Grant
Provincial
Active
RDAR Producer Research and Evaluation Project (PREP)
Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR)
Maximum Funding
Up to $20,000 (80%)
Ongoing
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
80%
RDAR Producer Research and Evaluation Project (PREP) provides Up to $20,000 per project and per year per applicant, funded to a maximum of 80% of cash expenses with a minimum of 20% cash contributed by the applicant. Applicants are eligible for a maximum of one project per year, with a lifetime PREP funding limit of $60,000. Within a project, materials, supplies and equipment rentals are capped at $10,000, and essential capital purchases of new technology or equipment are cost-shared at 25% grant and 75% applicant, to a maximum of $10,000 in funding. RDAR funds Alberta producers to run their own on-farm research: trials that test whether a new production practice, technology or product is feasible and pays off under real farm conditions, compared with the farm's current practice. The program covers up to 80% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Eligibility check
Can you win this grant?
Get your instant eligibility verdict plus a head start on the application. Free, no account needed.
We use this program’s real eligibility rules. 4 short questions follow.
Want your full match picture across 850+ programs? Take the 2-minute quiz →
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Free
Program Description
RDAR funds Alberta producers to run their own on-farm research: trials that test whether a new production practice, technology or product is feasible and pays off under real farm conditions, compared with the farm's current practice. Funding is up to $20,000 per project, covering a maximum of 80% of cash expenses, with at least 20% cash from the applicant. It is open to primary producers operating in Alberta whose crop or livestock operation produces at least $25,000 in annual farm cash receipts. RDAR lists the call as open and on-going, with applications submitted through its ARGO system.
Eligibility Requirements
- Primary producers operating in Alberta
- Responsible for input costs for a crop or livestock operation that produces at least $25,000 in annual farm cash receipts
- Responsible for the day-to-day management and work on the farm; a landlord whose only interest in the crop or livestock operation is ownership of the land does not qualify
- The project must be an on-farm research trial that collects enough data to evaluate a novel production practice or technology on a subset of land or herd, compared with the current production practice
- In-field projects are eligible for funding to a maximum of 80 treatment acres within the same field; livestock projects are eligible where a new or novel management practice or treatment is compared to current practice
- The applicant must contribute a minimum of 20% of cash expenses; funding from other Sustainable CAP programs may not be used toward that 20%
- Maximum of one project per applicant per year, with a lifetime PREP funding limit of $60,000
- By applying, applicants agree that anonymized project results may be publicly posted on the RDAR website
- All receipts, invoices and proof of payment must be issued under the applicant's legal entity or individual name
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $20,000 per project and per year per applicant, funded to a maximum of 80% of cash expenses with a minimum of 20% cash contributed by the applicant. Applicants are eligible for a maximum of one project per year, with a lifetime PREP funding limit of $60,000. Within a project, materials, supplies and equipment rentals are capped at $10,000, and essential capital purchases of new technology or equipment are cost-shared at 25% grant and 75% applicant, to a maximum of $10,000 in funding.
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 80% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
3/5
Moderate — standard application process
Competition
3/5
Moderate competition — prepare a strong application
Difficulty
3/5
Moderate — standard requirements
Processing Time
Premium
See processing time for this program — and exactly what it takes to win it.
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Premium
Insider TipThe 80% applies to cash expenses only: your own in-kind time and equipment do not count, and capital purchases drop to a 25% grant capped at $10,000, so build the budget around sampling, lab and data analysis and third-party agronomists or consultants.
Premium
See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.
Rejection Pitfalls 7
- Applicant is not a primary producer operating in Alberta, or is a landlord whose only interest is ownership of the land
+6 more pitfalls
Premium
See the most common reasons applications get rejected — before you submit yours.
Success Profile
Premium
See what successful applicants for this program actually look like.
Evaluation Criteria
Premium
See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Premium
All 7 pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win PREP
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 7 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 5-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 2-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Premium covers every program, plus the workspace that walks you through each application.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Premium
5 steps
5 docs
Application Steps
1
Design the trial Define the research question and a trial that compares the new practice or product with your current practice, ideally with replication, randomization and a control, and line up a third-party service provider.
Required Documents 5
✓ PREP application submitted through RDAR's ARGO system
✓ A project design and testing approach, recommended to use replication, randomization and a control (the farm's standard practice)
Eligible Expenses 4
Ineligible Expenses 8
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Premium
The full guide for this program also covers:
- 4 more application steps
- 3 more required documents
- 4 eligible expenses
- 8 ineligible expenses
- Intake periods
- Deadline notes
- Ineligible organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Premium
2 partners
Compatible Programs
Alberta On-Farm Efficiency Program and Water Program (Sustainable CAP)
On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) and Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP)
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
Premium
See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.
How PREP Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
Free
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDAR Producer Research and Evaluation... | Up to $20,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Between intakes — the... |
| Export Development Canada (EDC) Finan... | Varies | Easy | Equity | Ongoing |
| Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Financing | Varies | Easy | Loan | Ongoing |
| PrairiesCan (Prairies Economic Develo... | Varies | Hard | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
Free
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about PREP
Free
Who is eligible to apply for RDAR's PREP funding in Alberta?
Primary producers operating in Alberta who are responsible for input costs on a crop or livestock operation producing at least $25,000 in annual farm cash receipts and who manage the farm day to day.
How much funding is available for one on-farm research project?
Up to $20,000 per project, to a maximum of 80% of cash expenses. You contribute at least 20% in cash. One project per applicant per year, with a lifetime limit of $60,000.
Can I use PREP funding to buy new equipment for the trial?
Partly. Capital purchases of new technology or equipment essential to the project are cost-shared at 25% grant and 75% applicant, to a maximum of $10,000 in funding. Land, livestock and permanent infrastructure are ineligible.
Is there a deadline to apply for the PREP program?
No closing date is published. RDAR lists the call as open and on-going, and applications are submitted through its ARGO grant management system.
Will the results of my on-farm trial be made public?
By applying, you agree that anonymized project results may be publicly posted on the RDAR website. Your personal information is excluded.
Browse More Funding
Full Playbook: PREP
5 steps · 5 docs · reviewer insights