Open Call: EIT Food Impact Funding Framework

Deadline: 14-Nov-24

European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) have launched a competitive, open Impact Funding Framework to promote ambitious, long-term collaboration that will lead to food systems change to benefit all.

They want the co-investment to have a real impact. They’re looking for proposals from consortia based around lead organizations who can work effectively, move quickly, and are supported by high-quality research, communications and impact assessment expertise.

The funding is focused on two separate areas – larger-scale collaborative programme, and innovative single projects.

Purposes

• Larger-scale collaborative programme
  • They are looking for programme that:
    • demonstrate a systemic approach to meeting societal challenges within the food system by delivering one or more Mission Targets
    • are problem-led, with a clearly defined pathway to impact for those who benefit and those organizations working with them
    • build a portfolio of connected activities that enhance collaboration across relevant economic, industry and social value chains
    • are led by an organization with a significant capability to scale and drive adoption of programme results
    • use EIT Food infrastructure programme and assets (community management, skills, innovation, public and policy engagement) to scale the impact and reach of the existing investments.
    • create and support platforms for addressing major barriers and opportunities related to the Strategic Levers for food systems change.
    • produce and communicate insights which can inform future EIT Food public affairs activities, fundraising and strategic decision making.
• Innovative single projects
  • Your proposal should address one or more of the following challenges:
    • Regenerative Agriculture:
      • De-risk transition to Regenerative Agriculture for farmers, incl. carbon farming and carbon pricing
      • Enable & incentivize reductions in Scope 3 emissions
      • Reduce food loss
      • Reduce occurrence and risks in water scarcity/management
      • Reduce cost of Regenerative Agriculture transition to business and consumers
      • Demonstrate improvement in Soil Health & Biodiversity
    • Protein Diversification:
      • Collaborative reformulation, involving primary producers, processors, retailers & “out of home” business.
      • Increased availability of affordable, nutritious, sustainable food products targeting NCD risks
      • in key markets & demographics
      • Improved production and manufacturing processes to reduce environmental impacts
      • Adoption of new business models enabled through Protein Diversification
      • Education and awareness programme on the benefits of a diverse protein diet.
    • Labelling, Packaging & Transparency:
      • Digitally enabled, communication of food product integrity & supply chain to consumers
      • Digital tools along value chains to reduce cost & complexity in producing standardized score based food labels
      • Increased uptake of affordable, nutritious, sustainable food products targeting NCD risks in key markets & demographics
      • Improved manufacturing processes to supply more food products building economic value from food waste and side streams
      • Inform and increase consumer demand for circular economy benefits from food choices

Funding Information

• Larger-scale collaborative programme
  • For guidance purposes, they anticipate total programme external grant and contracting budgets will be likely to fall between €250,000- €750,000 per year in line with the ambition of this call to accelerate systems change and impact at scale.
  • Initially, these programme can run for up to 24 months. This can be extended for a further 12 months at the sole discretion of EIT Food’s Executive Management Team, giving a maximum programme run time of 36 months.

Innovative single projects

• The starting funding amount allocated to this funding scheme is €30m. The purpose of this funding scheme is to support your investment in improving the food system. This single project funding opportunity does not work in the same way as a standard research grant.
• They expect to fund commercial projects under this scheme which have total budgets between €50,000 and €1m over a period of 18 months.
• For non-commercial projects they would normally expect to fund projects with total budgets of between €10,000 and €100,000 over a period of 18 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Funding for this call is available to all eligible organizations, from Member States of the European Union (EU) and from Horizon Europe Associate Countries.

For more information, visit EIT Food.