Current Opportunities
Regional Development Program: Eastern Ontario Development Fund and Southwestern Ontario Development Fund
Deadline: Applications are ongoing. There are 4 application intake periods each year.
Eligibility: The fund supports business and community economic development projects.
The Regional Development Program provides support for projects and investments to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in Ontario, by region. The types of support available include: Funding & Complementary services.
The program supports projects that:
- Create jobs and build talent
- Attract and encourage private sector investment
- Lead to business growth and broad positive economic impacts
- Encourage innovation, collaboration and cluster development
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Experience Ontario 2026
Deadline: You must submit your application by Tuesday, December 16, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. (EST).
Eligibility: Full eligibility listed on the website.
Experience Ontario 2026 supports in-person festivals or events in Ontario that will:
- Motivate visitors to discover Ontario
- Connect people with local experiences
- Increase tourism spending
Deadline: Intake period is open.
Eligibility: Full eligibility listed on the website.
The Ontario Sport Hosting Program provides project-based funding to help applicants deliver national and international amateur sport events in Ontario.
The program:
- provides funding for a variety of winter and summer sports
- helps to create a culture that values sport and contributes to athlete development
- encourages the development of legacies for amateur sport and local communities
- boosts local economies through sport tourism
Ontario Transit Investment Fund
Deadline: Intake period is open.
Eligibility: Eligible applicants are municipalities, non-profit organizations and Indigenous communities.
Provides annual funding of $5 million to deliver local and intercommunity transportation projects in unserved and underserved areas in Ontario, particularly in rural areas.
OTIF provides time-limited, application-based funding for up to 5 years to support the start-up and growth of transit services across the province. Through OTIF, the province is providing eligible communities with the support they need to build safe and reliable transit services
Rural Ontario Development Program
Deadline: Intake 2 - February 26, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET | Intake 3 - October 1, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET | Intake 4 - February 25, 2027, at 5 p.m. ET.
Eligibility: Your project must be within an eligible rural area of Ontario & your organization must be one of the following:
- A municipality
- Not-for-profit organization
- An Indigenous community or org
- A local services board
- A small business with 1 to 20 employees.
Get funding to help create strong businesses, boost economic growth, protect jobs and improve infrastructure in small communities.
Provincial Heritage Organization Operating Grant 2025-26
Deadline: Applications must be received no later than January 8, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. (EST).
Eligibility: Only the following organizations are eligible to apply
- Architectural Conservancy of Ontario
- Archives Association of Ontario
- franco-ontarien de folkloreCentre
- Community Heritage Ontario
- Multicultural History Society of Ontario
- Ontario Archaeological Society
- Ontario Black History Society
- Ontario Genealogical Society
- Ontario Historical Society
- Ontario Museum Association
- franco-ontarien patrimoineRéseau du
- Save Ontario Shipwreck
Get funding to help create strong businesses, boost economic growth, protect jobs and improve infrastructure in small communities.
Business Scale-up and Productivity in Northern Ontario
Deadline: Limited budget availability. Please contact a FedNor officer to discuss your project prior to submitting an application under the program.
Eligibility:
- Incorporated small and medium-sized enterprises
- Indigenous (First Nation/Métis/Inuit) businesses and organizations.
The Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) Stream aims to accelerate the growth of firms and assist with the adoption and adaptation of new, innovative technologies that support scale-up, productivity, development of and entry into new markets to help companies become competitive in both domestic and global markets.
Propel Student Work Placement Program
Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Eligibility: Registered Canadian businesses, startups, and not-profits related to the tourism and hospitality sector. The position must be a work-integrated learning (WIL) placement.
Propel offers post-secondary students the opportunity to gain the skills sought by employers through hands-on, paid work-integrated learning opportunities in tourism and hospitality.
The wage subsidy is available for employers who hire students enrolled at a recognized post-secondary institution for a paid position to fulfil the co-op or internship component of their program. The wage subsidy can be accessed by businesses from all facets of the visitor economy: accommodations, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, transportation, and travel services.
Local Festivals — Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage
Deadline: January 31 — for festivals starting between September 1 and December 31 of the same calendar year
April 30 — for festivals starting between January 1 and June 30 of the next calendar year
October 15 — for festivals starting between July 1 and August 31 of the next calendar yearEligibility: Must represent 1 of the following community-based groups:
- A local non-profit organization or group
- A local band council, tribal council or other Indigenous government or organization.
Provides funding to local groups for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists, local artisans, local heritage performers or specialists, and local First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural carriers. This includes the celebration of 2SLGBTQI+ communities and Indigenous cultural celebrations.
Accessible Destination Program
Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Eligibility: Tourism businesses: accommodations, restaurants, attractions, local retail, sports hosting, and event organizers with outdoor/indoor events that contribute to the visitor experience.
The Accessible Destination Program supports the creation of welcoming, barrier-free environment that enhances the visitor experience. In collaboration with AccessNow, a Canadian-founded platform that maps and shares accessibility information, applicants can request a space review along with a grant to support accessibility improvements.
Skills Development Fund: Capital Stream
Deadline: Continuous intake until funding is fully allocated.
Eligibility: As a primary applicant:
- Employers in Ontario
- Minister-approved, non-college apprenticeship program training delivery agents
- Non-profits including Indigenous band offices and Indigenous Skills and Employment Training agreement holders
- Professional, industry or employer associations
- Trade unions or union-affiliated organizations
- Municipalities
- Hospitals
- District Social Services Administration Boards
- Consolidated Municipal Service Managers
The Skills Development Fund (SDF) Capital Stream offers funding to eligible organizations to:
- build new training centres
- upgrade existing training centres
- convert an existing building into a training centre
Ontario Arts Council
Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Eligibility: Varies.
The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) provides grants to Ontario-based individual artists and arts professionals, ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations. Grants support a range of arts activities and disciplines. OAC currently offers more than 65 grant programs.
Ontario Trillium Foundation
Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Eligibility: Varies.
Take a successful project to a new level. Grow grants provide a higher level of funding over 2 or 3 years to help proven community projects increase their impact.
Grants support established programs and services that have a proven track record of success and meet community need. Applicants can apply for funding to expand, improve or adapt an existing program or service
Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund
Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Eligibility: Varies.
It has three aims: (1) to increase cultural tourism by providing investments to assist Ontario organizations to develop, promote and present one- off or first time events, or a significant expansion of existing activity, which are designed to attract new tourists and visitors to cultural events; (2) increase the earned revenue capability of the applicant organization; and (3) support events that foster economic growth and contribute to job creation.
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Funding and support for Indigenous businesses and organizations
Indigenous businesses and organizations are encouraged to contact FedDev Ontario at indigenous-autochtones@feddevontario.gc.ca to discuss their economic development objectives. The team offers guidance on navigating available programming and services.
FedDev Ontario is committed to helping Indigenous-owned businesses, organizations, and not-for-profits achieve their goals and support the increased participation of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Peoples in the southern Ontario economy.
The Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program (AEP) provides access to capital and access to business opportunities to Indigenous entrepreneurs and business owners in Canada.
Building Communities through Arts and Heritage — Local Festivals streaam provides funding to local groups for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists; local artisans; local heritage performers or specialists; and local First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultural carriers. This includes the celebration of LGBTQ2+ communities and Indigenous cultural celebrations.