So you’ve chosen to start a small business in Manitoba, or perhaps you already have one and want to expand – you’ve come to the perfect place, especially if you need small business funding in Manitoba.
What are the benefits of small business funding?
Manitoba’s government offers small business owners government funding, making it one of the best provinces in Canada to start a business. Small business funding is available in Manitoba for a variety of industries and for a variety of financial goals, including helping you start up, paying for training and support, hiring personnel; marketing and advertising; paying for tools, supplies, and equipment; and improving your cash flow.
When Applying for Manitoba Grants
Before receiving funds, applicants must provide complete information and paperwork. Small company owners should collect the following information before applying for the grant application process for these financing programmes:
1. Research the present market in which the suggested project will be implemented.
2. Proof of additional confirmed financing, as many grants only cover a portion of the entire cost and will only approve applications that show how the remaining funds will be used.
3. Bank account information for the company
4. Employee information, such as the number of employees employed by the company, individual information for training programmes, or a visual representation of how many employees are Manitoba citizens.
5. Industry registrations and business licences
6. Information on your membership in a trade association, a local community, a guild, a sector organization, or a governing body
7. Marketing plans, company plans, and project scope documents are examples of business documents.
8. Balance sheets, income statements, and year-end financial statements for the company
9. If your company is incorporated, please provide the following information.
Who Is Eligible for Manitoba Small Business Grants?
To be eligible for getting funds from a grants programme, businesses must meet specified qualifying criteria. The ability to operate legally within the province by the Canadian government is a crucial piece of criterion for any business. To apply for the programmes listed below, you must first register your business in Canada and present documentation of lawful operation.
Small and medium enterprises, both for-profit and for-profit, corporations, and not-for-profit groups, can apply for support from the Manitoba government and third-party organizations. Grants are sometimes location-specific, which means that a company must live and operate in a specified area to be eligible for funding.
For example, a downtown Winnipeg business might apply for Winnipeg grants vs a business outside the city, which would have to apply to programmes run by the Canadian government for the entire province of Manitoba. As a result, before beginning your grant applications, determine the eligibility conditions.
Business Relief Grants
Manitoba Bridge Grant Program
Businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak can receive financial assistance through the Manitoba Bridge Grant Program. This government money is intended to assist Manitoba firms that are subject to appropriate public health orders. The Manitoba Bridge grant programme will provide a one-time $5,000 investment to small and medium-sized firms operating in Manitoba. Home-based enterprises may also be eligible for a grant of up to $5,000, equal to 10% of their 2019 gross income.
Who Is Eligible?
Companies or organizations that have been actively conducting their business inside the province immediately prior to the execution of appropriate public health orders are eligible to receive government assistance.
How to Apply?
General inquiries and applications can be sent to the government email [email protected], or by calling the toll-free number, 1-866-626-4862.
Innovation and Technologies Grants
Innovation Growth Program
The Innovation Growth Initiative (IGP) is a cost-sharing programme that helps SMEs create and commercialize new innovative goods or processes. To strengthen the business’s financial position and lessen the risks associated with innovation, funding is granted during the development and growth stages of the business’s life cycle. As a result, this initiative explicitly intends to harness private sector investment for innovative product development, promote economic growth and job opportunities, and expand exports in Manitoba.
As a result, only specified business activities, such as the development and/or commercialization of new creative goods or processes, or the production of net new hires of Manitoba citizens, will be allowed for funding. Innovation is defined in this programme as a product or process that is not already available on the market and will significantly improve an existing product, process, or technology.
How Much Money Is Given Out?
This programme allows qualified Manitoba small enterprises to apply for a non-repayable grant of up to $100,000 per project to cost-share eligible expenses on a 50/50 basis. As a result, the grant cannot cover more than half of the overall costs. This means that enterprises must finance 50% of qualifying project expenditures themselves or through non-government sources identified at the time of application.
How Can I Apply?
The quality of the project, its market for innovation, management capacity, commercialization plan and business model, capital acquired, and benefits to Manitoba must all be demonstrated by successful candidates.
Send this information, application forms, and supporting documents to [email protected]
to begin your business finance grant application. The Economic Programs Branch in Winnipeg can also receive hard copies of the application form and papers.
Workforce Training and Skill Development Grants
Workforce Development
Businesses can apply for small business grants in Manitoba, such as the Workforce Development programme, to receive assistance with their human resource management needs. Businesses can use this programme to secure resources and government funds to design and implement HR and employee training, whether through direct service delivery, the coordination of necessary internal and external resources, or funding for training and HR development.
Client-by-client, the amount awarded under the workforce development programme will be determined. Support is tailored to a variety of criteria, including Manitoba’s economic and other advantages, the outcome and costs, training requirements, workforce effect, and more.
How to Apply?
Send your general inquiries or start the application process by contacting the Manitoba Government Inquiry department by calling 204-945-3744, or their toll-free number in North America at, 1-866-626-4862. Interested applicants can also email [email protected] to learn more about the application intake period and process.
Canada-Manitoba Job Grant (CMJG)
Manitoba government grants, like the Canada-Manitoba Job Grant (CMJG), aim to help small firms by providing non-repayable government funds to purchase training programmes and develop employee skill sets. This government programme aims to improve the employability and value of new and existing employees of small firms that qualify.
With a maximum contribution limit of $10,000 per accepted trainee, the government grant can pay up to 75% of training costs for small businesses with fewer than 100 employees and up to 50% for businesses with more than 101 employees.
How to Apply?
Start the application process for government funding on the Government of Manitoba’s website.
Downtown Winnipeg Connect Grant
The Downtown Winnipeg Link Grant aims to connect local city businesses with one another so that they may get the services they require and grow their revenue and economic development. Successful grant applications will be paired with a downtown Winnipeg business to provide a required service, allowing the applicant to continue operating while also delivering services to the partnered business.
The grant amount is determined on an individual basis, based on the services required and the firms involved.
How to Apply?
Start the application process online. You can also fill in the PDF application form and email it to [email protected], or send a hard copy to the Downtown Winnipeg Biz office.
Agricultural and Farming Grants
Canadian Agricultural Partnership Manitoba (CAP)
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) is a federal grant programme run by the Canadian government to assist agricultural enterprises. CAP gives money to farmers in each province in order to foster the industry’s long-term growth. From 2018 to 2023, the federal, provincial, and territorial governments will invest $3 billion in the Partnership.
The amount awarded by this grant will vary depending on the funding source, agriculture industry sector, and approved activities. However, many of the programmes provide financial assistance ranging from 50% to 75% of qualified costs, with some maximum contributions capped at $100,000 per project. Within a five-year period, the Manitoba government programme has $176 million in money to distribute to enterprises.
Who Is Eligible?
There are various types of grants available for enterprises in each of the four streaming categories. All qualified enterprises, whether farmers, agri-food and Agri-product processors or agri-business members, must be in the agriculture sector. Additionally, this industry group includes associations, commissions, non-profit organizations, boards, academic and research institutes, indigenous governments, and communities.
How to Apply?
Start the application process for this business funding program on the Government of Manitoba’s website.
Business Investment Credits
Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit
Individuals and organizations who invest in eligible Manitoba businesses can receive a non-refundable tax credit of up to 45 percent under the Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit (SBVCTC). This initiative is for Manitoba small businesses wishing to expand and raise equity from high-net-worth people who are willing to invest at least $10,000 per.
It’s vital to emphasize that the tax credit is only for investors in Manitoba enterprises, not for businesses that are actually functioning in the province. As a result, this credit encourages investors to put money into Manitoba’s economy in order to reduce their taxable income.
How Much Money Is Given Out?
Small businesses can offer shares for fresh equity investments to investors with a minimum investment of $100,000 and a maximum investment of $10 million. These investors will be able to claim a non-refundable tax credit of 45 percent against Manitoba taxes due if they purchase qualified investments. To qualify for the tax credit, eligible investors must invest a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $500,000 per company during the approval period. A total tax credit of $225,000 is available to investors. However, the maximum amount of taxable income that can be claimed in a single tax year is $120,000. The remaining credit can be carried forward for up to ten years or back for three years.
How to Apply?
Fill in the tax credit application form. Once complete, applicants can send off a digital copy to
[email protected] or send a hard copy to the SBVC Tax Credit Program Economic Programs Branch.
Grants for Business Expansion from CanExport
The CanExport funding programme provides subsidies from the Canadian government to support export expansion marketing campaigns like trade fairs and government-led trade missions. Manitoba businesses can de-risk export market evaluation and development and, as a result, accelerate their international growth by using CanExport funds for exporting activities.
Amount
Manitoba businesses can receive up to 75% of their costs for export marketing programmes through grant assistance, up to a maximum of $75,000 per application.
Eligibility
1+ years in business with taxes filed, 1-500 FTE employees, and yearly revenue of $100k-$100M. For one market, the budget must be greater than $20,000 or 10% of overseas sales achieved in the previous 24 months.
Western Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) Program
The Western Business Scale-up and Efficiency (BSP) Program can assist Manitoba businesses with high growth potential in adopting and/or adopting new technology methods to boost productivity, expand operations, and export to worldwide markets.
Amount
A repayable contribution (no-interest loan) of up to 50% of qualified project expenses, up to $5 million per project and $10 million per applicant.
Eligibility
Must have been in business for at least two years in western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba) and be incorporated at the time of application. Advanced manufacturing, digital technology, value-added agriculture, clean technology, clean resources, or life sciences must be the emphasis of projects.
To Wrap Up
The Manitoba grants mentioned above are only a few of the financial options available to businesses looking to develop or expand. Small company loans, in addition to business grants, can help enterprises in Manitoba support their operations.
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