FedNor, Canada’s regional development organization for Northern Ontario, offers Canadian Business Grants for SMEs looking to improve their productivity and competitiveness through the Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP). The NODP offers an Innovation Initiative, which provides repayable grant funding for businesses and research institutions to improve their research capacities and strengthen their partnership alliances.
FedNor Innovation Program – Funding for Small Business R&D
FedNor provides government funding for small business and non-profits to accelerate the development and adoption of new technologies through their NODP Innovation funding Stream. The program supports up to 33% of the eligible capital costs and 50% of the eligible non-capital costs for applied R&D, commercialization, and technology adoption projects. Funding contributions will be in the form of fully-repayable loans for eligible SMEs, while Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) may receive funding through non-repayable government grants. Applicants may also receive an additional $27,500 or 50% of a new employee’s wages through the FedNor Youth Internship Program.
Eligible Applicants and Key Sectors for Small Business Funding Grants
In order to be eligible to apply, organizations must be located in one of the regions within Northern Ontario and fit into one of the following categories:
- Non-Profit Organization (NPO)
- Municipalities or First Nations Communities
- Small-Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 500 employees
SMEs may receive additional support if they operate in one of the following key sectors:
- Biotechnology
- Mining and Forestry
- Agri-Food Processing/Production
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Renewable Energy
- Manufacturing
Eligible Activities for Expansion and R&D Funding
The FedNor Innovation Program provides funding to promote the development of new technologies and increase the research capacities of Northern Ontario SMEs. Depending on your Industry, SMEs with a commercially market driven opportunity may be eligible to receive funding for:
- Applied Research and Development – Funding may be eligible for activities related to proving out a technology, designing prototypes, registering patents, and product testing.
- Marketing and Commercialization – Eligible SMEs may also receive funding for market research and feasibility studies, early stage marketing, promotional initiatives, and product certification.
SMEs operating in one of the key sectors mentioned above may also receive funding for improving their company’s productivity and competitive advantage. Eligible activities may include:
- Productivity Improvements – Acquisition and upgrade of assets and equipment to support technological innovation and adoption of new processes.
- Technology Adoption – Training and adaption to accelerate the adoption new technologies including those related to information sharing and research collaboration.
- Government Grant Consulting – Acquiring the services of a consultant, accountant or other expertise to complete complex funding applications and proposals to government and other research funding grants for small business.
- Business Analysis – Funding for completing studies, assessments and analyses of operations and management structures.
Canadian Government Funding Consultants
Those interested in learning more about this program or other Canadian Government Grants for R&D are encouraged to contact our Team of Business Funding Analysts to inquire about our services and support offerings. To stay up-to-date with the latest program releases and funding updates, please subscribe to our Weekly Canadian Government Funding E-Newsletter and follow our posts on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Facebook.