Impact Funding Framework
If you’ve got an idea that will change food systems for the better, we want to fund it.
Applications for Impact Funding Framework Window 4 are now closed for evaluations. The application portal will reopen for the March 2025 deadline once this submission window has concluded.
Help us create lasting and sustainable change in the food system.
We’ve launched a competitive, open Impact Funding Framework to promote ambitious, long-term collaboration that will lead to food systems change to benefit us all.
We want our co-investment to have a real impact. We're looking for proposals from consortia based around lead organisations 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 programmes, and innovative single projects. We have recently updated the guidelines for both collaborative programmes and single projects so be sure to download the versions available in the Important Documents section of this page.
All submission windows close at 12:00 CET (noon) on the published deadline date.
Collaborative Missions Programme Funding
We want to co-fund and co-resource alliances and collaborative programmes 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, your programme should engage beneficiaries, whether people, business or organisations, with clearly defined impact needs.
For more detail on the impact targets and measures we need your help to reach, see our Funding for EIT Food Collaborative Missions Programmes document.
For technical guidance on your Collaborative Mission’s Programme application, see our Handbook for applicant’s using Salesforce document.
If you’re interested in this funding opportunity, we encourage you to make use of our Expression of Interest (EOI) form. You can share key information about your idea and how you can see your consortium working with EIT Food. This informal conversation starter should enable us to help you better connect across our community and teams as you shape your proposal.
Impact Funding Framework 2023-2025 Collaborative Missions Programmes FAQ
Is this funding open to any organisation?
Yes, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria as set out in the Guidelines, you do not need to be a member of the EIT Food community to apply for this funding.
Is there a minimum number of organisations and/or countries that need to form an applying consortium?
Yes, as per the eligibility criteria, a minimum of two organisations from two eligible countries are required to start off a programme – but there should be a convincing plan to bring in others that you need. ‘Collaborative’ programmes should be collaborative and pan-European in design. Proposals should be aimed at integrating innovation, skills and business creation across whole value chains, responding to one or more of our Mission targets and considering related strategic challenges.
Is there a minimum and maximum funding amount available?
There is no specific minimum or maximum funding threshold, however annual programme budgets are expected to be between €250,000-€750,000. This can include programme management costs and also monitoring and evaluation for impact performance.
Collaborative programmes are likely to be multiannual and involve multiple organisations. As such programme budgets should be in line with the size of programme proposed. All proposals are evaluated against a clear set of criteria including Value for Money. The budget must therefore be commensurate with the workplan and proposed outcomes detailed.
The Guidelines ask how a proposal would like to work with EIT Food. How should this be written into an application?
EIT Food is a pan-European network of food system changemakers. In addition to funding innovative ideas, we run skills programmes, entrepreneurship mentorship schemes and public engagement programmes.
Collaborative Programme proposals should seek to make the best use of what we already have in place, whether its finding connections between skills and innovation projects along a value-chain, or using our existing business programmes to implement outcomes. Perhaps your programme includes trialling an innovative technology however you have no commercial test bed environment – but we do. It could be that you have the basis of a successful education programme that could be rolled out across Europe using our course development or online provision expertise. We invite proposals to suggest how you can best use our existing assets and infrastructure to further accelerate outcomes towards impact.
Does this funding framework apply to existing EIT Food infrastructure programme facilitators?
No, existing EIT Food programmes like Seedbed, FAN and EIT Food Masters Label programmes are managed outside of this funding framework.
My organisation is an NGO, do I still need to provide 30% co-funding?
The co-funding rate applies at programme level. This means that individual organisations may agree within their consortium to provide different levels of co-funding. For some consortia, this may mean that one organisation provides no co-funding at all, while others provide greater than 30%. This is at the discretion of the applying consortium.
Can I use my own company’s resources towards the 30% co-funding?
You should be able to identify and detail programme expenditure in your accounts. Eligible expenditure can be allocated towards the 30% co-funding. Full project cost eligibility can be found under the Horizon Europe regulations. Please refer to Article 6 of the Model Grant Agreement and the Annotated Model Grant Agreement.
I understand that you cannot use other Horizon Europe funding as part of the co-funding contribution. Does that mean you cannot fund programmes by consortia currently funded by EIT Food?
Existing EIT Food consortia can apply for new activities.
What is expected in terms of sharing success or commercial risk?
If part of your programme includes activity that produces a commercial return, or creates an equivalent commercial value, such as an equity interest in new businesses, we’ll ask the relevant benefiting partner to give a commitment to share some of that return as a form of reinvestment in our community under our Success Sharing Mechanism.
In return for de-risking your investment through our funding, we’ll typically ask for a proportionate share in commercial gains you make. This allows us to reinvest in food systems change to benefit us all. That income sharing only arises if and when your programme goes on to generate new commercial income for you or others.
Your application should include a forecast of what that repayment might be. If we do ask for a share in your return, we will negotiate a mutually acceptable level of community reinvestment with you under the Success Sharing Mechanism.
We will then put in place a short additional agreement alongside the main grant funding agreements. Where we agree to fund activities generating limited cost-recovery income, we do so on the understanding that in lieu of a share in income on that funding, you must be able to demonstrate significant social return on investment in line with the impact measurement framework in our Strategic Agenda 2021–27.
Now that the UK has associated to the Horizon Programme, does this apply to EIT funding?
EIT Food funding is part of the Horizon Programme. We are able to fund organisations from an eligible Horizon Europe country. Please refer to the List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe.
If my proposal is unsuccessful in the first submission window, am I able to resubmit?
You are able to submit an improved proposal and should take into consideration the feedback that is provided as part of the evaluation process. The timetable for submission windows is outlined in the Guidelines.
Single Project Funding
We’re also 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.
We’ve identified three priority areas where we feel we can best deliver long-term impact:
- 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 we want to help bring about, see our EIT Food Single Project Co-Funding Opportunity document.
For technical guidance on your Single Project Funding application, see our Handbook for applicant’s using PLAZA document.
Whether commercial project or not-for-profit intervention, the focus should be on delivering real-world benefit through innovation, education and entrepreneurship. You’ll also need wider customer/citizen/public engagement to show how you’ll deliver economic and/or social value to where it’s most needed.
If you are a first-time applicant, please register in Plaza first. We will validate your registration, and you'll receive an email to begin your application.
If you are already registered in Plaza, use this link to apply now!
Impact Funding Framework 2023-2025 Single Projects FAQ
Is this funding open to any organisation?
Yes, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria as set out in the Guidelines, you do not need to be a member of the EIT Food community to apply for this funding.
Is there a minimum number of organisations and/or countries that need to form an applying consortium?
Yes, as per the eligibility criteria, a minimum of two organisations from two eligible countries are required. The two organisations should also be from two different sides of the knowledge triangle (an enterprise plus an education or research partner).
Is there a minimum and maximum funding amount available?
There is no specific minimum or maximum funding threshold, however total project budgets are expected to be between €10,000-€1, 000,000. Commercial projects are expected to range between €50,000-€1,000,000 whereas not-for-profit are expected to range between €10,000-€100,000.
All proposals are evaluated against a clear set of criteria including Value for Money. The budget must therefore be commensurate with the workplan and proposed project outcomes detailed.
My organisation is an NGO, do I still need to provide 30% co-funding?
The co-funding rate applies at project level. This means that individual organisations may agree within their consortium to provide different levels of co-funding. For some consortia, this may mean that one organisation provides no co-funding at all, while others provide greater than 30%. This is at the discretion of the applying consortium.
What is the difference between a ‘commercial’ project and a ‘not-for-profit’ project?
In this context, by “commercial” we mean projects with outcomes which potentially lead to trading profits via fees, sales or other income to an organisation or organisations funded under the project.
Examples of this may include profit from service fees, licensable or sale-able Intellectual Property or know-how, product sales, establishing a spin-out vehicle for investment or trading purposes, etc.
Commercial projects also include those with benefit to linked third parties such as group companies and discounted trade between linked parties. All such projects must have a strong commercialisation strategy.
“Not-for-profit” applies where a proposal is aimed primarily at delivering outcomes leading to notfor-profit impacts (those not aimed directly at generating trading profits, income for distribution to shareholders, or similar). These could be social, environmental, health or consumer behaviour interventions, or products, services or learning resources being made available on a verifiable “costrecovery only” or free at point-of-use basis.
Will you fund Proof of Concept projects?
We would consider funding projects which have a long-term plan including a proof of concept phase as an early stop/go decision point. We would be unlikely to fund an isolated proof of concept activity which did not have follow-on plans in place as the route to impact would not be sufficiently clear.
If my proposal is unsuccessful in the first submission window am I able to resubmit?
You are able to submit an improved proposal, and should take into consideration the feedback that is provided after evaluation. The timetable for submission windows is outlined in the Guidelines.
How can I get involved?
The first step to getting involved is getting in touch.
The easiest way is to contact your nearest regional office and introduce yourself to our teams.
To support you in building consortia and applying, we've also set up a dedicated space on FoodHIVE - EIT Food's online community platform.
We often run networking events and online consortium-building briefings. You’re welcome to join these and doing so will help us guide you through the application process.
Remember, we’re here to help bring your best ideas to life, with support, guidance and funding.
Because together, we can build a strong food system that’s better for everyone.
Timeline
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14th September 2023
Call open
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16th November 2023
1st Submission Deadline
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14th March 2024
2nd Submission Deadline
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11th July 2024
3rd Submission Deadline
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14th November 2024
4th Submission Deadline
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13th March 2025
5th Submission Deadline
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10th July 2025
6th Submission Deadline
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13th November 2025
7th Submission Deadline
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Up to 6 weeks post submission deadline
Evaluation
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7 weeks post submission deadline
Preliminary communication to selected projects
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11 weeks post submission deadline
Project Grant Award letters sent and contracting begins
Register your interest
Introductory Webinar
Webinar on the Success Sharing Mechanism
Selected Projects
Collaborative Programmes
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Europe Food BioFutures:
Actors building an ecosystem and initiatives that will foster entrepreneurship and secure EU’s leadership in deep food biotech.
- Tech4RegenAg: Project to advance Regenerative Agriculture in the EU using enabling technologies.
Single Projects
- Integration of Consumer-Preferred Sustainability Food Labels into VKJ mobile app (SuScan):
The mobile application VesKajJes enables consumers to know more about a product's nutritional composition. The project will upgrade the app to also provide sustainability information on food products.
- EcoMilk: Revolutionizing Dairy with On-Premise Sustainability: Compact fermentation technology, enabling the production of plant-based drinks directly at the consumption points like cafes and offices.
- Reduction of water and Biocide use on the way to Transition to regenerative agriculture (ROBOT): Autonomous robotics-based crop monitoring platform that supports growers in optimizing their crop management decisions, resulting in reduced usage of water, pesticides and labor.
Important Documents
Download all Impact Funding Framework documents below:
Downloads
- EIT Food Impact Funding Framework 2023-2025 Guidelines Collaborative Missions Programmes (Amended) (pdf, 1,083 MB)
- EIT Food Impact Funding Framework 2023-2025 Guidelines - Single Projects Amended (pdf, 1,663 MB)
- Business Model Canvas Template (pptx, 930,65 KB)
- Launch Plan Template and Success Sharing Mechanism (docx, 344,858 KB)
- EIT Food Impact Funding Framework 2023 2025 FAQ Single Projects (pdf, 111,152 KB)
- EIT Food Impact Funding Framework 2023 25 FAQ Collaborative Programmes (pdf, 116,46 KB)
- EIT Food FAQ Success Sharing Mechanism OCT 2023 (pdf, 238,301 KB)
- EIT Food Collaborative Programmes Expression of Interest Form (docx, 242,263 KB)
- EIT Food Impact Funding Framework – Handbook for applicants using Salesforce (pdf, 1,198 MB)
- EIT Food Impact Funding Framework – Handbook for applicants using PLAZA (pdf, 1,841 MB)
- EIT Food Handbook for Applicants Collaborative Missions Programmes 1 (pdf, 1,307 MB)
- EIT Food Handbook for Applicants Single Projects Co funding Opportunity 1 (pdf, 1,833 MB)