Closed
Source verified July 24, 2026
Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities
Supports Indigenous entrepreneurship and business opportunities
Offered by
Funding available
$ 500,000
Deadline
Closed
Location
Canada
Who can apply
First Nations and Inuit communities and their governments, including tribal councils.
See full eligibility
Overview
Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities provides non-repayable funding for First Nations and Inuit communities, Indigenous organizations, unions, and educational institutions across Canada to strengthen Indigenous entrepreneurship and improve access to business opportunities. Projects may include advisory services, training, market development, organizational development, and employer outreach.
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At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Strengthen organizational capacity
- Access new markets
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Regional or national initiatives that provide tools and support to promote Indigenous entrepreneurship.
- Institutional development, including training, development, and business support for business development organizations.
- Business advisory services and training.
- Support for businesses seeking to start, expand, or innovate.
- Market development, organizational development, advocacy activities, and employer outreach to recruit, retain, and advance Indigenous workers.
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- First Nations and Inuit communities and their governments, including tribal councils.
- Indigenous-owned and controlled organizations and associations, except religious or charitable organizations.
- Labour organizations.
- Universities, colleges, and other educational institutions.
- Indigenous for-profit organizations, but only for non-commercial activities that do not seek profit, increase commercial value, or confer a commercial advantage.
Who is not eligible
- Religious or charitable organizations.
Eligible expenses
- Salaries, wages, and employee benefits.
- Travel.
- Overhead costs, including rent, utilities, supplies, minor repairs and maintenance, accounting and audit services, and insurance.
- Communications costs, including content development, translation, dissemination, advertising, and signage.
- Professional, consulting, advisory, and other services; training and professional development; conferences, workshops, seminars, events, and meetings; feasibility studies; marketing, advertising, and promotion; and capital expenditures related to establishing, acquiring, expanding, or modernizing a First Nations business.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- The program does not fund the start-up, acquisition, or expansion of individual businesses.
- Payments for services that would normally be provided free of charge, such as fees.
- The operation, repair, and maintenance of economic or municipal infrastructure.
- Economic infrastructure projects whose construction and operating costs should reasonably be covered by user fees or other means and that operate as commercial enterprises.
- Costs of services provided by a federal or provincial government.
Selection criteria
- Proposals may be prioritized when they align with Indigenous priorities and the priorities of the Government of Canada.
- Priority areas include clean technology, green technology, procurement from Indigenous businesses, GBA+, and capacity building.
How to apply
- Submit a project proposal by email to APA-ABO@sac-isc.gc.ca.
- Review the program requirements in the Terms and Conditions before applying.
- Submit the proposal no later than 17 October 2026 at 23:59 Eastern Time.
- If the project meets the program terms, you will be invited to complete and submit the application.
Processing and Agreement
- After the proposal is submitted, the program responds by email within 5 business days.
- The proposal is checked to confirm alignment with program priorities, eligibility, and readiness for the application stage.
- If the project complies with the program terms, the applicant is invited to complete and submit the full application.
- The application undergoes due diligence and a benefits evaluation focused on the organization’s experience, implementation capacity, and reporting capacity.
- The review committee compares the application with all other applications received, the review can take up to five months depending on volume, and all applicants are notified of the decision.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities Program
What is the Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities?
Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities provides non-repayable funding for First Nations and Inuit communities, Indigenous organizations, unions, and educational institutions across Canada to strengthen Indigenous entrepreneurship and improve access to business opportunities. Projects may include advisory services, training, market development, organizational development, and employer outreach.
How much funding can be received?
Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities Funds up to 100% of admissible expenses, capped at $500,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities program?
To be eligible for the Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities program, you must:
The project must be national or regional.
The initiative must support one or more program objectives.
Indigenous for-profit organizations can be funded only for non-commercial activities that do not seek profit or commercial advantage.
What expenses are eligible under Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities?
Regional or national initiatives that provide tools and support to promote Indigenous entrepreneurship.
Institutional development, including training, development, and business support for business development organizations.
Business advisory services and training.
Support for businesses seeking to start, expand, or innovate.
Market development, organizational development, advocacy activities, and employer outreach to recruit, retain, and advance Indigenous workers.
Who can I contact for more information about the Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities?
You can contact Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) by email at APA-ABO@sac-isc.gc.ca.
Where is the Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities available?
The Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities program is available across Canada.
Is the Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Contributions to support land management and economic development — Access to business opportunities is a Grant and Funding