Business Financing in Canada
Funding is a crucial element for any business looking to start, grow, or innovate. In addition to traditional options such as bank loans or relying on investors, there is a frequently underestimated alternative: grants. This detailed guide explores the various sources of grants available, as well as the financial services and sustainable funding strategies for businesses in Canada. By following the outlined steps, entrepreneurs can identify grants suited to their projects, whether they are government programs, innovation funds, or initiatives specifically targeting certain sectors. Grants are an advantageous solution, often non-repayable, allowing businesses to fund their projects without resorting to debt.

Sheba Seniors Grants
Osprey Community Foundation- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

The Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund
The Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund- No Condition
- All industries

PrairiesCan — Economic Development Initiative
Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Program to support the fight against climate change in the bio-food sector – Component A
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ)- From $40,000 to $330,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
Boissevain and Morton Foundation
The Boissevain and Morton Foundation Incorporated- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Annual Foundation Grants
Parksville-Qualicum Community Foundation- Maximum amount : 4,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)

Whistler Blackcomb Foundation - General Funding
Whistler Blackcomb Foundation Society- No Condition
- All industries

Community Cultural Engagement and Planning Grant Program
SaskCulture- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

City Grant Program - Arts and Culture - Operating Assistance
City of Richmond Hill- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

The Ontario Paper Thorold Foundation
Abitibi Consolidated Thorold Foundation- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

AFA — Dance Individual Project Funding
Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA)- Maximum amount : 18,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Southwold Community Grants
Elgin-St. Thomas Community Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Event Development Fund
Town of Hanover- Maximum amount : 2,500 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- All industries

Built Together
Alberta Blue Cross- From $50,000 to $50,000
- All industries

MusiCounts - MusiCounts Band Aid Program
Music Education Charity of Canada- From $5,000 to $20,000
- All industries

SODEC — Support for entrepreneurial development — Stream 1
Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC)- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Astley Family Foundation - Community Grants
Robert and Judith Astley Family Foundation- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

MusiCounts - SiriusXM Soundwaves MusiCounts Community Fund
Music Education Charity of Canada- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- All industries

Dutton Dunwich-West Elgin Community Grants
Elgin-St. Thomas Community Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Agricultural and Sector Show Support Program – Stream 2
Gouvernement du Québec- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Nova Scotia Health Mental Health & Addictions Program Grants
Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia- No Condition
- All industries

Astley Family Foundation - Learning Grants
Robert and Judith Astley Family Foundation- From $5,000 to $25,000
- All industries

Delta Community Foundation
Delta Community Foundation (DCF)- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Alberta Media Fund — Post-Production, Visual Effects and Digital Animation Grant
Government of Alberta- From $500 to $200,000
- Up to 18% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

EUP OHAMR Joint Transnational Call
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)- Maximum amount : 600,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
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Find Your Stride
TJX Canada Foundation- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

ScienceUpFirst Community Engagement Grant Program
Canadian Association of Science Centres- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

SK Startup Institute — Business Advising
Government of Saskatchewan- No Condition
- All industries

Trade Commissioner Service — CanExport Associations
Global Affairs Canada (GAC)- From $20,000 to $250,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Support for Translation and Interpretation Program
Government of New Brunswick- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Support for Non-profit Organizations
Fondation jeunes en tête- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

Alberta Innovates — Bitumen Beyond Combustion (BBC) Program
Alberta Innovates- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Manufacturing

FESBC — 2025-27 Fibre Utilization Funding
The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC)- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Public administration

Kanta Marwah Research Innovation Fund
Parkinson Canada Inc.- From $5,000 to $80,000
- All industries

Greater Sudbury Charities Fund and Social Investment Partnership (SIPS)
Sudbury Community Foundation- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- All industries

AgriStability
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Port Coquitlam Community Foundation - Capacity Building Grant
PoCo Community Foundation- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Economy & Environment Program
The Richard Ivey Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Women Entrepreneurship Strategy’s Ecosystem Fund
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)- From $250,000 to $3,000,000
- Retail trade
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Cultural Supports Program — Community Events Stream
Government of Ontario- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Port Coquitlam Community Foundation - Projects Grant
PoCo Community Foundation- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Small Grant Accessibility Program
SaskCulture- Maximum amount : 2,000 $
- All industries

Call for Proposals 2024
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada- No Condition
- All industries

Port Coquitlam Community Foundation - Professional Development Grant
PoCo Community Foundation- Maximum amount : 1,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Kenora and Rainy River District Business Accelerator Fund
Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre (NOIC)- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Port Coquitlam Community Foundation - Theatre Society Legacy Fund Grant
PoCo Community Foundation- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

City Grant Program - Environmental Enhancement and Food Security Grant
City of Richmond Hill- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

Winkler Community Foundation - Darlene Gale Peters Endowment Fund Grants
The Winkler Community Foundation Inc.- From $1,000 to $10,000
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Alberta Innovates — Recovery Technologies Program
Alberta Innovates- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

City Grant Program - Child Care Grants
City of Richmond Hill- No Condition
- All industries
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Winkler Community Foundation - Community Fund
The Winkler Community Foundation Inc.- From $1,000 to $10,000
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Water Incubation Program
2 Degrés- No Condition
- Utilities

Toronto Main Street Innovation Fund
City of Toronto- From $25,000 to $100,000
- All industries

National Chapter of Canada IODE 100th Anniversary Grant Program
Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE)- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Health care and social assistance
Newfoundland and Labrador Community Housing Growth Fund
Community Housing Transformation Centre- No Condition
- All industries

True Patriot Love Foundation - Local Community Fund
True Patriot Love Foundation for Support of Military Families- From $5,000 to $75,000
- All industries
The Nunalingni Piruqpaalirut Fund
Community Housing Transformation Centre- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- All industries

First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund — Equity Funding
Government of British Columbia- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- All industries

2021 Scientific Research Grant: Call for Proposals
World Anti-Doping Agency- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Programs
Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE)- No Condition
- All industries

Accelerate Fund
Yaletown Partners- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Rural Innovation Fund (RIF)
Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre (NOIC)- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

Arc'teryx Community Grant Program
Arc'teryx- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Nova Scotia Community Housing Capital Fund
Community Housing Transformation Centre- No Condition
- All industries

Fund to stimulate international business tourism – Stream 3 - Support the implementation of incentives designed to attract international business events to Quebec
Gouvernement du Québec- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 20% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Community Self-Determination Grants
NDN Collective- No Condition
- All industries

- No Condition
- All industries

Snow PASS Grant Program
Ski-Doo- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

British Columbia History Digitization Program
Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Cultural Supports Program — Film and Television Stream
Government of Ontario- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Alberta Innovates — Land and Biodiversity Program
Alberta Innovates- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Health Care Unburdened Grant Program
Canadian Medical Association- From $500,000 to $1,000,000
- Health care and social assistance

Community Compass Grant
East Coast Credit Union- From $10,000 to $40,000
- All industries

ArtsSmarts
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia- Maximum amount : 2,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- All industries

True Patriot Love Foundation - Captain Nichola Goddard Fund
True Patriot Love Foundation for Support of Military Families- No Condition
- All industries
Access over 4000 different funding opportunities
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Fonds Mon virage écologique
Innovation et Développement économique Trois-Rivières (IDETR)- From $2,000 to $15,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

CCACS Grants
Central Cariboo Arts & Culture Society- From $500 to $3,000
- All industries

IBM Sustainability Accelerator
IBM- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Impact Investing
World Education Services (WES)- From $100,000 to $500,000
- All industries

Vision Fund - Grants for Flourishing Ministry Programs
The United Church of Canada Foundation (UCCF)- No Condition
- All industries

Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage
Government of Canada- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Connecting through Culture Project
Creative Gros Morne- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Elizabeth L. Gordon Art Program
Ontario Arts Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Smile Cookie Program
Tim Hortons- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Creating Opportunity & Independence
Craig H. Nielsen Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Civil Society - Increasing Access to Justice
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Partners for Places Mini Grant
The Funders Network- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

Embark Student Foundation Major Grants Program
Embark Student Corp.- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Educational services

Canadian Emissions Reduction Innovation Network
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)- No Condition
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

New Ventures BC Competition
Government of British Columbia- From $200 to $250,000
- Information and cultural industries

The Box Impact Fund
Box.org- From $25,000 to $25,000
- Other services (except public administration)

Spark Mentorships & Grants - Northwest Ontario
Tourism Innovation Lab- From $3,000 to $3,000
- All industries

United Way Greater Toronto - Community Program Grants
United Way Toronto & York Region, The United Way of Peel Region, The United Way of Greater Toronto- From $50,000 to $150,000
- All industries

Canada-NAWCA Standard Grants
U.S. Department of the Interior; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service- No Condition
- All industries

Civil Society - Enhancing Community Philanthropy
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Caring for our Community Grant Program
Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation- From $10,000 to $50,000
- Health care and social assistance

Residential Schools Missing Children - Community Support Funding
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)- No Condition
- All industries

Airports Capital Assistance Program
Transport Canada (TC)- Up to 100% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing

Environment - Advancing Climate Change Solutions
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Calgary Learns - Initiative Grants
Calgary Learns Association- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance