Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Community economic development projects
- Open Date : July 2, 2024
- Closing date : September 17, 2024
Overview
Receive a grant of up to $1.5 million to cover up to 50% of eligible costs for projects that focus on job creation and economic and business development in eastern Ontario.
At a glance
Funding available
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Access new markets
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Open Date : July 2, 2024
- Closing date : September 17, 2024
Eligible candidates
- All industries
- Ontario
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
- All revenue ranges
- All organization sizes
- Rural or Northern Residents
- Canadians
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Employment and Training
- Business Associations
- Rural / Remote communities
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
- Community leaders
- All structures
- Municipal
- Regional
Next Steps
Activities funded
The Eastern Ontario Development Fund supports projects aimed at enhancing community economic development through strategic investments and collaborations. Eligible projects are designed to create infrastructure improvements, foster technological advancements, and facilitate private sector investments that lead to regional growth and job creation.
- Investment in municipal infrastructure to attract private sector investments and facilitate job creation.
- Forming consortia between communities and businesses to tackle competitiveness limitations or adopt technology.
- Developing supply chains that support new foreign direct investments.
- Consortium projects between municipalities to implement a comprehensive economic development strategy.
- Executing priorities from regional or provincial strategic plans or previous business cases aimed at regional development.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
The Eastern Ontario Development Fund is available to entities located within the defined geographic regions of Eastern Ontario. Eligible applicants include:- Municipalities and Indigenous Communities: Within the specified regions, they can apply for support projects aimed at economic development.- Incorporated Non-Governmental Organizations: These organizations must have an economic development mandate or function, such as industry or sector associations.- Consortiums of Businesses: Such consortiums must include at least one not-for-profit organization leading the effort.In addition to organizational eligibility, the projects must comply with specific requirements, such as committing to a minimum investment amount of $100,000, demonstrating private sector support, and creating measurable outcomes in terms of investment, job growth, and new market accesses.
Who is not eligible
This grant excludes certain projects and industries mainly related to specific businesses' ongoing operations or core activities. These restrictions are set to align with the program's economic development goals in eastern Ontario.
- Projects related to ongoing operations including maintenance and capital replacement.
- Refinancing of existing business operations.
- Acquisitions and buyouts.
- Restructuring or relocating to other jurisdictions within Ontario.
- Primary production.
- Retail businesses.
- Construction projects, such as residential development.
- Personal services operations.
- Consulting businesses.
- Electricity generation companies.
- Waste management and recycling industries.
- Information and communication services.
- Academic research.
- Stand-alone restaurants and hotels, unless they are transformative and considered a regional priority.
Eligible expenses
The Eastern Ontario Development Fund provides financial assistance for projects that stimulate economic growth and job creation in eastern Ontario. Eligible projects focus on business growth, productivity improvement, innovation, skills development, market expansion, and community economic development.
- Projects aimed at business growth through strategic investments.
- Initiatives that focus on improving productivity within businesses.
- Projects promoting innovation and skills development.
- Efforts to enter or expand in new markets.
- Community projects that invest in infrastructure supporting economic development.
- Projects that lead to significant job creation and private sector growth.
Eligible geographic areas
This grant is available to companies and organizations located in specific geographical areas within Eastern Ontario. The eligible locations are focused on fostering regional economic development and growth.
- 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
Additional information
Here are additional relevant details for this grant:
- Complementary services and supports are available whether or not your application for funding is successful.
- Consultations with a regional advisor are required before applying to better align your project with program objectives.
- Notification of the application decision is typically provided within 60 business days of the application deadline.
- Accessing skills and talent, environmental compliance assistance, and tax credit information may be available as additional support for business projects.
- Land-use planning and workforce development navigation support may be offered as additional support for community projects.