Grants/Contests/Awards
Business Benefits Finder (Government of Canada)
Year-round - Local Initiatives Program (Community Futures; Inc. Not-For-Profit only)
Ongoing - Rhyze Up! (Female-led businesses)
June 3 open (until funds are used) - Honey Bee Health Initiative (50% funding)
October 16 deadline - Indigenous Arts Projects Grant (Ontario Arts Council)
November 5 deadline - Visual Artists Creation Grant (Ontario Arts Council)
November 6 deadline - Crafts Projects Grant (Ontario Arts Council)
December 1, 2025 deadline (or until funds are used) - Food Safety and Growth Initiative (OMAFA/OMRA)
2025 - Starter Company Plus Grant (Small Business Centre)
2025 - Canada Summer Jobs (wage subsidy, 2024 was 100% funded)
2025 - Young Canada Works
Open:
100 Women Who Care (Bancroft)
Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program: Access to Capital
Applied Research and Development Grant
Alliance Grant (R&D partnerships with educational institutions and businesses)
Benefits and Grant Finder (search tool)
Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund (FACE)
Black Opportunity Fund (contact for current funding availability)
BITS Bucks (Up to $5,000 grant/loan for youth 18-34)
Canada-Ontario Jobs Grant (Up to $10,000 for training)
Canadian Digital Adoption Program (Up to $15,000)
CIP Programs (Signage and façade) – Marmora and Lake, Tweed, Centre Hastings (2024 closed)
Community Futures Local Initiatives Program (L.I.P.) (Up to $3,500 for incorporated not-for-profits)
Digital Main Street (Up to $2,500)
Eastern Ontario Development Fund (up to 15% funding to a maximum of $5 million)
First Nations Women’s Entrepreneurship program (FNWE) (Loans and grants up to $15,000)
Funding for WMCO wood manufacturing members (expenses up to $100,000 at 45% funding)
Grow Your Business Online Grant ($2,400)
Hockey Canada - Call for Indigenous Artists
Honey Bee Health Initiative (cost-sharing up to $25,000)
Mitacs Entrepreneur International (up to $5,000 travel grant)
ODSP Start Up Benefit (Up to $500 for training and business costs)
Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (partial funding)
PEFIP (Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program)
R.A.I.S.E (Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Entrepreneurs, up to $10,000)
Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (various programs)
Venture-Capital Ready (investment training for women entrepreneurs)
See Training and Workforce section for recruitment funding support
Loans
BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada)
BITS Bucks (Business In The Streets) - Up to $5,000 grant/loan for youth 18-34
Black Opportunity Fund
Business Scale-up and Productivity - FedDev Ontario
Community Economic Development Diversification - FedDev Ontario
Community Futures
DELIA - Microloans for underserved women
FACE (Federation of African Canadian Economics)
FCC Women Entrepreneur Program
Futurpreneur - Ages 18-39
IAPO First Nations Farm & Business Financing
PARO - Women
WEOC (Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada)