The Ontario government’s Rural Ontario Development (ROD) Program offers $20 million in funding over two years to support economic growth in rural communities. Replacing the former Rural Economic Development (RED) Program, it aligns with Ontario’s Rural Economic Development Strategy, Enabling Opportunity.
The program provides cost-share funding for projects that:
Eligible applicants include municipalities, Indigenous communities, not-for-profits, local services boards, and small rural businesses (1–20 employees). Projects must be located within eligible rural areas of Ontario.
The program features multiple application intake periods through 2027, with the next deadline on September 24, 2025.
