathway.
FP Evaluation for Knowledge Generation Projects: Focus on Innovation Opportunity, Knowledge Mobilization Pathway, and Impact.
Project Budget and Funding Commitment: Evaluation of clarity and feasibility of the project budget, explanation and justification for costs, and level of cash and in-kind contributions.
Project Team: Evaluation of the team's skills, expertise, time commitments, access to necessary facilities and resources, and the level of commitment from project partners.

How to apply

Initiate Contact with Team

Contact the Alberta Innovates Agriculture & Environment team to assess project alignment

Complete Expression of Interest

Register for an account on the online Application Portal
Complete and submit the Expression of Interest (EOI) form

Await EOI Response

Wait for evaluation of the EOI
Receive a decision regarding submission of a Full Proposal

Submit Full Proposal

If invited, submit a Full Proposal (FP) via the online portal

Execute Investment Agreement

Execute an Investment Agreement if the proposal is approved

Additional information

The Alberta Innovates Agriculture & Environment Program places a strong emphasis on innovation and collaboration, encouraging applicants to leverage partnerships to enhance project value.
Applicants should ensure their projects align with the strategic focus areas outlined in the program guide, which include Agriculture & Food Innovation, Bioindustrial & Circular Innovation, and Environmental Innovation.
Projects not located in Alberta must demonstrate a clear benefit to the province to be considered for funding.
In-kind contributions from project partners are accepted, provided they meet fair market value standards and are essential to the project.
Applicants are required to set "go/no go" milestones to evaluate key stages in the project for strategic decision-making.
Once project funding is approved, the Investment Agreement must be executed before any funding is disbursed.
Clear and detailed budget justification is crucial for funding approval and should be prepared with attention to eligible and ineligible expenses as outlined in the program guide.
Reports on project progress and outcomes are mandatory, continuing up to five years post project completion to ensure ongoing impact evaluation by Alberta Innovates.
Alberta Innovates emphasizes the importance of knowledge sharing and expects funded projects to contribute to the provincial R&I ecosystem accordingly.

Apply to this program

Frequently Asked Questions about the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.

What is the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program?

How much funding can be received?

What is the deadline to apply?

Is the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Who are the financial supporters of the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program?

Who is eligible for the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program program?

To be eligible for the Alberta Innovates — Agriculture & Environment (AE) Program program, you must: Applications are open to technology developers, industry, industrial associations, small and medium-sized enterprises, research and development organizations, post-secondary institutions, municipalities, not-for-profit organizations, government research labs, and individuals. Applicants are not required to be based in Alberta but must demonstrate a clear value proposition for Alberta. All Applicants must exist as a corporate person, with up-to-date corporate filings and a corporate bank account, and be authorized to undertake the proposed project.