ADOPT (Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies) is the third fund of the Farming Innovation Programme. It is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
ADOPT has two different types of grants available:
- A small Support Grant for applicants who are less familiar with Innovate UK systems and need support to apply for the Full ADOPT Grant. A support grant is not required before applying for the Full ADOPT Grant.
- A Full ADOPT Grant that will support collaborative farmer-led, on-farm trials and demonstrations.
ADOPT will run a number of continuous competitions between 2025 and 2026.
Eligibility criteria
To apply and lead a project you must be:
- an active farming, growing or forestry business in England, this includes sole traders or partnerships
- able to evidence that you are an established commercial business
The Support Grant and Full Grant have additional criteria and guidelines attached to the brief.
Support Grant
This grant supports the development of Full Grant applications for on-farm trials and farm demonstration projects. This £2,500 grant is for engagement with an external Project Facilitator.
The Project Facilitator must be registered in the Innovate UK Business Connect database and must work with you to develop and submit an eligible application for a Full ADOPT Grant competition.
To be able to make a claim, successful applicants will be required to provide within six months of the grant offer letter (GOL) being approved:
- their Full ADOPT Grant application number that has gone to assessment
- the invoice for the Project Facilitator for the total grant amount £2,500
Full Grant
This grant is for on-farm demonstration trials that seek to test ideas and solutions to major challenges or opportunities for the UK farming sector.
Projects must be collaborative and include at least two farming business based in the UK. The project lead must be based in England.
Other UK organisations can partner in ADOPT projects.
Project costs and funding
Farm trial costs
Farmers, growers and foresters can use the ‘Other Costs’ section in the finance form to fill in their farm trial costs. Any costs that can be identified specifically as directly attributable to the project can be included.
You should provide details of how the farm trial cost rates are calculated per labour day or hourly rate or rate per hectare. This can include:
- specific labour (such as staff permanently in place to maintain and run the farm trial)
- use of tractor to cultivate a field or hectare
- time for a farmer to operate farm machinery and or equipment
- operating costs such as fuel and maintenance
- materials such as seed and fertiliser use
These should form the overall costs together with the available operational hours to form the daily or hourly and hectare cost rates. Each farm trial will need to be supported with actual usage data to claim costs.
If your application is successful, all applicable costs will be validated during the set-up stage and will be accepted at claims stage.
This will work similarly to the ‘Workshop or laboratory usage costs’ found in the costs finance guidance.
Farmers may also include training or membership costs from relevant bodies during the project.
All other costs can be included in the application as per the normal finance guidance.
Proportion of funding
The proportion of the costs covered by ADOPT varies according to several factors, including the type and size of the organisations.
Farmers, growers and foresters based in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) can get funding for up to 80% of their total project costs. The project lead must be based in England.
Farmers, growers and foresters based in Northern Ireland, and other businesses can get funding between 70% and 50% of their project costs.
More information is available in the competition brief.
How to apply
Apply through the Innovation Funding Service. If your Farming, growing or forestry business is not registered on Companies House, you can manually enter your information.
Ask a question about ADOPT
If you have questions about the programme, contact the ADOPT Support Hub.
Telephone
0800 987 8006
The Support Hub line is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Last updated: 11 April 2025