How to apply

How the application process works.

When you apply for a grant, you are competing with other applicants. You will not automatically get a grant.

You should not start work or commit to any costs (including paying deposits), enter into any legal contracts, or place an order before you receive a funding agreement offering you a grant. Any costs incurred before that date are at your own risk and may make your whole project ineligible.

The online eligibility checker will open in mid-January 2022 for 8 weeks.

The application is a 2-stage process

Stage 1: Online checker

You need to first use the online checker to check if you can apply for a Farming Transformation Fund Improving Farm Productivity grant and to check how well your project fits the funding priorities. (This will take about 10 minutes if you have all the project details.)

You will need to answer questions about your business so that we can check you are eligible to apply, including:

  • the project location
  • whether the planned project is on land the farm business owns, or if there is a tenancy agreement
  • details of any required planning permission.

We will also ask you for both of the following:

  • what grant funded items your project will need
  • the estimated cost of the items.

We will tell you if your project is not eligible and you cannot continue to complete an online application.

If your project is eligible, you will be asked further questions to determine how well your project meets the scheme priorities.

We will ask you questions about your project, including:

  • if you have used the technology on your farm previously
  • if your project will use data collection and analysis technology
  • what energy source will the funded items use
  • what agricultural sector is your project within.

If you wish to proceed, you can submit your project details and register your interest. At this stage, you will be asked for your contact and business details. You should only submit one online application for your project.

You will get an email with your score and answers, and a reference number.

We will review the information you have provided using the online checker. If your project scores well enough against the funding priorities, we will invite you to submit a full application. We will send you a full application form and guidance about how to fill it in.

Only projects that have submitted an online application through the online checker and have been given a reference number will be able to submit a full application.

If your project does not score highly enough, we will inform you shortly after the checker closes and you will not be able to submit a full application.

At any time throughout the process, if you do not want to proceed and wish to withdraw your application, please let us know so that we can update our records.

Stage 2: Full application

If your online application scores highly enough, we will invite you to submit a full application.

You will need to complete a full application form and send this with your supporting documents to RPA by email. Successful projects will be provided with details about how to do this.

Value for money

We will assess value for money together with the funding priorities and this may impact your overall project score.

You will be competing for funding so the likelihood of your full application being successful will also depend on the number and value of other applications we receive.

If your application is successful, we will send you a Grant Funding Agreement and you can begin work on your project.