What CAP Alberta Funding Programs Can Your Organization Access?
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a federal-provincial-territorial initiative that supports businesses and non-profit organizations across the country. It also offers 15 targeted funding programs specifically designed to help grow Alberta agricultural producers, processors, and organizations. These streams of funding, known as CAP Alberta, are an ideal way for the agri-sector to expand and become more competitive.
CAP Alberta applicants may receive a portion of eligible project costs through the program’s funding streams. The amount of funding awarded depends on the stream and project size.
To qualify for CAP Alberta agriculture funding, it’s often helpful to start by exploring the funding streams that provide the greatest fit to your organization. This article breaks down each of the program’s streams based on whether the funding is meant for agri-producers, processors, or non-profits in the agri-sector. Start by finding the streams that are right for your business type, then further refine by which eligibility criteria you’re capable of satisfying.
What is CAP Alberta and How Can It Support My Agri-Projects?
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership: Alberta program is a dynamic approach to spurring growth in the province’s agriculture and agri-food sector. It offers Alberta government funding for a range of projects that can be performed by agri-producers, processors, and organizations that support the agri-sector. Through the five-year program, businesses and non-profits across Alberta will benefit from additional cash flow to support their top growth objectives.
Eligible Alberta businesses and non-profits can apply for funding to support innovative, competitiveness-boosting, and industry-expanding projects.
Each stream of funding provided through CAP Alberta maintains its own unique eligibility criteria and application process. Although there are 15 total streams of funding, not all of these streams are available at all times. At the time of this article’s posting, only 10 streams have provided details of the applicants and projects it seeks. For a more detailed breakdown of each funding stream and its next announced (or anticipated) deadline, please read Mentor Works’ CAP Alberta overview article.
What Type of CAP: Alberta Funding Can Your Organization Access?
Each of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership: Alberta funding streams are designed for one of three potential applicant groups. They include:
- Agricultural Producers
- Agri-Food and Beverage Processors
- Agri-Industry Associations and Non-Profits
For each stream, consider if your organization and project type meets the program’s requirements. If you’re eligible, use the link provided on each stream name to learn more details about the stream, including how much Alberta agriculture grants and funding you can access, and when you must apply to be considered.
Agricultural Producers
Environmental Stewardship and Climate Change – Producer
- Producer Eligibility: Alberta agricultural producers.
- Project Eligibility: Incorporating watering systems, riparian fencing, livestock facility management, improved manure storage facilities, manure application, sectional controls, agricultural plastic bag rollers, and shelterbelts.
- Producer Eligibility: Agricultural businesses in Alberta with a minimum $10,000 in farm commodity production income.
- Project Eligibility: Include standard projects (such as water supply development and conveyance projects, and water protection projects) and special projects (such as well pit conversions, water level measurement devices and wetland assessments, well decommissioning, and water use meters).
- Producer Eligibility: Operate in Alberta, own an irrigated agricultural operation in Alberta, have a Long-Term Irrigation Management Plan, and not a previous recipient of Alberta agriculture grants for the same parcel of land.
- Project Eligibility: Purchase and install a new low-pressure centre (LPCP) pivot irrigation system, a drip irrigation system, or an upgrade to an existing irrigation system.
- Producer Eligibility: Bio-industrial processors, food processors, processor organizations, producer organizations, new entrants, and producers who add value past primary agricultural production or are involved in international market development activities.
- Project Eligibility: Product and process development, label and package development, processing capacity expansion, market development, export preparation and planning, product demonstration, activities to support aggregation and distribution of food, and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF) outbound trade initiatives.
Agri-Food and Beverage Processors
- Processor Eligibility: Bio-industrial processors, food processors, processor organizations, producer organizations, new entrants, and producers who add value past primary agricultural production or are involved in international market development activities.
- Project Eligibility: Product and process development, label and package development, processing capacity expansion, market development, export preparation and planning, product demonstration, activities to support aggregation and distribution of food, and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF) outbound trade initiatives.
- Processor Eligibility: Agri-processors, industry associations, post-secondary institutions, rural municipalities, managers of irrigation conveyance works, federally and provincially licensed slaughtering facilities, farm service providers, and operators of livestock intermediary sites.
- Project Eligibility: Risk mitigation in animal health biosecurity, animal health traceability, animal welfare “humane” slaughter, food safety, irrigation conveyance works, farm safety, and plant health.
Value-Added Products to Markets
- Processor Eligibility: Food processors and bio-industrial processors.
- Project Eligibility: Processing capacity expansion, product and process development, label and package development, market development, export preparation and planning, and product demonstration.
Agri-Industry Associations and Non-Profits
Agriculture and Food Sustainability Assurance Initiatives
- Organization Eligibility: Industry-led non-profit assurance initiatives, agricultural groups registered under the Societies Act, commodity groups, and incorporated non-profit organizations.
- Project Eligibility: Must develop and/or enhance sustainability certification or assurance systems via benchmarking studies, pilot studies and audits, development of governance, etc.
Environmental Stewardship and Climate Change – Groups
- Organization Eligibility: Applied Research Associations, Forage Associations, Agricultural Commodity Groups, Rural Municipalities, and Agricultural Watershed Groups.
- Project Eligibility: Must minimize wasted resources and optimize efficiencies, implement strategies around risks and opportunities associated with its greenhouse gas emissions, develop standards and strategies in relation to regional and international sustainability initiatives, and protect or improve market access through environmental practices
- Organization Eligibility: Bio-industrial processors, food processors, processor organizations, producer organizations, new entrants, and producers who add value past primary agricultural production or are involved in international market development activities.
- Project Eligibility: Product and process development, label and package development, processing capacity expansion, market development, export preparation and planning, product demonstration, activities to support aggregation and distribution of food, and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF) outbound trade initiatives.
- Organization Eligibility: Agricultural groups registered under the Societies Act, commodity groups, and non-agriculture industry groups, non-profits, and post-secondary institutions that partner with an agricultural group.
- Project Eligibility: Planning, organizing and hosting agriculture literacy awareness summits, workshops and conferences, recruiting and training agriculture industry spokespeople, developing resources such as videos, website, educational materials, displays, publication and other awareness and educational resources, developing and implementing strategic communication campaigns, benchmarking studies, and needs assessments.
- Organization Eligibility: Agri-processors, industry associations, post-secondary institutions, rural municipalities, managers of irrigation conveyance works, federally and provincially licensed slaughtering facilities, farm service providers, and operators of livestock intermediary sites.
- Project Eligibility: Risk mitigation in animal health biosecurity, animal health traceability, animal welfare “humane” slaughter, food safety, irrigation conveyance works, farm safety, and plant health.
- Organization Eligibility: Agricultural groups registered under the Societies Act, commodity groups, and non-agriculture industry groups, non-profits, and post-secondary institutions that partner with an agricultural group.
- Project Eligibility: Developing new agriculture education programs, or expanding/adapting existing agriculture education programs aimed at kindergarten to grade 12 students.
Eligible? Apply for the Canadian Agricultural Partnership: Alberta Program
Does your Alberta agri-business or organization meet the eligibility criteria for any of the above programs? If so, this is a great starting point to learn more about the program and figure out if it makes sense for your organization to apply.
Most of the streams mentioned above require a comprehensive application package that consists of an application form and highly detailed project plans. All submitted documentation is used to evaluate applicants and ensure the highest quality projects are awarded with funding.
To discuss your business’ eligibility for these CAP Alberta programs and explore how to optimize the application process, please contact Mentor Works.
Good day, I am developing a small piece of farm land and I need to keep wild animals such as deer off my crops and out of my animal feed. Would you know if there is finding for such projects in Canada?
Thank you,
Marjorie Hyland
Alberta
Hi Marjorie, thanks for your question. At this time, it does not seem like a stream of CAP Alberta could cover that type of project. New funding streams may become available later in the program’s lifetime though, so you should keep checking-in to uncover if new opportunities exist. Feel free to send us a question on our contact page or enroll for our newsletter if you want us to keep you posted!
We are developing 2-5 acres on our 80 acre farm into Haskup berries. We are wondering if any grants or funding are available for a dugout, berry bushes, bird netting etc. Please advise.
Hi Dave – If you are incorporated, there is a potential for government funding to support some of your strategic investments. We recommend you provide a bit more company and project info by submitting a Contact Form and we can investigate your best options.
We pasture cattle on land that has a major tributary to the North Saskatchewan river and wish to keep the cattle out that riparian area . I understand that this is very important to the environment and keeping water entering the river clean. We find that fencing that area to be tough on our budget and know that there has bin monies available to assist us in doing this project. Any assistance would greatly be appreciated .
Hi Andy – Thanks for the message. If you provide a bit more information on the budget and timelines of your project in our contact form, a member of our team can assess its eligibility for funding.