Grant
Municipal
Active
Hamilton Starter Company Plus
Hamilton Business Centre / City of Hamilton
Maximum Funding
Up to $5,000,
Waitlist applications for the Fall 2026 cohort are accepted until September 7...
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Milestone-Based
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
80%
Hamilton Starter Company Plus provides Up to $5,000, with the applicant providing a 25% investment of the grant amount, which is $1,250. A training and mentorship program from the Hamilton Business Centre with up to $5,000 in grant funding for businesses that are at least six months old and under two years. The program covers up to 80% of eligible costs. Waitlist applications for the Fall 2026 cohort are accepted until September 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM..
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
A training and mentorship program from the Hamilton Business Centre with up to $5,000 in grant funding for businesses that are at least six months old and under two years. The owner must live in Hamilton, hold majority ownership, work at least 35 hours a week in the business with no other job, put $1,250 of their own money in, and complete 12 hours of entrepreneurship training.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or older
- Not attending school or planning to return to school during the program
- Devoting at least 35 hours per week to the small business and not employed elsewhere
- Business is less than two years old and registered at the time of application with a City of Hamilton address
- Business has been operating for at least 6 months and can show financial activity statements for that period
- Applicant has majority ownership and can prove ownership or shareholder agreement
- Able to commit to 12 hours of entrepreneurship training
- Can provide a 25% investment of the grant amount ($1,250), which may be cash, working capital or in-kind contributions at fair market value such as equipment or machinery, but not sweat equity or loans
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $5,000, with the applicant providing a 25% investment of the grant amount, which is $1,250.
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Municipal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 80% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Waitlist applications for the Fall 2026 cohort are accepted until September 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Sep 7, 2026
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipThe window is the thing most people get wrong.
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See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.
Rejection Pitfalls 9
- The business is under six months old, or two years or older
+8 more pitfalls
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See the most common reasons applications get rejected — before you submit yours.
Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 9 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 Hamilton Starter Company Plus
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 9 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 9-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
- 3-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
9 docs
Application Steps
1
Check the personal conditions first You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, 18 or older, not attending school or planning to return while enrolled, devoting at least 35 hours a week to the business with no other employment, not enrolled in any other government funded employment program, and a Hamilton resident able to prove a physical address.
Required Documents 9
✓ Proof of physical address showing Hamilton residency
✓ Business registration as a sole proprietor, partnership or corporation, showing a City of Hamilton address
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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3 partners
Compatible Programs
Other government funded employment programs
Employment Insurance, Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program and other income support
Summer Company (before) and Futurpreneur (after)
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.
How Hamilton Starter Company Plus Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Starter Company Plus | Up to $5,000, | Moderate | Milestone-Based | Waitlist applications... |
| Summer Company (Ontario) | Up to $3,000 | Easy | Lump Sum | Spring annual (for... |
| Ontario Job Grant (formerly Canada-On... | Up to $10,000 per employee | Easy | Varies | Ongoing — year-round... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
| Commercial Façade Improvement Grant P... | Up to $12,500 (50% of costs) | Easy | Reimbursement | Annual Intake |
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 Hamilton Starter Company Plus
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How old does my business have to be?
Less than two years old, and it must have been in operation for a minimum of six months with financial activity statements demonstrating that period.
How much funding is available?
Funding opportunities of up to $5,000 for eligible businesses approved into the program. The applicant must be able to provide a 25% investment of the grant amount, which the program states as $1,250.
Do I have to live in Hamilton?
Yes. You must be a resident of Hamilton and able to demonstrate proof of physical address, and the business registration documentation must show a City of Hamilton address.
Can I keep my job while doing this?
No. You must be devoting a minimum of 35 hours per week to the small business and not employed anywhere else, and you cannot be attending school or planning to return to school while enrolled in the program, or be enrolled in any other government funded employment program.
What kinds of business are not eligible?
Nightclubs, lounges, cabarets, discotheques, music festivals and events, online resellers, technology apps that are not market ready, student housing and residential rental accommodation, quasi financial institutions and money service businesses, cryptocurrency businesses and traders, fund brokers and fiduciaries, brokers working for an existing firm, charity fundraising platforms, charities and non-profits and social enterprises, franchises, collection agencies, businesses raising investment capital for others, businesses promoting equity crowdfunding, and medical marijuana and cannabis retailers.
What is the time commitment beyond running the business?
You must be able to commit to 12 hours of entrepreneurship training. The program offers training in business planning, marketing, social media, bookkeeping and financial management, along with ongoing mentorship.
How do I apply for the Fall 2026 cohort?
Join the waitlist through the program page. Waitlist applications are accepted until September 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM, the cohort begins mid to late September 2026, and a program coordinator reaches out to eligible applicants to discuss the application and business in detail.
What can I spend the $5,000 on?
Business expenses only, and the programme publishes caps. Eligible: tools and equipment, a computer or iPad (limit $1,000), office equipment and supplies, materials for creating a product, inventory (limit $1,000), marketing materials such as business cards, website and logo creation, social media marketing including Google AdWords (limit $500), business insurance, and educational courses or training in Ontario (limit $1,000). Ineligible: salaries including an owner's draw, a single item purchase, commercial or retail rent, personal rent or mortgage, vehicle purchase or maintenance, repayment of business debts, and anything personal in nature. The grant is taxable income.
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Full Playbook: Hamilton Starter Company Plus
9 steps · 9 docs · reviewer insights