2026 CAAIN Open Competition

Eligibility

The following criteria are the minimum requirements for CAAIN funding: 

1. Project teams/networks must be comprised of organizations with operations in Canada. Teams/networks involving multiple stakeholders are encouraged. This may include academic/research institutions, not-for-profit organizations, for-profit entities (SMEs, MNEs), etc. International collaborations are encouraged; however, CAAIN funding can only flow to Canadian entities. 

2. Projects must include cash contributions from at least two small or medium enterprises (SME) incorporated in Canada. SMEs are defined by Statistics Canada as those with 499 or fewer employees and may be for-profit or not-for-profit entities. 

3. All project partners must be in good standing with CAAIN. This includes having no overdue reporting or monies owed to CAAIN. 

4. Proposal objectives must be consistent with those of CAAIN and of the ISED Strategic Response Fund (https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/programs-and-initiatives/strategic response-fund#investment-priorities). 

5. The initiative must be incremental to the regular business of project team member organizations, meaning that: a. Financial commitments are distinct from investments that would otherwise occur; b. The project is new or would not be undertaken at the same scope or scale without the support of CAAIN funding 

6. Project teams/networks commit to sharing widely the results of all technology assessments supported by CAAIN and uploading research and evaluation results onto a CAAIN-led or CAAIN-managed software platform. 

7. Project teams/networks commit to promoting the CAAIN brand in association with the smart farm or smart farm network. 

8. Former and current funding recipients of CAAIN are welcome to apply.

Summary

CAAIN is committing up to $9M CAD in funding to support collaborative activities that will bridge the gap between the development of new innovations in agriculture and their adoption in the commercial space. 

CAAIN is seeking applications for research and innovation projects that: 

1) Advance the development, use, and value of automation and robotics in agri-food production and primary processing; 

2) Support the creation of data-based decision-making tools that can be applied to improve knowledge, reduce risk or optimize production; and/or 

3) Contribute to the implementation of a smart farm platform or smart farm networks to support technology adoption through fulsome integration of partners; creation frameworks for validation, demonstration and scaling; and training of a technologically proficient agricultural workforce. (see Appendix 1 for a description of Smart Farms and Smart Farm Networks).

To be considered for CAAIN funding support, all proposals must meet the following criteria: 

• Be developing a digital technology or operating a Canadian smart farm focused on the production of a recognized agri-food product or addressing a specific Canadian agricultural challenge. This may include, but is not limited to the following: 

o Indigenous-focused agriculture 

o Broad-acre crops 

o Small-acre crops

o Greenhouse or controlled environment agriculture crops 

o Horticultural crops 

o Livestock and poultry 

o Dairy

o Soil health 

o Regenerative agriculture

Application Stages 

This competition is comprised of the following stages: 

1. Project Application Form (PAF): Lists the criteria and eligibility requirements, providing applicants and their project partners a clear understanding of the competition's parameters. 

2. Full Project Proposal (FPP): Applicants proposing exceptional projects are invited to submit a full proposal which will include a detailed project description, a full financial workbook and all supporting documentation. Submissions at the FPP stage of the competition is by invitation only; no unsolicited FPPs will be accepted. 

STAGE ONE – Project Application Form (PAF) The Project Application Form (PAF) is intended to facilitate development of funding applications. The PAF outlines the expectations of project applicants and teams and provides context for CAAIN staff to assist applicants in developing a successful proposal. The PAF also allows CAAIN to ensure that proposed activities align with program goals. Applicants must clearly align their proposals to CAAIN’s priorities for this funding competition. The proposal description should outline the problem to be addressed and the specific objectives and expected outcomes. Applicants should also review the eligibility criteria carefully to ensure that proposals and networks qualify for funding.

Successful applicants will be invited to submit a Full Proposal (FPP). 

STAGE TWO – Full Project Proposal (FPP) (Occurs ~8 weeks after invitation to full proposal)

Applicants who are invited to this stage will be notified by email and be provided the FPP form as well as the critical reviews from the EOI stage to guide the preparation of the application. 

Overhead

15%

Pre-application deadlines

RSO internal deadline

Pre-application program deadline

Application deadlines

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

RESOURCES

Reminder: The sooner the researcher engages with Research Services, the more help we can be!

Contact the following Research Service units for support with:

Projects Involving Indigenous Research:

Support with incorporating wise practices in Indigenous research, community engagement, and Indigenous data management is available through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST).

Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage.

Knowledge Mobilization, Research Impact Assessment, DORA:

Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation, community partnerships, research impact, responsible research assessment (DORA), and open science, is available through the Knowledge to Impact team.

Applicants can reach out by email to the KI team at knowledge.impact@ucalgary.ca.

For more information and access to resource archives, please visit the KI team webpage.

Research Data Management:

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@ucalgary.ca.

EDI in Research:

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice.

Contact edi.rso@ucalgary.ca for more information.

Research Security:

The Research Security Division is available to ensure researchers adhere to research security guidelines and policies, including the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) and the policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC).

Visit the Research Security website to learn more or contact researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca.

Pre-Award Submissions:

*RMS: Creating a Pre-Award LOI