The Impact Funding Framework consists of 2 distinct calls: the Single Projects Co-funding Opportunity and the Collaborative Missions Programmes. Each call operates under its specific guidelines.

Single Projects Co-funding Opportunity

There is flexibility in the funding, while EIT is interested in funding new R&D and commercialisation projects with good prospects of getting to market within 12-18 months, and it also provide funding to:

• Existing research project teams who have a commercialisation or impact plan that needs follow-on funding to get to market. These do not have to be previous EIT Food projects – they support projects previously funded by other EIT organisations, EU programmes and third-party funders – but cannot “double fund” other current EU funded projects.
• Develop and market new applications and business models for existing technology. This includes transferring proven technology from other sectors into the food industry.
• Run market demonstration and scale-up activities for high impact products or services that already have promising results.
• Demonstrate and expand impact from existing innovative social enterprise, dietary health or education programmes and interventions leading to behaviour change or better consumer outcomes.

Under this scheme, it encourages proposals from consortia based around lead organisations which have the capabilities to move quickly and effectively in creating impact from our co-investment, supported by high-quality research, communications and impact assessment expertise.

Single Projects Funding is looking for innovative solutions to some of the most urgent challenges in skills, innovation, business creation and public engagement. These projects should be fast-paced in terms of getting the solutions where they’re needed most.

The identified three priority areas where that can best deliver long-term impact are:

• Protein Diversification: Bringing protein diversification to the mainstream
• Regenerative Agriculture: Enabling farmers to lead the transition to Net Zero
• Labelling, Packaging & Transparency: Empowering people in their food choices

For more detail on the solutions, see EIT Food Single Project Co-Funding Opportunity document.

Collaborative Programmes

EIT is looking to fund and co-resource alliances and collaborative programmes which aim to produce multiple results and high-impact outcomes. By “programmes” it means connected activities and workstreams across economic, industry and social value chains. Examples of actions that could support to achieve our Mission Targets might include:

• co-funding open competitions aimed at accelerating new business, products and processes
• jointly funding, co-resourcing and/or co-delivering programmes of activities with other funders, NGOs or charities with shared impact goals
• co-ordinating consortia across whole value-chains to scale-up, demonstrate and/or accelerate impact of innovation solutions from the EIT Food project portfolio
• jointly supporting innovation and knowledge exchange clusters that deliver new programmes in citizen engagement, business, skills and agri-food innovation in cities/ regions or specialist sectors
• co-funding social enterprise or education programmes that will scale-up interventions, leading to improved outcomes for populations at risk of poor health or food security outcomes supporting the development of networks to test production/manufacturing capabilities for key markets, test farms/services and “living labs” delivering programmes
• collaborative programmes resolving sector-relevant strategic issues to enable stronger progress towards meeting Mission Targets.

This may include intersecting areas such as: standards setting and data management; fundraising for systems change; citizen engagement in innovation; consumer behaviour change and improving public understanding of the benefits of innovation in agri-food. The list above is extensive, but not exhaustive.

Collaborative Missions Programme Funding co-fund and co-resource alliances and collaborative programmes are designed to:

• Improve the impact of diet on obesity and non-communicable disease
• Reduce food-system-related environmental harms
• Deal with the threats posed by food integrity and complex supply chains

As well as connecting key stakeholders, from companies and research organisations to social enterprises and regions, the programme should engage beneficiaries, whether people, business or organisations, with clearly defined impact needs.

For more detail on the impact targets and measures, see Funding for EIT Food Collaborative Missions Programmes.

More information is available at the following links: Funding & Tenders Portal, EIT food strategic agenda 2021-2027, EIT website, EIT Food Single Project Co-Funding Opportunity document and EIT Food Collaborative Missions Programmes.

Also, in order to support you in building consortia and applying, see a dedicated space on FoodHIVE – EIT Food’s online community platform.