Innovation Growth Program
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- The decision is made by a jury or selection panel. 16 work that way.
- What does not disqualify you: No business or marketing plan. 119 record an exemption like this.
- You have to fund part of this yourself. The programme states your share.
Can you win this grant?
Get your instant eligibility verdict plus a head start on the application. Free, no account needed.
We use this program’s real eligibility rules. 4 short questions follow.
Want your full match picture across 850+ programs? Take the 2-minute quiz →
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Provides non-repayable grants to support small and medium-sized businesses in Manitoba pursuing innovation and technology commercialization.
Eligibility Requirements
- For-profit, taxable Canadian-controlled private corporation (CCPC) with a permanent establishment in Manitoba that pays at least 50% of total salaries and wages to Manitoba resident employees
- Must be a small or medium-sized business (SME) with fewer than 100 full-time-equivalent employees (consolidated with affiliates) or annual revenue of $15 million or less
- Project must focus on technology commercialization or innovation (not operational expenses)
- Funding covers up to 50% of eligible project costs, maximum $100,000 grant
- Must demonstrate a viable plan for commercializing an innovative technology product or process
- Must be able to contribute the remaining 50% of project costs from non-government sources
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $100,000 (50% of project costs)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Intake deadline: September 30, 2026
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Moderate — standard application process
Moderate competition — prepare a strong application
Moderate — standard requirements
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipIGP is meant for ventures that do not qualify for other Government of Manitoba assistance; if your project qualifies under another Manitoba program, you may be directed to apply there first.
Rejection Pitfalls 11
- Not a CCPC (sole proprietors, partnerships, non-profits ineligible)
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
How the Province of Manitoba 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 2026-09-10.
6 of the sources
- Innovation Growth Program | Programs and Incentives | Business,… gov.mb.ca
- Innovation Growth Program - Manitoba.ca manitoba.ca
- Innovation Growth Program manitoba.ca
- Items Included in Letter from Start-Up Applicants manitoba.ca
- Support Programs for Business - Manitoba.ca manitoba.ca
- News release June 16, 2025: Manitoba Government Invests More than… news.gov.mb.ca
Sign up free to save this programme and track your application in your workspace.
What the Province of Manitoba favours
Strong lead champion who can guide the project to completion◦
“Demonstrates a strong lead champion with the capacity to guide the project to completion; (S2, C. Management Capacity)”
The form
Eligibility and attachments
- 1Section 1: MANDATORY APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS - Eligibility Requirementscheckboxes
- 2Section 1: Application Attachmentscheckboxes
Company information
- 2Section 2: Company Information/General Business Overviewshort answer
- 4Shareholders, parent and affiliatesshort answer
- 5Business Sector (required) / Sub-Sector / # Years in Businessselection
Management team
- 6Management teamwritten answer
Describe the management team, including experience, and capacity to carry out the project.
Product, market and commercialization
- 3Section 3: Product / Process Descriptionwritten answer
Briefly describe the product or process for which you are requesting funding: (Maximum 1–2 paragraphs)
- 8What makes your product or process innovative?written answer
- 9Target marketwritten answer
- 10Broader beneficial impactswritten answer
- 11Competitive environmentwritten answer
- 12Commercialization planwritten answer
Funding request and costs
- 4Section 4: Amount of IGP Funding Requestshort answer
- 14Project and project activities (incl. new hires)written answer
- 15Project cost charttable
- 16Project Financing and Funding Sourcestable
Economic benefits
- 5Section 5: Proposed Economic Benefits of Project - Anticipated Economic Impactstable
- 18Manitoba Employment Tabletable
Declaration
- 6Section 6: Disclosure and Authorizationcheckbox
the Province of Manitoba states no length limits for these answers.
Judged against
- 1
Is this genuinely new and can they build it?
Show them Describe the product or process precisely, name the proprietary element that makes it not currently available in the market, and set out the work plan with its methodology, timeline and deliverables.◦
In the funder’s words · 1
- A. Quality of The Project
- 2
Will the market buy it, and how?
What to show, and the funder’s 2 criteria behind it in Premium
- 3
Can this team deliver the project?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
- 4
Is the money in place, and does Manitoba gain?
What to show, and the funder’s 2 criteria behind it in Premium
Where applicants fail
“No applications will be accepted after the closing intake date.”
“IGP will not reimburse project expenses incurred prior to application intake closing date.”
“Funding from non-government sources must be confirmed at the time of application.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 12 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.
7 more rules that can reject you · 5 more criteria · 14 more prompts
Do you pass?
Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.
Your business
For-profit taxable Canadian private corporation
For-profit, taxable Canadian Controlled Private Corporations
Manitoba permanent establishment
With a permanent establishment in Manitoba
Half of wages paid to Manitobans
Pay at least 50% of total salaries and wages to Manitoba resident employees
Under $15M revenue or under 100 FTE
Annual revenue of $15 million or less, or fewer than 100 full time equivalent employees, including its affiliates on a consolidated basis.
Cash equity of $25,000 or more
Company demonstrates a $25,000, or greater, cash equity position.
1 thing this funder says you do NOT need, in Premium.
Documents to attach
Ticks are kept on this device.
The money
Maximum per projectUp to $100,000 per project
The IGP provides a non-repayable grant of up to $100,000 per project to cost share eligible expenses on a 50/50 cost shared basis.
Cap with affiliates$100,000 per project, including affiliates
Funding is capped at $100,000 per new project per corporation, including any affiliated corporations (same controlling shareholder or group of shareholders).
New hires cap50% of total funds requested
Funding in the new hires category is capped at 50% of total funds requested.
Government stacking limit50% of total project costs
Total government support from all levels of government (federal, provincial, municipal), including tax rebates (excluding: equity tax credits, Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit and Paid Work Experience Tax Credit), cannot exceed 50 per cent of total project costs.
Payment basisReimbursement against proof of payment
Reimbursement is based on satisfactory proof of payment for expenses incurred in accordance with the terms of the funding agreement.
Your shareAt least 50% from non-government sources
At least 50 per cent of eligible project costs must be supported by non-government sources and funding from non-government sources must be confirmed at the time of application.
StackingGovernment support capped at 50% of costs
Total government support from all levels of government (federal, provincial, municipal), including tax rebates (excluding: equity tax credits, Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit and Paid Work Experience Tax Credit), cannot exceed 50 per cent of total project costs.
Costs before approvalNo reimbursement for pre-application expenses
IGP will not reimburse project expenses incurred prior to application intake closing date.
What it pays for · 2
- Legal fees associated with registration of intellectual property; Designing and building of commercial scale prototypes; Tools, moulds; Testing costs, certifications; Third party advisory or technical services; Business to business tradeshows or events intended to secure distributors
- Internal salaries and wages for net new Manitoba hires working directly on the project where a T4 is issued. New hires support is capped at 50% of total IGP funding requested.
What it does not pay for · 1
- Advertising; Land and buildings; Equipment; Inventory; Internal labour, except for qualifying net new hires; Owner salary or dividends; Primary research and development; Website development; Business registration and incorporation costs; Costs for entertainment, meals, alcohol, lodging or per diems; Shipping expenses; Professional dues, membership fees; Financing charges and taxes; Business plans; Costs not directly attributable to product commercialization; Activities relating to productivity improvements
From application to money
- Email your applicationSeptember 30, 2026Email application by September 30, 2026
- Department pre-screenDepartment pre-screens for eligibility and completeness
- Panel evaluationCompetitive panel evaluation
- Six-year agreementEnter 6-year funding agreement
- Project completionProject completed within one year of intake close
- Annual follow-upAnnual follow-up interviews and financial review
In the funder’s words · 6
- Email your application
- Send the completed IGP Application Form in Word format with its attachments to [email protected].
- Department pre-screen
- The department performs a pre-screen of all applications received. The pre-screen helps to ensure the application is eligible and complete. The pre-screen is not an assessment of the application.
- Panel evaluation
- The IGP is a competitive process and applications will be evaluated against other proposals received during the intake phase.
- Six-year agreement
- Eligible applicants will be required to enter into a 6-year funding and reporting agreement with Manitoba Innovation and New Technology.
- Project completion
- Project activities must be completed (incurred and paid) within one year of the application intake closing date. (within one year of the application intake closing date)
- Annual follow-up
- The review will include telephone, email, and/or in-person interviews following up on the project and measuring overall company growth using such methods as financial statement reviews and collection of company issued T4 information.
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to win Innovation Growth Program
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 11 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
- 9-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 7-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 10
Ineligible Expenses 16
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskHow Innovation Growth Program Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovation Growth Program | Up to $100,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Intake deadline:... |
| NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program | $100,000–$500,000 | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| PrairiesCan (Prairies Economic Develo... | Varies | Hard | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Minimum $10 million contribution | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Between intakes — the... |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Innovation Growth Program