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.

United Way West Central Manitoba
United Way of Brandon & District Inc.- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Arts, Culture & Heritage Grants
City of Fredericton- No Condition
- All industries

Grants & Funding
Food Banks Alberta Association (FBA)- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

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

Project Grant Program for Arts Organizations & Collectives
Winnipeg Arts Council- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Professional Arts Organizations Operating Grant Program
Calgary Arts Development- No Condition
- All industries

Condition of Seniors
Fondation Sibylla Hesse- No Condition
- All industries

Limited Duration Two-Year Operating Grant
City of Prince George- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- All industries

Donation and Sponsorship Requests
Boston Pizza Foundation- No Condition
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Multi-Year Grant Programs for Arts Organizations
Winnipeg Arts Council- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Culture Projects Grant
Recreation & Culture Division - City of Mississauga- No Condition
- All industries

Original Peoples Investment Program
Calgary Arts Development- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- All industries

Community Investment Program - Community Sustaining Grant
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo- No Condition
- All industries

Food Sovereignty Bundles
Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund- From $5,000 to $100,000
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Health care and social assistance
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)

Project Grant Program – Organizations
Calgary Arts Development- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- All industries

Aquatic Habitat Quality Improvement Program
Quebec Wildlife Foundation- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Community and Cultural Grant
City of Richmond Hill- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Community Investment Program - Community Impact Grant
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

Access to Justice Bundle Program
Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund- No Condition
- Other services (except public administration)

Local Economic Development Support Grant
City of Kawartha Lakes- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- All industries

Downtown Vibrancy Fund
Calgary Arts Development- From $20,000 to $250,000
- All industries

Cultivating biodiversity in agricultural environments
Quebec Wildlife Foundation- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Protecting habitats – Municipal and school taxes component
Quebec Wildlife Foundation- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Birdies for Kids
Calgary Shaw Charity Classic Foundation- Up to 50% of project cost
- Other services (except public administration)

Community Arts Organizations Operating Grant Program
Calgary Arts Development- No Condition
- All industries
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.

Protecting habitats – main component
Quebec Wildlife Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Youth Initiatives Funding
Nunavut Department of Family Services- No Condition
- All industries

Food Security Grants
ShareLife- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Community Investment Program - Community Capital Grant
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Regional Cultural Project Grants
Regional District of Metro Vancouver- From $2,500 to $10,000
- Up to 30% of project cost
- All industries

Community Development Funds - Performing Arts Community Development Fund
Town of Whitby- No Condition
- All industries

Fundraising Incentive Program
Quebec Wildlife Foundation- From $500 to $1,000
- Public administration

Community Partnerships
Valley First- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Canada Music Fund - Collective Initiatives Component
Department of Canadian Heritage (LJI)- No Condition
- All industries

Equity and Inclusion in The Arts Fund - Sustain
City of Ottawa- Up to 90% of project cost
- All industries

Community Network Grant
Nova Scotia Office of Equity and Anti-Racism- Maximum amount : 40,000 $
- All industries

Endangered wildlife program
Quebec Wildlife Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Social Enterprise Fund
Valley First- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Community Development Fund (CDF)
Department of Economic Development of Yukon- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- All industries

Fight against invasive exotic plants program
Quebec Wildlife Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Identify 'N Impact Grant Program
City of Toronto- No Condition
- All industries

L’Oréal Fund for Women
L'Oréal- From $50,000 to $250,000
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

Activating Community Micro-Grant
City of Guelph- From $500 to $1,000
- All industries

Climate Resilient Communities: Food Infrastructure Grant
United Way British Columbia- No Condition
- All industries

Francophone Community Grants Program - Community and Culture Stream
Ontario Ministry of Francophone Affairs- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- All industries

Off-Road Vehicle Financial Assistance Program – Conservation and Enhancement of Wildlife and its Habitats
Quebec Wildlife Foundation- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Neighbourhood Fund
City of Waterloo- Maximum amount : 7,500 $
- All industries

Homelessness Support Service Fund
Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

School's Out
United Way British Columbia- No Condition
- All industries

Act for Wildlife Program
Quebec Wildlife Foundation- No Condition
- Other services (except public administration)
- 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.

Ontario Community Environment Fund
Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks- From $5,000 to $2,900,000
- All industries

Commission for Environmental Cooperation - North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- All industries

Medical research grants
J.P. Bickell Foundation- From $50,000 to $70,000
- All industries

BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund
Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT)- No Condition
- All industries

Alberta Restorative Justice Grant
Alberta Justice and Solicitor General- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- All industries

2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity Fund
Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE)- Maximum amount : 600,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)

Community Project/Event Grant Program
City of Kimberley- Maximum amount : 8,000 $
- All industries

PEI Climate Challenge Fund
Environment, Energy and Climate Action Prince Edward Island- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- All industries

General Charities Grants
J.P. Bickell Foundation- From $5 to $5,000
- All industries

Programme d’assistance financière Fête nationale
Société nationale de l'Est du Québec- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Settlement, Integration and Language Projects
Alberta Immigration and Multiculturalism- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- All industries

Fonds signature métropole - Stream 2: Support for new major initiatives
Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation du Québec- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- All industries

Funding Program for the Maintenance of Strategic Tourism Assets in Downtown Gatineau
Outaouais Tourism- Minimum amount : 125,000 $
- Accommodation and food services

Marketing Initiatives Program
Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT)- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Fonds signature métropole - Stream 1: Support for festivals and major events
Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation du Québec- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- All industries

International Human Rights
Oak Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Festival Project Grant
City of Victoria- Maximum amount : 40,000 $
- Up to 10% of project cost
- All industries

Environment Programme
Oak Foundation- From $25,000 to $7,000,000
- All industries

Halton Region Community Investment Fund
Halton Region- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- All industries

Outaouais Region Tourism Development Program
Outaouais Tourism- Minimum amount : 125,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Commission for Environmental Cooperation - EJ4Climate: Environmental Justice and Climate Resilience
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)- Maximum amount : 175,000 $
- All industries

BC Hydro GO Fund
Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT)- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Program
Government of Alberta- From $40,000 to $175,000
- All industries

Sport Support Program - Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities
Department of Canadian Heritage (LJI)- Maximum amount : 249,999 $
- All industries

Grey Cup Festival Legacy Grant Program
Saskatchewan Roughriders- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration
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.

Community Housing Supply Grant Pilot Program
United Way Toronto & York Region, The United Way of Peel Region, The United Way of Greater Toronto- No Condition
- All industries

BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Impact and Opportunities Initiative
Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT)- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Educational services
Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability Component (SDPP-D) - Organizational Capacity Development Stream
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada; HRSDC; Employment and Social Development Canada; ESDC- From $250,000 to $500,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Stella Conceptual Drawing Grants
Parks Foundation Calgary (PFC)- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Sustainable Development Goals Funding Program
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- All industries

Program to Enhance Rail Safety Engagement
Transport Canada (TC)- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- All industries

GHG Grant Program for Government
Northwest Territories Department of Infrastructure- Up to 75% of project cost
- Public administration

Amateur Sport Grant Program
Parks Foundation Calgary (PFC)- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Google.org Accelerator: Generative AI open call
Google.org- From $500,000 to $2,000,000
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Public administration

Building Communities Grant
Parks Foundation Calgary (PFC)- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Community Education and Services Grants
ViiV Healthcare Canada- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

Libro Credit Union - Grants & Partnerships
United Communities Credit Union- No Condition
- Finance and insurance
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

Music for Good
London Community Foundation (LCF)- No Condition
- All industries

Communications Grant Program
Cytokinetics- From $20,000 to $20,000
- Health care and social assistance

Sport Support Program - National Sport Organization
Department of Canadian Heritage (LJI)- No Condition
- All industries

Building BC - Community Housing Fund
BC Housing, British Columbia Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing- From $171,211 to $178,059
- All industries

Kapwa Strong Fund
United Way British Columbia- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- All industries

Specialized Criminal Justice Navigator Grant
Victim Programs and Initiatives Alberta- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration

Issues Affecting Women Programme
Oak Foundation- From $25,000 to $7,000,000
- All industries

Water Conservation and Quality Improvement (WCQI)
Okanagan Basin Water Board- From $3,000 to $30,000
- Public administration

Toward Net-Zero Homes and Communities
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)- No Condition
- Construction
- Public administration

Port of Vancouver - Indigenous community fund
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Port Metro Vancouver- No Condition
- All industries

ROOTS Community Fund
Trillium Mutual Insurance Company- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Health care and social assistance

Outside Agency Operating Grant Program
City of St. Albert- No Condition
- All industries
Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) - Community Facility Enhancement Program Large
Alberta Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women- From $125,001 to $1,000,000
- All industries