Export Manager Program: Small Business Grants to Help SMEs Compete Globally
Please Note: The Export Manager Program is now closed and not accepting further applications. For trade show grants and other forms of export support, please visit our page on Business and Export Expansion Funding Programs.
As a part of the Global Growth Fund, the Export Manager Program helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to gain access to international export markets. Its focus is to assist SMEs to better-understand their export capacity, develop market access strategies, and ultimately realize their export potential. This funding for small business is administered by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and receives funding from the Ontario provincial government.
What type of activity qualifies for coverage by this government funding for business?
These small business grants will cover partial cost of hiring an Export Manager.
Funding will cover 50% of eligible costs associated with hiring an experienced Export Manager, up to $80,000 (max. $40K per year for 2 years).
What sectors are being targeted for these Ontario business grants?
To qualify for Ontario government funding firms must be operating within one of the following priority sectors:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Aerospace
- Building Products and Construction
- Clean Technology (including renewable energy, smart grid and environmental technologies)
- Exportable Professional Services (e.g., Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning)
- ICT including Digital Media
- Life Sciences
What other criteria must be met in order to qualify for grant funding for business through the OCC?
In order to qualify for business funding grants from the OCC applicant companies must have between $1 million and $20 million in sales. Additionally, applicants must also meet the following criteria:
- Must have no more and no less than 5 to 500 employees
- Have exports sales ranging from 10% to 50% of total annual sales within either of their last 2 fiscal years
- Has at least $2M in annual revenues
- Have pre-established business in Ontario and have been registered provincially or federally for a minimum of 2 years
- Be able to provide a reference from the International Trade Branch of the Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation
Applicants must be able to provide quotations for eligible costs included in the approved budget and must not be receiving any other contributions from public funds towards the activities contained in the funding.
Learn More about the Ontario Exporters Fund Business Grants in Ontario
To access the Ontario Exporters Fund, businesses must submit application packages through a Government of Ontario/ Ontario Chamber of Commerce online portal. This can be done independently, or businesses can contact Mentor Works to optimize application process.
