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Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants - Ontario - Canada
Closed
Source verified August 20, 2026

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants

Support for regional economic growth in Eastern Ontario
Offered by
Government of Ontario
Official source: ontario.ca

Receipt of requests is now closed

Get notified about updates to this grant.

Latest source update
Last Update: August 20, 2026
Latest change: The project eligibility page now spells out eligible project types, organizational criteria, and ineligible sectors, including primary production examples such as mining, agriculture, and forestry.
View change
Eligibility and sector criteria clarified
The project eligibility and criteria page now gives a fuller list of eligible and ineligible projects, along with organization and experience requirements for applicants. It also clarifies that primary production is ineligible, with examples now explicitly including mining, agriculture, and forestry, which affects how projects and sectors are classified.
Funding available
$ 1,500,000
Deadline
Closed
Location
Ontario, Canada
Who can apply

For-profit businesses registered to carry out business in Ontario

See full eligibility

Overview

The Eastern Ontario Development Fund provides funding support and complementary services to existing businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in eastern Ontario. It helps projects and investments that aim to grow businesses, improve productivity, invest in innovation and skills development, pursue new markets, and create sustainable jobs.
Receipt of requests is now closed
Get notified about updates to this grant.

At a glance

Funding available

Financing goals
  • Increase performance through digital transformation
  • Increase production or service capacity
  • Develop a new product or service
Eligible Funding
  • Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
  • Up to 15% of project cost
Funds Providers

Eligible candidates

Eligible Industries
  • All industries
Location
  • Ontario
Legal structures
  • For-profit business
Annual revenue
  • All revenue ranges
Organisation size
  • 5-100 employees
Audience
  • Rural or Northern Residents

Next Steps

1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility

Activities funded

  • Investments in equipment, new technologies, talent and training to enhance productivity and competitiveness and support growth
  • Investment in new operations in Eastern Ontario
  • Investment in existing operations that lead to business expansion and introduction of new products or services, or new markets
  • Municipal investment in infrastructure to attract private investment
  • Consortium projects between communities and businesses, or among municipalities, to address competitiveness, technology adoption, supply chains, or economic development strategies

Documents Needed

  • Completed application form
  • Cash flow forecast
  • Articles of incorporation and/or letters patent
  • Corporate family tree
  • Financial statements from the last three fiscal years audited in accordance with IAS/CAS, review engagement financial statements prepared in accordance with CSRE 2400, or compilation engagement financial statements prepared in accordance with CSRS 4200 if applying for a grant and revenues are under $5 million

Official resources

Official page

Eastern Ontario Development Fund

Program guide

Appendix A: Eligible and ineligible cost categories

Appendix B: job creation and definition

Appendix B: Key terms of funding agreements

Application form

Application form

Application form

Application form

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) and Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF)

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) and Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF)

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

  • For-profit businesses registered to carry out business in Ontario
  • Existing businesses located in, or planning to locate in, eastern Ontario
  • Municipalities
  • Not-for-profit organizations
  • Economic development organizations or sector organizations leading community economic development projects

Who is not eligible

  • Start-ups
  • Companies related to a current recipient through a parent or ownership
  • Businesses in ineligible sectors such as primary production, retail, construction, personal services, consulting, electricity generation, waste management or recycling, information and communication services, and academic research
  • Stand-alone restaurants and hotels, unless transformative and considered a regional priority
  • Applications submitted by a third party on behalf of an applicant will not be considered

Eligible expenses

  • Construction and project facility modifications or upgrades, including site servicing and power service upgrades required to execute the project
  • Equipment and machinery necessary for the successful completion of the project, including new technology and new high-performance equipment and machinery
  • One-time labour directly related to project costs and incremental specialized labour directly related to the project
  • Direct materials used for configuring and testing production processes and systems, training employees, prototypes, and other materials directly related to the project as approved by Ontario
  • Specialized expertise, training and talent costs, and permits, inspections and other fees directly attributable to the project

Ineligible Costs and Activities

  • Ongoing operations, including maintenance and capital replacement
  • Refinancing of existing business operations
  • Acquisitions and buyouts
  • Restructurings or relocations to other jurisdictions within Ontario
  • Projects that target ineligible sectors or applicants, including primary production, retail, construction, personal services, consulting, electricity generation, waste management, recycling, information and communication services, academic research, and stand-alone restaurants and hotels unless transformative and considered a regional priority

Eligible geographic areas

  • Frontenac
  • Haliburton
  • Hastings
  • Kawartha Lakes
  • Lanark
  • Leeds and Grenville
  • Lennox and Addington
  • Muskoka
  • Northumberland
  • Ottawa
  • Peterborough
  • Prescott and Russell
  • Prince Edward
  • Renfrew
  • Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry

Selection criteria

  • Alignment with program objectives, including investment attraction and job creation
  • Relation to other projects under consideration
  • Regional economic development benefits and return on investment to Ontario
  • Job creation outcomes, including good jobs and hiring of highly skilled labour
  • Increased innovation, increased productivity, revenue growth including new markets, and project risks

How to apply

  • Complete the online self assessment tool.
  • Contact a regional advisor for help with your application.
  • Register for Transfer Payment Ontario (TPON).
  • Work with your regional advisor to complete the application form and submit the application on TPON along with the required supplemental information.

Processing and Agreement

  • To obtain funding, the company or organization must enter into a funding agreement with the Province of Ontario.
  • No payments will be made until the funding agreement has been signed and any conditions for disbursement have been fulfilled.
  • Sources of project financing and proof of insurance of at least $2 million must be in place before any disbursements can be made.
  • Disbursements will be made in arrears and paid in annual instalments that shall not exceed the annual cap set by Government of Ontario.
  • At Ontario’s sole discretion, an initial payment of up to 20% may be made, and a performance payment is usually 20% or more of the total funding after project completion and final reporting requirements have been received to Ontario’s satisfaction.

Additional information

  • Applicants must speak with a regional advisor before applying.
  • Applications are submitted through TPON only.
  • The program is discretionary and funding is not guaranteed.
  • Funding agreements may include reporting and clawback provisions.

Contacts

rdp@ontario.ca
1-800-361-3223

Other components of this program

Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants Program

What is the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants?

The Eastern Ontario Development Fund provides funding support and complementary services to existing businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in eastern Ontario. It helps projects and investments that aim to grow businesses, improve productivity, invest in innovation and skills development, pursue new markets, and create sustainable jobs.

How much funding can be received?

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants Funds up to 15% of admissible expenses, capped at $1,500,000 per project.

Who is eligible for the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants program?

To be eligible for the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants program, you must: Business projects must have at least 3 years of operations and financial statements. Business projects must employ at least 10 people, or 5 if the project is in rural Ontario. Business projects must commit to creating at least 5 new jobs, or a 30% increase for companies with fewer than 15 employees.

What expenses are eligible under Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants?

Investments in equipment, new technologies, talent and training to enhance productivity and competitiveness and support growth Investment in new operations in Eastern Ontario Investment in existing operations that lead to business expansion and introduction of new products or services, or new markets Municipal investment in infrastructure to attract private investment Consortium projects between communities and businesses, or among municipalities, to address competitiveness, technology adoption, supply chains, or economic development strategies

Who can I contact for more information about the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants?

You can contact Government of Ontario by email at rdp@ontario.ca or by phone at 1-800-361-3223.

Where is the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants available?

The Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants program is available the province of Ontario.

Is the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants is a Grant and Funding