Edmonton, AB (Rural Roots Canada) – A pause in applications to Alberta’s On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) program has been extended until September, after demand for funding exceeded the actual dollars available, according to Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), the delivery partner selected to distribute the funds associated with the program.
RDAR says it received more than 900 applications requesting more than $21 million through the 2026 OFCAF intake, surpassing the $17.2 million available under the program.
The intake remains paused while current applications are reviewed. Applicants will be notified once decisions are made on whether their submissions have been approved or declined. It noted that not all applications will be approved because there are not enough funds to go around.
“The level of interest in OFCAF reflects Alberta producers’ strong commitment to practices that improve resilience, productivity, and environmental outcomes,” said RDAR CEO Dr. Mark Redmond, in a release.
“Given the volume of applications, we are taking the time needed to complete a fair and disciplined assessment process.”
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RDAR said applications are being evaluated based on eligibility, completeness, alignment with program requirements, available funding, and delivery capacity.
The intake pause will remain in place until the assessment process is further along.
The OFCAF supports producers adopting beneficial management practices that improve environmental sustainability and farm resilience. Successful applicants will still be required to confirm their participation and accept implementation responsibilities before the funding is considered active.
“Approval is not the final step,” RDAR says in its update.
Only applications formally accepted within required timelines will be treated as active funding commitments, RDAR added. Applications that are not accepted within those timelines may be released and reallocated to other eligible applicants.
The organization also said it will maintain a waitlist in the event funding becomes available through reallocations.
Updates on any future intake periods will be posted on the RDAR website.
