Step 1: Check your project is eligible
To be eligible for SFF Futures funding, your project must:
- relate to an eligible sector or industry
- provide sustainable benefits to New Zealand
- go beyond “business as usual”
- be co-funded
- be consistent with New Zealand's international obligations and trade policies.
If your project is eligible
Go to step 2 and check your proposal against our assessment criteria.
If your project isn’t eligible
There are options available from other Crown funding agencies.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise: Provides services and support to businesses looking to go global by helping them build capability, boost global reach, connect to other businesses, and invest in growth. NZTE also connects investors with opportunities in New Zealand through a network of investment advisors.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
Callaghan Innovation: Partners with businesses of all sizes. Delivers innovation and R&D services to suit each stage of their growth, including R&D co-funding.
Step 2: Check your proposal against our assessment criteria
Proposals are assessed against 9 criteria to decide whether applicants qualify for funding, and how much they may receive. We need robust information and as much as evidence possible. Your project doesn't have to show benefits from each category.
The SFF Futures assessment criteria are:
- sustainable benefits to New Zealand
- innovation
- beyond business as usual
- the fit with relevant strategies
- adoption and extension/path to market
- ability to deliver
- governance
- risk identification and mitigation
- budget.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership is observed across the SFF Futures fund and is embedded within each of the assessment criteria.
The criteria are discussed in our page on the SFF Futures assessment criteria.
SFF Futures assessment criteria
You will need to be able to show the potential benefits of the project for:
- your business
- the wider industry
- the general community.
Step 3: Get in touch with MPI
If you think your project meets our eligibility and assessment criteria, get in touch to discuss your project and find out more.
We’ll help you work out whether your project is a good fit for SFF Futures, and if it is, we’ll invite you to submit an application.
While we can’t help with the writing of your application, we are more than happy to discuss your idea.
Applications can be made at any time.
Email sff.futures@mpi.govt.nz
