Open Call: Singapore Food Story R and D Programme 2.0 Seed Grant

This grant call serves as a platform for knowledge creation and discovery science through supporting R&D in areas with lower Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).

To accelerate progress towards the ‘30 by 30’ vision, innovative and potentially disruptive solutions will need to be developed. Through this grant call, SFA is seeking to explore innovations that strengthen current capabilities and knowledge for food security, as well as enhance its resilience against unanticipated needs and tap on emerging opportunities.

Focus Areas 

• The Seed Grant call supports lower TRLs R&D which demonstrates strong innovation potential. Research proposals should address the challenge statements and deliver the specific outcomes under the respective domain:
  • Aquaculture
    • Genetics & Breeding
    • Fish Feed & Health; Platform Technology/Facility
    • Emerging Areas
  • Sustainable Urban Agriculture
    • Seed Genetics & Breeding for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)
    • Sustainability
    • Emerging Areas
  • Future Foods
    • Improving Process Development to Enable Future Manufacturing of Alternative Protein (AP)
    • Strengthening Nutrition & Functionality of AP products
    • Emerging Areas
  • Food Safety
    • Methodologies for Toxicity & Allergenicity Assessment
    • Emerging Areas (e.g. Bio-surveillance)

Funding Information

• Funding support for each Research Proposal awarded shall be up to a quantum of up to $1 million for a period of up to 18 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Principal Investigators (PI) from all Singapore-based institutions of higher learning (IHLs), public sector agencies and private sector entities, are eligible to apply.
• Singapore-based IHLs and public sector agencies will qualify for up to 100 percent of the approved qualifying direct costs2 of a project.
• Funding for private sector entities for research projects would be conditional on collaboration with a public research performer.
• Tiered funding support levels would apply (up to 30% for all non-Singaporean entities; 50% for Singaporean Large Local Enterprises; 70% for Singaporean Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, start-ups and not-for-profits).
• Support for indirect costs3 of research may be provided, only for Singapore-based IHLs and public sector agencies. Funding support for indirect costs of up to 30 percent of the total qualifying approved direct costs (i.e., total direct costs less exceptional items) will be allowed.
• All projected output and achievements of the proposed research are expected to be commensurate with the level of funding requested.
• Research Proposals already funded by other agencies or are being considered for funding by other agencies will not be considered under the present call. PIs will need to declare other funding sources during the application.
• The Lead PI must be based in Singapore. All funding awarded must be used to carry out the research and innovation activities in Singapore unless approved in the grant.
• Collaboration with foreign organisations and experts in the capacity of Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI), or as Collaborator is allowed. However, contracting out the whole or substantial part of the research work is not permitted.

For more information, visit Singapore Food Agency.