
Community Opportunity Readiness
Last Update: August 7, 2025
Canada
Supports First Nation and Inuit communities' economic development initiatives
Community Opportunity Readiness at a glance
Eligible Funding
- No Condition
Timeline
- Unspecified
Financing Type
Grant and Funding
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Grant Providers
- Government of Canada
Program status
Open
Overview of the Community Opportunity Readiness program
The Community Opportunity Readiness Program supports First Nation and Inuit communities with partial funding to develop community-owned businesses and enhance economic participation through activities such as feasibility studies, business planning, and economic infrastructure development. Applicants must secure complementary funding, as the program covers only a portion of project costs; the maximum funding amount is not specified in the available guidelines.
Financing terms and conditions
- The program provides a portion of the total project budget; applicants must secure the remaining funds from other sources.
- The project must generate community economic benefits that exceed ISC contributions by a minimum ratio of 5:1.
Eligible projects & activities
- Pursuing economic opportunities through feasibility studies, planning, negotiations, and related assessments.
- Attracting private sector investment via marketing, advertising, and promotion related to business readiness.
- Supporting the start-up and expansion of community-owned businesses by addressing equity gaps and providing business advisory services and training.
- Facilitating commercial and market development initiatives for community enterprises.
- Developing economic infrastructure that supports business activities at the community level.
Eligibility criteria of the Community Opportunity Readiness program
- The applicant must be a First Nation or Inuit community or government, including tribal councils, located in the provinces.
- The project must pursue economic opportunities or support community-owned businesses.
- The applicant must demonstrate access to other funding sources or contribute their own resources.
- The proposal must aim to generate net economic benefits for the community, such as job creation, training, business contracts, or increased community revenues.
Who is eligible?
- First Nation community-owned businesses
- Inuit community-owned businesses
Eligible expenses
- Costs for feasibility studies
- Marketing, advertising, and promotion expenses
- Planning and negotiation costs
- Legal fees related to assessing economic opportunities
- Land surveys and property appraisals
- Business advisory services and training expenses
- Expenses related to commercial and market development
- Community economic infrastructure development expenses (not tied to a specific business)
Eligible geographic areas
- First Nation and Inuit communities and their governments, including tribal councils, located in the provinces of Canada.
Eligibility criteria of the Community Opportunity Readiness program
- Potential of the project or activity to generate net economic benefit for First Nation and Inuit communities.
- Achievement of a minimum benefit-to-contribution ratio of 5:1 (community economic benefits should exceed ISC contributions by a minimum of five to one).
- Creation of community economic benefits, such as jobs, training for community members, contracts and purchases from community businesses, business start-ups or expansions, and increased community government revenues.
- Demonstrated management capacity and business expertise of the applicant in relation to the project.
- Long-term viability of the proposed business opportunity and its alignment with federal economic strategies and priorities.
How to apply to the Community Opportunity Readiness program
1
Assess community readiness
- Identify the economic opportunity relevant to the First Nation or Inuit community
- Determine the community's readiness and needs for economic development
2
Compile supporting documentation
- Gather documents demonstrating community needs and potential benefits
- Collect information on intended projects, partners, and other funding sources
3
Prepare application proposal
- Prepare a detailed proposal including project objectives, economic benefits, and contributions from other sources
- Ensure compliance with program guidelines and eligibility criteria
4
Submit the application
- Submit the complete application and all required documents to Indigenous Services Canada
- Ensure all submission guidelines are followed
5
Await funding decision
- Wait for assessment and decision from Indigenous Services Canada
- Be prepared to provide additional information if requested
Additional information
- The program consolidates several former funding programs, streamlining support for community economic development.
- Funding is proposal-based and subject to a competitive selection process, with no guarantee of approval for every applicant.
- ISC emphasizes the importance of leveraging other funding sources in addition to program support.
- Environmental impact is considered in the assessment of all proposals.
Apply to this program

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