Overview of AGMARDT Grant-Making

AGMARDT manages a small investment fund and therefore makes targeted investments to the agricultural and food and fibre sectors (land-based food and fibres in line with AGMARDT’s Trust Deed) through grants into research, innovation, capability and collaborative initiatives. Specifically, these include:

• Investment into research and innovation, including Agritech solutions to help address challenges of the sector, food tech for a substantially grown NZ product, and environmental impacts of or on the food and fibre sector. These include dairy, meat, wool, horticulture, viticulture, bees, forestry, and arable.
• Investing in capability building for individuals and groups.
• Investing in collaboration initiatives.
• In addition to investments , AGMARDT also:
  i.   Generates and shares insights into what is making a significant difference for the agricultural, food and fibres sectors in New Zealand.
  ii.  Identifies high-potential individuals who may seek to invest in new ideas, commercialisation and scaling.
  iii.  Collaborates with other funders and investment partners.

Before applying, read the following

• Make sure you check that you are applying under the correct grant.
• Are you or the organisation/business eligible for this grant?  See ‘Who can apply’ in the grant guidelines for the specific grant you are applying for.
• Check out our FAQs.
• Don’t forget to also check ‘What we don’t support’.
• Please take the time to look through the General terms & conditions of our funding.
• To avoid duplication and learn from other successful applicants please look through the searchable database of AGMARDT grants awarded  on our website.
• Word copy: We do have word copies of our application forms available in our portal under the templates tab, for you to draft and work on.  Please note that you must cut and paste your responses into the application form on our portal.  These are the only applications we will accept.
• Report forms: You will need to complete any outstanding reporting requirements for previous AGMARDT grants for your organisation/business before you apply for another grant.
• If you still have questions, please Contact Us

How to apply

All applications must be submitted via online application portal.  Click the Apply Now button below or within any of the grant application categories found on our website.  The application portal will allow you to browse the various application forms & their guidelines, look at the application forms and the questions required and manage your grant and download templates for payment & reporting.

If you are a new user, you will be prompted to create a username and password.  If you are an existing user, you will be taken straight to the user application dashboard.

Please download the guidelines before you start and complete the application form for the application that is most appropriate for the type of funding you are requesting.

APPLY NOW

Closing Dates

Applications can be submitted throughout the year via the online application portal. They are reviewed by the AGMARDT Trustees at their regular Board meetings.

You can find the closing dates for applications and Board meeting dates here.  Application forms received after the application closing date will be held over to the next round.

We aim to contact all applicants within two weeks’ following the board meeting,  informing the applicant whether their application has been approved or declined.

Assessment criteria

AGMARDT’s Trustees are looking for programmes that show:

1. Evidence of the need / demand e.g., The problem to be solved, the market opportunity, capability / leadership needs.
2. An innovative approach e.g., Transformational, diverse thinking, new and future focussed
3. Benefits and influence can be sustained over time e.g., Future aspirations, scalability, broad longer-term impact and influence, key learnings.
4. Evidence of ability to deliver and the right mindset e.g., A clear, well thought out plan, sound success measures, capable people / teams, growth mindset, willingness to learn and adapt.

AGMARDT also looks favourably on applications where industry financially contributes (whether commercial companies or industry good organisations). This signals strong support for the programme and is a good demonstration of collaboration and industry commitment.

All applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be considered by the Trustees and Management, and where necessary, independently assessed.

Exclusions – what we don’t support

Food and fibres sectors that AGMARDT does not support:

• Aquaculture/Seafood.
• Policy development.
• Market access.

AGMARDT does not cover costs relating to:

• ‘Business as usual’ expenses, including:
  I. overheads incurred in the course of normal business / industry.
  II. activities that are already happening in business / industry.
  III. capital expenditure e.g., buildings, equipment, web-based products and services, etc.
• Projects outside the agribusiness sector.
• Operational investment unless someone is being paid to develop. curriculum or commissioned to do specialised work.
• Expenses the business/industry would incur anyway if you did not get investment from this grant.
• Costs that are not directly related to the project.
• Marketing / branding / comms unless it’s part of a larger innovation programme.
• Retrospective investment – costs incurred before the project is approved.
• Costs that are not in cash, including:
  i. contra, transfer, and internal invoices and payments; and
  ii. barter or in-kind payments.
• Services supplied by anyone with a personal or financial interest in the entity and/or group, such as any immediate family of the applicant or shareholders of the applicant company, unless otherwise agreed by the Trustees.
• Duplication of investment assistance (note: applicants must disclose all third-party investment).
• Duplication of existing work (e.g., the same project recently completed by the Applicant/Group or another party).

Where a project has been declined, the applicant may resubmit after 12 months providing the project has been modified/updated. If you wish to reapply earlier than 12 months, contact AGMARDT’s GM to discuss your specific circumstances and whether a new application would be accepted by the Trustees.

AGMARDT acknowledges there may be needs or gaps across the food and fibres sector that AGMARDT is unable support. We are happy to recommend partners or other investment organisations who may be able to help.