AgriDiversity Program: Step 3. Before you apply

Step 3. Before you apply

Intake period: Open

Submit your application until May 30, 2025 for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 program years. The intake period may close sooner if funding has been fully committed or if otherwise announced here.

The program ends March 31, 2028.

Review and consider the following information before you apply.

Sources of funding

You must clearly show all sources of funding for the project, including your contribution as well as those from other sources:

• other federal government departments^{note 1}
• provincial/territorial governments^{note 1}
• municipal administrations^{note 1}
• industry and/or partners such as:
  • industry associations and networks
  • businesses
  • academia

Program costs

Program costs can be eligible as of April 1, 2026. However, any costs incurred before we deem your application complete are ineligible for reimbursement, nor will those costs be considered part of your cost share.

How we assess your application

We'll review your application for eligibility, appropriateness, and relevance to the sector. You must prove that each activity and corresponding cost meet each of the following criteria in a manner that allows us to do an appropriate assessment. For detailed information, please refer to Complete the application and apply.

Your application will go through a thorough multi-step review process that includes a technical review by experts across Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The decision considers several criteria, including but not limited to eligibility, potential results, value for money, and alignment with government priorities (for example, diversity and inclusiveness, sustainability).

Project proposals must be related to delivering national services and/or products in one or more of the areas that develop agri-businesses entrepreneurial capacity, including:

• addressing barriers to underrepresented and marginalized groups in farming and strengthening their capacity to be leaders in the sector
• helping underrepresented and marginalized groups to enhance their involvement in the agriculture and agri-food sector, including awareness of career opportunities and improving access to those opportunities
• helping to share industry experience, best practices and knowledge with underrepresented and marginalized groups to manage transformation and adapt to changes in business operations
• building the capacity for underrepresented and marginalized groups to succeed in agriculture, expanding upon the work currently underway to develop the leadership skills of Indigenous Peoples and underrepresented and marginalized groups
• strengthening the sector by incorporating the views of a greater diversity of industry players

1. Your application will be reviewed against the following criteria:
   • the application is complete and the proposed project is eligible
   • the proposed activities, including expected results and outcomes, support program objectives and priorities
   • all sources of funding for the proposed project to be funded under this program are identified
2. If the above criteria are met, a more thorough review of your application will be done to assess the following criteria:
   • your organization's capacity to deliver the project, taking into consideration your resources, timelines, and previous history with AAFC programming
   • the degree to which your proposed project can demonstrate a current or potential opportunity or need
   • the proposed activities and expenditures are eligible, reasonable and required to meet the project objectives
   • the project's linkages to building sector capacity and leadership
   • the evaluation of the project's impact to stakeholders and how it benefits the sector
   • the technical merits of the proposal and its potential risks
   • the potential for the proposed project to achieve government priorities (for example, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, advancing economic growth and building public trust)
3. The assessment process will determine an appropriate level of funding for approved projects. This will be based on the:
   • scope and duration your project
   • reasonableness and fair market value of proposed eligible expenses
   • importance of proposed eligible activities for greater impact to the sector
   • reasonableness of the overall projected cost of eligible expenditures given the projected outcome(s)
   • other sources of funding
   • your due diligence to obtain and provide performance reports

Please note that even if a project meets all eligibility criteria, the submission of an application creates no obligation on the part of the Minister or of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada officials to provide funding for the proposed project. The Minister retains discretion to determine, based on other public policy and public interest considerations, whether an application that meets the criteria identified in the guide will ultimately receive funding.

Provisional program information for Indigenous Recipients

As part of the contribution agreement, there may be flexible contribution agreement provisions for unique cultural and customary activity costs associated with Indigenous recipient delivered projects.

Additional provisions may be applicable to Indigenous Recipients only under the following circumstances:

• Nature and Type of Activities for Indigenous Recipients
• Nature and Type of Expenditures for Indigenous Recipients
• Additional Stacking Provisions for Indigenous Recipients
• Basis of Payment for Indigenous Recipients

In addition to the default basis of payment requirements, contribution funding for Indigenous recipients with multi-year agreements may be provided in the form of flexible contribution funding. In addition, recipients receiving flexible funding will be carefully assessed to ensure their capacity (for example, governance structure, organization, and financial and administrative experience) to fulfil the terms of the agreement, as well as their capacity to manage funds with additional flexibilities.

If you're an Indigenous applicant and would like more information about the application and assessment process, please contact the Indigenous Pathfinder Service by email at aafc.indigenouspathfinder-explorateurautochtone.aac@agr.gc.ca or telephone: 1-866-367-8506.

Considerations

M-30 Act (Quebec organizations only)

The Province of Quebec's M-30 legislation may apply to Quebec-based applicants only. It is the Act Respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif (R.S.Q., c. M-30).

More information on the act is available online or by contacting the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation at dpci@mapaq.gouv.qc.ca.

All Quebec-based organizations will have to address this matter and demonstrate their compliance with the act during the application assessment process, and prior to entering into a contribution agreement.

Intellectual property

If your project is approved for funding, the contribution agreement will contain an intellectual property clause confirming that the title to all intellectual property in any materials created or developed by or for the recipient under the agreement will be owned by the recipient or a third party. However, the recipient must grant to AAFC the right to utilize any material or information produced, for AAFC and other Government of Canada purposes.