Grant
Provincial
Active
Small Business Assistance Program
Innovation PEI / Government of Prince Edward Island
Maximum Funding
50% of eligible costs
No closing date is published. Innovation PEI states that applications are rev...
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
50%
Small Business Assistance Program provides up to 50% of eligible costs. Up to $5,000 in the first year of business only, made up of $2,500 for professional fees and $2,500 for marketing and promotion. $2,500 for professional fees in any other year. Provides PEI small businesses with a 50% cost-share contribution for professional fees, operational efficiency projects, and marketing or promotion costs. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. No closing date is published. Innovation PEI states that applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis and as budget allows, and that all projects meeting the minimum criteria may not receive funding. Online applications are encouraged..
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
Provides PEI small businesses with a 50% cost-share contribution for professional fees, operational efficiency projects, and marketing or promotion costs.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a business located in Prince Edward Island and actively operating on PEI.
- Must be registered to do business in PEI, although registration may not be required for business planning support only.
- Business must be the primary source of income for the applicant, or employ at least one employee working a minimum of 560 hours.
- New businesses may access one-time marketing and promotion support only within the first 12 months of operation.
- Capital equipment purchases are not eligible; the Small Business Investment Grant may apply instead.
- Businesses with defaulted provincial debt, fishers, farmers, realty companies, and banks or financial companies are ineligible.
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- 50% of eligible costs. Up to $5,000 in the first year of business only, made up of $2,500 for professional fees and $2,500 for marketing and promotion. $2,500 for professional fees in any other year.
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- No closing date is published. Innovation PEI states that applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis and as budget allows, and that all projects meeting the minimum criteria may not receive funding. Online applications are encouraged.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win Small Business Assistance Program
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 9 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 5-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 2-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipApply before you sign anything.
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Rejection Pitfalls 9
- A financial or legal commitment on the project was made before the application was submitted
+8 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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9 reasons applications get rejected, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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5 steps
5 docs
Application Steps
1
Apply before you commit to anything An application must be submitted before any financial or legal commitment is made on the project. Get the application in before signing with a consultant, agency or web developer.
Required Documents 5
✓ Business registration number and date of incorporation, if applicable
✓ Description of the business operations
Eligible Expenses 8
Ineligible Expenses 4
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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2 partners
Compatible Programs
Other non-repayable government funding for the same project
Innovation PEI Small Business Investment Grant
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How Small Business Assistance Program Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Assistance Program | Up to $5,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | No closing date is... |
| PEI Small Business Investment Grant | Up to $3,750 | Easy | Reimbursement | March 31, 2027 (annual... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Call-specific — no open... |
| Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency ... | Up to 50% of capital costs | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Business Development Program (BDP) - ... | Varies (Repayable Contribution) | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Small Business Assistance Program
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Full Playbook: Small Business Assistance Program
5 steps · 5 docs · reviewer insights