AgriFutures Emerging Industries Program Round 5

Deadline: 18-Dec-20

The AgriFutures Emerging Industries Program is calling for applications from emerging rural industries to partner with AgriFutures Australia to increase the production capacity and value of their industry.

AgriFutures invests in RD&E to accelerate the establishment of emerging rural industries. The RD&E expenditure for the AgriFutures Emerging Industries Program is funded by Australian Government appropriation.

AgriFutures Emerging Industries Program is dedicated to identifying and supporting the development of new and emerging rural industries that can meet changing demand and make a valuable economic, social and environmental contribution to Australia. RD&E investment has a clear goal to identify and support the emergence of agricultural industries that can reach or exceed a target of $10 million per annum threshold within five years. They are also supporting industries that currently exceed this $10 million threshold with the potential for further growth and where they have sustainable RD&E programs.

RD&E investment opportunities are being offered to assist growth in GVP and include the following attributes:

Building early stage clusters (actual industry GVP up to $2 million per annum). Early stage support of up to one year to fund RD&E plans, conduct viability assessments, conduct early stage production and processing RD&E, and other industry development activities that will help guide industry formation, feasibility and scaling.
Growing industry capability (actual industry GVP over $2 million and up to $10 million per annum). Funding of up to two years for the development of RD&E plans, collaborative RD&E projects to resolve key technical challenges and RD&E programs to accelerate growth and development to achieve a GVP of $10 million.
Expanding toward established and/or levied industries (actual industry GVP $10 million per annum or greater). Projects of up to two years to ensure continuity of the newly emerged industry to sustain growth and development.

Criteria

In addition to completing all required fields of the Preliminary Research Proposal in Clarity, applicants must attach the following into the Clarity system for the submission to be accepted:

Industry letters of support for industry challenges and/or opportunities. Letters of support need to clearly outline the specific roles within the proposed project and ongoing extension activities. Please ensure all letters of support contain all contact details of the supporting industry organisation(s) (AgriFutures may validate claims).
Evidence that the works proposed build on any existing work conducted in the industry, including research that has previously been conducted.
Please ensure all budgets are identified in Clarity (including amounts contained in letters of support).

What is not eligible?

Applications that are not supported by an industry RD&E Plan – where a strategy or plan is not available the application should include preparing an RD&E Plan.
Applications that exceed the guideline funding and project time limits.
Applications that do not meet the minimum co-contribution requirements.
Applications that lack a commercial focus (e.g. research proposals and/or travel awards that do not demonstrate clear linkages to industry needs or growth opportunities).
Applications without a detailed description of the proposed methodology to achieve the project outcomes.
Applications that do not:
- Clearly demonstrate progression from earlier research; and/or
- Recognise R&D of a similar nature.
Applications that do not contain a comprehensive project plan addressing the industry constraint or opportunity.
Applications where industry benefit is not clear (e.g. proposals that benefit a single entity rather than an industry).
Applications that do not clearly articulate who the project outcomes will be delivered to within the emerging industry.
Applications that include project teams with members that will be actively involved in project activities.