What types of projects does the Fonds de Dotation Roullier support?
Every year, the Fonds de Dotation Roullier supports new research programs in France and abroad. These projects are carried out by organizations recognized for their expertise and activities in the field of agriculture: research associations, university chairs, agronomy research centers, etc.
For an overview of the mission and actions of the Fonds de Dotation Roullier, please download our presentation file.
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A special focus on agricultural soils and improved practices
By financing soil research projects in particular, the Fonds de Dotation Roullier’s ambition is to help all players in the agricultural sector to progress by guaranteeing soil fertility, ensuring the development of the best possible yields and contributing to global food security.
Through its activities in support of research programs involving committed farmers, the Fonds de Dotation Roullier aims to contribute to a better understanding of this substrate and the life it supports, to provide answers to current questions on major agricultural issues, and to help farmers improve their practices.
The Fonds de Dotation Roullier supports associations through philanthropic initiatives
The Fonds de Dotation Roullier supports projects recognized for their scientific expertise and, more broadly, development initiatives or programs led by researchers and associations. Scientific expertise in soil physics, chemistry and biology is a key to improving farming practices and providing answers to the challenges facing agriculture today.
The Fonds de Dotation Roullier can therefore provide grants to support research internships, research contracts and post-doctoral fellowships, in co-financing with public or private structures. It commits to these structures for multi-year projects, up to three years renewable. This enables us to support project leaders in the design, implementation and dissemination of their initiatives. In keeping with its public-interest mission, the results of research published with the support of the Endowment Fund are made public.
Support for an association, international practice development projects, support for agricultural research… our projects are varied. To find out more, please consult our resources and documents on our website, or download our dossier presenting the projects we support.
How to obtain financing for your project through the Roullier Endowment Fund
The Fonds de Dotation Roullier does not issue calls for projects. You can therefore submit an application for funding or a grant for your associative project, or your public or private research organization, at any time of the year, without waiting for a call. However, your application must comply with the funding criteria defined by the governance of the Fonds de Dotation.
The Fonds de Dotation Roullier does not wish to finance associative or research projects that do not fall within the scope of its mission: grant applications must therefore concern sustainable agriculture and the improvement of knowledge about soils. The Fonds de Dotation Roullier is as interested in work on the physico-chemical characteristics of soil as it is in its biological life.
The Fund only awards grants to organizations or associations whose main purpose is research. However, projects that include farmers or whose beneficiaries are professionals in the agricultural sector are given priority. The inclusion of farmers helps to ensure the transition between the research phase and the change in practices.
Your association or research project can be submitted to the Fonds de Dotation Roullier team using the contact form on our website, or by sending your own documents. After an initial assessment to check that the initiative meets the specifications defined by the Fund’s governance, the dossier is studied by researchers associated with the Fonds de Dotation Roullier, who can verify its technical and financial soundness.
Once this aspect has been validated, a file is created and a co-construction phase is initiated with the association or research organization to precisely define the beneficiaries, the actions to be implemented, the amount of the grant to be allocated, the project timetable, the financing plan and the success indicators, as in the case of a call for projects.
Finally, the final version of the project is voted on by the Board of Directors, which validates the nature of the project, the amount of the grant and the duration of the support. Once these elements concerning the overall financing of the activity have been validated, regular updates and an annual report are requested from the project sponsors, so that the Fonds de Dotation Roullier can assess how it has contributed to the development of the activities and financing of the associative project.
Other possible sources of funding
Public subsidies, often granted by the State or local authorities, can also be used to finance projects of general interest for an association or other public or private organization, often in the form of a call for projects. You can therefore also turn to your local elected representatives to assess whether your association or research project is eligible for funding.
Foundations and endowment funds can provide additional resources to finance your organization’s project. Don’t hesitate to contact them to see if partnerships can be found between your organization and a patronage body. Funding arrangements are specific to each structure, so you’ll need to get in touch with each organization to find out how it can be financed.
You can also appeal to the generosity of civil society. Numerous participative financing platforms exist, specialized in specific fields (for a non-profit association, for example, or an individual, etc.) or on the contrary, generalist.
Finally, some initiatives are self-financed through memberships, subscriptions, participation in events, income-generating activities, etc. This provides a secure source of income of its own, and contributes to the sustainability of the project.
Are you a research organization or association looking for funding? Are you conducting studies to ensure the good health of agricultural soils in France or elsewhere in the world? We encourage you to contact us to assess whether your project could be financed by the Fonds de Dotation Roullier.