More information has been released about the ADOPT Fund, including confirmed funding rounds, timescales and how farmers can make the most of this opportunity.
This initiative, part of the Farming Innovation Programme funded by Defra and delivered by Innovate UK, aims to support farmer-led research and development projects with significant funding and expert guidance.
It offers farmers, growers and foresters in England the opportunity to trial and test practical solutions to on-farm productivity and sustainability challenges. The next round of funding has been announced and it offers farmers the chance to apply for additional support for their innovations – however applicants have until June 25, 2025, to apply for the Full Grant Round 1 of funding.
What is ADOPT?
ADOPT stands for Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies and is designed specifically for farmer-led innovation, helping farmers turn their ideas into practical trials.
The fund provides two types of grants:
- Support Grants: Up to £2,500 to help develop ideas and bring in expert facilitators
- Full Project Grants: Between £50,000 and £100,000 for farmer-led projects
- Farmers can apply directly for a full grant or start with a support grant to develop their ideas first.
Thomas Slattery, Farming Innovation Support Manager at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, said, “The consortium is here to help you every step of the way and we want farmers to benefit from as much help and support as possible to benefit the industry. We offer one-to-one advice from real people, help with understanding the eligibility and can give feedback on draft applications.
Help is available to make the process as smooth as possible and enable farmers to benefit from this support. The consortium can connect applicants to facilitators, collaborators and events, whilst offering support with webinars, FAQs and practical guidance.”
Why ADOPT Matters
ADOPT focuses on testing and trialing ideas or solutions that are either new or not yet widely used. It encourages farmer-led collaboration, working with other farmers, advisers, researchers and partners to significantly improve productivity, resilience and sustainability. The fund aims to demonstrate to other farmers, growers or foresters how these innovations can benefit them through on-farm trials with clear goals and measurable outcomes.
What’s open now?
Round 1 includes a full grant option for farmer-led, on-farm projects between £50,000 and £100,000, which closes June 25, 2025. Multiple rounds of both Support and Full Grants will run through the rest of 2025 and into early 2026.
Facilitator Support Grant
- Round 2 – Opens June 12, 2025 – Closes July 23, 2025
- Round 3 – Opens July 24, 2025 – Closes September 2025*
- Round 4 – Opens September 2025 – Closes October 2025*
- Round 5 – Opens October 2025 – Closes November 2025*
Full ADOPT Grant
- Round 2 – Opens June 26, 2025 – Closes August 20, 2025
- Round 3 – Opens August 21, 2025 – Closes October 2025*
- Round 4 – Opens December 2025 – Closes February 2026*
- Round 5 – To be announced
*Dates subject to change
Farmers can apply for a Support Grant and Full Grant in the same or different rounds, depending on what works best for their timeline.
Full details and updates can be found on the Farming Innovation Programme website.
The ADOPT Support Hub is a consortium that brings together a diverse range of expertise and resources to support farmers throughout their ADOPT-funded projects.
The consortium includes UK Agri-Tech Centre, ADAS and Innovative Farmers.
The Support Hub offers free and fully-funded expert guidance and advice, helping farmers develop their project ideas, apply to ADOPT, find collaborators and share results to maximise impact.
Tips for applicants
There are multiple rounds throughout the year and into 2026, so potential applicants have time to consider their options if they are not ready straight away. Applicants should save their answers outside of the system if they have already started an application, as any unsubmitted forms won’t carry over.
While you can go straight to apply for a full grant, there is an optional support grant available to help with the process, which often helps to build a stronger case.