📚 Canadian Grant & Funding Glossary

Partial funding provided upfront before project completion, typically requiring progress reports and deliverables.

The individual, business, or organization submitting a grant application.

The final date and time applications will be accepted. Can be continuous intake, periodic calls, or one-time deadlines.

Minimum level of ongoing funding provided to maintain operations or continue established programs.

15-digit identifier assigned by CRA to businesses operating in Canada, required for most grant applications.

Financial contribution from multiple sources to support a single project. See also: Matching Funds

Process of bringing research, technology, or innovation to market as a viable commercial product or service.

Legal contract outlining terms, conditions, reporting requirements, and payment schedule for approved grants.

Specific costs that can be covered by grant funding, as defined in program guidelines.

Required for programs involving wage subsidies or employee training grants.

Grant programs administered by federal departments and agencies, available nationwide.

Metric used to determine business size; typically 1 FTE = 37.5-40 hours per week of work.

Non-repayable funding provided by government or organizations to support specific business activities or projects.

Professional consultant who specializes in preparing grant applications, typically charging 10-20% of grant value or flat fee.

Non-cash contribution such as volunteer time, donated goods, or existing equipment used toward matching fund requirements.

Development of new or significantly improved products, services, processes, or business models.

Industrial Research Assistance Program - NRC's flagship innovation program providing funding and advisory services to Canadian SMEs.

Preliminary application or expression of interest, often required before submitting full application for large grants.

Repayable funding that must be paid back with or without interest, as opposed to grants which are non-repayable.

Financial contribution required from the applicant, typically expressed as a percentage of total project costs.

Funding released upon completion of specific project phases or deliverables.

Grant programs administered by cities, towns, or regional governments for local economic development.

Organization operated exclusively for social welfare, civic improvement, pleasure, recreation, or other purpose except profit.

Tax credit that can reduce tax owed to zero but cannot be paid out as cash if no tax is owed.

Government employee responsible for managing specific grant programs and advising applicants.

Grant programs administered by provincial or territorial governments, available only to businesses in that jurisdiction.

Research and Development - systematic investigation to discover new knowledge or develop new applications.

Tax credit that can be paid out as cash even if no tax is owed.

Funding that must be repaid, often conditionally based on project success or revenue generation.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprise - typically businesses with fewer than 500 employees in Canada.

Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax incentive program - Canada's largest R&D funding source providing up to 68% tax credits.

Federal innovation initiative supporting industry-led consortiums in key economic sectors (Digital, Ocean, Protein, AI, Advanced Manufacturing).

A reduction in the amount of tax owed, either refundable (paid as cash if no tax owed) or non-refundable (limited to tax liability).

Scale (1-9) measuring the maturity of technology development from basic research to commercial deployment.

Private equity investment in high-growth potential companies, often complementing grant funding.

Grant that covers a percentage of employee wages, often for hiring students, training, or job creation.