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Defra has opened Round 2 of the Farming Futures R&D Fund for Automation and Robotics, delivered under the government’s Farming Innovation Programme and forming part of the pledge to invest £200 million into the programme by 2030.
| Scheme/grant | Summary/notes | Useful links | 2026-2027 application windows |
| ELM schemes | |||
| Sustainable Farming Incentive: Window 1 | New 2026 SFI offer for environmental actions. Application window 1 for small farms and those without an existing ELMs agreement. | SFI26: details, definitions and what to expect | Open from 30 June 2026. Closes 28 August 2026 (When funding is allocated, £60m budget – underspend to Window 2) |
| Sustainable Farming Incentive: Window 2 | New 2026 SFI offer for environmental actions. Application window 2 open to all farms. | SFI26: details, definitions and what to expect | Open from September 2026 (No fixed closing date – ends when funding is allocated, £180m budget) |
| Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier | Funding for targeted environmental land management and habitat restoration. Must get pre-application advice from Natural England or the Forestry Commission before starting an application. | CSHT applicant's guide | Open year-round, but currently accessible by invite only, contact made by RPA |
| Landscape Recovery | Funding for large-scale, long-term environmental projects. We await confirmation of a Round 3 calling for bids likely towards the tail end of this year. | - | Dates not yet confirmed |
| Scheme/grant | Summary/notes | Useful links | 2026-2027 application windows |
| Capital Grant Funding | |||
| ELMs Capital Grants Offer | Funding for on-farm capital environmental improvements (eg, hedgerows, water quality, infrastructure). | The 2026 Capital Grants offer | Open in July with £225m limited budget |
| Capital Grants Plans | One-off payments to create plans or studies to support other capital items or management actions (eg, implementation plan, feasibility study). | Applicant's guide: Capital grants plans 2026 | Open year-round |
| Woodland Management Plan Grant | The Woodland management plan offers grants for 10-year woodland management planning. | PA3: Woodland management plan | Open year-round |
| Protection and Infrastructure Grant | Improving the management of woodland and to help manage the impact of beaver behaviours. | Applicant's guide: Protection and Infrastructure grants 2026 | Open year-round |
| Higher Tier Capital Items | Specialist capital items which deliver additional environmental benefits - applications require prior discussion with Natural England. | Applicant's guide: Higher Tier Capital Grants 2026 | Open year-round |
| Scheme/grant | Summary/notes | Useful links | 2026-2027 application windows |
| Tech and innovation | |||
| Farming Equipment and Technology Fund | Funding for farm equipment to improve productivity, slurry management and animal health and welfare. Last round in it's current format. | Apply for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2026 | 17 March – 12 May 2026 (now closed) |
| Full ADOPT Grant: Round 7 | Support for collaborative farmer-led, on-farm trials or experiments to generate, test and demonstrate innovative solutions to farming challenges. | ADOPT – Farming Innovation Programme | 9 April – 3 June 2026 |
| Full ADOPT Grant: Round 8 | 4 June – 29 July 2026 | ||
| Full ADOPT Grant: Round 9 | 30 July – 23 September 2026 | ||
| Full ADOPT Grant: Round 10 | 24 September – 18 November 2026 | ||
| ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant: Round 8 | Funding to engage an external Project Facilitator to support the development of a Full ADOPT Grant application. | ADOPT – Farming Innovation Programme | 16 April – 27 May 2026 (now closed) |
| ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant: Round 9 | 28 May – 8 July 2026 | ||
| ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant: Round 10 | 9 July – 19 August 2026 | ||
| Farming Innovation Investor Partnership | Supports businesses developing innovations that focus on improving productivity, reducing costs and, supporting more sustainable farming. Combining funding from government with private investment. | Farming Innovation Investor Partnerships: helping new solutions reach farms | 11 May – 17 June 2026 |
| Farming Futures Automation and Robotics competition – Round 2 | Aimed at businesses, researchers and industry partners developing solutions with clear commercial potential and practical on farm benefits. This round provides funding for projects to develop automation and robotics technologies that could support farm businesses in future, following an earlier competition held in 2023. |
Apply now for automation and robotics funding | 3 August – 30 September 2026 |
| Scheme/grant | Summary/notes | Useful links | 2026-2027 application windows |
| Trees and woodland | |||
| England Woodland Creation Offer | Funding to create new woodland on areas that are at least 1 hectare. | How the England Woodland Creation Offer works | Open year-round |
| Woodland Creation Planning Grant | Provides funding to prepare a Woodland Creation Design Plan that complies with the UK Forestry Standard. | Woodland Creation Planning Grant | Open year-round |
| Woodland Tree Health Grant | Apply for a grant to restock or improve woodland after tree health problems. | Applicant's guide: Woodland Tree Health grants 2026 | Open year-round |
| Tree Health Pilot Scheme | Open available in certain areas / regions of England for managing specific trees or woodlands infected by specific pests and diseases. | Applicant's guide: Woodland Tree Health grants 2026 | Please check website for the most up-to-date information |
| England's Community Forests: Trees for Climate | Available in certain areas/ regions for woodland creation or tree planting. Additionally, can provide 15 years of maintenance payments. | Home - England's Community Forests | Open year-round |
| Scheme/grant | Summary/notes | Useful links | 2026-2027 application windows |
| Other funding | |||
| Farming in Protected Landscapes | Projects focused on nature recovery, climate mitigation, sustainable farming, and public access. Available in National Parks and National Landscapes. | Get funding for farming in protected landscapes | Open year-round (3-year extension 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029), check if eligible |
| Animal Health and Welfare Reviews: Cattle, Sheep or Pigs | Vet visit to carry out an annual health and welfare review, and an endemic disease follow-up. Currently voluntary with funding available but may become mandatory in the future without funding. | Funding to improve the health and welfare of cattle, pigs and sheep: guidance for farmers and vets | Open year-round, service closes 19 June 2027 |
| Animal Health and Welfare Reviews: Poultry | New grant providing funding for biosecurity advisory reviews for poultry keepers, the reviews will be delivered through on‑farm vet visits. Expected to launch this summer. | - | 2 June 2026 – 30 September 2028 |
| Farmer Collaboration Fund | Awaiting more detail – controlled rollout expected summer 2026. Members look out for funded activity via local facilitators. | - | Dates not yet confirmed |
| Lowland Peat Water Discovery Grant | Funding to support local, collaborative approaches to more sustainable forms of water management within lowland peatland catchments. | Lowland Peat Water Discovery Grant | 8 April – 26 June 2026 |
| Lowland Peat Water Implementation Grant | Funding for infrastructure and telemetry to raise and manage water tables in lowland peat soils. | - | Dates not yet confirmed |
| Paludiculture and Wetter Farming Fund | To support research projects addressing evidence gaps around growing crops in wetter soils and help to create viable paludiculture markets. | - | Dates not yet confirmed |
| Scheme/grant | Summary/notes | Useful links | 2026-2027 application windows |
| Other funding – Midlands | |||
| Anglian Water: Event Grant | Host, share knowledge or invite a speaker on a soil/water related topic (grants up to £1000). | Anglian water event grant 2025 | Please check website for the most up-to-date information |
| Anglian Water: Farmer Training Grant | This training grant is available to better the knowledge / skills of those managing and working on farms and amenity sector within the Anglian Water region (funding up to £600 available). | 2026 Anglian Water Farmer Training Grant Application Form | 28 April 2026 – 18 January 2027 |
| The National Forest | Offering funding and advice across a range of themes in the National Forest. | Grants & advice | National Forest | Open year-round |