Call for Applications: Advancement of Quality Education, Research and Innovation in Agriculture

The focus of CAG is on the “Pillar two: Agricultural Education and Innovation.” This Call for Grant Applications (CAG) will consider proposals that increase the capacity of farmers, farming communities, young people and/or women, and facilitates access to the tools, training, activities, and support they need to continuously improve their practices, build resiliency and improve their profitability and contribute to a food-secure world.

Areas

• Applicants can only submit one application under this focus pillar and must ensure the submitted application address some of the following areas:
  • Identify the problem, need, or difficulty associated with this pillar that this project will aim to tackle.
  • Demonstrate a high likelihood of project success.
  • Showcase key activities that will be carried out as part of the project. Activities can include but not limited to the following – providing farmers and other stakeholders technical support, hands-on training, e-learning, vocational training in the agricultural sector, farmer field schools and on-farm demonstrations to help them adapt to increasingly specialized agricultural techniques, shift from subsistence agriculture to market-oriented production, thrive, transform the food system, conserve natural resources by combating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Demonstrate strong alignment of the project with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 – “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
  • Showcase the need and approach to develop and promote entrepreneurial training certification programs and business skills training in agribusiness and value chains for farmers, including young farmers, women or other underserved groups.
  • Demonstrate how the development of an educational project can enhance knowledge awareness on food systems and nutrition transformation or acceptance of agricultural technology and innovations among farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture.

Funding Information

• The AGCO Agriculture Foundation anticipates grant funds for this CAG 2023 cycle to range from $200,000 to $450,000.
• They expect the grant/project duration to be two to three years.

Targeted Audience

• The project submitted under this pillar two must target at least one of following stakeholders:
  • Farmers (small-scale and emerging farmers).
  • Farmer cooperations and associations.
  • Young farmers or women farmers.
  • Agricultural extension officers and teachers.

Eligibility Criteria

• This Call for Grant Applications (CAG) is an open call to non-profits and public universities/educational institutions with innovative solutions targeted at increasing the capacity of farmers, farming communities, young people and/or women, and facilitates access to the tools, training, activities, and support they need to continuously improve their practices, build resiliency and improve their profitability and contribute to a food-secure world.
• Non-profit organizations and public universities/educational institutions that are registered and recognized as charitable or non-profit organizations under the law are eligible to apply for grant funding.
• As part of the application process, applicants are expected to provide a certificate or proof of non-for-profit registration to be considered for a grant.
• For the approval process, the Foundation may reach out for clarification and further documentation on non-profit status if required.
• Submitted projects must address the focus pillar identified for this grant application.

Ineligibility Criteria

• The Foundation does not award grants to activities or programs to benefit:
  • Individual for profit organizations (hospitals, hospice programs, etc.)
  • Political, religious-based, labor or fraternal organizations.
  • Individuals and their personal fundraising efforts.
  • Groups seeking education, travel or conventions.
  • Sporting leagues, youth or adult sports teams, clubs, golf tournaments or similar one-off events.
  • Sales related, marketing, or customer requested fundraising campaigns.
  • Schools (unless non-for-profit registered), school districts, individual students, alumni associations, school or parent organizations and activities
  • Organizations, individuals and their fundraising efforts for conferences, summits, and webinars.

For more information, visit AGCO Agriculture Foundation.