Business Incubation & Commercialization Grant Program

• Proof of not-for-profit or charitable status
• Board of directors or employee complement information
• Audited financial statements, if required by the stream
• Program curriculum or schedule
• Budget and milestones or deliverables document

Who is eligible?

• Pre-incubators
• Incubators
• Accelerators
• Post-secondary education institutions with campus-led incubators or accelerators
• Industry associations focused on entrepreneurship and sector development

Who is not eligible

• For-profit incubators
• Individual businesses
• Organizations taking equity from supported startups
• Organizations receiving other core funding from the City of Toronto, for the multi-year stream

Eligible expenses

• Eligible costs related to approved programming and events
• Eligible operating costs for multi-year incubation activities

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Applications from for-profit incubators
• Applications from individual businesses
• Funding for organizations taking equity from supported startups
• New multi-year applications from organizations already receiving other core City of Toronto funding

Eligible geographic areas

• Toronto

• Program alignment with business formation and job creation
• Program impact, engagement, and reach
• Organizational capacity to deliver the program
• Financial sustainability and stability

• Step 1: Review program requirements
  • Read the program guidelines and application requirements.
  • Check the documents and templates needed for your stream.
• Step 2: Prepare application materials
  • Complete the required program, budget, and milestones documents.
  • Gather proof of not-for-profit status and other supporting documents.
• Step 3: Submit online application
  • Apply through the City of Toronto online application portal only.
  • Submit before the deadline; late applications are not accepted.
• Step 4: Await funding decision
  • Applications are reviewed by an assessment panel and City staff.
  • Successful applicants are notified and funding is released afterward.

• Applications are reviewed and scored by an assessment panel and City staff.
• Funding decisions are made by the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture or designate.
• All eligibility and funding decisions are final and not appealable.
• Successful applicants receive funding after approval and must follow the funding agreement.

• Applications are currently closed.
• Successful applicants must publicly acknowledge City of Toronto support in communications and promotional materials.
• Recipients must complete end-of-year reporting on program reach and impacts.
• Information sessions and application notices are promoted through the City’s social media channels.