Incoming Buyer Program (IBP) — Manitoba
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Reimbursement program for Manitoba small and medium-sized businesses that invite qualified international buyers to visit and explore potential procurement relationships. Manitoba pays up to 50% of economy airfare and local accommodation costs for the buyer's visit, to a maximum of $5,000 per project. The program is exclusively for export-ready Manitoba SMEs that manufacture or produce exportable products or services, and is designed to convert trade leads into active supplier relationships with international distributors, agents, or dealers.
Eligibility Requirements
- For-profit small or medium-sized enterprise (under 500 employees) — NPOs and government entities are NOT eligible
- Permanently and primarily established in Manitoba
- More than half of the workforce currently resides in Manitoba
- Produces or manufactures exportable products or services
- Annual sales revenue between $30,000 and $50,000,000
- Registered and in good standing with Manitoba Companies Office (active Business Number)
- Not in arrears for taxes owing to Manitoba and not in receivership
- Not a publicly traded company
- Buyer must be an international for-profit company — distributors, agents, dealers, importers, or wholesalers
- Buyer visit must be the buyer's first visit to Manitoba relating to the applicant company
- Buyer must be a decision-maker (Director, Manager, CEO, VP or equivalent)
- Minimum applicant expense of $2,000 related to the buyer visit
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $5,000 per project (50% of eligible expenses)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Continuous intake until program funds are fully committed
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipApply before the buyer arrives — retroactive applications are not accepted and the program is first-come, first-served within the fiscal year (2025/26 intake closed mid-year). The buyer must be a genuine decision-maker at a distribution or import company (not a consultant or agent on a fixed-fee basis). All expenses must be paid by the applicant company directly — not a parent company or third party. Stack with the Manitoba Export Development Program (EDP) if the same buyer relationship leads to trade show or outbound travel in the same fiscal year. CanExport SME at the federal level provides a complementary but different benefit for international marketing expenses.
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Success Profile
Manitoba-based manufacturer or product/service exporter with annual revenues between $500K and $20M, at least one established international trade lead, and a specific buyer (importer, distributor, or dealer) who has expressed interest in visiting. Companies in food processing, agribusiness, manufacturing, technology, and specialty products are typical applicants. Strongest applications show a defined business purpose for the visit (e.g., product demo, supplier agreement negotiation) and a credible buyer with decision-making authority.
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Evaluation Criteria
Non-competitive reimbursement program — eligibility review only, no merit scoring. Manitoba Trade verifies: company eligibility (size, revenue, Manitoba presence, registration), buyer eligibility (international, for-profit, decision-maker, first visit), expense documentation (original receipts, paid by applicant), and that total government assistance does not exceed 50% of project costs. First-come, first-served within annual budget.
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 7
Eligible Expenses 2
- Economy airfare for the international buyer (must be paid by the applicant company)
- Local accommodations in Manitoba for the buyer during the visit
Ineligible Expenses 8
- Direct cash payments or travel allowances paid to the buyer
- Business class or first class airfare upgrades
- Meals, entertainment, or hospitality costs
- Activities related to service training, warranty negotiations, or machinery servicing
- Costs paid by a parent company, associated company, or third party on behalf of the applicant
- Visits by buyers who have previously visited Manitoba in relation to this company
- Expenses for domestic Canadian buyers
- Accommodation or airfare for applicant company employees
Intake Periods
Annual fiscal year intake (April 1 – March 31). Applications accepted beginning January 1 for the following fiscal year. 2025/26 intake closed. 2026/27 intake now open.
Deadline Notes
2025/26 intake is now closed. The 2026/27 fiscal year intake is open (covering April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027). Applications accepted beginning January 1 for the following fiscal year. Apply before the buyer's visit — retroactive applications not accepted. Submit with supporting documents to [email protected].
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Non-profit organizations
- Government entities, Crown corporations, and municipalities
- Educational institutions
- Publicly traded companies
- External consultants or brokers acting as intermediaries
- Companies with annual sales below $30,000 or above $50,000,000
- Companies not permanently established in Manitoba
- Companies in tax arrears to Manitoba or in receivership
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Stacking partner data not yet available.
Clawback Risk
Low RiskNo post-award clawback provision — reimbursement is paid after expenses are incurred and receipts submitted. Risk is limited to audit of eligibility. If documentation is found to be fraudulent or the visit did not meet eligibility requirements, the grant may be recovered.
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How IBP Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming Buyer Program (IBP) — Manitoba | Up to $5,000 | Easy | Reimbursement | Continuous intake until... |
| PrairiesCan (Prairies Economic Develo... | Varies | Hard | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Canada-Manitoba Job Grant | Up to 75% of costs | Easy | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Innovation Growth Program | Up to $100,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Quarterly intakes... |
| West End BIZ Business Development Grant | Up to 50% of costs, to a max of $1,000 | Easy | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
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