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True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact - Canada
Open
Source verified June 25, 2026

True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact

Supports clean-technology food demonstration projects
Offered by
Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN)
Official source: higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com
Funding available
$ 250,000 - $ 1,000,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Canada
Who can apply

Developers and owners of the intellectual property to be demonstrated throughout the project

See full eligibility

Overview

The True North Sustainable Food Fund – Impact supports Canadian food technology SMEs advancing clean-technology demonstrations in food processing and distribution. It funds industrial demonstrations and eligible knowledge-sharing, testing, prototype development, and operational validation activities.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.

At a glance

Funding available

Financing goals
  • Increase performance through digital transformation
  • Develop strategic partnerships
  • Increase production or service capacity
Eligible Funding
  • Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
  • Minimum amount : 250,000 $
  • Up to 50% of project cost
Funds Providers

Eligible candidates

Eligible Industries
  • All industries
Location
  • Canada
Legal structures
  • For-profit business
Annual revenue
  • $ 50,000,000 maximum revenue
Organisation size
  • 499-499 employees
Audience
  • Startups

Next Steps

1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility

Activities funded

  • Industrial research and demonstration activities in the food sector
  • Development and validation of technology
  • Prototype development and demonstration
  • System integration and operational demonstration
  • Knowledge development and dissemination activities, including techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, performance benchmarking, and reproducible deployment guides

Documents Needed

  • Supporting documentation
  • Financial statements

Official resources

Program guide

True North Sustainable Food Fund Program Guide (1952)

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

  • Developers and owners of the intellectual property to be demonstrated throughout the project
  • Companies incorporated for at least one year at the time of application
  • Small and medium-sized enterprises incorporated in Canada with fewer than 499 FTEs and $50M in annual sales
  • Start-up companies still in the pre-revenue phase, provided they meet the incorporation and IP ownership requirements

Who is not eligible

  • Applicants who are currently the principal applicant of an active RCIA project
  • Other publicly funded non-profit organizations
  • Federal Crown corporations
  • Government departments or agencies
  • Applicants who are not the developer and owner of the underlying technology IP

Eligible expenses

  • Direct labour
  • Subcontractors and consultants
  • Direct materials
  • Equipment
  • Other direct costs, including shipping and eligible travel and outreach costs

Ineligible Costs and Activities

  • Interest and financing charges
  • Legal, accounting, and consulting fees related to financial reorganization, securities, ordinary share issues, licensing, or litigation against RCIA or Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Income taxes, GST/HST, VAT, excess profits taxes, and surtaxes, except customs duties paid on importation
  • Advertising, except reasonable industrial or institutional advertising in trade, technical, or professional publications for project knowledge-transfer activities
  • Sales and marketing expenses linked to the products or services developed under the principal project agreement
  • In-kind costs

Selection criteria

  • Applications are evaluated on merit by a panel of internal and external reviewers.
  • The Impact stream uses a two-stage process, with only the highest-scoring expressions of interest invited to submit a full application.

How to apply

  • Become a member of the RCIA.
  • Access the RCIA grant platform after registration is activated.
  • Complete the application in the relevant stream: one-step Spark application or two-step Impact process beginning with an expression of interest.
  • For Impact, complete the full application if invited after the expression of interest stage.

Processing and Agreement

  • Applications are reviewed by internal and external evaluators and then recommended by the RCIA Innovation Advisory Board.
  • Successful applicants must conclude a principal project agreement with the RCIA within 30 working days of receiving it.
  • The principal project agreement includes reporting requirements, timelines, intellectual property strategy, and other performance and compliance terms.
  • Approved projects are subject to quarterly reporting and a final report at project completion.
  • Financial reimbursement requests must be submitted through the RCIA secure online portal.

Additional information

  • You must be a member of the RCIA to submit an application.
  • The program is offered in two streams: Spark and Impact.
  • Successful projects are subject to quarterly reporting and a final report at project completion.
  • Approved projects must conclude a principal project agreement with the RCIA within 30 working days of receiving it.

Contacts

innovation@cfin-rcia.ca

Other components of this program

Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.

Frequently Asked Questions about the True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact Program

What is the True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact?

The True North Sustainable Food Fund – Impact supports Canadian food technology SMEs advancing clean-technology demonstrations in food processing and distribution. It funds industrial demonstrations and eligible knowledge-sharing, testing, prototype development, and operational validation activities.

How much funding can be received?

True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $1,000,000 per project.

Who is eligible for the True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact program?

To be eligible for the True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact program, you must: Canadian incorporated food technology SME Incorporated for at least 1 year Project must focus on post-farm food processing or distribution

What expenses are eligible under True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact?

Industrial research and demonstration activities in the food sector Development and validation of technology Prototype development and demonstration System integration and operational demonstration Knowledge development and dissemination activities, including techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, performance benchmarking, and reproducible deployment guides

Who can I contact for more information about the True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact?

You can contact Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) by email at innovation@cfin-rcia.ca.

Where is the True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact available?

The True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact program is available across Canada.

Is the True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact a grant, loan, or tax credit?

True North Sustainable Food Fund - Impact is a Grant and Funding