Resources To Grow Your Business

Learn about grants and government programs to help you grow your business.

Be In The Know - Resources for your business growth

The Challenge Factory - Finding Great Employees 

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VETERAN READY

This free training program addresses what 70% of employers are reporting: their real challenge is finding and keeping great people on staff. They need new solutions, because what worked before is now broken.

Getting access to hidden talent pools, like Canada’s Veterans, has quickly become a business imperative. But employers don’t know where to start.

Veterans can be great hires. They are work-ready, loyal, educated, and highly skilled. This talent pool gets refilled each year as approximately 8,500 members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) transition from military into civilian life. But their experiences and resumes are getting lost in translation.

That’s where we come in. With the support of the Government of Ontario, Challenge Factory has partnered with True Patriot Love to pair Veterans with business owners, enriching both groups.

WATCH VIDEO

BDC Canada - Business Development Bank of Canada

Your Sales Process - How is that working for you?

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BDC - Thrive Venture Fund and Lab for Women

BDC's new Thrive Venture Fund and Lab for Women will continue to knockdown the barriers that keep Canadian women-led businesses from accessing the capital they need to focus on their vision. Through the new $500 million investment platform, the largest of its kind in the world, the fund will bring value by ensuring women entrepreneurs have access to everything they need to thrive and have a lasting impact on the economy.

Learn more WEBSITE

We Are BDC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5eTJ6MJJPQ&t=30s

BDC Entrepreneur Toolkit

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BDC - Build Your Business On Line

Articles and entrepreneur toolkits to help you grow your business.

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The Challenge Factory - Finding Great Employees 

https://challengefactory.ca/services/consulting/get-involved/vfo/?mc_cid=2b802b0754&mc_eid=4eec0eed26 

Biz Skills (located in Kingston)

BizSkills for Good, are dedicated to supporting under-represented professionals through a caring ecosystem that guides and mentors them to acquire and sustain their own businesses. Their personalized approach empowers you to kickstart multi-generational wealth and achieve your entrepreneurial dreams, one step at a time. We're committed to making a positive impact on your journey.

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Invest Kingston - Futurepreneurs

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Talent Opportunities Program & Wage Subsidies

Are you an employer hiring post-secondary students on work-integrated learning (WIL) placements, such as cooperative education and internships? If so, you may be eligible for a wage subsidy of up to $7,000 per student!

The Talent Opportunities Program (TOP) is an initiative of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce designed to help employers located anywhere in Canada to hire college and university students on WIL placements. Employers hiring eligible students may receive a wage subsidy up to 50% of the wages (to a maximum of $5,000) for each new placement or 70% of the wages (to a maximum of $7,000) for each ‘net new’ placement for the following under-represented groups: Indigenous people, person with disabilities, newcomer to Canada, first year student, visible minority and/or women in STEM.

Please note that there is a limited pool of funding to support subsidies at the 70% level for under-represented groups. Should funding be exhausted, your application is still eligible for a subsidy at the 50% level.

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The DELIA Fund for Women Entrepreneurs in Southeastern Ontario

Providing micro loan support of up to $15,000 for women entrepreneurs.

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TELUS Small Business Grant Program

The Telus Small Business Grant Program is looking for Canadian entrepreneurs who are changing the game and creating an impact. Apply for your chance to win $125,000 in funding, advertising and technology to fuel your business growth.

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MITACS Travel Grant

The Mitacs Travel Grant helps support entrepreneurs with travel related costs (up to $5,00) that are related to growing their business abroad.

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First Nations Women’s Entrepreneurship Program

The First Nations Women’s Entrepreneurship Program provides up to $15,000 in grant money for Indigenous women who are launching a business in Central or Eastern Ontario.

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Digital Transformation Grants

Digital Transformation Grants provide $2,500 grants for businesses to invest in digital marketing and digital business tools such as a new or updated website, social media marketing, search engine marketing, point of sale system, e-commerce, video marketing, etc. Applications are now open until September 30, 2023.

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First Nations Grant and Membership Program for Indigenous Women

The First Nations Grant and Membership Program for Indigenous Women provides funds up to $3,000 for First Nations women entrepreneurs.

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Online Stores Program with Digital Main Street’s ShopHERE

Independent business owners and artists can set up an online store with support from Digital Main Street’s ShopHERE Program.

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Canada Digital Adoption Program

The Canada Digital Adoption Program offers small and medium-sized business grant money to boost their business and designed to give you access to expert advice, increase your online sales, reduce costs, better manage your inventory and more.

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 The Black Opportunity Fund

The Black Opportunity Fund prioritizes funding support for initiatives around entrepreneurship, education, health, women, criminal justice, arts & culture, and youth that impact the quality of life in Black communities across Canada.

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WEOC National Loan Program for Women Entrepreneurs

The WEOC National Loan Program for Women Entrepreneurs delivers the WEOC National Loan Program, which supports women and non-binary entrepreneurs as they start, scale, grow and maintain their businesses.

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BMO for Black Entrepreneurs Lending Program

The BMO for Black Entrepreneurs Lending Program provides business owners with greater access to working capital, educational resources, and professional partnerships to start up, scale up, and grow.

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Canada's first 2SLGBTI+ Entrepreneurship Program

The Federal Government has announced Canada first 2SLGBTI+ Entrepreneurship Program. More than 100,000 individuals will benefit. The program will include a Business Scale-Up, a National Ecosystem Fund and Knowledge Hub.

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Invest Kingston’s Ask The Expert Program

Invest Kingston’s Ask The Expert Program allows small business owners to have free access to experts in the fields of accounting and bookkeeping, legal, social media, human resources, coaching and marketing, and business strategy.

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The L-Spark Program will challenge you to perfect product-market-fit, define your sales channels, and grow revenue.

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Veteran Friendly Ontario

This free training program addresses what 70% of employers are reporting: their real challenge is finding and keeping great people on staff. They need new solutions, because what worked before is now broken. Getting access to hidden talent pools, like Canada’s Veterans, has quickly become a business imperative.

LEARN MORE!


Technology Investment Program

The program provides direct financial assistance to SME manufacturers in southern Ontario in the form of a matching contribution of up to $50,000 (a maximum of 50% of eligible costs, which can include capital equipment, materials, training on new equipment, installation of new equipment, professional service fees, as well as a company’s direct labour devoted to the completion and management of the project) to support the investment in long-term production assets and technology that increase capacity and reduce emissions on production.

APPLY NOW!


Business Scale-Up and Productivity Funding from FedDev Ontario

Are you an innovative and globally oriented business seeking to accelerate your growth? Are you commercializing an innovative product? Are you rurally based and looking to grow, commercialize and improve productivity? You may be eligible for no interest, repayable contributions up to $10 million from FedDev Ontario.

APPLY NOW!


Woman Business Owner Micro-grant, sponsored by TD

Six x $5000 micro-grants available 

To be granted to empower women business owners through financial aid to fuel their entrepreneurial endeavors and achieve their business goals.

IEF Fall 2023 Micro-grant Eligibility

The Innovators & Entrepreneurs Foundation (IEF) FALL 2023 Micro-grant application is open to any natural person who meets all the eligibility requirements listed below, and each micro-grant category’s specific requirements when noted.

All IEF FALL 2023 Micro-grant applicants/nominees must:

• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

• Be at least one of the following for the business the application is based on: founder, owner, co-founder, co-owner, person who owns or co-owns the entity or trademark for brand, product name, or service.

• Be an active senior leader and key decision-maker for the business.

• Have a business founded and based/headquartered in Canada.

• Have a business that has been operating and generating revenue with a product or service available in market for a minimum of one year.

• Be a member of an equity-deserving or/and racialized community(ies), per the charity’s definition. If specified in the micro-grant category name, the applicant/nominee must be a member of the equity-deserving group identified in the category name and/or description.

• Meet the additional categorical requirements that are specified in the IEF FALL 2023 Micro-grant category for which the applicant/nominee is applying.

Looking for inspiration? Check out IEF’s previous micro-grant recipients! 

LEARN MORE HERE


Looking to promote your business/careers/jobs to future employees?

SEE ISSUE HERE

Career Pathways Magazine- Opportunities in Trades, Manufacturing & Technology

Bringing Education, Business & Industry to the forefront for Eastern Ontario.

Next Edition - Fall/Winter - November 2023

Looking to promote your business/careers/jobs to future employees?

Call Josie Walsh at 613-539-2277, Editor/Publisher  josie.kids101@gmail.com

Or Gaby Eaton - 613-305-4628, Business Development, hosp.conn@gmail.com



 

We Would Love To Hear From You!

Please do connect with us by email. We would love to hear from you.

Gaby Eaton at hosp.conn@gmail.com or

Josie Walsh at josie.secondwind@gmail.com

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