Advancing Alternative Proteins Planning Grants Program (United States and Canada)

The Advancing Alternative Proteins Planning Grants Program provides up to USD 25,000 to researchers at eligible nonprofit and public research institutions in the United States and Canada. Managed through the Good Food Institute’s Research Grant Program, the initiative supports preparatory activities that strengthen future high-impact research proposals in alternative protein science and technology, including plant-based, fermentation-derived, cultivated meat, and seafood innovations.

About the Advancing Alternative Proteins Planning Grants Program

The Advancing Alternative Proteins Planning Grants Program is part of the Good Food Institute (GFI) Research Grant Program, an initiative established to accelerate scientific research that supports the development of a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable global food system.

Since its launch, the Good Food Institute has awarded more than 141 research grants across 26 countries, helping expand scientific knowledge and innovation in alternative proteins. The programme promotes open-access research that advances plant-based foods, precision fermentation, biomass fermentation, cultivated meat, and alternative seafood technologies.

The Planning Grants Program specifically funds preparatory work that enables research teams to develop stronger proposals for future medium- and large-scale research projects. By supporting collaboration, project design, and strategic planning, the programme aims to overcome scientific and technical barriers while attracting new researchers to the rapidly growing alternative protein sector.

Funding Amount

Successful applicants may receive:

• Up to USD 25,000 per project.

Additional funding details include:

• Maximum project duration: One year.
• Indirect costs: Limited to 10% of direct project costs.
• Matching or in-kind contributions: Encouraged but not mandatory.

Funding is intended for planning and proposal development rather than conducting full-scale research projects.

Programme Objectives

The programme aims to:

• Advance alternative protein science.
• Strengthen research collaboration.
• Support preparation of competitive research proposals.
• Address scientific and technical bottlenecks.
• Encourage interdisciplinary research.
• Attract new researchers to the alternative protein field.
• Expand open-access scientific knowledge.
• Accelerate innovation in sustainable food technologies.
• Build long-term research capacity.
• Support future large-scale research initiatives.

Research Focus Areas

Projects may focus on advancing research related to:

• Plant-based proteins.
• Cultivated meat.
• Cultivated seafood.
• Fermentation-derived proteins.
• Precision fermentation.
• Biomass fermentation.
• Alternative seafood.
• Food biotechnology.
• Cellular agriculture.
• Protein production technologies.
• Sustainable food systems.
• Food innovation.
• Alternative ingredient development.
• Food processing technologies.

Research planning activities should contribute to the advancement of alternative protein science and technology.

Eligible Planning Activities

Funding may support a range of preparatory activities, including:

• Building research collaborations.
• Developing interdisciplinary partnerships.
• Project scoping.
• Research coordination.
• Proposal development.
• Strategic planning.
• Team-building activities.
• Planning workshops.
• Technical consultations.
• Research networking.
• Feasibility planning.
• Infrastructure planning.
• Preparing future funding applications.

Projects should strengthen the competitiveness of future medium- to large-scale research proposals.

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include researchers based at:

• Nonprofit research institutions.
• Public research institutions.
• Government research institutions.
• Public universities.
• Government-funded research organizations.

Applicants must be based in:

• United States.
• Canada.

Principal Investigator Eligibility

The Principal Investigator (PI) must:

• Be eligible to serve as a PI at their institution.
• Be affiliated with an eligible nonprofit or public institution.
• Not be a current degree-seeking student.
• Lead the proposed planning project.

The lead institution must possess appropriate tax-exempt or public institutional status.

Collaboration Requirements

The programme encourages interdisciplinary and international collaboration.

Collaborating organizations:

• May be located outside the United States or Canada.
• Must meet equivalent nonprofit or public institutional eligibility requirements if receiving grant funds.

Only eligible nonprofit or public organizations may directly receive funding under the programme.

Eligible Costs

Funding may generally support:

• Research planning activities.
• Collaboration meetings.
• Workshop organization.
• Project coordination.
• Proposal preparation.
• Research networking.
• Strategic planning.
• Administrative support directly related to planning.
• Travel for collaboration activities.
• Other approved planning-related expenses.

Indirect costs are limited to 10% of direct project costs.

How to Apply

Researchers interested in applying should follow these steps.

1. Review the official Request for Proposals (RFP).
2. Confirm institutional and Principal Investigator eligibility.
3. Identify research priorities aligned with alternative protein science.
4. Build an interdisciplinary research team.
5. Develop a planning strategy for a future high-impact research proposal.
6. Prepare a detailed project scope and work plan.
7. Develop a realistic project budget.
8. Complete the official application form.
9. Submit all required supporting documentation before the deadline.
10. Respond to any clarification requests during the review process if required.

Application Components

A competitive proposal should generally include:

• Applicant information.
• Institutional eligibility details.
• Principal Investigator information.
• Planning project description.
• Research objectives.
• Collaboration strategy.
• Future research vision.
• Work plan.
• Budget and budget justification.
• Expected outcomes.
• Supporting documentation requested by the programme.

Selection Criteria

Applications are expected to be evaluated based on:

• Alignment with programme objectives.
• Scientific relevance.
• Potential impact on alternative protein research.
• Quality of collaboration.
• Strength of planning activities.
• Innovation.
• Feasibility.
• Team expertise.
• Long-term research potential.
• Value for money.

Projects with strong interdisciplinary partnerships and the potential to generate competitive future research proposals are likely to be more competitive.

Why This Grant Matters

Alternative proteins are increasingly recognized as an important component of sustainable food systems that can improve food security, reduce environmental impacts, and expand consumer choice.

The programme helps:

• Advance sustainable food innovation.
• Strengthen alternative protein research.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Support emerging researchers.
• Build scientific capacity.
• Accelerate technology development.
• Address key technical challenges.
• Encourage open-access research.
• Improve competitiveness for future funding.
• Support long-term transformation of food systems.

By investing in early-stage planning and collaboration, the programme lays the foundation for future scientific breakthroughs that can accelerate the commercialization and adoption of alternative protein technologies.

Common Application Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid these common mistakes.

• Proposing full research projects instead of planning activities.
• Failing to demonstrate how the planning work will lead to future high-impact research.
• Providing weak collaboration strategies.
• Preparing unrealistic budgets.
• Exceeding the allowable indirect cost limit.
• Applying from ineligible institutions.
• Listing an ineligible Principal Investigator.
• Submitting incomplete application materials.

Strong proposals should clearly explain how planning activities will strengthen future research and address important scientific challenges in alternative protein development.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Advancing Alternative Proteins Planning Grants Program?

It is a funding programme from the Good Food Institute that supports planning activities for future high-impact research projects in alternative protein science and technology.

How much funding is available?

Eligible projects may receive up to USD 25,000 for planning activities lasting up to one year.

Who can apply?

Researchers affiliated with eligible nonprofit or public research institutions in the United States or Canada may apply. The Principal Investigator must be eligible to serve as a PI and cannot be a current degree-seeking student.

What types of research are supported?

The programme supports planning for research related to plant-based proteins, cultivated meat, cultivated seafood, fermentation-derived proteins, cellular agriculture, food biotechnology, and other alternative protein technologies.

Can international collaborators participate?

Yes. Collaborating organizations outside the United States and Canada may participate if they meet equivalent eligibility requirements. However, only eligible nonprofit or public institutions may receive grant funding.

What activities can the grant fund?

Funding supports collaboration building, project scoping, proposal preparation, research coordination, strategic planning, workshops, networking, and other activities that strengthen future research proposals.

What makes a strong application?

Competitive applications demonstrate a clear planning strategy, strong interdisciplinary collaboration, alignment with alternative protein research priorities, realistic budgets, and a compelling vision for future high-impact research.

Conclusion

The Advancing Alternative Proteins Planning Grants Program offers researchers in the United States and Canada an opportunity to strengthen the next generation of scientific innovation in sustainable food systems. With up to USD 25,000 available for planning activities, the programme supports collaboration, proposal development, and strategic research planning that can lead to larger, high-impact projects in alternative protein science. By investing in interdisciplinary partnerships and open-access research, the initiative helps accelerate innovation in plant-based foods, cultivated meat, fermentation technologies, and alternative seafood while contributing to a healthier, more sustainable, and resilient global food system.