Closed
Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program
Support for Indigenous company growth
Record updated
- Funding available
- $ 50,000
- Deadline
- Unspecified
- Location
- Canada
- Who can apply
- Indigenous-owned and controlled companies, with at least 51% of ownership retained by First Nations, Inuit or Métis members.
- See full eligibility
Overview
Canada Media Fund’s Indigenous Company Impact Support Program offers non-repayable project-based support to Indigenous-owned companies in Canada’s IDM sector, helping them stabilize and grow through company advancement activities. Eligible activities include mentorship, business development, marketing, community engagement, translation and language services, and other initiatives that build capacity and market opportunities.
At a glance
Funding available
- Maximum funding
- $50,000
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Increase social or community impact
- Develop workforce skills
- Strengthen organizational capacity
- Access new markets
- Raise awareness or mobilize a population
- Ensure financial sustainability
Eligible candidates
- Location
- Canada
- Eligible Industries
- All industries
- Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
- Organisation size
- All organization sizes
- Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Legal structures
- All legal structures
Receipt of requests is now closed
Get notified about updates to this grant.
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 3
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Indigenous-owned and controlled companies, with at least 51% of ownership retained by First Nations, Inuit or Métis members.
- Companies that received CMF funding between 2021 and 2026 through one or more of these programs: ISO Interactive and Immersive Program, Innovation & Experimentation Program, Conceptualization Program, Prototyping Program, or Commercial Projects Program.
- Applicants with a completed PERSONA-ID.
- Applicants in good standing with the CMF per reports and deliverables of past funded projects.
Who is not eligible
- Non-profit organizations.
- Government, quasi-government or government agencies.
- Other funding bodies.
- Organizations in poor standing or in default with any CMF department.
Eligible expenses
- Consulting fees and honorariums for mentors, consultants, experts and community leaders.
- Fees and honorariums for participants, mentees and support workers.
- Project management, contracted positions, coordination fees, and administrative expenses.
- Festival and sales market attendance; marketing, promotion and audience development; travel, accommodation and per diems; dedicated facility and equipment rental; online platform fees.
- Other third-party costs directly related to the project, including securing rights, business affairs expenses, support services such as translation, ASL interpretation, descriptive video, other accessibility measures, and sustainability measures.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Purchases of capital assets.
- Taxes subject to rebate to the Applicant, penalties, fines, pension contributions, and union-mandated payments.
- Core business and operational expenses, including staff salaries outside direct project management and coordination.
- Event merchandise and prizes.
- Costs for activities already funded by the CMF or other organizations.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Activities funded
- Culturally supportive mentorship, training, coaching, and skills development.
- Business development and business affairs support, including refinement of business plans.
- Investor pitching and market validation strategies.
- Marketing and promotional initiatives to expand into new markets and strengthen existing ones, including Nation-to-Nation opportunities.
- Community engagement, collaborative initiatives, accessibility support, translation and language services, and other activities approved ahead of application.
How to apply
- Submit the application via the outlined process.
- Provide a PERSONA-ID number as part of the application.
Selection criteria
- Company Background, Reach and Impact (/10): record of success, impact, and leadership in the Canadian screen sector; well-positioned to undertake the proposed activity.
- Proposed Activity (/30): clear opportunity, need or barrier; compelling rationale for stabilizing or growing the company; thoughtful approach to the activity and funding; outcomes measured in the short and long term.
- Inclusion, Accessibility and Engagement (/10): meaningful accessibility and inclusion approach; cultural protocols and community engagement considered in the application and budget.
- Collaboration, Positioning, and Impact (/20): relationship to participants, communities and experts addressed; activity advances Narrative Sovereignty and can positively impact the wider Indigenous IDM ecosystem.
- Feasibility (/10) and Budget Clarity and Completeness (/20): feasible with the stated collaborators, timeline and resources; sensible budget with clear payments, rates and fees, additional funding sources, and line items that support the activity and respect the maximum outlined.
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are juried by CMF staff and external readers, including members of Indigenous and Equity-Deserving Communities.
- Decisions are provided approximately sixteen (16) weeks following the Application Deadline.
- Successful Applicants receive an offer letter outlining any required deliverables to proceed to an Indigenous Company Impact Support Program Financing Agreement with the CMF.
- The agreement includes the Project, key deliverables, and reporting requirements.
- Successful Applicants must submit a final report and final cost report, and any deliverables specified in the contract; the Final Report Questionnaire is provided upon signing the agreement.
Additional information
- The program aligns with Narrative Sovereignty, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the CMF’s 2026-2029 Indigenous Action Plan.
Contacts
Official sources
Frequently Asked Questions about the Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program Program
What is the Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program?
Canada Media Fund’s Indigenous Company Impact Support Program offers non-repayable project-based support to Indigenous-owned companies in Canada’s IDM sector, helping them stabilize and grow through company advancement activities. Eligible activities include mentorship, business development, marketing, community engagement, translation and language services, and other initiatives that build capacity and market opportunities.
How much funding can be received?
Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program Funds up to $50,000 of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program program?
To be eligible for the Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program program, you must:
Indigenous-owned and controlled companies.
Companies must have received CMF funding between 2021 and 2026 through an eligible CMF or Indigenous Screen Office program.
Applicants must have a completed PERSONA-ID and be in good standing with the CMF.
What expenses are eligible under Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program?
Consulting fees and honorariums for mentors, consultants, experts and community leaders.
Fees and honorariums for participants, mentees and support workers.
Project management, contracted positions, coordination fees, and administrative expenses.
Festival and sales market attendance; marketing, promotion and audience development; travel, accommodation and per diems; dedicated facility and equipment rental; online platform fees.
Other third-party costs directly related to the project, including securing rights, business affairs expenses, support services such as translation, ASL interpretation, descriptive video, other accessibility measures, and sustainability measures.
Who can I contact for more information about the Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program?
You can contact Canada Media Fund (CMF) by email at industries@cmf-fmc.ca.
Where is the Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program available?
The Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program program is available across Canada.
Is the Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Canada Media Fund — Indigenous Company Impact Support Program is a Grant and Funding