Business grants are an amount of money granted to an individual, business, or corporation by the federal, state, county, or local governments, as well as private enterprises and corporations. Grants do not have to be repaid in any way it is unquestionably a financially appealing option for entrepreneurs and small or internet enterprises with little funds for start-up, growth, or expansion.
There are several small business grants in the province of Ontario which includes Mitacs Entrepreneur International, Spark Angel Network, Western University Western Accelerator e.t.c. Ontario small business grants generally offer between $10,000 to $250,000 as grants to small businesses. To apply for the grants, you must, operate an eligible business in Ontario, have had a 20% decline in revenue 6 months prior, and have a valid business description and name. It usually takes about 20 business days after applying to be considered.
List of 100 Small Business Grants in Ontario
The province of Ontario is a big supporter of small businesses and there are several private and government institutions that support small businesses in Ontario. These institutions give a range of $10,000 to $400,000 to small business owners depending on the type of business. If you are in the province of Ontario, here is a list of 100 small business grants institutions you can apply for to get grants.
- Canadian Heritage Business Innovation
- Mitacs Accelerate Entrepreneur
- Rise Asset Development Grants
- Mitacs Entrepreneur International
- Farm Credit Canada Young Farmers Starter Loan
- Angel Investors
- CanExport Program
- Ontario Job Grant
- Ontario Manufacturers and Exporters Technology Assessment Program
- Innovative Solutions Canada
- Industrial Research Assistance Program
- Next Generation Manufacturing Ontario
- The Canadian Emergency Response
- Ontario Creates Interactive Digital Media Fund
- Strategic Innovation Fund
- Hiring Grants
- Accelerating Innovations into Care
- Ontario Small Business Financing Program
- Ontario Agricultural Partnership
- Canada Media Fund; Experimental Stream
- Ontario International Innovation Program
- Canexport
- Creative Export Canada
- Dairy Processing Investment Fund
- SD Tech Fund
- SME in Action Program
- Strategic Innovation Fund
- Supply Chains and Logistics Excellence
- Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative
- IDEABOOST Investment Programs
- Bank of Canada Start Up Financing
- Bank of Canada Indigenous Entrepreneur
- Bank of Canada Strategic Investment Programs
- Women Communitech Fierce Founders
- Newcomer Futurpreneur Canada
- Agriculture and Agri-food Ontario Agricultural Program
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Ontario
- Brightspark Ventures
- TandemLaunch Startup Program
- Ryerson Digital Media Zone Accelerator Program
- York Entrepreneurship Development Institute
- University of Waterloo Velocity Fund Pitch Competition
- TELUS Pitch Live Summit
- SheEO women Ventures
- Round13 Capital
- Mantella Venture Partners
- Government of Ontario Summer Company
- Accelerator Centre Start Up Grants
- Government of Ontario Starter Company plus
- Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services Ontario Disability Support Program
- Wakenagun Community Futures Development Corporation Investment Fund
- Business in the Streets Grants
- Community Futures Ontario Access to Capital
- Metis Voyageur Development Fund Financing Solutions
- University of Toronto and Toronto Acceleration Innovation Partners Early-Stage Technology Program
- VERGE Capital Startup Fund
- Western University Western Accelerator
- MaRS Discovery District the Investment Accelerator Fund
- Angel Investors Ontario Venture Financing
- Golden Triangle Angel Network Investments
- Goodwill Industries Impact Grants
- Spark Angel Network
- Southwestern Ontario Angel Group Venture Financing
- Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund
- Small Business Innovation Research
- Small Business Technology Transfer Program
- State Trade Expansion Program
- Department of Education Grants
- National Institute of Standards and Technology Grants
- Environmental Protection Agency Grants
- Economic Development Administration
- Idea Café’s Small Business Grants
- Walmart Foundation Grants
- Open Meadows Foundation Grant Program
- First Nations Development Institute Grants
- USDA Rural Business Development Grants
- Minority Business Development Agency Centers
- FedEx Small Business Grant
- Fast Break for Small Business
- Patagonia Corporate Grants Program
- 500 Global Flagship Accelerator Program
- The Barstool Fund
- GoFundMe Small Business Relief Fund
- Nav’s Small Business Grant
- Amazon Black Business Accelerator
- Amber Grant Foundation
- Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant
- Capital One Business Grant
- Fearless Strivers Grant
- Galaxy Grant
- Halstead Grant
- KKR Small Business Builders Grant
- Power Forward Small Business Grant
- SoGal Black Founder Startup Grant
- Yotpo Grow Brand Incubator Program
- National Association for the Self-Employed Growth Grants
- Merchant Maverick Opportunity Grant
- HireVets Medallion Program
- Comcast Rise Grants
- StartOut Scholarship Program.
How to Apply for Small Business Grants in Ontario
Most small businesses need to take grants to kickoff, and the application process has been made easy in Ontario, taking at least 20 days to get done. When you look at the benefits to come out of a successful application, you will agree that the wait time is not pretty long.
Applications for small businesses in Ontario can either be online or physically depending on the policy of the agency, although, online applications are common these days. However, here are the requirements to apply for small business grants in Ontario:
- You must operate an eligible business in Ontario
- You must have fewer than 99 employees
- You must have experienced a revenue decline of 20% in the last 6 months
- Must be a Canadian citizen or an immigrant
- After a successful application, it will take at least 20 business days for your application to be considered.
Pros and cons of small business grants in Ontario
Small business grants have stringent requirements before being given the grants. Tech companies, women-owned businesses, businesses associated with environmental conservation, research innovation, and businesses with fewer than 25 employees always have advantages in getting grants. Here are some of the pros and cons of small business grants;
Pros
- You don’t need to repay grants, which is always a relief for small businesses.
- They are quite easy to apply for with information about applications easy to find.
- They are community-oriented which means if you have businesses in particular communities, you can easily get grants
Cons
- They can be time-consuming which means they require a lot of paperwork and application time
- The purpose of the grant has to be thoroughly justified which means you will need to show in great detail how you intend to spend the grant.
- The competition for getting grants can be tough as a lot of businesses are trying to get free money.
- Small business grant eligibility requirements can be very strict which can be discouraging.
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