Small Communities Fund: Ontario Infrastructure Grant Now Open
The Province of Ontario is now accepting funding applications for the Small Communities Fund. Supported by both federal and Ontario provincial governments, each will be contributing $272 million to the fund over its 10 year lifecycle. Small Communities Fund (SCF) will assist the building and restoration of public infrastructure in communities with a population less than 100,000. SCF is funded by the federal government’s $14 billion New Building Canada Fund which aims to complete infrastructure projects across the country. In Ontario alone, the New Building Canada Fund aims to support an average of 110,000 jobs per year and lower the unemployment rate by approximately 1%.
Small Communities Fund: Canadian Government Funding Details
Eligible applicants may receive up to two-thirds (up to 67%) of eligible project costs associated with the development of infrastructure projects. Unlike many other Canadian government grants, there is no spending or funding cap for eligible projects. Are you an eligible applicant or do you have a project which would be eligible to receive government funding? Below are the requirements to be considered for the Small Communities Fund program.
Eligible Applicants for Small Communities Fund
A number of applicants will be able to apply for the Small Communities Fund. Applicants may be in the public or private sector in order to obtain a portion of this Canadian government funding. All applicants must complete projects in a community which supports 100,000 residents or less. Eligible applicants include:
- Municipalities and local service boards;
- Public sector bodies (entities owned by the government);
- Indian Act band councils (whom are supported by a municipality); and
- Private sector bodies (for-profit or not-for-profit with municipal support).
Projects Eligible to Receive Canadian Government Grants
The Small Communities Fund is specifically designed to support infrastructure projects across Ontario. Projects eligible for funding consideration include:
- Maintenance to highways and major roadways,
- Drinking water and wastewater management;
- Public transit integration/expansion;
- Green energy implementation;
- Disaster mitigation; and
- Airport, railway, and sea shipping improvements.
Apply for Small Communities Fund Government Grants for Infrastructure
The first step in applying for the Small Communities Fund is to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) to the Government of Ontario. The deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest is rapidly approaching, and the government will not be accepting any proposals after September 30, 2015. To learn if this is the right government funding program for your organization to leverage, contact Mentor Works and we’ll help you to distinguish between Small Communities Fund and other government grants and loans.
Small Business Grants and More Resources
Ontario government grants are available for many small businesses in the province. Whether your focus is on business expansion, technology adoption, hiring and training, or other initiatives, Mentor Works can help you obtain the most value for your business activities. Attend one of our free educational webinars where we’ll teach you about the similarities and differences between Ontario government funding programs. Are you new to government grants and loans? Download our free Comparing Funding Types tool for an introduction on how your business can become more competitive. You can also register for our weekly e-newsletter and stay informed on all of the most important Canadian government funding news.