How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $1000000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Who are the financial supporters of the Edmonton Edge Fund?

Edmonton Edge Fund is funded by City of Edmonton

What are Edmonton Edge Fund's eligibility criterias?

Must be a registered, active legal entity Must operate in Edmonton or plan to relocate/expand there Must have or plan to obtain a valid City of Edmonton Business Licence

Edmonton Edge Fund

Last Update: May 14, 2025

Edmonton, AB

Supports Edmonton businesses to start, scale, and innovate

Edmonton Edge Fund at a glance

Eligible Funding

From $75,000 to $1,000,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Timeline

Continuous Intakes

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

All industries

Grant Providers

City of Edmonton

Status

Open

Overview of the Edmonton Edge Fund program

The Edmonton Edge Fund provides project-based grants of up to $1 million to support businesses starting, scaling, or growing in Edmonton. Funding is available for activities such as prototype development, commercialization, market expansion, production improvement, and supply chain localization.

Financing terms and conditions

Start Stream: Grant funding ranges from $75,000 to $100,000 per project, with no matching funding requirement.
Scale & Grow Stream: Grant funding ranges from $250,000 up to just under $1,000,000 per project, with a matching funding requirement covering 50% of eligible project costs.
Milestone-based payments: Funds are disbursed in installments as key project deliverables are completed.
Each applicant may receive a maximum of one grant from the program.

Eligible projects & activities

Advancement and commercialization of innovative products or services.
Scaling business operations to support significant growth.
Development and testing of prototypes to bring new ideas to market.
Expansion into new markets, including domestic and international growth initiatives.
Projects that strengthen or localize supply chains within Edmonton.

Eligibility criteria of the Edmonton Edge Fund program

The applicant must be a registered business or nonprofit organization with an economic mandate, operating as an active legal entity.
The applicant must currently operate in Edmonton or have plans to relocate to or expand within Edmonton.
The organization must have or commit to obtaining a valid City of Edmonton Business Licence during the project.
For the Start Stream, organizations must have been registered as an active legal entity for at least three months before submitting an Expression of Interest.
The project must be a new initiative, physically located in Edmonton, and have a maximum term of two years.

Who is eligible?

Registered businesses in any industry or sector operating in Edmonton
Registered nonprofit organizations with an Economic Mandate operating in Edmonton

Who is not eligible

Religious organizations without an Economic Mandate.
Applicants that are in arrears with the City of Edmonton.
Applicants currently in dispute with the City of Edmonton.

Eligible expenses

Direct capital costs, such as equipment and materials essential to the project.
Direct labour costs, including salaries or wages of new employees and contractor fees specifically for the project.
Marketing costs directly related to the promotion of the product(s) or service(s) connected to the project.
Professional, advisory, and technical service fees required for the project.
Reasonable travel expenses directly related to the project, in line with the National Joint Council Travel Directive.

Eligible geographic areas

City of Edmonton

Eligibility criteria of the Edmonton Edge Fund program

Demonstrated advancement of one or more of the program's Expected Outcomes: job creation, economic benefits, down/upstream benefits, or social/environmental benefits.
Strength and clarity of the business case, including implementation plan, project need, risk identification and mitigation, and feasibility of objectives and timeline.
Clear evidence of growth potential, including long-term benefits and competitiveness in the target market.
Financial viability and justification of project costs, with sufficient budget detail and alignment of requested funding with project scope.
Additional consideration for projects advancing diversity, equity, or led by newcomers or underrepresented groups.

How to apply to the Edmonton Edge Fund program

Step 1: Review Program MaterialsVisit Edmonton.ca/EdgeFund and carefully read all program materials, including the program guide, to determine project eligibility and understand the requirements.
Step 2: Expression of Interest (EOI) SubmissionOn or after the program launch (August 28, 2023), access the digital Expression of Interest form available on the program’s website.
Complete the EOI by providing required organization and project details, including applicant information, project description, industry, years in business, ownership, budget, funding amount requested, and other funding sources.
Submit the completed EOI form by the stated deadline (September 18, 2023, at midnight).
Step 3: EOI Evaluation and ShortlistingThe Program Team evaluates submitted EOIs based on eligibility and alignment with assessment criteria.
Shortlisted applicants are notified (expected by October 6, 2023) and invited to submit a Full Application.
Step 4: Full Application SubmissionShortlisted applicants receive an information package and guidelines for the Full Application.
Prepare and submit the Full Application between October 9, 2023 and November 6, 2023, including a pitch deck (or equivalent), detailed project budget, quotes for contractors (if applicable), cashflow projections, project milestone schedule, and business case.
Include confirmation of matching funding if applying under the Scale & Grow Stream, or optional confirmation of other funding sources for the Start Stream.
Select applicants may book a consultation with the Program Team during this period.
Step 5: Evaluation of Full ApplicationsThe Program Team reviews Full Applications and forwards shortlisted projects to the selection committee for funding recommendations, based on assessment criteria and budget availability.
Step 6: Notification of Funding DecisionsApplicants are notified in December 2023 whether their application is approved, approved with conditions, or not approved.
Step 7: Funding Agreement DevelopmentSuccessful applicants collaborate with the Program Team to develop a milestone and payment schedule in a formal funding agreement.
Step 8: Project Implementation and ReportingBegin the project within a reasonable timeframe after signing the funding agreement (maximum project term: two years).
Report progress and provide final reporting upon project completion to the Program Team.

Additional information

Applicants may submit multiple applications; however, only the highest-scoring application per applicant will be considered for funding.
Funding is disbursed in milestone payments, linked to the completion of key project deliverables.
Applications are evaluated competitively due to limited program funding.
Decisions on funding approval or rejection are final and may not be appealed.