SHERIDAN, WYOMING - April 4, 2026 - Research teams and organizations working on animal feed and flour milling innovation now have a structured path to external financing through the Victam Foundation's 2026 Call for Funding, with final project selections and award decisions scheduled for completion by early June 2026 at Victam International in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Funding cycle overview
The Victam Foundation opened its 2026 Call for Funding submission window on September 12, 2025, accepting project proposals through January 31, 2026. The call targets researchers, organizations, and innovators developing projects that advance the animal feed and flour milling industries. There are no submission fees, and proposals must be submitted via the foundation's online requesting form. Applications must include a detailed project description and an expected budget; the foundation reserves the right to request additional documentation where necessary.
The four-phase timeline structures the process from submission through award. Phase 1 ran from September 12, 2025 to January 31, 2026, representing the active submission period. Phase 2, covering February 1 through March 31, 2026, is dedicated to eligibility review and pre-selection based on published criteria. Phase 3, April 1 through May 31, 2026, is the final selection stage, during which the evaluation committee identifies projects for funding. Decisions by the board are mandated within three months of the Phase 1 close date.
Evaluation and award process
Project selection proceeds through a two-stage filter: initial eligibility and criteria-based pre-selection in Phase 2, followed by final committee evaluation in Phase 3. Applicants are notified of funding decisions before the close of Phase 3. Funding amounts are determined by the board on a per-project basis, with each donation figure set inclusive of VAT - meaning all applicable taxes are the financial responsibility of the recipient organization.
Phase 4, spanning June 2 through June 4, 2026, brings selected projects into the public domain at Victam International 2026 in Utrecht. Funding checks are formally awarded at the event, creating direct visibility for funded teams within the global grain processing and animal nutrition sectors. This public award mechanism aligns research investment with industry stakeholder engagement at one of the sector's principal international gatherings.
Scope and eligibility
The foundation directs its support toward projects with tangible implications for animal feed processing and flour milling - two industries central to global food and feed supply chains. The Victam Foundation also maintains financial support for and membership in a range of associations and institutes in the sector, positioning funded projects within a broader institutional network that extends beyond the award itself.
Eligibility criteria are published separately on the foundation's website, and proposals are assessed against those criteria during Phase 2. The open-access submission model - no fees, no geographic restrictions stated - means academic institutions, commercial research teams, and non-profit organizations can all compete for funding within the same cycle. Project budgets must be specified at the proposal stage, providing the evaluation committee with financial scope as an input to selection.
Business impact
Procurement leads and R&D investment managers at animal feed ingredient suppliers and grain processing equipment manufacturers should factor the Victam Foundation funding cycle into their 2026 innovation sourcing strategy. Projects selected for awards gain both financial backing and presentation exposure at Victam International 2026, making funded teams credible early-stage partners for companies evaluating technology pipelines or supplier development programs ahead of year-end budget cycles.
Operations directors and technology roadmap owners at milling and feed production facilities face a narrowing window: the evaluation committee finalizes selections by May 31, 2026, meaning visibility into funded research directions will be available by early June. Organizations monitoring emerging process technologies or sustainable feed formulation developments can use the Victam International 2026 award presentations as a structured scouting event, concentrating validated early-stage innovation in a single venue and timeline relevant to H2 2026 vendor and technology decisions.