AGMARDT is running a transitional Agribusiness Innovation Grant (AIG) round to provide early-stage innovation funding for bold food and fibre ideas. This round marks a step towards the way AGMARDT will operate future grant rounds to make them easier and more targeted.
Applying for funding takes time and effort, so AGMARDT is trialling an Expression of Interest (EOI) process, introducing a short first step that lets you quickly share your idea. Applicants should reasonably expect to complete an EOI in 1–2 hours.
To keep this grant round simple and efficient for everyone, AGMARDT will not be open for chats about EOI ideas before submission and will not provide detailed feedback on EOIs or full applications.
Please submit EOIs by email to [email protected] using this template: AGMARDT Expression of Interest
Dates and process
EOIs are open until 29 June 2026.
In July, applicants whose EOIs demonstrate the strongest strategic alignment with AGMARDT’s purpose and priorities will be invited to submit a full application that expands and refines their EOI proposal. Applications for successful EOIs will be open for 4 weeks with final decisions made by AGMARDT Trustees in September.
Dates shown below are tentative and subject to change.
| Key dates | Hear back from us by |
|---|---|
| 29 June 2026 – EOIs close | Mid-July 2026 |
| Early August 2026 – invited full proposals due | Sept 2026 |
As a lean organisation, this approach gives us capacity to continue our work setting up processes and systems for future AGMARDT grant rounds, including how capability building will be delivered, as this is fundamental to our strategy. This transition round is one step towards fundamentally changing the way AGMARDT operates future grant rounds from 2027, to make them easier and more targeted.
What we are looking for
AGMARDT is particularly interested in projects that have clear progression pathways with a collaborative focus. We want to see innovative ideas with a credible market opportunity, that tackle urgent problems or have transformative potential.
The more of the factors below that apply to your project, the stronger the fit is likely to be:
- It has a clear pathway to scale or attract further investment
- It involves multiple partners bringing complementary expertise
- There is a credible market opportunity or identified demand
- It responds to an urgent sector challenge
- It has transformative potential and could create a material shift (such as a new product category) rather than an incremental improvement
For this round, we will not be funding projects that received previous funding from AGMARDT.
The AIG grant continues to focus on the agricultural, horticultural and forestry sectors (i.e. products of the soil).
Please see the AGMARDT Expression of Interest guidance and application form for more information.
Stay connected through our newsletter (sign up below) and LinkedIn for updates on our grants strategy, including how capability building will be delivered, as this is fundamental to our strategy. Find information about other potential sources of funding here.
Please submit EOIs by email to [email protected] using this template: AGMARDT Expression of Interest
Us
As ‘Future Shapers’ – we want to ignite a better future for the food & fibres sector.
Programmes
AGMARDT strategically invest in initiatives to encourage innovative thinking, research capability and collaboration.
AGMARDT
Takes a collaborative, strategy approach to flexibly support the sector to create transformational change.
Stories
With more than 1700 grants awarded to date, we’ve got some great stories to share with you.