London Small Business Grants (2025): 21 Best Funding Programs for London, Ontario Entrepreneurs
As a hub for higher education, medical research, manufacturing, and technology, London, Ontario is an excellent place to start a business in Ontario.
If you’re thinking about starting a business in London, or you’re looking for money to grow and existing business, we’ve got you covered. In this complete guide to London small business grants, we cover grants, loans, entrepreneurship programs, and more.
City of London Mandate
The City of London’s vision is to be a leader in commerce, culture, and innovation – the region’s connection to the World. London aims to be a responsive and modern public service partner that fosters change to build a better London for all.
City of London Priorities
You can learn about the City’s priorities by reading its 2023-2027 Strategic Plan.
What Can London Small Business Grants Be Used For?
London small 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:
See the section below with a complete list of grants available for London small businesses.
Am I Eligible for a London Small 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 London small business grants in our grants database, and these are the most common qualifications we identified:
And that’s just a sample! See the section below with a complete list of grants available for London small businesses.
Small Business Grants in London, Ontario: Current Grants Available
While there are lots of good programs available, below we highlight some of the best grants, loans, investment & more for London small businesses:
$200,000
Loan
The Upgrade to Building Code Loan offers financial support for interior improvements to your building, including upgrades to plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC, mechanical systems, roofing, fire protection systems, and other work required to meet Building Code standards.
No fixed amount
Loan
Since its inception in 2012, the Social Impact Fund has unlocked the Foundation’s assets in order to create positive change in the community by providing loans to social enterprises and affordable housing projects.
No funding involved
In-Kind Support
The LEDC builds strategic partnerships to create a strong and resilient business growth ecosystem where founders and growth companies can find support, practical advice, and insightful mentorship.
LEDC provides scale-up support services to founders of growing businesses in London’s key sectors.
No fixed amount
Grant
The Residential Development Charges Grant program is designed to encourage private sector investment in residential property development in the Downtown and Old East Village areas. A grant, equal to a rebate of residential Development Charges (DCs), is offered for each new residential unit constructed.
No fixed amount
Grant
The Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Tax Grant refunds a portion of the municipal tax increase resulting from the rehabilitation of an existing building or the construction of a new one. A percentage of this tax increase is refunded to the property owner annually for a 10-year period.
No fixed amount
Grant
The Office-to-Residential (OTR) Construction Conversion Grant offers a per-unit incentive grant, functioning as a forgivable loan, for eligible office-to-residential conversion projects.
$50,000
Loan
The Façade Improvement Loan offers financial support for enhancing building exteriors, covering upgrades to windows, doors, brick repairs, painting, lighting, and signage attached to the façade.
No funding involved
In-Kind Support
The LEDC offers existing London businesses and companies overseas in London’s key sectors several expansion planning services designed to facilitate sustainable, long-term growth.
No fixed amount
Loan
The Additional Residential Unit (ARU) Forgivable Loans offer financial assistance to property owners to help offset the costs of creating new detached additional residential units.
No fixed amount
Grant
A Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA) is a designated zone within a municipality aimed at strengthening communities and business districts. It provides financial incentives and loans to help businesses and property owners make improvements to their buildings, fostering growth and development in the area. Ontario’s Planning Act defines these areas as locations where community improvement is deemed necessary by the local council.
No funding involved
In-Kind Support
LEDC provides marketing and communications support to LEDC clients and collaborates with community organizations to create and support events that help bring London’s growing key sectors together.
No fixed amount
Grant
The Individual Artists stream supports a range of artistic, creative, traditional forms, including dance, film, digital art, literature, music, spoken word, story-telling, theatre, and visual art from Artists, Creators, and Practitioners of all cultural backgrounds and traditions.
No fixed amount
Loan
The Additional Residential Unit (ARU) Loan offers financial assistance to property owners to help offset the costs of creating new additional residential units.