How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Who are the financial supporters of the Grassroots Growth Program?

Grassroots Growth Program is funded by Government of Ontario, Ministry of Agriculture

What are Grassroots Growth Program's eligibility criterias?

The applicant must be a corporation, partnership, sole proprietor, or unincorporated association, including an Indigenous community or band council. The applicant must have the authority to enter into a legal agreement. The applicant must be in compliance with all requirements of law and agree to remain in compliance for the term of the agreement.

Grassroots Growth Program

Last Update: April 19, 2025

ON, Canada

Funding for agricultural and rural community initiatives in Ontario

Grassroots Growth Program at a glance

Eligible Funding

Up to 50% of project cost

Timeline

Open Date : August 18, 2021

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Grant Providers

Government of Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture

Status

Open

Overview of the Grassroots Growth Program program

Get funding for short-term projects that will support the growth of Ontario’s agri-food sector, ensure sustainability of agriculture and promote the development of vibrant rural economies.

Financing terms and conditions

Eligible provincial agri-food producer organizations may request up to 50% of eligible project costs for projects up to $100,000 in cost-share funding.
Projects that support more than one commodity may request additional funding, but not more than 50% of total eligible costs.
Combined federal and provincial government funding cannot exceed 100% of the project's eligible costs.

Eligible projects & activities

Initiatives that increase public engagement and support for agriculture, local food, and rural development.
Projects that build youth leadership capacity and increase youth involvement in the agri-food sector.
Activities that enhance safety and risk management practices in the agri-food sector.
Initiatives that strengthen public trust and public knowledge about Ontario’s agri-food systems.
Projects that encourage agri-food and rural development outcomes, including education, outreach, extension services, tools and resources, agri-food events and collaborations, and activities to increase local food access and consumption.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 50,000

Development of a local farmers' market featuring organic produce

$ 60,000

Public awareness campaign on sustainable farming practices

$ 70,000

Development of an agri-tourism trail connecting local farms around Kingston

$ 75,000

Establishment of a youth-led cooperative farm

$ 45,000

Agricultural safety training programs for youth

$ 35,000

Introducing food safety management systems in schools across Mississauga

Eligibility criteria of the Grassroots Growth Program program

The applicant must be a corporation, partnership, sole proprietor, or unincorporated association, including an Indigenous community or band council.
The applicant must have the authority to enter into a legal agreement.
The applicant must disclose all other possible sources of funding being provided or requested for the project.
The applicant must be in compliance with all requirements of law and agree to remain in compliance for the term of the agreement.
The project must support at least one of the following objectives: increase public engagement and support for agriculture, local food, and rural development; build youth leadership capacity and increase youth involvement in the agri-food sector; enhance safety and risk management practices in the agri-food sector; strengthen public trust and public knowledge about Ontario’s agri-food systems; encourage agri-food and rural development outcomes.
The applicant must demonstrate organizational and financial capacity to deliver the proposed project.

Who is eligible?

Corporations
Partnerships
Sole proprietors
Unincorporated associations
Indigenous communities
Band councils
Provincial agri-food producer organizations (for targeted local marketing projects)

Who is not eligible

Projects for the sole benefit of a for-profit organization are ineligible.
Projects that are eligible under an active Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) intake or a publicized regular OMAFRA funding program are ineligible.
Projects whose sole purpose is to bring the applicant’s operations into compliance with requirements of law are ineligible.
Projects involving direct involvement of the Province of Ontario’s staff cannot be considered.
Projects that directly involve influencing and/or lobbying any level of government are not eligible.
Projects that support normal operating costs or commercial expansion of organizations/businesses are excluded.
Projects that are already receiving 100% total funding from other sources, including government and non-government, are ineligible.

Eligible expenses

Cost for purchase or rental of goods (including equipment, machinery, supplies) and related shipping and installation costs (capital costs considered on a case-by-case basis and must be minimal with rationale provided).
Direct staff salaries and benefits (excluding severance), pro-rated to reflect project-related work.
Third-party service costs (e.g., per diem fees), pro-rated to reflect project-related work (must specify costs such as translation, web development, printing, etc.).
Costs of land rental for research purposes.
Costs of rental of facilities.
Travel and meal costs (restaurant/prepared food only, no alcohol), considered on a case-by-case basis and must be essential and minimal.
Capital costs including machinery, equipment and installation, software development (implementation and customization), information technology equipment, installation, renovations, site improvements, leasehold improvements, building improvements, and construction.

Eligible geographic areas

Ontario

Eligibility criteria of the Grassroots Growth Program program

Project and applicant meet eligibility criteria; applications not meeting these basic criteria will not proceed to merit assessment.
Soundness of project concept and rationale, including demonstration of need.
Milestones and activities are incremental, clearly articulated, and aligned with the project goals.
Benefits of the project are well described, including identification of beneficiaries and how success will be measured.
The sustainability plan provides a detailed description of how the project will be sustained after funding ends.
Relevant experience in successfully completing projects of similar size and scope.
Governance and control structures supporting the successful completion of the project.
Knowledge sharing plan, demonstrating how knowledge/results will be shared with target audiences and how intellectual property will be managed (if any).
Project costs are reasonable and well-defined for each activity; includes supporting information on how costs are determined (such as quotes or previous project experience).
Demonstrated financial capacity to cash-flow the project.
Identification of cost-share funding from other organizations and sources to amplify the impact of potential provincial funding.
Scalability of the project, including budget and duration considerations.

How to apply to the Grassroots Growth Program program

Review guidelines and eligibility

Read the Grassroots Growth Initiative (GGI) guidelines and appendices thoroughly
Review eligibility requirements for applicants and projects
Confirm your organization meets all legal and governance criteria

Request application instructions

Contact ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca to request application instructions
Gather required project documentation before starting your application

Prepare application documents

Prepare detailed project information (design, rationale, anticipated benefits, capacity)
Develop a work plan with activity timelines and a detailed budget
Disclose all potential and confirmed funding sources

Submit your application

Complete the application following the provided instructions
Ensure accuracy and completeness of all information and signatures
Submit the application via the specified channel (Transfer Payment Ontario platform)

Confirm receipt of application

Receive automatic email confirmation of receipt from Transfer Payment Ontario
Contact support if confirmation is not received

Undergo application review

Your application will be reviewed for eligibility and merit
Evaluation focuses on alignment with GGI objectives, project impact, and organizational capacity
Final funding decisions made by the Minister

Finalize agreement and compliance

If approved, enter into a funding agreement with the Province of Ontario
Provide proof of insurance naming the province as additional insured, if required
Register business information through Transfer Payment Ontario

Additional information

The Grassroots Growth Initiative (GGI) guidelines are subject to change without notice; applicants should review the most current guidelines prior to applying.
Cost-share funding is strongly encouraged; applicants that secure financial support from other sources, especially confirmed non-provincial government sources, may receive additional merit consideration.
Applicants must disclose all sources of project funding—failure to do so may result in application or agreement termination.
Multi-year funding requests require a clear rationale and annual forecasting of budget and activities.
All costs claimed must be incurred after project approval and before/on the project completion date as specified in the agreement; costs incurred prior to this are at the applicant's risk and may not be reimbursed.
Successful applicants must enter into a formal funding agreement with the Province of Ontario and comply with all specified terms, including holding comprehensive general liability insurance with His Majesty the King in Right of Ontario named as an additional insured party.
Payments are based on project progress and reporting, and may be made incrementally as milestones are achieved. No payment is issued before agreement signature and meeting of all conditions.
Applicants may be required to provide access for field inspections or audits, supply accurate and timely information, and retain project-related records for at least seven years after agreement expiry or termination.
OMAFRA reserves the right to announce or publish information about funded projects, and applicants must provide 10 business days' notice for communications activities related to approved projects.
Applications cannot assign, charge, or use payments as security without prior written authorization from OMAFRA.
Applications may be disclosed to third-party external reviewers as part of the assessment process.
Eligibility may be revoked for providing misleading information, abusive behavior toward ministry staff, or owing debts to the Crown without a repayment plan.
Recipients are obligated to repay any funds received in error or for which they were not eligible, along with interest if notified.
Participation in the program may be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Ontario), except for specific personal identifiers such as Social Insurance Numbers in certain cases.
Combined federal and provincial government funding must not exceed 100% of eligible project costs.