Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)

Q: What is the mission of Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)?

ETSI-BC’s mission is to steward regional endowment funds to grow and diversify the economy of the Southern Interior of British Columbia by providing grant funding, resources and connections to communities, First Nations, industry and partner organizations. It aims to catalyze innovative, collaborative projects that strengthen local economies and key sectors.

Overview of Available Grants and Funding

The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) is an independent not-for-profit created by British Columbia legislation to grow and diversify the economy of the BC Southern Interior. It delivers multiple grant funding streams that support communities, First Nations, non-profit business support groups, industry sectors and post-secondary institutions across key economic sectors. View Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)'s website for more information.

Content last updated: February 25, 2026

List of grants and funding offered by Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)

4 opportunities available

Grant and FundingOpen

Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Supporting Business Resilience & Growth

Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)

Supports regional business resilience and growth

Eligible Funding

No Condition

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

Grant and FundingOpen

Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Developing Human Capital

Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)

Support for collaborations to develop human capital and create jobs

Eligible Funding

No Condition

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

Grant and FundingOpen

Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity

Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)

Supports regional economic development projects and partnerships in Southern Interior BC.

Eligible Funding

Maximum amount : 75,000 $

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

Grant and FundingOpen

Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Innovating & Advancing Key Sectors

Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)

Supports regional economic development projects in Southern Interior BC

Eligible Funding

Maximum amount : 75,000 $

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

About Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)

What is the mission of Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)?

What type of organization is Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)?

When was Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC) founded?

What is Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)'s official website?

What else should I know about Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) (ETSI-BC)?

The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) is an independent, regionally focused not-for-profit corporation established in 2006 by the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust Act. Its mandate is to steward public endowment funds and invest them back into the BC Southern Interior to grow and diversify the regional economy. ETSI-BC works closely with local governments, First Nations, non-profit business support organizations, industry associations, accelerators and public post-secondary institutions.

Role of ETSI-BC in the funding ecosystem

ETSI-BC positions itself as a first-in, seed funder that helps communities and sector groups launch innovative economic development initiatives and leverage additional funding. The trust has approved over $70 million in funding across more than a thousand projects, contributing to hundreds of millions of dollars in total project value and supporting thousands of jobs created or maintained in the region.

Main funding streams and themes

The organization structures its support around five Strategic Pillars, delivered through several recurring funding streams and targeted initiatives:

Building Economic Development Capacity – grants for small, rural and Indigenous communities to strengthen local economic development capacity, including planning, feasibility studies, research, business retention and expansion projects, sector analyses, revitalization initiatives and regional collaboration.
Supporting Business Resilience and Competitiveness – programs delivered in partnership with government and ecosystem partners to help SMEs adapt, recover and expand, especially in areas like technology and innovation, export market development and sector-specific recovery programs.
Innovating and Advancing Key Sectors – funding for industry and community groups to advance cluster development, adopt innovative technologies and business practices, collaborate on shared challenges and opportunities, and implement projects that improve sustainability and reduce environmental impacts.
Developing Human Capital – initiatives such as research partnerships with Mitacs that connect students and researchers with organizations in the Southern Interior to build talent, applied research capacity and knowledge transfer.

ETSI-BC focuses on legislated priority sectors including agriculture, economic development, energy and natural resources, small business, tourism, and technology and innovation.

General funding approach

For its core streams, ETSI-BC typically runs two competitive funding intakes per year (spring and fall), publishing application guides, eligibility criteria and timelines. Funding amounts for many community and sector projects can reach up to $75,000, often on a cost-shared basis depending on project type and scale. The trust also issues targeted calls for proposals and manages partner programs on behalf of the Province of BC and other funders when opportunities arise.

Publics served and impact

Eligible applicants commonly include municipalities, regional districts, Indigenous governments and their economic development arms, regional and sector-based non-profit organizations, accelerators, and post-secondary institutions. Through these actors, ETSI-BC supports initiatives that enhance local capacity, drive innovation, diversify industry bases, and strengthen overall economic resilience in the Columbia-Kootenay and Thompson-Okanagan regions and surrounding communities of the Southern Interior.