Guidance

Farmer Collaboration Fund: applicant's guide

Published 29 July 2026

Applies to England

The Farmer Collaboration Fund (FCF) opens on 1 September 2026.

To get ready to apply, we’ve published the FCF applicant’s guide. Based on user feedback, we may make some changes to the guidance before the fund opens. We will let you know what changes we make.

1. About the Farmer Collaboration Fund 

The Farmer Collaboration Fund (FCF) aims to support farmers, land managers and growers to manage land in a productive, nature friendly and sustainable way.

The FCF will fund delivery partners to provide this support. They can facilitate farmers to:

• share their experiences
• learn from each other
• try new working practices

An FCF agreement will last 3 years and will range from £200,000 to £1 million per year. Around 20 grants are expected with £5 million funding available annually.

This is round 1 of grant applications, we expect to open round 2 in 2027 and round 3 in 2028.

We will publish details of successful delivery partners, their location, farming sector, area of expertise and details of the groups they are supporting.

Farmers, land managers or growers can approach these delivery partners directly if they want to be involved.

The FCF will create opportunities to:

• learn from each other, share knowledge and lessons learned
• create joined up plans for landscape-level projects
• apply for more ambitious land management schemes, in both government and private sectors

For example, collaboration and peer-to-peer learning could help farmers: 

• take up integrated pest management activities, which can reduce the cost of inputs and support their soil and water health
• start to integrate trees into a farming system to diversify income streams, capture and store carbon and protect their land against flood risks

2. Who can apply to be an FCF delivery partner

You can apply to be an FCF delivery partner if you’re an organisation based in England. You need to use the FCF to support at least 5 farming collaboration groups. Collaboration groups should include at least 4 farms all managed by different people.

Organisations eligible for the FCF grant include:

• charities and Community Interest Companies (CICs)
• local authorities, strategic authorities and national landscapes and national parks organisations
• commercial businesses including limited companies

You must also be registered with either:

• Companies House as ‘active’, with an up-to-date filing history if you’re a commercial organisation or CIC
• the Charity Commission with up-to-date accounts and annual returns if you’re a charity

You must be a single entity, which means you have overall day-to-day control and management of all the various activities in the organisation. You must also have a UK bank account.

You can work in partnership with other organisations but only one organisation can apply as the lead organisation. The lead organisation will receive the funding if an application is successful. They are also responsible for using the FCF appropriately.

During the application process, Defra will ask you to describe any partnerships you have but will not ask for formal evidence about the status of any partnerships.

You’ll need to show skills and experience of:

• the geographic area, sector or area of interest you want to support through the fund (locally or nationally)
• supporting and facilitating collaboration

Individual farmers, land managers, growers or group facilitators cannot apply for the FCF.

3. Delivery partner responsibilities

Your responsibilities will vary depending on the aims of your project. As a minimum, you’ll:

• appoint facilitators to lead collaboration groups
• set up new collaboration groups where there are gaps
• define objectives and priorities
• share knowledge with other delivery partners
• keep records of delivery, spend and outcomes and report these to Defra
• comply with data protection rules
• demonstrate that decisions are fair, transparent and represent value for money

4. How you’ll work

You’ll need to define how you’ll work. For example, in which:

• geographical area
• farming sector
• area of interest or expertise

You’ll also need to show how you’re working in partnership with other relevant organisations.

5. Supporting collaboration groups

You’ll support collaboration groups to:

• identify priorities based on farmer needs
• plan activities that improve business performance and environmental outcomes across the landscape
• build on existing strategies and plans – make use of existing data sources, such as local nature recovery strategies, local growth plans, spatial data showing collaboration groups’ coverage across the region (or nationally) – use sources like MAGIC maps or the Land App
• access other funds and financial options

6. Facilitator responsibilities

You can appoint facilitators to directly support collaboration groups to work towards their objectives. They will coordinate and run collaboration group meetings, including scheduling speakers and arranging topics.

Facilitators may spend time supporting individual farmers where this is working towards the objectives of a group. This could include farmers who are not yet a member of their collaboration group.

Facilitators will need the skills and experience to:

• engage participants
• build trusted relationships
• communicate clearly
• support constructive discussion
• help groups work through different views and support them to agree shared actions

7. What you can use the grant for

We expect you’ll spend most of the fund on facilitators and group collaboration. You should always consider value for money when making decisions about what to spend.

The FCF can include irrecoverable VAT.

7.1 Paying facilitators

You can pay facilitators:

• for their time, including facilitator salaries where they are good value, for example if they are running a large group or multiple small groups (you can check similar salaries against the Office of National Statistics and must explain any deviations from this)
• to engage with farmers on a one-to-one basis or group setting
• to coordinate and lead collaboration groups
• to engage with local communities
• to organise specialists to advise and support group learning
• to identify and secure additional group funding
• for training to help them carry out responsibilities to the group
• reasonable expenses for running group activities and travel

7.2 Paying for group advice and activities

You can pay for group advice and activities such as:

• peer-to-peer learning events
• venue hire
• event promotion
• hiring experts to give advice and support to collaboration groups – this includes farmers taking on this role

7.3 Events, hospitality and travel costs

You can pay for:

• costs that are proportionate to the size and duration of an organised event
• group travel, such as a minibus to visit a farm

7.4 Paying the delivery partner

You can be paid to: 

• coordinate or engage facilitators
• develop delivery plans in partnership with farmers and partners
• coordinate farmer and expert panels to support decision making
• build networks and connections to ensure that collaboration is effective
• carry out knowledge exchange activities with farmers, Defra or other delivery partners

7.5 Administration costs

You can use the FCF to:

• administer the payments to facilitators
• approve facilitator claims and report to Defra

Administration costs must be less than 10% of your total budget.

7.6 Paying for other activities

One-to-one advice

You can pay for one-to-one advice if it supports the collaboration group’s aims or helps to recruit new members to the group. You can only pay for management activities, such as creating a nutrient management plan if it supports the group’s aims. You should only fund advice to individual farmers where there is a specific need.

Governance support

You can pay for independent governance or support to manage conflicts of interest. This could include setting up an independent farmer panel.

Training for facilitators

You can pay for facilitator training to make sure their role is carried out appropriately.

Legal structures

You can pay each collaboration group up to £1,500 per FCF agreement to get advice on the group legal structure.

8. What you cannot use the grant for

You cannot use the grant to pay for:

• direct farm actions or capital works
• farm equipment or technology
• alcohol
• plane travel
• support to complete individual farmer applications for funding
• IT costs to manage collaboration groups and activities
• meeting legal requirements, including planning conditions
• surveys or monitoring activities
• advice that is not working towards your group objectives, for example political advice or advice that is contrary to Defra’s outcomes

9. Payment rules

The FCF must be used to add value (‘adding value’). We want you to use funding from other sources, but you cannot pay twice for the same thing (‘double funding’).

9.1 Adding value

The FCF must help you achieve more than you would achieve without it. We encourage you to maintain any existing sources of funding or get other sources of funding where possible.

You’ll need to demonstrate how you’re achieving added value as part of your annual reporting responsibilities. Read the following examples:

New members

You could bring new members into existing collaboration groups, where:

• the group has capacity for more members
• increasing membership would improve the group’s ability to deliver its priorities

New collaboration groups

You could set up new collaboration groups where there is:

• a clear set of priorities for an area or interest group that are not already being addressed
• no existing group that can be used to work towards those priorities

Restarting groups

You could support groups that are not currently meeting. This could include groups that have previously received funding from government or other sources but are no longer active because they do not currently have funds.

Fund more to achieve more

You could help existing groups achieve further outcomes. For example, if a group already receives funding to improve water quality, you could show how additional funding could achieve more than would be possible without the FCF.

9.2 Double funding

You can apply for the FCF if you already receive funding from other sources. However, you must not use the FCF for the same activities paid for by any other source (including other Defra schemes). This will count as double funding and is not allowed.

You must tell us about any other funding you receive for collaboration activities or activities that can be funded through the FCF. 

You must also tell us if you start receiving funding from other sources for these activities during your agreement.

Groups that are funded by the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund (CSFF) will need to end their existing agreements before they can start receiving funds through the FCF. You should not end your CSFF agreement until you know if your delivery partner has been successful with its FCF application.

Delivery partners will be responsible for ensuring funds from FCF are not being used for double funding.

10. When you’ll be paid

You’ll be paid on a quarterly basis, in advance of what you spend. Payment starts when your agreement is signed. You’ll need to report actual spend to Defra and there will be a reconciliation process to manage any discrepancies. Read the FCF agreement holder’s guide for more information. We will publish this when the FCF opens.

11. Before you apply

You should:

• decide what location, area of interest or expertise or sector you can support through the fund
• contact existing farmer collaboration groups in your area or sector
• discuss how you would work together in partnership with other organisations within your area or sector and decide who could act as lead partner

As part of your application, you’ll need to develop a written delivery plan outlining your activities for the first year of your project. We will also ask for a 6-month milestone plan and a road map that shows the intended pathway for 3 years. This can change over time if necessary.

12. When to apply

The FCF opens at midday on 1 September 2026 and closes at 11:59pm on 30 September 2026.

13. How to apply

You can only apply using the Find a Grant service.

Click on the ‘Browse’ tab and enter ‘Farmer Collaboration Fund’ into the search box.

Complete the application form on the Atamis platform.

The application form has 4 sections:

1. Your details will be used to check eligibility – this section is not scored. You’ll need to pass this step for your application to progress.
2. The organisation and experience section will help us understand your experience working with farmers and the partnerships you have built with other organisations working on farmer collaboration.
3. The objectives section will help us understand what you’re trying to achieve and why, and how this aligns to Defra objectives and strategies.

4. Delivery plans and budgets is split into 2 parts:

   4.1. What actions you’ll take to achieve the objectives you set out, this includes a plan, a summary of the groups you’ll support and milestones.
   4.2. What budget you’ll need and what your plan is at the end of the 3 years’ funding.

You may use artificial intelligence (AI) to help prepare your application. However, it is your responsibility to ensure the information you provide is accurate, complete and not misleading.

Defra reserves the right to withdraw applications that do not meet these requirements.

14. How applications are assessed

Defra will assess your application in 4 stages. They will not review applications until the application window closes. They may reject your application at any stage if it:

• is incomplete – for example, if you have not provided enough information or evidence is missing
• does not meet the eligibility criteria
• does not score highly enough to be prioritised against the available budget

Stage 1: Defra will assess your responses to the qualification questions as a pass or fail.

Stage 2: A panel of assessors from Defra will evaluate responses to question 4.1. using the scoring in table 1. You’ll have to achieve a score of 70 to progress to a full assessment.

Stage 3: The assessors will evaluate full applications. Each question must score at least 50. If any question scores below this, your application will not progress. The assessors will also assess the value for money of each application.

Stage 4: A moderation panel will meet to agree scoring consensus and award outcome.

Table 1: How we will score applications

Rating	Score	Verification
Excellent	100	Response is relevant and excellent overall. The response is comprehensive, clear and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the requirement and provides details of how the requirement will be met in full.
Good	70	Response is relevant and good overall. The response demonstrates a solid understanding and provides details on how the requirement will be fulfilled.
Acceptable	50	Response is relevant and acceptable overall. The response provides enough evidence to fulfil basic requirements.
Poor	20	Response is partially relevant. The response addresses some elements of the requirements but contains insufficient detail or explanation to demonstrate how the requirement will be fulfilled.
Unacceptable	0	Nil or inadequate response. Fails to demonstrate an ability to meet the requirement.

15. Outcome of the application process

We will email you to tell you the outcome of your application in early November.

If you’re successful, you’ll need to refer to the agreement holder’s guide for more information on how to manage your agreement. We will publish this when the FCF opens.

If you are not successful:

• we will contact you by email and let you know
• you can reapply in future rounds of the fund

We will tell you why your application was rejected. You’ll have the right to query this decision and request further feedback.

If you’re unhappy with our decision, you should refer to our Complaints procedure.

16. Monitoring and reporting

You’ll be responsible for keeping records for evidence, audit and assurance checks and reporting to Defra throughout the project.

This will include:

• regular meetings with a Defra relationship manager
• quarterly spend report
• annual report on successes and areas for improvement
• working with a monitoring and evaluation partner to collect farmer opinions about the fund
• an end-of-agreement audit report – you should allow approximately £5,000 to pay for this

Read the agreement holder’s guide for more information. We will publish this when the FCF opens.

17. Contact details

For any questions about the FCF, email: farmercollaborationfund@defra.gov.uk

18. Application questions

To prepare to apply for FCF, this is an indication of the questions you’ll be asked.

Likely application questions
Section 1. Delivery partner details
1.1. What type of organisation is your delivery partner?
1.2. Do you have the capability, financial controls and governance to manage the fund and pay facilitators and collaborative groups?
1.3. What location, farming sector, area of interest or expertise will you be focusing on (maximum 100 words)?
This section is not scored.
Section 2. Organisation and experience
2.1. Tell us about who you’re and why you’re the right organisation to deliver FCF.
2.1.a. give a brief overview of your organisation
2.1.b. demonstrate your experience supporting facilitators, collaboration and farmer peer-to-peer learning
2.1.c. give evidence of the partnerships you have built to support farmers and collaboration
2.1.d. demonstrate your experience of working with farmers - explain how you’ll engage them in decision making throughout the project
Section weighting: 35%, maximum 800 words.
Section 3. Objectives
3.1. What you’re trying to achieve, why do you want to achieve this and how does this align with Defra’s priorities?
3.1.a. clearly identify the objectives you’re focussing on - these should include both business and environmental objectives as well as social value (e.g. wellbeing, social connections)
3.1.b. show what change you want to see on the ground and how you’ll check if this is successful
3.1.c. show where your objectives have come from, for example were these identified by farmers or from a local strategy, such as local nature recovery strategies or Defra’s environmental improvement plan.
Section weighting: 30%, maximum 800 words.
Section 4. Delivery plans and budget
Section 4.1. What actions are you going to take to deliver the objectives you have identified?
4.1.a. provide information about the collaboration groups you’ll support
4.1.b. explain how you will deliver the objectives you’ve identified - this should link to your milestone plan and road map
4.1.c. explain what new or additional activity will happen because of this funding
Section weighting: 17.5%, maximum 400 words.
Section 4.2. Tell us how you’re going to manage your proposed activity.
4.2.a. provide a budget for 3 years
4.2.b. set out the processes and governance that you’ve in place to manage conflicts of interest, bias and fraud risks
4.2.c. give details of any additional funding sources that are being used to support this and be clear there is no double funding
4.2.d. show you’ve considered what could happen as the FCF agreement comes to an end – this could include applications to additional larger scale funding like Landscape Recovery or investigating other sources of finance
Section weighting: 17.5%, maximum 400 words.

You’ll also be asked to provide information about each collaboration group you’ll support.

Likely questions about each collaboration group
1. What is the group name and description?
2. Are they a new or existing group?
3. What is the facilitators name? (if it is known at this stage)
4. How many farmers are in the group? (this can be an estimate)
5. What year would the group start?