From left, State Center Community College District Carole Goldsmith, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, The Penstar Group's Scott Anderson, Sen. Alex Padilla and Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval look over plans for the Bank of Italy building in Downtown Fresno, planned home for F3 Innovate, during an October 2022 news conference about the grant.

An agricultural nonprofit has opened its applications for an inaugural grant program.

F3 Innovate, a nonprofit organization supporting the next generation of agrifood technology leaders through internships and research, announced the opening of applications for its Innovation Grant program.

The initiative will award up to $200,000 to projects this Fall, with individual grants of up to $50,000 each.

The aim of the program is to accelerate transformative agriculture and food technologies toward commercial adoption.

F3 Innovate serves as a nexus between university research and practical agricultural needs through collaborative partnerships among researchers from Fresno State, UC Merced and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, along with industry partners and government leaders.

The grant program seeks to drive breakthrough innovations to address critical challenges in the ag supply chain while creating economic opportunities and diversifying the region’s economy.

“This targeted funding program represents our commitment to bridging the gap between cutting-edge university research and the practical needs of growers and communities,” said Priscilla Koepke, CEO at F3 Innovate.

Priority research areas for the program include digital agriculture and data science, equipment and automation, drought resiliency and stewardship, equipment and systems testing, small farm and food entrepreneurship, according to a news release.

Eligible applicants include local and domestic academic researchers, students, start-ups, entrepreneurs, farmers and farmworkers.

The program prioritizes funding multiple small projects rather than fewer large projects to maximize the number of innovative solutions available to benefit growers across the counties, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, and Tulare.

Applications for the first round of funding are due on Aug. 8, 2025. Round two applications, which are for invited candidates, are due Sept. 2, 2025.

Recipients will get their award notifications in late September.

Applications must be submitted via Airtable. For questions and more information, contact grants@f3innovate.org.