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Source verified August 11, 2026
Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity
Supports economic development capacity in Southern Interior communities
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Latest source updateLast Update: August 11, 2026Latest change: The Building Economic Development Capacity page now shows a later intake close date, and the linked application guide has been updated.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: August 11, 2026
Latest change: The Building Economic Development Capacity page now shows a later intake close date, and the linked application guide has been updated.
BEDC intake deadline and guide updated
The Building Economic Development Capacity page now shows the next intake closing on October 8, 2026 at noon Pacific Time instead of October 1, 2026. The linked application guide also changed to a different PDF URL. On the contact page, the form display changed so the submission area now shows a plain Submit button instead of CAPTCHA, while the listed email and phone details remain available.
Funding available
$ 75,000
Deadline
October 8, 2026
Opened September 1, 2026
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Who can apply
Local governments (municipalities and regional districts) and their associated economic development organizations
See full eligibility
Overview
Building Economic Development Capacity provides non-repayable grants to local governments, First Nation communities, and non-profit business support organizations in the Southern Interior. It supports economic development planning, feasibility assessments, business retention and expansion initiatives, industry analysis, community revitalization, and collaborative regional projects.
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At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase social or community impact
- Improve governance or administrative structure
- Develop strategic partnerships
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- British Columbia
Legal structures
- Non-profit
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Business Associations
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- 100% donations / grants
Scope
- Regional
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Economic development planning, feasibility assessments, research, and grant writing support to access funding sources which leverage ETSI-BC funding by a factor of 10
- Business retention and expansion initiatives; business engagement initiatives
- Developing business diversification and investment-ready strategies; key industry sector analysis/development
- Community economic revitalization
- Collaborative regional planning and/or business/investment attraction projects; cost-sharing of economic development interns to help implement new projects
Documents Needed
- Letter of support with the application, if you are not the primary economic development organization for your community
- Any relevant supporting documents
- Confirmation of all other sources of project funding
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Local governments (municipalities and regional districts) and their associated economic development organizations
- First Nation communities and their associated economic development organizations
- Non-Profit Business Support organizations serving the region, such as Indigenous business support organizations, Industry associations, Chambers of Commerce, Community Futures, Accelerators
Who is not eligible
- Applicants who have received funding twice in the last four consecutive intakes
- Private individuals or for-profit private sector businesses (including but not limited to corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, and sole proprietorships)
- Applicants that have an open project with ETSI-BC and an overdue outstanding report
- Organizations that have been operating for less than two years
Eligible expenses
- Project-related contractor or professional consulting fees and travel expenses
- Project-related technology - computer, communications and audio or video equipment rental
- Project-related marketing or promotion-related costs, collateral, and outreach
- Third party project-related costs including reports, printing, postage, or data
- Cost of labour, materials or supplies for project-related capital expenditures; project administration costs up to 10% of ETSI-BC funding
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Healthcare; education facilities and infrastructure; religious institutions
- Activities which do not comply with local, provincial, or federal legislation; sponsorships of events; political donations; controversial initiatives with moral, social, religious, or public safety concerns; projects that primarily fund social initiatives
- Projects that benefit a narrow geographic area or have a limited economic impact; projects where the primary economic impact is construction of a community amenity or facility; projects that fund community infrastructure that would normally be funded by the government, for example: roads, water and sewer projects, recreational facilities, health or education facilities, daycares or social housing
- Wages for existing staff or staff funded through other government programs; supplementary wages/contract fees on an existing contract; office equipment; living expenses or car allowance; hospitality costs – alcohol; purchase of equipment or tools
- Costs incurred prior to the project approval date set out in the contribution agreement; costs not specifically approved in the project budget; project administration costs that exceed 10% of ETSI-BC funding; in-kind contributions are not eligible for funding or reimbursement
Eligible geographic areas
- ETSI-BC service area
Selection criteria
- Identified need/opportunity
- Quality of workplan and prior planning and research
- Co-ordination with the economic development function in your community
- Leveraging of other funding, applicant’s capacity to manage the project, number of jobs created or maintained, and number of businesses assisted
- Consideration of reconciliation, diversity and inclusion, collaboration with other organizations, regional impact, direct economic benefit to smaller communities and First Nations, and support for recovery activities in communities impacted by natural disaster
How to apply
- Prior to applying, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact ETSI-BC to discuss the proposed project scope and potential alignment with the grant funding program.
- Applicants complete and submit a funding application on the ETSI-BC Grant Application Portal.
- All supporting information must be submitted electronically.
- Applicants may need to provide confirmation of all other sources of project funding prior to entering into a contribution agreement.
Processing and Agreement
- ETSI-BC staff conduct preliminary due diligence of the application and forward the funding request to the Regional Advisory Committee(s) for review and recommendation.
- Funding decisions may require ETSI-BC Board approval.
- Following the Regional Advisory Committee meeting (and Board meeting if necessary), ETSI-BC staff notify the applicants of the decision by email.
- ETSI-BC provides the applicant with a Contribution Agreement for signature only after the applicant confirms in writing that all other funding is secured; a fully executed Contribution Agreement is required prior to any funds being released.
- Applicants will be required to agree to communication and project reporting activities as a condition of grant approval, including confirmation of successful completion, Interim Report, Final Report, participation in program review calls/meeting, and acknowledgement of ETSI-BC in public communication about the project.
Additional information
- Next Funding Intake opens September 1, 2026.
- Information sessions are scheduled for September 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM Pacific Time and September 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM Pacific Time.
- An application guide is available for review and download.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity Program
What is the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity?
Building Economic Development Capacity provides non-repayable grants to local governments, First Nation communities, and non-profit business support organizations in the Southern Interior. It supports economic development planning, feasibility assessments, business retention and expansion initiatives, industry analysis, community revitalization, and collaborative regional projects.
How much funding can be received?
Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity Funds up to 100% of admissible expenses, capped at $75,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
Applications will open on September 1, 2026.
Who is eligible for the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity program?
To be eligible for the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity program, you must:
Registered entity operating for two years or more
Current with annual Federal and/or Provincial filings
What expenses are eligible under Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity?
Economic development planning, feasibility assessments, research, and grant writing support to access funding sources which leverage ETSI-BC funding by a factor of 10
Business retention and expansion initiatives; business engagement initiatives
Developing business diversification and investment-ready strategies; key industry sector analysis/development
Community economic revitalization
Collaborative regional planning and/or business/investment attraction projects; cost-sharing of economic development interns to help implement new projects
Who can I contact for more information about the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity?
You can contact Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) by email at mary@etsi-bc.ca or by phone at 236-420-3680 ext. 0.
Where is the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity available?
The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity program is available the province of British Columbia.