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.

World Mental Health Day Community Fund
ChangeX- Maximum amount : 620 $
- Health care and social assistance

Strategic Sponsorships
United Way of Sarnia-Lambton- Maximum amount : 2,000 $
- All industries

Advancing Indigenous Gender Equality through Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship
The Indigenous Innovation Initiative- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Information and cultural industries
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration

Taking Action on Family Violence Grant Program
Alberta Ministry of Children and Family Services- From $50,000 to $500,000
- All industries

Philanthropic Engagement Committee - Preventing social isolation together
Beneva inc.- From $15,000 to $50,000
- Health care and social assistance

Critical Service Grant Program
United Way of Sarnia-Lambton- From $20,000 to $30,000
- All industries

Social Sector Development Grants
United Way of the Alberta Capital Region- From $100,000 to $200,000
- All industries

Lineage Foundation for Good
Lineage Logistics- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Grant for hosting free tax clinics
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- All industries

Domtar Connects
Paper Excellence- No Condition
- Educational services

Gift In Kind Program
Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Culture and Heritage Grants and Contributions Program - Culture and Heritage
Nunavut Department of Culture and Heritage- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Construction

HCi3 Grant Program
HCi3 Fund- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Utilities
- Construction
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

General Grants
Real Estate Foundation of BC- No Condition
- All industries

Heritage Organization Development Grants Program
Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming; Ministry of Sport- Maximum amount : 1,545 $
- All industries

ERACM program - Business support: assistance and financing
Économie du Savoir Mauricie (ESM)- Maximum amount : 24,750 $
- Up to 55% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Ockenden International Prize
Ockenden International- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Front Line Agency Funding
United Way of the Alberta Capital Region- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 10% of project cost
- All industries

Systems Change Grants
Vancouver Foundation- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- All industries

Salmo Valley Fund
Salmo Community Resource Society- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Corporate Donations
Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd.- No Condition
- All industries

United Way of Central New Brunswick - Community Fund
United Way/Centraide (Central N.B./Region du Centre du N.B.) Inc.- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Community Sustainability Fund
Capital Power- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- All industries

RFP: Play Learn Thrive
Grand Challenges Canada- From $300,000 to $1,500,000
- All industries

United Way of Central New Brunswick - United Way Maritimes Operational and Program Funding
United Way/Centraide (Central N.B./Region du Centre du N.B.) Inc.- From $10,000 to $40,000
- Health care and social assistance
Discover how much grant funding is available for your business
Subsidize your projects with grants!
Use our free grant estimator to quickly identify the available grant amounts for which your company may be eligible.

RME Right by You Ag Society Grant
Rocky Mountain Equipment- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

RFP: Being
Grand Challenges Canada- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- All industries

United Way Waterloo Region Communities - Community Impact Fund - General Operating Support
United Way of Cambridge and North Dumfries, United Way of Kitchener Waterloo & Area- From $20,000 to $160,000
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

Arts Funding Program - Project Grants
Capital Regional District- No Condition
- All industries

Culture and Heritage Grants and Contributions Program - Youth Initiatives
Nunavut Department of Culture and Heritage- No Condition
- All industries

Development of Official-Language Communities Program (Official Languages Support Programs) - Minority Language Education Component
Department of Canadian Heritage (LJI)- No Condition
- All industries

CWCF Young Adult Arts and Culture Granting Program
Canadian Worker Co-op Federation- Maximum amount : 1,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

United Way Waterloo Region Communities - Community Impact Fund - Program/Project Grants
United Way of Cambridge and North Dumfries, United Way of Kitchener Waterloo & Area- From $20,000 to $160,000
- Health care and social assistance

Culture and Heritage Grants and Contributions Program - Inuit Language Promotion and Protection Contributions
Nunavut Department of Culture and Heritage- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- All industries

Community Pathways to Justice: Grant to Support Survivors of Gender Based Violence
Alberta Ministry of Justice- From $50,000 to $150,000
- All industries

Technical Assistance Grants
Canadian Worker Co-op Federation- Maximum amount : 4,000 $
- All industries

Brant Community Foundation - County of Brant Community Grant Program
BCF- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

Enhancing Access to Spaces for Everyone (EASE) Grant
Ontario Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility- Maximum amount : 60,000 $
- All industries

Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Developing Human Capital
Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT)- No Condition
- All industries

Racial Justice Project Grants
Canadian Worker Co-op Federation- Maximum amount : 2,000 $
- All industries

The Tourism Festival Fund
Government of New Brunswick- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- All industries

Caribou Habitat Restoration Grants
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Brant Community Foundation - Brant Community Foundation Grant
BCF- Maximum amount : 12,500 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Take a Family on the Land
Northwest Territories Ministry of Environment and Climate Change- No Condition
- All industries

Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity
Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT)- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- All industries

Community Safety and Well-being Fund - Community Micro-Grants Program
Region of Durham- No Condition
- All industries

Brant Community Foundation - Children & Youth Recreation Grant Program
BCF- Maximum amount : 1,500 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Financial Assistance Program to Promote Access to Justice
Quebec Ministry of Justice- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- All industries

Market Development and Access
Government of New Brunswick- Maximum amount : 45,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Fish & Wildlife Grants
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation- Minimum amount : 10,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Public administration
Find tailored funding for your business
Discover more grants on the helloDarwin platform
Look through over 4,000 grants, tax credits, loans and more financial aid on the helloDarwin application.

The RONA Foundation - Donation Requests
Fondation Lowe's Canada- No Condition
- Construction
- Health care and social assistance

Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Innovating & Advancing Key Sectors
Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT)- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- All industries

Land Stewardship Grants
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation- Maximum amount : 60,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)

The RONA Foundation - Build from the Heart
Fondation Lowe's Canada- From $50,000 to $300,000
- Health care and social assistance

Indigenous Reconciliation Initiative - Economic Stream
Government of Alberta- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- All industries

EcoAction - Stream 2 - Freshwater Sustainability and Innovation across Canada
Canada Water Agency (CWA)- From $25,000 to $200,000
- All industries

Habitat Acquisition Grants
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation- No Condition
- All industries
Donation or Sponsorship Program
Fondation Luc Maurice- No Condition
- All industries

Equitable Access to Reading Program
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)- No Condition
- All industries

Culture and Heritage Grants and Contributions Program - Arts Contributions
Nunavut Department of Culture and Heritage- No Condition
- All industries

Volunteer Coordination & Supports Enhancement Grant
United Way British Columbia- From $50,000 to $75,000
- All industries

Invasive Mussel Monitoring
Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation- No Condition
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Public administration

Indigenous Healing and Wellness Grant Program
City of Vancouver- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- All industries

Environmental Legacy Grants
Community Foundation of Whistler- From $500 to $10,000
- Other services (except public administration)

Indigenous Reconciliation Initiative - Cultural Stream
Government of Alberta- No Condition
- All industries

Diversity and Community Capacity Fund and Community and Cultural Identities Fund
Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage- No Condition
- All industries

Emergency Fund Grant
Community Foundation of Whistler- From $500 to $10,000
- Other services (except public administration)

Arts Funding Program - Project Funding
City of Ottawa- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

Discovery Research Grants
MS Canada- From $50,000 to $300,000
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

Building Safer Communities Grants
City of St. John's- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- All industries

REALTORS® Community Foundation
Edmonton Realtors' Charitable Foundation- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

Bright Futures Barrie Grant
City of Barrie- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- All industries

Change Can’t Wait!
City of Calgary- No Condition
- All industries

Responsive Community Grants
Sunshine Coast Foundation- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

Audience Development Funding
Rozsa Foundation- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Access over 4000 different funding opportunities
Try the helloDarwin platform today and find programs that fit your needs
The helloDarwin application makes it easy to unlock grants so your business can grow faster—with less hassle and more impact.

Blueprint for Violence Prevention Grant
City of Edmonton- From $100,000 to $500,000
- All industries

Sunshine Coast Prosperity Fund
Sunshine Coast Foundation- Maximum amount : 40,000 $
- All industries

Alberta Crime Prevention Grant
Community Initiatives Support, Government of Alberta- From $25,000 to $150,000
- All industries

Arts Management Systems Funding
Rozsa Foundation- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

BC SPCA Community Animal Spay/Neuter Grant
British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA)- From $1,000 to $10,000
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS)
Public Safety Canada (PSC)- No Condition
- All industries

Arts Leadership Residency Funding
Rozsa Foundation- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Gender, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (GEDI) & Community Enhancement Program
Prince Edward Island Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population- No Condition
- All industries

Community Enrichment Grants
The Comox Valley Community Foundation- Minimum amount : 3,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

Local Food Infrastructure Fund - Small Scale Projects
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)- From $25,000 to $100,000
- All industries

Mission Grant
Eastern Synod Of The Evangelical Lutheran Church In Canada- No Condition
- Other services (except public administration)

Urban/Hometown Green Team Program
Government of Manitoba- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

The Temiskaming Foundation - Historic Cobalt Legacy Fund
Tri-Town Foundation- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Non-profit Affordability Support Fund
City of Calgary- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- All industries

Program / Project Grants
Westminster College Foundation- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

From The Ground Up - Safe Healthy Communities For ALL
Manitoba Ministry of Municipal and Northern Relations- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- All industries

Combatting Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) Grant
Alberta Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services- No Condition
- All industries

Small Donations Program
The Rotary Club of Calgary - Community Service Fund- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

Capacity Building Fund
City of Calgary- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- All industries

Major Donations Program
The Rotary Club of Calgary - Community Service Fund- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Wetlands Conservation Partner Program
Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks- No Condition
- All industries

Small Projects Grant
City of Mississauga- Maximum amount : 2,500 $
- All industries

Kamloops Climate Action Grant
City of Kamloops- From $500 to $2,000
- All industries

True North Small Business Grant Contest
Purolator Inc.- From $25,000 to $25,000
- All industries

Honouring the Children Grant
Calgary Arts Development- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- All industries