The Canadian government has taken action to mitigate the economic damages of the COVID-19 pandemic with various pandemic support funding initiatives, including a program offered through the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) called the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF). CCRF is designed to support communities that have been hit hard by the pandemic with a two-year, $500 million investment in national infrastructure funding. The program is being provided through two streams: a scheduled intake stream and a continuous intake stream.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to support economic development in communities of every size, in every region. We have helped put small- and medium-sized businesses on the road to recovery. Now it’s time to invest in the shared public spaces that will safely bring people together and help communities grow and thrive well into the future.”
-The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages
Canada’s communities thrive through infrastructure that encourages social interactions and economic development. Communal spaces, such as farmers’ markets and parks, are a strong example of structures that promote a well-balanced community. Therefore, to initiate a return to a somewhat normal public sphere, the CCRF program is aiming to get Canadians back into social public settings.
Funding Amount
The CCRF will be delegating up to a maximum of $750,000 to $1 million in government funding to cover up to 75% of total eligible expenses for a project. Projects that will take place in an Indigenous community may receive up to 100% of funding to cover total costs. All contributions to applicants will be non-repayable. The two funding streams through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund are structured as follows:
- Scheduled Intake Stream: Scheduled intake refers to a single scheduled four-week period where initial screening of applicants takes place. Please note that this intake began on July 23, 2021.
- Continuous Intake Stream: If there is funding left over from the initial scheduled intake period, a continuous intake stream will remain open and accept applications until all funding is committed or until the two-year program is expired on March 31, 2023.
Eligible Applicants
The Canada Community Revitalization Fund is accepting applications from the following groups:
- Not-for-profit organizations;
- Rural, municipal, or regional governments;
- Indigenous groups and communities; and
- Public sector bodies that provide municipal-type infrastructure.
Provincial and territorial governments, for-profit businesses, and individuals will not be eligible for the CCRF program but may be eligible for other government funding programs. Community qualifications will also vary depending on unique Regional Development Agencies, so please find out if you qualify by referring to your corresponding RDA page:
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA): This is the RDA for communities located in Atlantic Canada
- Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED): The RDA for communities located in Quebec
- Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor): This is the RDA for communities located in the three territories of Canada
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario): The RDA for communities in the Southern Ontario regions
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor): The RDA for communities located in Northern Ontario regions
- Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan): This is the RDA for communities that are located in Canada’s Prairie provinces
- Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan): The RDA for communities located in British Columbia
To learn more about Canadian funding opportunities in your region, view the regional government funding directory.
Eligible Activities
Preference will be given to projects that add new features to downtown cores and main streets, restructure outdoor spaces, foster environmentally friendly areas, and improve community space accessibility for all. The following are examples of community and not-for-profit projects that may be supported by the CCRF:
- Upgrading or building community farmers markets;
- Construction to community and cultural centres;
- Park or community garden upgrades;
- Improving recreational trails and public outdoor sports facilities; and
- Improving multi-purpose centres.
Program Intakes and Deadlines
Applicants have been asked to submit their projects before July 23, 2021 for the scheduled intake stream. However, most RDAs are offering a continuous intake stream should there be outstanding funding. In this case, funding will be allocated until all funds have been committed. Also, Indigenous applicants may request additional time to submit their applications as long as the March 31, 2023 deadline for this initiative is taken into account.
Get Started With Government Funding Today
Interested in accessing Canadian government funding? There are many government funding programs available for all types of communities, businesses, and organizations. This includes specialized government funding for municipalities and economic development offices and non-profit funding. If you have already found a program you are interested in applying for, check out this helpful guide that outlines how to build a funding plan.
However, we know the government funding process can be complex to navigate, so if you need help, reach out to the Mentor Works team to access comprehensive government funding guidance from the identification of funding opportunities to application writing and post-approval support.