Deadline: 31-Mar-21
The Northern Food Innovation Challenge has been announced which is one of three streams under the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives (NICI) Fund. The objective of this Challenge is to support innovative, community-led projects for local and Indigenous food production systems to help improve food security in Canada’s territories.
The Challenge is open to applicants located outside of the territories provided that they have a territorial partner and can demonstrate how the proposed innovation could provide direct benefits to reducing issues related to food insecurity or strengthening food systems in one or more of the territories.
This challenge consists of two phases:
- Phase 1: Conceptual stage to testing environment.
- Approximately eight Northern Food Innovation Challenge applicants will be funded under Phase 1 (up to $250,000 per project).
- Phase 2: Project scaling and deployment with direct benefits at a local level.
- Up to three successful applicants from Phase 1 will be supported with Phase 2 funding (up to $1M per project).
Key Challenge Areas
Priority will be given to projects that use innovative solutions that work in a northern or remote climate, can be deployed in the territories, and address one or more of the following areas:
- Food Production/Harvesting;
- Food Processing;
- Food Distribution/Transportation.
Funding Information
- Funding for project costs up to $250,000 for successful applicants in Phase 1.
- Final Innovators will be eligible for up to $1 million to deploy their project in Phase 2.
- Access to northern experts and CanNor support to shepherd project development through path finding and mentorship.
- Be part of the solution to tackling one of the biggest challenges in Canada’s territories!
Who Can Apply?
The Challenge is open to:
- Not-for-profit associations;
- Indigenous governments, community-owned economic development corporations or other organizations;
- Municipal governments;
- Academic institutions; and
- Small-and-medium-sized enterprises.
Timeline
- Challenge Launch: January 26, 2021;
- Challenge Deadline: March 31, 2021;
- Phase 1 Innovators announced (approximately eight innovators chosen from all applicants): June 2021
- Catalyst Workshop Summer / early Fall 2021.
- Phase 2 finalists announced (up to three successful applicants from Phase 1 will be chosen as finalists): 2023
- Innovation Showcase Spring 2023.
For more information, visit https://www.cannor.gc.ca/eng/1608661159836/1608664034823