Tourism Product Diversification and Marketing Program — Business Planning and Transition Assistance

This grant provides financial support to assist applicants in revolutionizing, improving, or growing their tourism offerings by providing business planning, product development, and marketing assistance. It includes different schedules with varying funding amounts and conditions tailored to each specific area of support.

• Business Planning and Transition Assistance offers up to $25,000 per applicant, requiring a 15% equity contribution, which can include sweat equity.
• Product Development and Enhancement allows up to $250,000 over one or multiple years, with a 15% equity requirement, and up to $10,000 can be in the form of existing or sweat equity.
• Marketing Assistance provides up to $10,000 per applicant, also requiring a 15% equity contribution.
• The funding is structured to ensure that recipients can reapply five years after receiving the maximum amount for certain categories.
• Equity contribution can be bolstered by capital infrastructure that has not previously received funding from the GNWT.

Eligibility for this grant is aimed at specific organizations and communities in the Northwest Territories.

• The applicant must be an NWT business, economic development agency, or community.
• Aboriginal organizations are eligible to apply.
• Potential aboriginal culture tourism ventures are also encouraged to apply.

Who is eligible?

Who is not eligible

Some types of companies may not be eligible for this grant. Here are the ineligible entities:

• Non-NWT Businesses
• Entities not related to economic development agencies or communities
• Non-Aboriginal Organizations

Eligible expenses

This grant supports projects that aim to enhance tourism offerings by developing new products and improving marketing strategies. Eligible activities include business planning, product enhancement, and marketing efforts to attract new visitors.

• Development of business plans for enhancing or developing tourism products.
• Consulting for obtaining a Tourism Operator Licence.
• Development and enhancement of tourism products, including start-up costs and capital acquisition.
• Skills upgrading and amenities upgrading related to tourism offerings.
• Website development for promoting tourism products.
• Marketing projects such as travel to trade shows and development of promotional materials.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is available to businesses and organizations in the Northwest Territories (NWT) of Canada, supporting regional development within this area. The program is designed to assist NWT businesses, communities, and Aboriginal Organizations.

• Northwest Territories, Canada

There are evaluation and selection criteria for this grant. The criteria focus on the applicant's business planning, product development, and marketing projects.

• Applicant's ability to demonstrate a clear business plan or project proposal.
• Viability of the proposed tourism product or service.
• Potential for economic growth and job creation in the NWT.
• Evidence of marketing strategies to attract new visitors.
• Equity contribution and financial commitment from the applicant.
• Alignment with the overall goals of the Tourism Product Diversification and Marketing Program.

Key additional information for applicants of this grant:

• An applicant equity requirement of 15% applies to all schedules.
• Consulting with a regional Tourism Development Officer before application is highly recommended.
• Applicants should prepare to provide any additional information as requested by an economic development officer during the application process.
• Funding for Schedule 2 may involve the use of up to $10,000 in existing equity or sweat equity towards the project.