Buy BC Partnership Program

• Completed application form submitted through the MNP online Application Portal
• Valid Buy BC logo licence approval (for the products included in the project)
• Project Budget file (using the program’s template, attached in the portal)
• Price quotes for each proposed budget item over $5,000

• The applicant must be a B.C.-based primary agriculture or seafood producer or cooperative, an agriculture/food/beverage or seafood processor, or an agriculture, food and/or beverage industry association, board or council.
• The organization must have its head office in British Columbia or be duly authorized to do business in B.C. (registered, licensed or certified as appropriate).
• The applicant must hold an approved and valid Buy BC logo licence by the specified program deadline.
• Producers, processors and cooperatives must have at least $30,000 in annual revenue for each of the past two years.
• The project must consist of one or more eligible local marketing activities (e.g. paid advertising, Buy BC labelling/packaging, marketing materials, B.C.-focused trade shows, in‑store promotions, or project-related staff wages) that aim to increase awareness and sales of B.C. agriculture, food and beverage products.

Who is eligible?

• Primary agriculture producers in British Columbia (including growers, harvesters, ranchers, and those producing fresh food or agricultural products 100% grown or raised in B.C.)
• Seafood producers in British Columbia (including harvesters and those producing seafood products 100% caught or raised in B.C.)
• Agriculture, food, beverage, and seafood processors and cooperatives that transform raw materials into new products with at least 51% of final production costs originating in B.C.
• Agriculture, food, and/or beverage industry associations, boards, and councils that represent and support B.C.-based producers, processors, and cooperatives
• Cannabis producers, processors, and industry associations that meet the program’s specific cannabis-related requirements

Who is not eligible

• Farmers’ markets, agricultural fairs and exhibitions.
• Food hubs and other processing facilities that do not fall under the defined producer/processor/cooperative categories.
• Retailers, wholesalers and distributors (they may obtain a Buy BC logo licence but are not eligible for cost-shared funding).
• Non-profit organizations whose role is to promote local food and beverages but that do not qualify as industry associations, boards or councils representing B.C. producers or processors.

Eligible expenses

• Development and production of Buy BC–branded advertisements (digital, radio, print, transit, TV), including design, creative services and purchase of ad space on eligible platforms (including boosted/sponsored social media posts and certain social media campaigns with influencers or brand ambassadors).
• Design and printing costs for the first run of product labels and packaging that incorporate the Buy BC logo for logo-licensed products.
• Creation and production of Buy BC–branded marketing collateral and promotional materials such as videos, brochures, rack cards, posters, banners, recipe cards, point-of-sale signs, shelf-talkers, truck wraps, social media visuals and similar tools (including limited staff-branded apparel).
• Costs to exhibit for the first time at B.C.-focused trade shows and sales expositions, including registration fees, booth rentals and upgrades, booth graphics/backdrops, equipment rentals, translation services, chef services, on-site storage, shipping of product samples and general booth service fees (e.g. garbage collection, electricity).
• Expenses for B.C.-focused in-store demonstrations and promotions, including hiring brand ambassadors, product sampling in grocery retailers or food service establishments, and production and use of in-store signage and promotional materials featuring the Buy BC logo.
• Staff wages directly related to the implementation and execution of approved project activities (e.g. coordinating campaigns, managing trade show presence, running in-store demos, preparing funded marketing materials).

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Market research, marketing or business plan development, and product or new brand development
• Capital or equipment purchases (for example land, buildings, major equipment, booth hardware, computers, software subscriptions, tools)
• Normal operating expenses and ongoing business costs (including annual events, tours, office supplies, stakeholder engagement or membership drives)
• Travel and accommodation, product costs for sampling or sale (including discounts, coupons), listing fees, sponsorships, membership fees, and lobbying activities
• Website or e‑commerce development and hosting (except adding the Buy BC logo), repeat activities already funded in past years, and any expenses or leases outside the approved project period

Eligible geographic areas

• Businesses with their head office in British Columbia (B.C.), Canada, or that are otherwise authorized to do business in B.C.
• Projects promoting local agriculture, food and beverage products within the province of British Columbia.

• Alignment of the project objectives and activities with the Program’s immediate outcomes (e.g. increasing Buy BC brand awareness, consumer awareness and sales of local products).
• Quality and clarity of the project work plan, including well-defined activities, realistic timelines, identified service providers and deliverables, and a reasonable, well-supported budget (with quotes for items over $5,000).
• Expected impact of the project, demonstrated through clear and realistic performance measures and targets (e.g. reach, sales impact) and alignment with stated Program priorities.
• Past project reporting and performance under the Buy BC Partnership Program, including on-time reporting, staying within budget, responsiveness and achievement of prior targets (new applicants automatically receive full points on this criterion).
• Relative merit compared with other applications in a competitive, merit-based assessment process, especially when total funding requested exceeds available funds.

• After the intake closes, Program Administration (MNP LLP) reviews all complete applications to confirm eligibility and completeness.
• Eligible applications are then evaluated through a competitive, merit-based process against the program’s assessment criteria and available budget (not first-come, first-served).
• Applicants are notified of the decision by email; unsuccessful applicants may request feedback on their application.
• Approved applicants are invited to sign a Funding Agreement that sets out project activities, timelines, eligible expenses, reporting requirements, and reimbursement instructions.
• Once the Funding Agreement is fully executed, recipients can begin incurring eligible expenses and must later submit required reports, invoices, and proof of payment to receive reimbursement.

• The program is administered on behalf of the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food by MNP LLP through an online application portal.
• Applications are assessed through a competitive, merit-based process rather than on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Past funding recipients are evaluated on previous reporting quality, timeliness, budget respect, and achieved results when reapplying.
• All communications and marketing materials using the Buy BC logo must be submitted for review and receive written approval before public release.