Alberta Investment and Growth Fund (IGF)
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- Scored mainly on the jobs it creates for other people. 22 lead with that.
- You have to fund part of this yourself, stated as 80%.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
An invite-only deal-closing grant with awards capped at 50% of budgeted capital expenditures ($500,000–$10,000,000) for high-impact private-sector investments that create significant new permanent jobs in Alberta. Funded at $28 million in Budget 2026 (2026-27), rising to $27.5 million annually under the government's 2026-29 strategic plan, to attract and anchor major investments across industries including manufacturing, aerospace, logistics, technology, agrifood, forestry, energy and tourism. Companies initiate access through designated regional or sector intake organizations — not a public application window.
Eligibility Requirements
- For-profit company that is financially sound with demonstrated operational capacity
- Investment project would not occur in Alberta without IGF support (additionality required)
- Targeted minimum capital expenditure (not an absolute floor — the funder has funded a $7M rural project, S3 Group in Medicine Hat, below this target): $16M for metro/urban projects; $11M for rural Alberta projects
- Targeted minimum: 10 new permanent full-time jobs directly created by the project in Alberta (not an absolute floor)
- No more than 50% of total project costs may come from government or other public sources (federal, provincial, municipal), and the IGF grant itself cannot exceed 50% of budgeted capital expenditures
- Project is in a target industry such as manufacturing, aerospace, logistics, technology, agrifood, forestry, energy or tourism (the list is not closed)
- Invited/referred via a designated regional economic development organization or sector intake body — not an open public application
- Targeted eligible project size is substantial (not an absolute floor): ~$16M capital investment in a Census Metropolitan Area or ~$11M in rural Alberta, plus a targeted minimum of 10 new full-time jobs. Access is by invitation / negotiation — there is no open public application window.
- You have not yet made a final decision to proceed with the project, and have not said publicly, in any form, that you have
- At least 80% of total project costs must already be supported by committed sources of funding
- Must be operating, or proposing to operate, in Alberta with an established production capability, plant or place of business in the province
- Operational benefits of the project must flow primarily within Alberta
- The project must meet a minimum average annual wage requirement (threshold set by the program; not published)
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- $500,000 to $10,000,000 (up to 50% of eligible capital expenditures)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Very difficult — extensive requirements
High competition — many applicants
Very complex — extensive preparation required
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipIGF is a deal-closing tool used by the Alberta government to anchor large investments that are comparing Alberta against other jurisdictions.
Rejection Pitfalls 8
- Project lacks genuine additionality — would proceed in Alberta regardless of IGF support
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
How the Government of Alberta judges your application
What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.
Distilled from 6+ source documents, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-11.
6 of the sources
- Investment and Growth Fund | Alberta.ca alberta.ca
- Economic development funding and grants | Alberta.ca alberta.ca
- News release: first four IGF projects incl. GoodLeaf Farms alberta.ca
- Investment and Growth Fund - Government of Alberta igf.alberta.ca
- Jobs, Economy and Trade Ministry Business Plan 2025-28 open.alberta.ca
- Regional Economic Development resources backgrounder alberta.ca
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What the Government of Alberta favours
High-impact private investment creating well-paying jobs and economic growth◦
“It focuses on securing high-impact private sector investments that create new, well-paying jobs, spur economic growth and enhance Alberta’s productivity.”
The form
Access and eligibility
- 1How to apply: contact a designated IGF intake organizationwritten answer
Companies interested in the IGF program are encouraged to contact one of the designated intake organizations listed below, based on the regional or sectoral profile of the proposed investment project, to learn more about the program, determine their eligibility and to initiate the application process.
- 2Applicant criteriacheckboxes
- 3No final investment decision and no public statements implying oneyes/no + written
The applicant has not made a final decision to proceed with the project or investment, and has not made any public statements in any form through any means that suggest or imply that the applicant has made a final decision to proceed with the project or investment.
The investment case
- 4Additionality: the investment would not occur in Alberta without IGFwritten answer
- 5Plan for new or expanded Alberta operationswritten answer
Financial viability
- 6Project financial viabilitytable
Alberta benefits
- 7Operational benefits flow primarily within Albertawritten answer
Targets and ask
- 8Minimum average annual wageshort answer
- 9Targeted minimum jobs and capital expendituretable
- 10Grant requestshort answer
Invited application
- 11IGF application (portal, by invitation)written answer
the Government of Alberta states no length limits for these answers.
Judged against
- 1
Will this investment happen here without us?
Show them Name the competing jurisdictions and their offers, quantify the cost or return gap in Alberta, and show the project has not reached a final investment decision.◦
In the funder’s words · 1
- The applicant must demonstrate that the investment project would not occur in Alberta without the support of IGF funding.
- 2
Does it create well-paying Alberta jobs?
What to show, and the funder’s 2 criteria behind it in Premium
- 3
Can this company deliver the project?
What to show them in Premium
Where applicants fail
“Has not made any public statements in any form through any means that suggest or imply that the applicant has made a final decision to proceed with the project or investment.”
“The eligibility criteria listed above are not exhaustive.”
“Access to the IGF Program is available through these organisations only.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 8 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.
4 more rules that can reject you · 2 more criteria · 8 more prompts
Do you pass?
Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.
You
For-profit with an operating track record
A for-profit company and able to demonstrate a track record of successful operations, revenue generation or expansions
Your business
Alberta production capability or place of business
Operating in or proposing to operate in Alberta as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business located within the province
The project
80% of costs committed
At least 80% of the total project costs are supported by committed sources of funding
No more than 50% public funding
No greater than 50% of total project costs may be funded by government programs or other public sources
The money
Grant award rangebetween $500,000 and $10,000,000
Approved IGF applicants are eligible to receive a grant award between $500,000 and $10,000,000.
Share of capital costs50% of capital expenditures
The grant award will not exceed 50% of budgeted capital expenditures for a proposed project.
Programme envelope$28 million
$28 million for the Investment and Growth Fund.
Your shareAt least 80% committed sources
at least 80% of the total project costs are supported by committed sources of funding
StackingMax 50% public funding
no greater than 50% of total project costs may be funded by government programs or other public sources (federal, provincial, municipal, or other public sector entities)
From application to money
- Contact intake organizationContact intake organization for eligibility
- Invited to the portalIntake organization invites company to portal
- Approval decisionMinistry reviews application against criteria
- Announcement with final decisionAnnouncement paired with final investment decision
In the funder’s words · 4
- Contact intake organization
- Contact the designated intake organization for your region or sector to determine eligibility and initiate the application process.
- Invited to the portal
- Once eligibility is determined, the intake organization invites the company and the application is initiated on the IGF portal.
- Approval decision
- The ministry reviews the invited application against the published criteria.
- Announcement with final decision
- The announcement is typically paired with the company confirming its final investment decision.
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to win IGF
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 8 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 7-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 7
Eligible Expenses 5
Ineligible Expenses 6
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
High RiskHow IGF Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Investment and Growth Fund (IGF) | $500,000 to $10,000,000 | Hard | Milestone-Based | Ongoing |
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| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Between intakes — the... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
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