For many business owners and professionals, understanding the sphere of government grants and decoding eligibility requirements can be overwhelming. GrantMatch has already done the research to determine your best opportunities so that you can get back to the business of running your firm.

Right now, there are four major priorities in government funding that may be relevant to your business goals:

• Environmental and green investments
• Infrastructure, equipment, and facilities upgrades
• Hiring and training
• Technological innovation

Let’s explore these categories to consider whether your business is eligible for funding, and which types of investments increase your chances of success with exciting grant & incentive programs.

Environmental & Green Investments

The Canadian government has committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which means that investments that you make in climate-resilient operations and environmental improvements are appealing to funding programs. The types of projects that may qualify for funding in this area include sustainable construction using renewable materials, major building retrofits resulting in a reduced carbon footprint, green infrastructure, water use preservation, waste diversion and waste management innovations, as well as nature-based climate solutions, such as carbon sequestration through ecosystem restoration.

Now is the perfect time to evaluate your business’s operations to identify any opportunities to make your processes or facilities more environmentally friendly. Staying up to date on available funding opportunities and their priorities will allow you to align your upcoming projects in a way that maximizes your success with grants & incentives.

Infrastructure, Equipment & Facility Upgrades

Another current priority in the government funding sphere includes innovation and efficiency improvements through infrastructure, equipment, and facility upgrades. Projects related to increasing climate resiliency, enhancing innovation, and improving process efficiency in manufacturing, as well as across other sectors, may have a high probability of receiving funding.

The overarching intention of government funding programs geared towards supporting these types of improvements is to keep Canadian businesses competitive and to foster economic growth. It is important to consider prioritizing any upcoming projects which may align well with these funding goals to increase your chances of securing grants & incentives to support your business goals.

Hiring & Training

Hiring and training grants are an important component of the drive towards a net-zero economy and the creation and maintenance of good jobs for Canadian workers. Funding support is available for hiring and skill-based training to ensure Canadian workers can thrive in a competitive and changing global economy. Some examples of initiatives that may be eligible for grants include on-site learning programs, curriculum development, union-based training in skilled trades, growth of green skills, and sustainable job creation. As the new year approaches, it is a good idea to re-examine your business’ hiring and skills-based training strategy to uncover any aspects that might be a good fit with currently available and upcoming funding programs.

Technological Innovation

Canada has the potential to become a premier destination for investment in clean technology manufacturing, and new funding opportunities are supporting this possibility. Technological innovation includes different measures across a variety of sectors, including things like efficiency improvements in cyber infrastructure, technology innovation research, collaborations to bring new products to market, strategic projects in research and development, growth acceleration for businesses, and commercialization of new technologies. Available grants & incentives are meant to ensure Canada’s research and development ecosystem fosters healthy economic growth, sustainably developed technologies and goods, and globally competitive innovation.

Does your business have any upcoming projects that fit with this push towards technological innovation? Do not miss out on these technological innovation grants & incentives that may support these investments, getting you closer to achieving your overall business goals.

What’s Next?

Understanding the different priorities that are driving government grants & incentives is a helpful first step. But with so many funding programs opening and closing constantly, with differing eligibility requirements and complex guidelines, it can be difficult to know how to prioritize your upcoming projects accordingly.

To simplify the complex world of government funding, we developed the GrantMatch Hub, our all-in-one platform that makes it easy to identify and apply for grants that fit your business. For as little as $25 per month (when you sign up for an annual subscription), you can access customized, continually updated program matches, clear program summaries, and more.

Signing up for the GrantMatch Hub takes less than 5 minutes.

1. Click here to create your account.
2. Start by filling out some basic information about your business (sector, number of employees, revenue range, etc.).
3. Choose between a monthly or annual subscription and complete checkout.
4. Explore what the platform has to offer and begin reviewing curated grant program matches for your business.
5. Receive new grant matches in your inbox as programs are introduced.