Funding to Secure International Partners

The CDMN Soft Landing program offers up to $4000 to meet with potential foreign business partners to develop export markets. Funding is provided for transportation and accommodation costs. Eligible applicants are technology companies that currently generate sales revenue from their products. Projects must lead to increased sales, job creation and/or securing foreign investment, and be completed no later than March 15, 2020. Companies may submit a second application once their first project is complete. Please note that funding will not be provided for attending tradeshows, events, conferences or trade-missions. The application intake deadline is October 20, 2019.

Intake Closes October 15, Apply Now!

The Science Horizons Internship Program offers government grants of 50% up to $15,000 for businesses to hire post-secondary graduates for positions related to environmental conservation. Eligible interns are 30 years old or younger, and currently unemployed or under-employed. Positions must be full-time and in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) related field, lasting 6-12 months. INAC urges any interested organizations to apply for funding as soon as possible.

Offset the Cost of a New Hire!

The Clean Tech Internship Program offers wage subsidies of up to 70% to a maximum of $15,000 to hire post-secondary students and graduates aged 30 years or younger for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) positions. Eligible employers are businesses with no more than 500 employees, government/not-for-profit organizations, and institutions. Positions must last a minimum of 6 months, be full-time (30+ hours/week) and related to “clean technologies” (e.g.  technologies that support sustainable development, green industrial or agricultural processes, alternative energy and efficiencies, etc). 

FUNDING TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CANADIAN BUSINESSES

The Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF) offers grants of 25% up to $250,000 for businesses to reduce energy usage, costs and/or GHG emissions. Eligible project types include, but are not limited to:

• Retrofitting, Upgrading and Improving Processes, Transportation and Buildings (e.g. energy efficient heating systems and process equipment, vehicle retrofits)
• Adopting New Electricity, Energy and Fuel Production Systems (e.g. solar photovoltaic, wind energy and micro-hydro systems)
• Waste Management (e.g. efficient use of inputs, reducing waste)

Funding is provided for expenditures such as:

• Capital Costs (e.g. equipment, materials, supplies)
• Salaries and Benefits
• Contracted Services (e.g. audits, engineering)
• Other Direct Project Costs (e.g. travel, licensing/permits, training)

Applicant companies must have less than 500 employees and be operating in Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan or New Brunswick. Up to 5 applications may be submitted by one company, however total funding from CAIF will not exceed $250,000.  To be considered for funding, businesses must be requesting at least $20,000 for projects ending no later than March 31, 2021. Deadline for applications is October 15, 2019

Need funding for something else? More government grants are currently available for:

1. Export Market Development
2. Hiring New Employees
3. Start-Ups
4. Reducing GHGs and Electricity Conservation

Cannabis Growers don’t need to see their profits go up in Smoke

The Grid Innovation Fund offers grants of up to $2.5 million to pilot and/or develop innovative conservation programs, practices, products and technologies that lead to/promote the conservation of electricity. Funding is available for private business and not-for-profit organizations. Eligible expenses include:

• Equipment, and supplies such as software, diagnostic and testing tools
• Professional and contracted services including training
• Permitting and licensing fees
• Training, salaries and benefits for employees directly involved in project
• Marketing, communications and workshops
• Monitoring and evaluation of project impacts, including data collection and analysis

Funding limits are as follows:

• Creation and/or development of a new conservation program (up to 75%; maximum $500,000)
• Development and assessment of new energy management tools such as mapping tools or policies (up to 75%; maximum $500,000)
• Piloting new training programs (up to 75%; maximum $250,000)
• Creating of a Community of Practice, a network to share information and best practices (up to 75%; maximum $250,000)
• Strategic research that leads to pilot projects (up to 75%; maximum $100,000)
• Development and demonstration of near-commercial, emerging technologies or processes (up to 75%; maximum $500,000)
• Strategic Opportunities: up to 50% will be provided for large scale energy reduction initiatives, such as the development of incentive programs to encourage energy reductions, i.e., pay-per-performance energy reduction programs to be implemented across a franchise, service providers creation of energy use monitoring software and programs to encourage conservation.

Projects focused on reducing electricity demand from indoor agriculture facilities will be prioritized for funding, specifically those that:

• Accelerate the adoption of cost-effective demand-side solutions by greenhouse growers
• Demonstrate the efficacy of demand-side options to address local transmission and distribution infrastructure capacity need(s)
• Explore unknowns in the operationalization of demand-side options and the impact on greenhouse productivity

Projects must last no longer than 3 years to be considered for funding. The next open intake window is November 18, 2019 to February 14, 2020.

Don’t think this funding program is a fit? Check out some other government grant programs:

1. Receive up to $75,000 for export market development: CanExport Program  
2. Up to $16,000 to hire a graduate: Green Internships Stream 
3. Reducing GHGs: Climate Action Incentive Fund (up to $250,000) )

Urgent, Apply Now! Limited Support Available

The Starter Company Plus program provides grants of 75% up to $5000 to entrepreneurs aged 18 and over to start and expand a business. The program also encourages the progression of new entrepreneurs through various workshops as well as one-on-one peer mentoring with successful entrepreneurs. Start-ups must be in their first 5 years of operation and currently generating income to be considered for funding.  Applications are to be submitted through local business development centres. The program application deadline is different for each area. Funding is extremely limited.

Need more funding for your project? Check out these government grant programs:

1. Receive up to $75,000 for export market development: CanExport Program  
2. Up to $16,000 to hire a graduate: Green Internships Stream 
3. Reducing GHGs and electricity usage: Climate Action Incentive Fund (up to $250,000) and Grid Innovation Fund (up to $2.5 million)