Northern Ontario Business Grants: 11 Funding Programs for Entrepreneurs in Northern Ontario
If you’re looking for Northern Ontario business grants, you’re in the right place! Because this is the most comprehensive guide to funding for Northern Ontario entrepreneurs on the web.
In this guide we cover not only grants for Northern residents, but also loans and rebates!
What is a Northern Ontario Business Grant?
The Government of Canada defines a grant as:
a transfer payment subject to pre-established eligibility and other entitlement criteria. A grant is not subject to being accounted for by a recipient nor normally subject to audit by the department. The recipient may be required to report on results achieved.
So, a Northern Ontario business grant is:
What Can Northern Ontario Business Grants Be Used For?
Northern Ontario business grants can be used to pay for many aspects of starting or running a business. Here are some of the uses that are covered by programs in our grants database:
And that’s just a sample! See the section below with a complete list of the business grants available.
How Much Grant Money Can I Get for My Business?
In our database we currently have grants ranging from $15,000 to $5,000,000.
Am I Eligible for a Northern Ontario Business Grant? Common Eligibility Criteria
Two of the most common questions we get asked at Ontario Business Grants are “Am I eligible?” and “How do I qualify?”.
We analyzed the Northern Ontario business grants in our grants database, and these are the most common qualifications we identified:
Note: these are just the most common eligibility criteria – there are many grants with different requirements.
How to Apply for Northern Residents Business Grants: Follow These 6 Steps
While the application steps for Northern Ontario grant programs vary, here are some common steps:
- Gather a comprehensive list of all current grants. In Canada, hundreds of business grants are available for different industries, demographic groups, and purposes. Learn what is out there and cast a wide net when you apply to maximise your chances of securing funds.
- Focus on grants related to your industry. Review the application requirements to find out whether your business is eligible. When your business goals fit a particular type of grant, you have better chances of getting matched to it. You want to devote your time and energy to grants where you have the highest potential of winning.
- Reach out to the grant agencies directly. If you want to gain more understanding on what qualities the agencies are looking for in their grant applicants, there is no better way than to go right to the source. If possible, ask the agency questions and look for areas where you can stand out from the rest.
- Make a plan for your grant application. This plan should include a one-page draft of your grant application statement.
- Organise your documents. Grant organisations often ask their applicants to provide a business plan and other pertinent documents. If you organise your documents in advance, you’ll be ready to submit them when the grant agency requests them.
- Submit a well-thought-out application. If you follow the five steps above, your application will have a good chance of getting approved.
Bonus Tip:
- Don’t miss other types of funding. Grants represent just one type of funding, but there are many other types of funding suitable for business owners. These include low-interest loans, wage subsidies, tax incentives, competitions, incubators and accelerators, and many more.
Northern Ontario Business Grants: Current Grants Available
In the table below we list the grants currently available to Northern Ontario businesses.
To learn more about each program, just click the program name and you’ll be taken to a web page that provides detailed information on the program, including eligibility, the dollar amount of the program, and how to apply for the grant:
$35,000.00
Grant
The intent of the Workforce Development Stream is to strengthen and develop Northern Ontario’s workforce through business partnerships by offering internships.
$5,000,000.00
Grant
The Investment – Locate Stream provides financial support to businesses locating new business operations to Northern Ontario.
$1,000,000.00
Grant
The Investment – Grow Stream provides financial support to businesses expanding existing operations in Northern Ontario.
$200,000.00
Grant
The Investment – Launch Stream provides a conditional contribution of up to 50% of total eligible project costs to a maximum of $200,000 for businesses starting-up operations in Northern Ontario.
$2,000,000.00
Grant
The Innovation Stream supports the research, development and commercialization of new and innovative technologies in Northern Ontario. NOHFC considers innovative technology projects based on the following definition: “the development or implementation of ideas to produce new or improved strategies, capabilities, products, services, or processes with a strong focus on ensuring to satisfy a market need or desire”.
$52,500.00
Grant
The intent of the Indigenous Workforce Development Stream is to strengthen and develop Northern Ontario’s Indigenous workforce through business partnerships by offering internships to Indigenous persons.
$2,000,000.00
Grant
The Film and Television Stream is designed to increase film and television industry jobs and investment and to increase quality, original film and television productions produced in Northern Ontario, while showcasing its culture, geography, stories and talent.
The Bottom Line
There are many great programs to start (or grow) a business in Northern Ontario, including some attractive grants.
But remember that grants are just one type of funding that is available to Northern Ontario entrepreneurs.
Make sure to check out the loans, rebates, and other types of support that are available not only to Northern Ontario residents, but also for different demographic groups, industries, and purposes of funding.