Michigan State University is offering grants to create innovation in the global food system

Michigan State University’s Global Center for Food Systems Innovation (GCFSI) is seeking applicants who can help create innovation in the global food system by finding, incubating and evaluating new and potentially game-changing knowledge and technology based solutions to development challenges, especially those related to population growth, climate change and urbanization.

Competition Overview:
This RFA requests applications at the following three grant levels:

    Innovation Scalability Grants (maximum $500,000 each, with a required 1:1 match)
Innovation Evaluation Grants (maximum $250,000 each)
Early Stage Innovation Grants (maximum $100,000 each)

Thematic Areas:
Applications are only accepted in the following thematic areas:

Theme 1. Weather data for climate-smart agriculture
Theme 2. Improved ability of smallholder farmers to adapt to climate variability and change
Theme 3. Improved ability of agricultural researchers to provide agronomic recommendations
Theme 4. Assistance to small entrepreneurs in food processing
Theme 5. Innovations in the informal urban food sector
Theme 6. Gender-sensitive ICT-based approaches to improving women’s access to urban markets
Theme 7. Marketing meat and dairy products without extensive cold chain development
Theme 8. Projecting labor market and skill needs for agri-food businesses
Theme 9. Improving effective use of mobile phone-based agricultural services by small farmers
Theme 10. Promoting gender equitable access to profitable markets

Detailed descriptions and background information on the thematic areas can be found in the link provided below.

Basic Eligibility:
The competition is open to universities, government or private laboratories or research organizations, for-profit and non-profit companies. Individuals may apply if able to meet the requirements of this RFA.

Geographic Focus:
Innovations, proposals and ideas can come from any country. However, in order for proposals to be considered they must propose implementation (testing/piloting, evaluation, scaling) to occur in one of the following Feed the Future (FTF) focus countries or the Science, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (STIP) focus countries shown below:

FTF Focus Countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia

STIP Focus Countries: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Philippines, Uganda.

For more information, please download the following documents:

    Request for Application
FSIG Budget Form
Thematic Areas and Background Information

Application Submission:
Applications should only be submitted to 2014/2015 Food Systems Innovation Grants on this link: https://proposals.crdfglobal.org/InnovationGrants/PendingPage.aspx

Please email GCFSI@crdfglobal.org with any questions.