The following is list of funding opportunities and financial incentives that we are aware of. Our staff make an effort to keep this list as up-to-date as possible as we become aware of them.

There are also government and utility programmes to support business owners as they invest in improving their buildings’ efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as training for energy auditors and managers. Here are four that we are aware of:

Energy Efficiency for Business & Industry | Save on Energy

Energy Efficiency for Small Business | Save on Energy

Energy Training & Support for Contractors & Allies | Save on Energy

Green Industrial Facilities and Manufacturing Program

Facade and Building Improvement Supports

Some of our local member municipalities across Hastings County have introduced what is known as a "Community Improvement Plan", or "CIP". This permits municipalities in Ontario to provide financial assistance to private property owners and businesses in a defined area including tax assistance, grants or loans.

Hastings County municipalities that currently offer grants for improvements through a CIP include:

Town of Bancroft - Tax Increment Equivalent Grant Program

Municipality of Centre Hastings - Community Improvement Plan

Marmora and Lake - Community Improvement Plan

Municipality of Tweed - Community Improvement Plan

The federally funded Community Futures Development Corporation located in Bancroft, which covers most of our County, also offers financial support for facade improvement. They have a grant program (50% of eligible costs up to $3,000) to assist businesses with facade improvements that will result in enhanced accessibility to the business or improvements that will result in a positive environmental impact either by the improvement made or the materials used. Contact their office for more information and to apply.

Grants/Contests/Awards 

We invite you to use the Canadian Government's Business Benefits Finder. It can help you better narrow down what's available to specifically fit your need(s).

Applications open until May 31, 2025 - CanExport SMEs funding is now open! (Get up to $50,000 to cover 50% of costs of exporting products or services to countries where you have little or no sales)

Ontario Together Trade Fund - Financial support to help businesses near-term investments so they can serve interprovincial customers, develop new markets and re-shore critical supply chains in the face of U.S. tariffs.

Currently not accepting applications - Honey Bee Health Initiative (50% funding)

Open (until funds are used) - Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program 

Currently not accepting applications - Species at Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Lands (OSCIA; 50% funding)

December 19 deadline for following year - Canada Summer Jobs wage subsidy 

December 19 deadline - Experience Ontario 2025 Grant Program

January 8 deadline - Summer Employment Opportunities Program

January 15 deadline - Skode Program Grant Information Session (ITO, focus on Indigenous Culinary Tourism)
January 10 deadline - Grants for Theatre Creators (Ontario Arts Council)
January 15 deadline - Exhibition Assistance (Ontario Arts Council)

January 17 deadline -  Young Canada Works wage subsidy

January 31 deadline - Indigenous Visual Artists' Materials (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 - Market Development Travel (Ontario Arts Council)

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 – Marmora and Lake, Tweed, Centre Hastings, Bancroft (2024 closed)

Community Futures Development Corp. - Local Initiatives Program (L.I.P.) (Up to $3,500 for incorporated not-for-profits)

Community Futures Development Corp. - Facade Improvement Grant

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)

Futurpreneur - Core startup program and flexible, equity-free startup business loan of up to $75,000 including up to $50,000 in financing from BDC

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)

Rhyze Up! (Female-led businesses)

(SR&ED) Scientific Research and Experimental Development (earn tax incentives that reduce income tax payable) 

Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (various programs)

Venture-Capital Ready (investment training for women entrepreneurs)

See Training and Workforce section for recruitment funding support

Loans
December 20 deadline - Funding for businesses in southern Ontario (FedDev)

December 20 deadline - Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative in southern Ontario (FedDev)

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)

Workshops, Events, Education

Open until December - Training for Co-op Enterprise Developers (CoopZone)

December 3, 11am-1pm - 2SLGBTQI+ Travel Market Seminar (CGLCC - Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce)

December 5, 10am-12pm - Selling at Farmers’ Markets (OFA)

December 5, 11:30am-1pm - The Path to Success for Tourism Entrepreneurs (Futurpreneur and Tourism Innovation Lab)
December 10, 11:30am-12pm - Selling Travel Services Webinar (TICO - Travel Industry Council of Ontario)
December 11, 2-3pm - Harnessing Data and AI for Business Growth (CGLCC - Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce)

December 12, 9-11am - Free Tax Help For Small Businesses/Self-Employed Individuals (CRA)

December 12, 10am-12pm - Selling to Restaurants and Institutions (OFA)
December 12, 11:30am-12:15pm - Skode Program Information Session (ITO - Indigenous Tourism Ontario)
December 19, 12-1pm - What’s the Buzz? Connect and learn with Rainbow Registered (CGLCC - Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce)
January 7, 10-11am - Understanding Basic Analytics and Metrics (MellowBrew Marketing)

January 9, 10am-12pm - Selling Online and Leveraging Social Media Platforms (OFA - Ontario Federation of Agriculture)

January 15, 2-3pm - How to Make Your Business Size Inclusive: How Anti-Fat Bias is a Hidden Phenomenon (RTO 9)
January 15 - February 26 - Sustainable & Regenerative Tourism: A Series for Businesses & Destinations (GreenStep)

January 16, 10am-12pm - Labelling and Attributes: Organic, Free Range, Gluten-Free and more (OFA)

January 30, 10am-12pm - Exploring Agritourism Opportunities (OFA)

February 4, 10-11am - Social Media Customer Service & Engagement (MellowBrew Marketing)

February 13, 10am-12pm - Selling Local in Rural and Remote Ontario (OFA)

February 24-26 - FEO Annual Conference “Synergy” (Festivals & Events Ontario)

February 25-27 - International Indigenous Tourism Conference (ITAC - Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada)

February 27, 10am-12pm - Beyond Food: Textiles, Ornamental Horticulture & More (OFA)

March 3-5 - Southern Ontario Tourism Conference (TIAO)

April 7-9 - Restaurants Canada Show 2025

 
Open/On Demand:

BDC Learning Centre

OBCT (Ontario Building Trades and Construction) Newsletter

Ontario Chamber of Commerce Webinars

Small Business Centres Ontario: Business Basics, Start-Up, Business Growth

Start Now Incubator for Women Entrepreneurs

StrikeUp - Digital conference for women entrepreneurs

Teeny Tiny Summits

Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub  (WEKH)
Product Testing at Loyalist College - Contact Loyalist Industry Partnership Officer Laurie Caouette LCaouette@loyalistcollege.com

Reports

Our Economic and Tourism Development Staff collect and analyze statistics, conduct research and review reports regularly. This helps inform our plans and programming, and should also serve to help you with your business planning.