Grants and Funding
Various levels of governments and community agencies offer a wide range of grants, loans, and other financial support that apply to the agri-food sector specifically, to farms specifically, or to all businesses generally.
The EOAN continuously researches available and relevant grants to update members on opportunities as they arise. If you have a project idea, contact the EOAN directly to chat about what the options are!
Grassroots Growth Grant
These Grassroots Growth Initiative (GGI) guidelines are subject to change from time to time and without notice. Applicants are encouraged to review the guidelines including appendices in their entirety before submitting an application.
The objectives of the GGI are to:
- increase public engagement and support for agriculture, local food and rural development
- build youth leadership capacity and increase youth involvement in the agri-food sector
- enhance safety and risk management practices in the agri-food sector
- strengthen public trust and public knowledge about Ontario’s agri-food systems
- encourage agri-food and rural development outcomes
Experience Ontario
Experience Ontario 2025 supports in-person festivals or events in Ontario that will: Application Guide for grants that support Festivals an Events 1. Draw tourists and increase visitor spending through innovative programming in partnership with businesses and community partners. 2. Provide job opportunities for Ontarians in the tourism, culture, and entertainment sectors.
BizGrowth
If you are an existing women owned business looking to grow, scale-up, or expand, BizGrowth may be for you. Businesses may have difficulty moving their business to the next level and this program is designed to help businesses increase and capitalize on market opportunities to grow and expand. The purpose is to assist businesses to expand into new markets. Only businesses located in Ontario are eligible for this program.
OTF Grant Application Deadlines 2025
- Capital Grant opens February 5th to March 5th.
- Seed Grant opens July 23rd to August 20th.
- Grow Grant opens October 8th to November 5th.
- Youth Opportunities Fund opens November 5th, 2024 to March 12th, 2025.
Canada Summer wage subsity
Launches November 18th, 2024.
Canada-Ontario Job Grant
Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) provides opportunities for employers to invest in their workforce, with help from the government.
RTO9 Partnership Funding
The funding window is now open – the window remain open until March 3rd to 31st, 2025.
Accelerate Your Agri-Food Innovation
Bioenterprise is now accepting applications for the Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub (GOAH) Initiative. We’ve already onboarded some truly innovative companies and we can’t wait to tell you all about them.
Excellence in Agriculture Awards
The people within Ontario’s agriculture and food industry have always demonstrated excellence in running their businesses, adopting innovative practices and creating a safe and stable supply of food.
To help showcase the outstanding efforts that have made this a $48.8 billion industry, the Ontario government created the Excellence in Agriculture Awards.
Grow Ontario Market Initiative
The Grow Ontario Market Initiative provides funding to primary producers, processors and industry organizations to find and develop domestic or export market opportunities.
You may use the funding to grow your business through:
- marketing analysis and planning
- new product development
- marketing activities
AgriInnovate Program
The program provides repayable contributions to incent targeted commercialization, demonstration and/or adoption of commercial-ready innovative technologies and processes that increase agricultural and agri-food sector competitiveness and sustainability benefits.
AgriScience Program
The AgriScience Program, under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), aims to accelerate innovation by providing funding and support for pre-commercial science activities and research that benefits the agriculture and agri-food sector and Canadians.
Financial support for technology innovation through NRC IRAP
If you’re a small or medium‑sized Canadian business pursuing technology‑driven innovation, you may be eligible for financial support from NRC IRAP. We provide this funding to eligible firms under our technology innovation projects and youth employment strategy programs.
Québec-Ontario project funding
The Ontario and Québec governments are each investing $250,000 annually under the Cooperation and Exchange Agreement between the government of Québec and the government of Ontario with respect to the Francophonie.
Youth Employment and Skills Program
The Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) will contribute approximately $13.5 million to projects that employ youth and youth facing barriers. Each project will be eligible to receive up to $14,000 in matching funds to employ one (1) employee. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is one of several Government of Canada departments participating in the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy.
My Main Street
My Main Street is a $15-million investment to foster the stabilization and revitalization of main streets across southern Ontario. The program will offer streamlined direct-to-business supports and complementary programming for community projects that will encourage growth and economic prosperity.
Application deadline is March 31, 2024.
Retrofit Program
Incentives to help speed up your payback on energy-efficiency equipment upgrades.
Small Business Program
Drive your business forward with Save on Energy incentives of up to $3,000 for eligible lighting equipment and up to $2,500 for eligible non-lighting equipment.
Promoting Agriculture and Food Carrers Initiative
The purpose of the Initiative is to promote careers in the agriculture and food sector through Agricultural Societies. There are 2 components:
- Provide money through Initiative Payment(s) to Agricultural Societies to promote and distribute pre-existing materials related to agriculture and food career opportunities at Fairs and Events.
- Provide money through Initiative Payment(s) to Agricultural Societies so they can develop their own local agriculture and food career promotion materials and activities.
