Grant
Federal
Active
FedDev Ontario Funding
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Maximum Funding
Varies
Ongoing
Difficulty
Hard
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Growing
First-Timers
—
Co-Funding
50%
FedDev Ontario Funding offers funding that varies by project. FedDev Ontario delivers economic development funding across southern Ontario. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Approval odds: ~15–25% (GrantCompass analysis)
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
FedDev Ontario delivers economic development funding across southern Ontario. Business applications are funded through Business Scale-up and Productivity or Community Economic Development and Diversification (FedDev determines which); the primary mechanism, Business Scale-up and Productivity, provides interest-free repayable contributions of $125,000 to $10,000,000 that must be repaid in full, not non-repayable grants. The Regional Tariff Response Initiative offers non-repayable liquidity assistance up to $2,000,000 and non-repayable pivot-project funding up to $1,000,000 (or repayable pivot funding over $1,000,000, up to 75% of costs) for tariff-impacted businesses; combined non-repayable funding is capped at $3,000,000 and total RTRI funding at $20,000,000.
Eligibility Requirements
- Incorporated business (sole proprietorships and unincorporated partnerships ineligible)
- Operating in Southern Ontario (37 census divisions south of the Canadian Shield)
- Funding for businesses (Business Scale-up and Productivity) requires incorporation and registration to do business in Canada or Ontario for at least the past 3 years. The Regional Tariff Response Initiative sets no 3-year minimum: businesses established after March 21, 2025 may be considered case by case where tariffs have hurt them. Other FedDev-delivered streams differ (Community Futures loans set no operating-history minimum)
- BSP stream: minimum 5 and maximum 500 full-time employees (stream-specific)
- For-profit business focus (non-profits may be eligible for specific streams)
- Confirmed cash co-funding for the applicant's share of project costs. It may include other government funding, subject to caps on total government assistance: 75% of eligible non-capital costs and 50% of eligible capital costs for funding for businesses, and normally 90% (up to 100% for projects led by Indigenous applicants) for RTRI pivot projects; in-kind contributions do not count
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Hard
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Not rated
Funding Details
- Amount
- Varies
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Good
Approval Rate
~15–25%
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipFedDev's BSP is a repayable contribution (0% interest loan up to 50% of eligible costs), not a grant, which surprises many applicants.
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Rejection Pitfalls 11
- Located outside southern Ontario (northern Ontario served by FedNor)
+10 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 11 pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win FedDev Ontario Funding
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 11 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 12-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 9-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 6-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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9 steps
12 docs
Application Steps
1
Contact FedDev Ontario at [email protected] or 1-866-593-5505 to discuss project fit
Required Documents 12
✓ Annual financial statements for last 2 completed fiscal years (externally prepared; audit or review engagement preferred — compilation-only is at a disadvantage)
✓ Most recent interim financial statement (balance sheet, income statement, cash flow, supporting notes)
Eligible Expenses 14
Ineligible Expenses 13
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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6 partners
Compatible Programs
SR&ED Tax Credit
NRC IRAP
Ontario Regional Development Program
CanExport SMEs
Starter Company Plus (Ontario)
FedDev RTRI
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Medium Risk
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How FedDev Ontario Funding Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FedDev Ontario Funding | Varies | Hard | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program | $100,000–$500,000 | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Between intakes — the... |
| Hamilton Starter Company Plus | Up to $5,000, | Moderate | Milestone-Based | Waitlist applications... |
| Ontario Job Grant (formerly Canada-On... | Up to $10,000 per employee | Easy | Varies | Ongoing — year-round... |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about FedDev Ontario Funding
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Can sole proprietors apply?
No. FedDev's business streams require an incorporated business; sole proprietors and unincorporated partnerships are ineligible. Funding for businesses also requires at least 3 years of incorporation in Canada or Ontario.
What's the realistic award size for first-time applicants?
Most common Business Scale-up stream (BSP) awards: $250K-$750K. RTRI non-repayable funding: up to $2M for liquidity assistance and up to $1M for pivot projects (combined non-repayable cap $3M; total RTRI cap $20M once repayable pivot funding is included) for tariff-impacted steel/auto businesses. Agency average: ~$460K per project.
Do I need to be incorporated for 3 years?
For funding for businesses, yes: you must be incorporated and registered to do business in Canada or Ontario for at least the past 3 years (not 2). The Regional Tariff Response Initiative has no 3-year rule, and businesses established after March 21, 2025 may be considered case by case if tariffs have hurt them. The not-for-profit stream, the Economic Development Initiative and Community Futures loans set no such minimum.
Is matching funding required?
Yes. For business scale-up funding, FedDev normally covers a maximum of 50% of eligible costs and you cover at least 50%. For RTRI the applicant share is a minimum of 25% on repayable funding and a minimum of 50% on non-repayable funding. Your share can include other government funding, but total government assistance (federal, provincial and municipal) cannot exceed 75% of eligible non-capital costs and 50% of eligible capital costs for business scale-up funding, or normally 90% for RTRI pivot projects (up to 100% when led by Indigenous applicants). In-kind contributions do not count, and all matching sources must be identified at application and confirmed within 30 days of approval.
Can I stack with SR&ED?
Yes — SR&ED covers R&D expenses not covered by FedDev. FedDev BSP covers commercialization; SR&ED covers R&D. Different expense categories avoid overlap.
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Full Playbook: FedDev Ontario Funding
9 steps · 12 docs · reviewer insights