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.
Green Kickstarter Fund
Community Housing Transformation Centre- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- All industries

Arts & Culture Local Grant Program
The Japan Foundation, Toronto- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Sienna For Seniors Grant
Sienna Senior Living- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

UFA Agricultural Community Foundation - Grassroots Giving
UFA Rural Communities Foundation- No Condition
- All industries
Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) - Community Facility Enhancement Program Small
Alberta Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

Work Experience Opportunities Grant
United Way British Columbia- From $5,000 to $50,000
- All industries

Local Grant Program for Japanese-Language Education
The Japan Foundation, Toronto- No Condition
- Educational services

Grants and Donations
Novo Nordisk Canada- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Adjustment Services
Government of New Brunswick- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services

Fund for a Just Society
The Unitarian Universalist Funding Program- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)

Cultural Hotspot - Ignite Ideation
City of Toronto- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

Foundation of Youth Grants
Salt Spring Island Foundation- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

Saskatchewan Government Insurance - Community Grant program
SGI- No Condition
- Public administration

ImmersART
Fédération culturelle canadienne-française- Maximum amount : 1,500 $
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Support program to help victims of crime and promote their recovery - Stream 2: Development and transfer of knowledge regarding support offered to victims, their families, and witnesses of criminal offences
Quebec Ministry of Justice- Maximum amount : 550,000 $
- All industries

Saskatchewan Government Insurance - Sponsorships
SGI- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

Community Funding Program - Civic Events funding
City of Ottawa- Maximum amount : 3,000 $
- All industries

PassepART
Fédération culturelle canadienne-française- Maximum amount : 1,500 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Saskatchewan Government Insurance - Car Seat Grant program
SGI- Maximum amount : 2,500 $
- Health care and social assistance

BC Conservation Fund
BC Parks Foundation- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- All industries

Kay Stafford Memorial Fund Community Grant
Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

The Community Foundation of Prince Edward Island - PEILCC Community Fund
The Community Foundation of Prince Edward Island Inc.- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- All industries

RePlay Fund
Kal Tire Ltd- From $18,000 to $20,000
- Educational services
- Public administration

The Community Foundation of Prince Edward Island - Community Grants
The Community Foundation of Prince Edward Island Inc.- No Condition
- All industries

Equipment, PD & Patient Care Grant
Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation- No Condition
- All industries
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Species at Risk Stewardship Fund
Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks- No Condition
- All industries

Community Climate Transitions Innovation Fund
Tamarack Institute- From $2,000 to $10,000
- Other services (except public administration)

Arts and Culture Microgrant
City of Calgary- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- All industries

Sponsorship Programs
Atlantic Lottery- Minimum amount : 2,500 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Every Kid Every Community
Hockey Alberta Foundation- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Programme de soutien financier aux organismes culturels
Ville de Granby- Maximum amount : 1,000 $
- All industries

Avnet Cares
Avnet, Inc.- From $1,000 to $10,000
- Educational services

CanNor — IDEANorth
Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)- Maximum amount : 6,000,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

WorkSafeBC
Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbia- Maximum amount : 50 $
- All industries

Local Hockey Leaders EDI Grant
Hockey Alberta Foundation- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Program targeting the protection, transmission and promotion of religious heritage
Council of Religious Heritage of Quebec- No Condition
- All industries

World Wildlife Fund Canada - Go Wild Grants
WWF Canada- Maximum amount : 1,500 $
- Educational services

Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund - Implementation Stream
Public Health Agency of Canada- Maximum amount : 800,000 $
- All industries

Learn and Adapt
Innoweave- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

Sponsorships & donations
Beem Credit Union- No Condition
- All industries

Clarify and Align
Innoweave- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

World Wildlife Fund Canada - Arctic Species Conservation Fund
WWF Canada- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Community - Store Giving Program
Whole Foods Market Foundation- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
Enabling Accessibility Fund - Enabling Accessibility Fund for mid-sized projects
HRSDC; Employment and Social Development Canada- From $500,000 to $3,000,000
- All industries

The Stoneleigh Foundation
Canada Gives Foundation #CG 0742- From $500 to $5,000
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)- Up to 10% of project cost
- All industries

Canada Retraining and Opportunities Initiative
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)- No Condition
- All industries

Iris Energy Community Grants Program
Iris Energy (IREN)- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Gateway Program
Concordia University- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)

Special Cultural Events Assistance Grants
City of Medicine Hat- From $500 to $1,000
- All industries
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Cultural Hotspot - Signature Projects
City of Toronto- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- All industries

Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund - Incubator Stream
Public Health Agency of Canada- No Condition
- All industries

- No Condition
- All industries
Program targeting the repurposing of underutilized places of worship of heritage value
Council of Religious Heritage of Quebec- No Condition
- All industries

Columbia Basin Wildfire Resiliency Initiative
Columbia Basin Trust- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

Simply Organic Giving Fund Grant
Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic, Co-op Market- From $30,000 to $100,000
- Health care and social assistance

Cultural Economic Development Program - Arts Component
Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation- Minimum amount : 2,000 $
- Up to 10% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Programme Innov'Action agroalimentaire 2018-2023
Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation- Maximum amount : 55,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

The Accerta Health Access Foundation Grant
Accerta Health Access Foundation- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Giving Fund
Weyerhaeuser- Minimum amount : 1,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Huron Heritage Fund
County of Huron- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

Funding Support for Community Organizations
Centraide Haute-Côte-Nord / Manicouagan- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

SaskEnergy Inc. - Share The Warmth Program
TransGas- Maximum amount : 1,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

Cultural Initiatives Support Grant Program
City of Sainte-Julie- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

AlectraCARES Community Support Program
Enersource Corporation- From $1,000 to $10,000
- All industries

SaskEnergy Inc. - Sponsorships
TransGas- No Condition
- Other services (except public administration)

Call for Proposals to Address GBV through Promising Practices and Community-based Research - Stream 1: Promising Practices
Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE)- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- All industries

Programme Fêtes O'Parc
City of Joliette- Maximum amount : 2,000 $
- All industries

WSIB Research and Grants Program
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Spruce Up Your Story
Red River Mutual- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Walk Bike Roll Community Partnership Program
City of Vancouver- From $500 to $5,000
- All industries

Community Action Initiative (CAI) - Youth Wellness Grant
Province of British Columbia- Maximum amount : 80,000 $
- All industries

Call for Proposals: Skills Solutions
Future Skills Centre- From $75,000 to $500,000
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

London Community Grants Program - Multi-Year Stream
City of London, London Arts Council- No Condition
- All industries

Employee Donations Fund
ArcelorMittal Dofasco- Maximum amount : 60,000 $
- Health care and social assistance
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Professional cultural organizations - Programme d'oeuvres murales et de vidéoprojections architecturales
Quebec City- Maximum amount : 40,000 $
- All industries

Call for Proposals: Skills Research
Future Skills Centre- From $50,000 to $250,000
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Public administration

Program and Operating Grants
Alberta Law Foundation- No Condition
- All industries

Corporate Community Investment Fund
ArcelorMittal Dofasco- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

London Community Grants Program - Capital Grant Stream
City of London, London Arts Council- No Condition
- All industries

Animal Rescue Fund
City of Edmonton- Maximum amount : 2,000 $
- All industries

Sustainable Food Systems Initiative - Focus on Food
Danone Institute of North America- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Community Energy Fund
ATCO Ltd.- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Utilities
- Educational services
- Public administration

Transportation Demand Management Community Grant Program
City of Greater Sudbury- Maximum amount : 1,000 $
- All industries

The Daylight Fund
The Houssian Foundation- From $10,000 to $25,000
- All industries

Basin Job Experience Trail Crews Program
Columbia Basin Trust- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Seniors' Secretariat Grant
Prince Edward Island Department of Social Development and Seniors- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

Rogers Youth Grants
Rogers Communications Inc.- From $10,000 to $25,000
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Prospera Foundation Grants
Prospera Credit Union- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Environmental Initiatives Grant
City of Red Deer- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards
Chick-fil-A- From $30,000 to $350,000
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

Energizing Life Community Fund
Hydro One- No Condition
- Other services (except public administration)

Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative - ZEVAI Indigenous-led projects pilot
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)- No Condition
- All industries

Cultural Festivals and Celebrations Grant
Recreation & Culture Division - City of Mississauga- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 65% of project cost
- All industries
Powering Breast Cancer Progress
Astrazeneca Canada Inc- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Up to 30.000002% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

Professional cultural organizations - Soutien aux projets Mise en valeur du patrimoine immatériel
Quebec City- From $3,000 to $20,000
- Up to 90% of project cost
- All industries

Corporate Philanthropy
AbitibiBowater- No Condition
- All industries

Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative - Education and awareness project funding – EV Charging and Clean Fuels
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- All industries

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

Safe Community First Responder Program
Enbridge Inc.- Maximum amount : 7,500 $
- Public administration