NBIF Cleantech Momentum Program

Insider Tip

Attend the annual info session (typically early November) before the portal opens — Cleantech Momentum is jointly evaluated by NBIF and Opportunities NB, and understanding both perspectives materially sharpens your application. Equipment and infrastructure are capped at 50% of the budget, so front-load personnel, contract work, and third-party testing in your cost plan. The 'emissions-reduction potential' criterion is interpreted broadly (direct or indirect), but your business case must make the impact quantifiable — even a rough tCO₂e estimate is stronger than narrative-only claims.

Success Profile

An NB-incorporated cleantech SME with prior-year revenue, a clearly innovative technology (new to the world, new to the market, or novel application to a new domain), quantifiable emissions-reduction impact (direct from the technology or indirect through customer adoption), and matching cash to cover the non-NBIF share of the project budget. Typical winners have a working product or late-stage prototype and are pursuing a commercialization milestone.

Evaluation Criteria

Two-stage competitive evaluation by NBIF and Opportunities NB representatives. Stage 1 screens for basic eligibility (NB incorporation/operations, SME size, prior-year revenue, project fit). Stage 2 evaluates innovation level, emissions-reduction potential (direct or indirect), technical and commercial feasibility, strength of the business case, and capacity of the team to execute. Projects with quantifiable impact and secured matching funds score higher.

Application Steps

Required Documents 7

Eligible Expenses 7

• Wages for allocated employees working on the project
• Contract work — temporary staff and external consultants
• Third-party testing and validation services
• Materials and supplies directly tied to the project
• Equipment and infrastructure (capped at up to 50% of the project budget)
• Select intellectual property costs (e.g., patent filings)
• Other project-specific expenses at NBIF's discretion

Ineligible Expenses 6

• General corporate overhead or administrative salaries unrelated to the project
• Marketing and sales activities outside project scope
• Activities undertaken before project approval
• Lobbying or government relations activities
• Costs covered by other government funding (double-dipping)
• Dividends, distributions, or related-party transfers

Intake Periods

Historically an annual winter cycle — info session in early November, application deadline in late February. The 2025–26 intake closed February 27, 2026. The 2026–27 cycle has not yet been announced.

Deadline Notes

Cleantech Momentum has historically run an annual winter intake (info session in November, deadline in late February). The most recent published deadline was February 27, 2026. As of April 2026, the next round has not been formally announced — contact [email protected] or monitor nbif.ca for announcement of the 2026–27 cycle. Because matching fund requirements may apply depending on support level, begin conversations with NBIF early so you can structure your project budget before the portal opens.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

• Businesses not incorporated in New Brunswick and without significant NB operations
• Businesses with 500 or more employees
• Companies without demonstrated prior-year revenue
• Non-profit organizations and academic institutions acting as lead applicant
• Projects without clear innovation or without emissions-reduction potential

Compatible Programs

Clawback Risk

Medium Risk

Standard grant-agreement clawback provisions apply for misuse of funds, material misrepresentation, or failure to meet project milestones. Disbursement is milestone-based, so unmet milestones typically result in payment pause rather than clawback of funds already paid on previously accepted milestones.