CAAIN — 2024 Smart Farm Network Competition

Who is eligible?

• Canadian commercial farms
• Educational or research farms
• Agricultural facilities focused on recognized agri-food products or Canadian agricultural challenges (including Indigenous-focused agriculture, broad-acre crops, small-acre crops, greenhouse crops, horticultural crops, livestock and poultry, dairy, soil health, and regenerative agriculture)
• Organizations operating smart farms or forming smart farm networks
• Canadian small or medium enterprises (SMEs) incorporated in Canada

Who is not eligible

• International organizations without legal operations in Canada (only Canadian entities are eligible to receive funding).
• Networks that do not include at least two Canadian-incorporated small or medium enterprises (SMEs) as cash contributors.
• Organizations or project teams not in good standing with CAAIN (e.g., those with overdue reporting or outstanding payments owed to CAAIN).
• Companies or organizations seeking funding for routine business activities rather than incremental, innovation-focused projects.
• Entities intending to use CAAIN funds to match financial contributions provided directly by any government entity or for in-kind contributions.

Eligible expenses

• Salaries and wages for employees directly involved in project activities.
• Costs for subcontractors and consultants performing project-related work.
• Purchase of materials and supplies used specifically for the project.
• Acquisition or modification of equipment required for approved project activities, including shipping and installation costs.
• Travel expenses directly related to project execution, following national or organizational travel policies.
• Other direct, project-specific expenses such as eligible intellectual property costs.
• Reasonable indirect costs (overhead) associated with project coordination and management, within specified thresholds.

Eligible geographic areas

• Organizations with operations in Canada

• Technical merit and scientific soundness of the proposed innovation, including the existence of a functional prototype (TRL 5 or above) and potential for commercialization or broader adoption in Canada.
• Breadth and expertise of the network members, ensuring representation across the agricultural product value chain and the ability to evaluate technologies from multiple perspectives.
• Economic and social benefits to Canadian agtech and agriculture, emphasizing value creation for the sector beyond immediate network members and fostering connections across regions.
• Provision of training and experiential learning opportunities, such as student placements or upskilling of workers.
• Reasonableness and justification of the proposed budget in accordance with CAAIN costing principles.

• Step 1: Request Project Application Form (PAF)
  • Email garson.law@caain.ca to request a copy of the Project Application Form (PAF).
• Step 2: Complete and Submit Project Application Form (PAF)
  • Fill out the PAF with details outlining the project, its objectives, alignment with CAAIN’s priorities, and eligibility criteria.
  • Submit the completed PAF by the indicated deadline (Jan 12, 2024).
  • Wait for email confirmation of receipt from CAAIN.
• Step 3: Invitation to Full Project Proposal (FPP)
  • If your PAF is successful, you will be invited by email to proceed to the next stage.
  • Receive the FPP template and financial workbook from CAAIN.
• Step 4: Prepare and Submit Full Project Proposal (FPP)
  • Prepare a detailed FPP including project summary, team list, objectives, deliverables, work plan, milestones, budgets, and supporting documentation.
  • Complete the financial workbook following the provided guidelines.
  • Submit the FPP and all required documents by the set deadline.
  • Upon submission, receive confirmation of receipt by email from CAAIN.
• Step 5: Respond to Proposal Revisions (if required)
  • If requested, address any reviewer comments and submit revisions to your FPP by the specified deadline (Apr 26, 2024).
• Step 6: Await Funding Decision
  • CAAIN’s Board of Directors makes the final funding decision.
  • Receive notification of the outcome by email in June 2024.
• Step 7: Execute Project Funding Agreement (PFA)
  • If successful, review and sign the Project Funding Agreement detailing terms and conditions.
  • Ensure agreement is fully executed before starting project activities or incurring reimbursable expenses.

• All CAAIN funding recipients are required to provide a non-confidential summary of the project for public disclosure, including project value and expected outcomes.
• CAAIN will continue to monitor project performance for up to five years after project completion to evaluate long-term impacts.
• Reporting obligations include submitting quarterly and final reports detailing project progress, achievements, and deliverables.
• Recipients must participate in CAAIN promotional activities, including media events, as requested, and coordinate public announcements with CAAIN.