Overall Description

Farming Innovation Programme: Feasibility Round 5 is a Defra grant competition delivered in partnership with Innovate UK under the Farming Innovation Programme – Industry-led R&D Partnerships Fund. Defra will invest up to £15 million in eligible innovation projects.

The competition supports early-stage feasibility studies investigating innovative solutions to major on-farm or immediate post-farmgate challenges and opportunities. Projects should have the potential to significantly improve the productivity, sustainability and resilience of farming, while supporting progression towards low-emission and net-zero agriculture.

Projects must actively involve the wider UK research and innovation community and demonstrate clear benefits for farmers, growers or foresters in England.

Funding Amount

• Total funding available: Up to £15 million;
• Total eligible project costs: £200,000–£500,000;
  • Micro/small organisations: Up to 70% of eligible costs;
  • Medium organisations: Up to 60%;
  • Large organisations: Up to 50%;
  • Research organisations: Can collectively account for up to 50% of total eligible project costs;
  • Academic institutions: Up to 80% FEC within the research participation limit;
  • Other eligible non-economic research organisations: Up to 100% within the research participation limit;
• Maximum project duration: 24 months.

Submission Deadlines

• Opening: 15 July 2026;
• Application deadline: 9 September 2026 at 11:00 UK time;
• Applicants notified: 12 October 2026;
• Project start: By 1 January 2027;
• Project end: By 31 December 2028.

Submission Conditions

Projects must:

• Have total eligible costs of £200,000–£500,000;
• Last no more than 24 months;
• Start by 1 January 2027;
• Be collaborative;
• Be led by a UK-registered commercial business of any size, including eligible sole traders and partnerships;
• Include at least one other grant-claiming UK business;
• Have at least two organisations claiming funding;
• Ensure no single partner accounts for more than 70% of total eligible project costs;
• Carry out funded project work in the UK;
• Intend to exploit the project results in the UK;
• Spend the majority of funding in the UK;
• Demonstrate clear benefits for farmers, growers or foresters in England.

Where farmers, growers or foresters request grant funding, at least 50% of the grant requested by those organisations must be allocated to farmers, growers or foresters geographically based in England.

A business can lead one application and collaborate in up to two additional applications. If it does not lead an application, it may collaborate in any number.

Eligible Types Of Applicants

Project lead:

• UK-registered commercial business of any size;
• Eligible sole traders and partnerships;
• Must be able to demonstrate that it is an established commercial business.

Eligible collaborators:

• Businesses of any size;
• Farmers, growers and forestry businesses;
• Academic institutions;
• Charities;
• Not-for-profit organisations;
• Public-sector organisations;
• Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs).

Eligible Countries

• Funded organisations: United Kingdom;
• Funded project activities must be carried out in the UK;
• EU and other non-UK organisations: Can participate as non-funded partners;
• Non-UK partners must cover their own costs and may carry out activities in their home countries;
• Overseas subcontractors: Permitted only with a detailed justification for why suitable UK subcontractors cannot be used.