How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 250000% of admissible expenses.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is 2025-12-01T00:00:00Z.

Who are the financial supporters of the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital?

Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital is funded by New Relationship Trust

Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital

Q: What are Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital's eligibility criterias?

Applicants must be B.C. First Nation governments, Indigenous businesses, economic development corporations, or entrepreneurs with a minimum of 51% Indigenous ownership. On-Reserve projects must provide evidence of First Nation government support through a Band Council Resolution or equivalent. Applicant(s) generally must have the financial capacity to provide between 25% to 60% of the project costs through cash equity or loan financing.

Last Update: July 22, 2025

BC, Canada

Support for Indigenous business development in the cannabis sector

Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital at a glance

Eligible Funding

Max. $250,000

Timeline

Closing date : December 1, 2025

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Manufacturing
Retail trade

Grant Providers

New Relationship Trust

Program status

Open

Overview of the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program

Get up to $250,000 in funding to cover the cost of licensing and permitting as well as make capital available to support the launch or expansion of businesses in the cannabis industry.

Financing terms and conditions

This grant provides supportive financing modalities designed to promote the development of Indigenous businesses in the regulated cannabis space. The modalities facilitate project initiation, growth, and transition to the regulatory market.

ICBF Grants may be combined with commercial loan financing, alternative financing, or equivalent cash equity.
Applicants generally need to provide between 25% to 60% of the project costs through cash equity and/or loan financing.
Financing assurance is required for project types such as acquisitions and capital costs.
Up to 75% of eligible business planning, advisory, and training costs are covered by the grant.
Up to 40% of the business capitalization costs are supportable.
A maximum cumulative contribution of $250,000 per project is available.

Eligible projects & activities

This grant aims to support Indigenous communities and businesses in the cannabis industry by providing resources for planning, design, and capital activities. The focus is on facilitating the development of new cannabis businesses, expansion of existing ones, and successful transition to regulated markets.

Business start-up and feasibility planning to establish or expand cannabis businesses.
Advisory services to assist with transitioning to the regulated market.
Government licensing and permitting for viable cannabis business opportunities.
Financial support for business start-up, expansion, acquisition, including necessary capital costs like construction, retrofits, and equipment purchase.
Business advisory costs and skills training directly related to the business launch.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 250,000

Expand a medicinal cannabis dispensary to include more wellness services

$ 200,000

Transition an unregulated cannabis farm into a regulated one

$ 200,000

Transform an existing unregulated cannabis delivery service to a regulated one

$ 188,000

Launch a retail cannabis store focusing on organic products

$ 250,000

Establish a cannabis processing facility focused on product innovation

$ 250,000

Open a cannabis cultivation facility with advanced hydroponic systems

Eligibility criteria of the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program

Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements regarding ownership, financial capacity, and other project-related criteria.

Applicants must be B.C. First Nation governments, businesses, and economic development corporations.
Applicants may also include B.C. Tribal Councils, Indigenous Corporations, partnerships, associations, cooperatives, and institutions.
Eligible participants also include B.C. Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) entrepreneurs and businesses.
First Nations businesses and Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses must have a minimum of 51% Indigenous ownership of the underlying business.
Indigenous ownership and control must at minimum be proportionate to the amount of equity invested in the business.
Applicants must be willing and able to share in the costs of the project, as grants are not a stand-alone source of funds.
On-Reserve projects must provide evidence of community engagement and First Nation government support, such as a Band Council Resolution or equivalent.
For On-Reserve projects, if applicable, the status of transitioning from an unregulated business to the regulated market must be provided.
On-Reserve projects seeking both federal (production) and provincial (retail) licenses must show if the First Nation has entered into or plans to enter into a section 119 government-to-government agreement with the Province.
One ICBF Grant is allowed per project, but multiple Indigenous owners can be included under one grant.
Financing requirements state that grants for acquisitions, capital costs, infrastructure, etc., must be applied for with reasonable assurance of commercial loan financing, alternative financing, or an equivalent amount of cash equity.
Applicants must generally have the financial capacity to provide between 25% to 60% of the project costs through cash equity and/or loan financing, depending on the project type and ongoing program criteria.

Who is eligible?

B.C. First Nation governments, businesses and economic development corporations; B.C. Tribal Councils; B.C. Indigenous Corporations, partnerships, associations, co-operatives and institutions; and B.C. Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) entrepreneurs and businesses.

Who is not eligible

There is no explicit list of companies or industries that are not eligible for the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund based on the provided context. However, the focus is clearly on supporting Indigenous-led businesses and projects within the regulated cannabis sector in British Columbia.

Eligible expenses

The BC Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund (ICBF) focuses on advancing economic development opportunities for Indigenous communities and businesses in the regulated cannabis sector. Eligible projects span from business inception to expansion within the cannabis industry, ensuring a focus on regulated participation and industry growth.

Establishment of new businesses within the regulated cannabis industry.
Expansion of existing regulated cannabis businesses.
Transition of existing unregulated cannabis businesses into the regulated industry.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is available to First Nation Communities and Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs located in British Columbia, Canada. It is specifically aimed at those who are interested in participating in the federally and provincially regulated cannabis sector.

First Nation Communities in British Columbia.
Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs in British Columbia.
Organizations with operations in rural or remote Indigenous communities in British Columbia.

Eligibility criteria of the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program

Community engagement stream (1) funding will incorporate a basic criteria-based process for selecting approved recipients.
Business Planning, Design, and Capital stream (2) funding will incorporate best practice business assessment policies and procedures as carried out by one of the AFIs.

How to apply to the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program

Expression of Interest (EOI) Form

Complete the EOI form to express interest in applying for an ICBF contribution from the New Relationship Trust.
Provide information about your business opportunity, capacity needs, and funding requirements.
Submit the form to initiate the process.
Expect a follow-up contact within 5 to 7 business days to discuss the process and next steps.

Applicant and Project Screening

Upon evaluation of the EOI submission, you will be referred to an Aboriginal Financial Institution (AFI) in B.C.
The assigned AFI will conduct standard screening and due diligence to assess project viability.
The assessment will determine the appropriate grant and amount.

Application Approval Decisions

The community engagement funding (Stream 1) will be based on basic criteria for selection.
The business planning, design, and capital funding (Stream 2) will involve business assessment policies carried out by AFIs.
A multi-stakeholder Steering Committee will guide and support approval and funding allocation decisions.
Successful applicants will receive approval communication from either New Relationship Trust or the assigned AFI.

Additional information

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

The grant will be administered in collaboration with Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs) in B.C., with only some AFIs participating in the ICBF Initiative.
The Cannabis Navigator service offers guidance and liaises between applicants and New Relationship Trust staff or Indigenous Financial Institutions.
The ICBF initiative supports economic diversification, especially targeting rural and remote communities and Indigenous women entrepreneurs.
On-Reserve projects must provide evidence of community engagement and First Nation government backing, typically via a Band Council Resolution.
The initiative aims to balance community health, safety, and knowledge with economic opportunities within the cannabis sector.

Documents and links

Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital

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