As an entrepreneur, you understand that obtaining venture capital to support your company’s growth is the gold standard. You’re also aware that starting a business is one of the most difficult aspects. Being “venture-backed” carries with it a certain cachet. However, giving away equity is a very costly approach to obtaining cash, and it is far preferable first to try to take advantage of large government funds to stimulate innovation.
The following are ten grants that every Canadian entrepreneur should be aware of. These are all non-repayable sources of capital for your company. In other words, free money to help you with your business!
Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program (EDP)
The Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program (EDP) is intended to help entrepreneurs and business owners deal with ongoing health or disability challenges. Western Economic Diversification Canada funds the initiative, administered by your local Community Futures Office.
Eligible applicants:
- Self-disclose a disability or a chronic health condition.
- Inability to secure funding from a traditional banking institution
- Live in one of the Haida Gwaii settlements.
- Have a credible company idea and have shown dedication via study, learning, and planning
- Have made a personal investment in the company
- Need further assistance to overcome an impediment to entrepreneurship?
- Propose a business concept eligible for public funding – the business concept must be legal and not exploit sex, politics, or religion.
Submission Deadline: Please visit the link given below for updates.
Contact
- Contact Name: Haida Gwaii Community Futures
- E-mail Address: [email protected]
Métis Entrepreneurs’ Assistance Program (MEAP)
The Métis Entrepreneurs’ Assistance Program (MEAP) provides equity assistance for small business startups and expansions. The Métis Entrepreneurs’ Assistance Program is a grant for Métis, Inuit, and non-status individuals (MEAP). Please keep in mind that you will complete a single application that includes the Grant and Loan information.
MEAP and SEAP are non-repayable grants that might assist you in reducing the amount you borrow from a financial institution. It can offer up to 30% of the overall cost of your project, up to a maximum of $99,999.
Eligible applicants:
- You must be an Alberta resident, and the location of your business must be in Alberta (beginning a business in another province? Contact the office and request the AFI phone number for your province.
- You must have at least six months to a year of experience in the field in which you are establishing your firm.
- Projects must be for the establishment or expansion of a firm.
- The candidate must earn at least $20,000 per year from the firm.
- The total cost of the project must be greater than $20,000.
- The applicant must acquire financing from a commercial lender for the costs not covered by the award and the cash equity (if financing has already been obtained).
Submission Deadline: Ongoing
Contact:
- Contact Name: Apeetogosan (Métis) Development Inc.
- Phone Number: 1-888-308-6789 or 780-470-3600
- E-mail Address: [email protected]
- Website: https://apeetogosan.com
Women Entrepreneurship Fund by Startup Canada
The Startup Canada Women Entrepreneurship Fund invests in high-impact, grassroots programmes across Canada that promote female entrepreneurship through education, investment, mentoring, and access to growth opportunities. The Fund is offered to you in collaboration with Startup Canada and Dell Canada to organize and create an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports and empowers women to be successful entrepreneurs across Canada. The program’s goals are as follows:
- Invest in community-driven projects that promote an environment and culture in Canada that supports women entrepreneurs.
- Educate, coach, and encourage women entrepreneurs in Canada to help them realize their full potential.
- Enhance awareness of the value of women in entrepreneurship in order to increase involvement, investment, and growth prospects for women-led businesses.
Applicants Who Are Eligible: Any entrepreneur, group, or organization based in Canada.
Submission Deadline: Varies
Contact
- Contact Name: Startup Canada
- E-mail Address: [email protected]
Aboriginal Business and Entrepreneurship Development Program (ABED)
ABED assists Aboriginal entrepreneurs, communities, and organizations in achieving their business objectives by offering various services and assistance that foster the creation of a vibrant Aboriginal business sector. Support will vary depending on the client’s needs, the availability and funding sources, cost eligibility, economic benefits, and project viability.
Maximum funding is up to $99,999 for Aboriginal persons and corporations and up to $250,000 for community-owned companies.
Applicants Who Are Eligible:
- Individuals of Canadian Aboriginal descent — Status or Non-status Indian (on or off-reserve), Métis or Inuit — or a majority-owned Aboriginal business, or an Aboriginal community and/or development corporation — must be clients.
- Clients must also be involved full-time in the planned business in a management capacity and be able to give some degree of cash equity to support the project in order to be eligible for assistance.
Date of Submission: Ongoing. Before applying, contact a regional Aboriginal Financial Institution (AFI).
Contact
- Contact Name: Alberta Métis Development Inc.
- Phone Number: 1-800-252-7963
- E-mail Address: [email protected]
Black Entrepreneurship Fund
The Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) is a collaboration between the Canadian government, Black-led businesses, and financial institutions. It will help Black Canadian company owners and entrepreneurs build their firms and prosper today and in the future with an investment of up to $221 million over four years.
Eligible applicants
The Black Entrepreneurship Fund is a collaboration between the government, Black-led businesses, and multiple financial institutions. Loans of up to $250,000 will be made available to Black business owners and entrepreneurs around the country. The deadline will be announced later.
Submission Deadline: Ongoing
Contact:
- Contact Name: Black Entrepreneurship Program
- E-mail Address: [email protected]
Seed Fund by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)
Canadian entrepreneurs with sustainable solutions are waiting for the opportunity to advance their game-changing technologies from coast to coast. The Seed Fund assists entrepreneurs with huge ideas in doing amazing things. Our seed fund collaborations promote technologies in various industries.
Applicants Who Are Eligible:
- Be recommended by one of our accelerator partners and be a Canadian-owned business operating in Canada.
- Have an idea that applies technology to a critical environmental problem and an entrepreneurial team capable of taking that idea to the next level.
- It would be best if you were past the R&D stage and ready to take the first steps toward commercializing your idea.
- Be prepared to explain how your solution would provide quantitative environmental advantages (for example, GHG reduction, clean air, soil, or water).
- Have raised at least twice the amount of capital requested through private equity sources, excluding funds from friends and family.
Submission Deadline: Ongoing. Fall Round (September): Accelerators Nominations – September 10; Candidates Applications – September 22
Contact
- Contact Name: Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)
- Phone Number: 613-234-6313
- E-mail Address: [email protected]
Startup Global by Startup Canada
Startup Global (previously the Canadian Export Challenge) brings together a pan-Canadian cohort of entrepreneurs looking to establish global enterprises and a network of partners committed to their success.
Startup Global assists entrepreneurs in expanding globally. We provide worldwide and exporting exposure through seminars, bootcamps, pitch development, advisory help, digital resources, and more—all packaged in a user-friendly site.
Applicants Who Are Eligible: Startup Global assists entrepreneurs in expanding globally. We provide worldwide and exporting exposure through seminars, bootcamps, pitch development, advisory help, digital resources, and more—all packaged in a user-friendly site.
Submission Deadline: Applications will open on June 1 and close on September 1.
Contact
- Contact Name: Startup Canada
Apeetogosan (MÉTIS) Development Inc. & Pinnacle Business Services Ltd.
Apeetogosan (MÉTIS) Development Inc. and Pinnacle Business Services Ltd. provide equity help for small business startups and expansions. The Métis Entrepreneurs’ Assistance Program is a grant for Métis, Inuit, and non-status individuals (MEAP).Up to 30% of the overall cost of your project, up to a maximum of $99,999.
Applicants Who Are Eligible:
- You must be an Alberta resident, and the location of your business must be in Alberta (beginning a business in another province? Contact the office and request the AFI phone number for your province.
- You must have at least six months to a year of experience in the field in which you are establishing your firm.
- Projects must be for the establishment or expansion of a firm.
- The candidate must earn at least $20,000 per year from the firm.
- The total cost of the project must be greater than $20,000.
- The applicant must acquire financing from a commercial lender for the costs not covered by the award and the cash equity (if financing has already been obtained).
Please click the link below for additional information about your eligibility.
Submission Deadline: Ongoing
Contact
- Contact Name: Apeetogosan (Métis) Development Inc.
- Phone Number: 780-452-7951 or 1-800-252-7963
- E-mail Address: [email protected]
- Website: http://apeetogosan.com/grant-application/
Accelerate Leadership Program by Protein Industries Canada and The Ivey Academy
Protein Industries Canada and The Ivey Academy collaborated to develop the Accelerate Leadership Program, which is meant to provide entrepreneurs and SMEs in Canada’s plant-based food, feed, and ingredients sector with the skills and talent they need to succeed. The eight-month course will be delivered online and in-person, providing participants with timely material delivery and networking opportunities.
Eligible applicants:
This programme is open to Canadian businesses that are Protein Industries Canada members or are part of Canada’s agri-food ecosystem.
Attendees are plant-based food, feed, and ingredient entrepreneurs and executives looking for a targeted, intense leadership development experience to help their firms scale and grow.
Submission Deadline: Ongoing
Contact
- Contact Name: Protein Industries Canada and The Ivey Academy
- Phone Number: 519-661-3206
Business Development Program (ABDP)
The Aboriginal Company Development Program aims to increase Aboriginal people’s economic engagement through business development. The programme assists Aboriginal entrepreneurs with various activities such as business planning, startup, expansion, and/or marketing. This program provides financial assistance, business knowledge and resource materials, and guidance on other available sources of financing or business support to eligible majority-owned Aboriginal firms. The amount of support for a business initiative is determined by a number of factors, including but not limited to the size and scope of the development, financial history and expectations, and resource availability.
Eligible applicants:
- Individuals of Canadian Aboriginal background (status or non-status Indian, Métis or Inuit) or a majority-owned Aboriginal business, financial organization, or development corporation are eligible to apply.
- Applicants must be involved in the planned business full-time in a managerial role and be able to give some degree of cash equity to support the initiative in order to be eligible for support.
Contact:
- Contact Name: o In Nunavut, call: 867-975-3734 or e-mail [email protected] o In the Northwest Territories, call: 867-766-8327 or e-mail [email protected] o In Yukon, call: 867-667-3263 or e-mail [email protected]
Conclusion
Various other grant programmes are available across the country for startups and scaleups. Learning more about them and selecting the one that best meets your development requirements is a matter of learning more about them.
However, even when early-stage companies locate grants that are a good fit, they frequently run into issues when attempting to leverage these programmes. This involves the difficulty of matching contributions, demonstrating alternative financial sources, and regularly funding milestone delivery. I hope this guide has been useful in offering an overview of Canada’s most popular government grant programmes. If you found this information useful, please share it with others who may benefit from it.
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