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.

Seeking Support
- No Condition
- All industries

Disasters Response Grant
- No Condition
- Other services (except public administration)

- No Condition
- Public administration

Bell Canada - Bell True Patriot Love Fund
- From $5,000 to $75,000
- All industries
Programme de subvention pour l’amélioration du bien-être animal
- No Condition
- Other services (except public administration)

Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP)
- From $24,999 to $150,000
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Ottawa Community Foundation - Support for Urgent & Emerging Needs
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- All industries

Impact Canada - Food Waste Reduction Challenge: Novel Technologies (Streams C and D)
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Accommodation and food services

The Lyle S. Hallman Foundation - Children and Youth Capital
- No Condition
- All industries

Lehigh Hanson Cares
- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

- Maximum amount : 45,000 $
- All industries

Community Involvement Program
- From $1,000 to $5,000
- All industries

Casino Rama Cares Community Program
- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

Great Lakes Protection Initiative
- No Condition
- Public administration

Climate Change Adaptation Program
- No Condition
- All industries

Agency Capacity Building Grant
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- All industries

United Way Winnipeg - Youth United
- No Condition
- All industries

Safer and Vital Communities Grant
- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Youth Investment Fund
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

Sector Development Partnership Grants
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

CMHC - Affordable Housing Fund - Repair and Renewal
- No Condition
- All industries

Community Vitality Grant
- From $50,000 to $350,000
- All industries

CMHC - Affordable Housing Fund - New Construction - Community Housing Sub-Stream
- No Condition
- All industries

Support for Community Negotiations Fund
- No Condition
- All industries

Outdoor Recreation Fund
- From $2,000 to $10,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
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Zero Plastic Waste Initiative
- From $25,000 to $250,000
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Public administration

- No Condition
- All industries

BC Winter Games Legacy Grants
- No Condition
- All industries

2SLGBTQI+ Projects Fund
- No Condition
- All industries

Arts, Culture and Heritage Fund (ACHF)
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

RDN Grants - Oceanside Community Safety Grants
- No Condition
- All industries

Employment Assistance Services (Enabling Fund for Official Language Minority Communities)
- Maximum amount : 10,000,000 $
- All industries

CMHC - Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP) - Renovation
- Maximum amount : 60,000 $
- All industries

- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)

- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

RBC Foundation - RBC Foundation Community Spaces Grant (Build stream)
- From $25,000 to $2,500,000
- All industries

Fondation Québec Philanthrope - Mental Health Support Program
- From $25,000 to $25,000
- All industries

CMHC - Housing Supply Challenge
- No Condition
- All industries

Aménagement des jardins partagés
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 60% of project cost
- All industries

Indigenous Violence Prevention Grants Program
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- All industries

Movement for Good
- From $2,000 to $2,000
- All industries

The Intersectoral Action Fund
- From $25,000 to $250,000
- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

Oshki Wupoowane | The Blanket Fund - Reconciliation Action Grants
- From $1,500 to $15,000
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Forest Enhancement Society of British Columbia
- No Condition
- All industries

- No Condition
- All industries

Aura Cacia Positive Change Project
- From $30,000 to $100,000
- Up to 33.333336% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

CMHC - National Housing Strategy Solutions Labs
- From $25,000 to $250,000
- All industries

Oshki Wupoowane | The Blanket Fund - Capacity Building Grants
- Maximum amount : 175,000 $
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Sustainable Jobs Stream - Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy - Union Training and Innovation Program
- Maximum amount : 10,000,000 $
- All industries

Training and Regional Events
- Maximum amount : 35,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Find tailored funding for your business
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Community Infrastructure Grants
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Public administration

- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Funding of organizations for regional projects
- Maximum amount : 800,000 $
- Up to 5% of project cost
- All industries

Calgary Learns - Program Grants
- No Condition
- Educational services

Creative and Critical Writings
- Maximum amount : 35,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Support for Indigenous Victims of Crime Initiative: Call for Proposals
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- All industries

Thunder Bay Community Foundation Grants
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- All industries

CMHC - Affordable Housing Fund - Indigenous and Northern Communities
- No Condition
- All industries

- Up to 40% of project cost
- Other services (except public administration)

Fondation Québec Philanthrope - Free to Play
- From $50,000 to $150,000
- All industries

- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

1989 Jeux du Canada Games Foundation
- No Condition
- All industries

Spruce Credit Union Legacy Grant
- No Condition
- Other services (except public administration)

Recreation Grant - Ongoing Projects and Initiatives
- No Condition
- All industries

Strategic Industry Growth Initiative
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 85% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

- From $500 to $10,000
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Edmonton Immigrant and Refugee Communities Grant Program - Seed Grant
- Maximum amount : 4,000 $
- All industries

Prince George & Region Prosperity Fund
- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Sports for Kids Grant
- From $500 to $20,000
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Fraser-Fort George Endowment Fund Grants
- Maximum amount : 4,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Annual Grant Program - General Support Grants
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

- From $2,000 to $2,000
- Other services (except public administration)

Recreation Grant - Training and Leadership Development
- Maximum amount : 2,500 $
- All industries

- From $200 to $500
- All industries

The Sifton Family Foundation
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
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Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Innovation
- Maximum amount : 3,000,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Petrolia Community Fund Grants
- From $200 to $2,000
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Wildlife Conservation
- No Condition
- All industries

Neighbourhood Grant Program - Celebration and Activity Grant
- From $150 to $4,000
- All industries

- No Condition
- All industries

- No Condition
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)

Scotiabank - ScotiaRISE
- No Condition
- All industries

- Up to 90% of project cost
- Educational services

Social innovation for Montréal’s east end – Call for projects
- From $15,000 to $50,000
- All industries

Partnerships for Her Voice, Her Choice (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights) - Call for Proposals
- From $2,000,000 to $20,000,000
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration

- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Neighbourhood Grant Program - Grass Roots Grant
- From $150 to $4,000
- All industries

Small Projects Stream
- From $30,000 to $1,000,000
- All industries

Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant Program
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Public administration

Alberta Conservation Association - ACA Conservation, Community and Education Grants
- No Condition
- All industries

Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) — Studies projects
- Minimum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

- No Condition
- Educational services

Building Safer Communities Program - Organizational and Youth Sector Capacity-building Project Grants
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

Prairies Performing Arts Initiative (PPAI)
- From $100,000 to $750,000
- All industries

Conference/Seminar/Workshop Grants
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- All industries

Preservation Projects
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Family Violence Prevention Grant
- From $25,000 to $200,000
- All industries

Building Safer Communities Program - Youth Engagement Project Grants
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

Financial Inclusion Granting Program
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- All industries

- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation