Alberta Business Grants: What’s Available and How to Apply

Workforce Partnership grants provide funding to organizations such as employers, industry and sector associations, regional organizations and Indigenous organizations to support labour market adjustment strategies and workforce development, including initiatives to attract and retain workers through partnerships.

The Water Program supports agricultural water management by helping primary producers adopt agriculture water better management practices and priority actions. This supports better management of risks to water quality and supplies, adaptation to climate variability and the efficient use of water resources.

The program has two streams (On-Farm Irrigation Stream and On-Farm Water Supply Stream), and applicants may apply to one or both of them.

The Water Program supports agricultural water management by helping primary producers adopt agriculture water better management practices and priority actions. This supports better management of risks to water quality and supplies, adaptation to climate variability and the efficient use of water resources.

The program has two streams (On-Farm Irrigation Stream and On-Farm Water Supply Stream), and applicants may apply to one or both of them.

The Waste Reduction Network helps businesses and organizations in the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sector connect with peers and the City

Visual Arts and New Media Individual Project Funding provides up to $18,000 to support development of individual Alberta artists, arts administrators, or an ensemble of artists by providing funding for a specific visual arts or new media project.

Product Development fund assists Alberta-based tourism operators, Indigenous organizations, not-for-profits, and municipalities in creating or expanding tourism experiences.

Events & Festivals Fund support events that drive overnight visitation and boost tourism revenue across the province.

Theatre Individual Project Funding provides up to $18,000 to support the development of individual Alberta artists, arts administrators, or an ensemble of artists by providing funding for a specific theatre and/or performance art project.

Created in 2018, The Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund works to grow and diversify our economy, create jobs and training opportunities, and spurs a wide range of private, non-profit and public sector investments in the city.

Bioenergy and Circular Economy supports projects focused on renewable fuels, waste conversion and building a circular economy in plastics. This program addresses sustainability while creating opportunity for economic diversification in Alberta.

The Agri-food and Bioindustrial Innovation Program aims to support the development of technologies that provide solutions to the challenges faced by the agri-food and bioindustrial sectors in Alberta.

This is a matching reimbursement grant for small exterior renovations

This is a matching reimbursement grant for large, significant exterior renovations, up to 50% of project costs.

The Rural Electric Program (REP) grant helps farmers access a basic, essential service at a reasonable cost and aids in the diversification of our rural economy. It also provides partial equity with other Albertans living in urban areas.

The Revitalization Extensive Project Fund offers organizations the opportunity to apply for funding for larger-scale projects in Revitalization Areas.

The Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) offers funding that may cover up to 100% of eligible expenses to support producers in their ability to implement and maintain projects over a three-year term.

The Recreation Partner and Facility Investment Program (RPFIP) aims to foster healthy, vibrant active communities throughout Edmonton.

The Public Washroom Accessibility Grant is a part of the Citywide Public Washroom Strategy which aims to improve access to safer and cleaner washrooms for all Edmontonians and visitors.

The intent of the On-Farm Efficiency Program (OFEP) is to support producers in achieving environmental benefits by improving the efficient use of agricultural inputs.

Under this program, Eligible Items are organized into the following Streams:
–Smart Farm Technology
–Energy Efficiency
–Farm Security
–Efficient Grain Handling

Music Individual Project Funding provides up to $18,000 to support the development of individual Alberta artists, arts administrators, or an ensemble of artists by providing funding for a specific music project.

Literary Individual Project Funding provides up to $18,000 to support the development of individual Alberta artists, arts administrators, or an ensemble of artists by providing funding for a specific literary arts project.

This is a matching reimbursement grant for interior renovations

The Innovation Employment Grant encourages economic growth by supporting small and medium-sized businesses that invest in research and development (R&D) with a grant worth up to 20% of qualifying expenditures.
The program promotes investment and diversification by rewarding all R&D spending in Alberta, regardless of the industry, and complementing the Job Creation Tax Cut by focusing on small and medium-sized firms in the earlier stages of operation, when they might not yet be profitable.

The Edmonton Arts Council’s (EAC) Individuals & Collectives grant has three distinct streams, each with its own evaluation criteria and assessment process. An individual or collective may only apply to one stream at each deadline and may only receive one grant from this program annually from January to December.

The Edmonton Arts Council’s (EAC) Individuals & Collectives grant has three distinct streams, each with its own evaluation criteria and assessment process. An individual or collective may only apply to one stream at each deadline and may only receive one grant from this program annually from January to December.

The Edmonton Arts Council’s (EAC) Individuals & Collectives grant has three distinct streams, each with its own evaluation criteria and assessment process. An individual or collective may only apply to one stream at each deadline and may only receive one grant from this program annually from January to December.

The Affordable Housing Investment Program includes a grant stream specifically for Indigenous-led housing providers. It provides limited capital funding to Indigenous organizations to build new affordable housing units and/or rehabilitate existing affordable housing units.

Indigenous Arts Individual Project Funding provides up to $18,000 to support the development of an individual Indigenous artist, arts administrators, or an ensemble of artists in Alberta by providing funding for a specific cultural or artistic project.

The Indigenous Affordable Housing Funding Program (IAHFP) is a $6 million one-time fund to increase the supply of affordable housing units for Indigenous people in Calgary who need affordable housing. This fund will support housing that is owned, designed, and delivered for Indigenous people, by Indigenous people.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) administers the HAF which provides incentive funding for local governments aimed at increasing the supply of housing. It supports the development of complete, low-carbon and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse.

The Heritage Preservation Partnership Program (HPPP) provides matching grants and scholarship funds to support initiatives that preserve and interpret Alberta’s heritage. HPPP has several funding streams.

Publication grants support the production of print or digital publications that preserve, interpret, and promote appreciation of Alberta’s history.

The Heritage Research Grants support research projects that preserve, interpret, and promote appreciation of Alberta’s history. The project must have a research plan that includes the research methods, sources of primary and secondary information, archival repositories to be consulted, the historical argument to be addressed and other information identified on the application form.

The Heritage Preservation Partnership Program (HPPP) provides matching grants and scholarship funds to support the delivery of interpretive and public engagement projects that preserve, interpret, and promote appreciation of Alberta’s history. Projects must have substantial Alberta heritage content and will be assessed based on the extent to which they will enrich understandings and expand awareness of the province’s history.

Heritage grants are financial assistance programs offered under a variety of terms. They help property owners with the costs associated with restoring, preserving and rehabilitating heritage resources. In Calgary, owners of legally protected heritage resources can apply for both municipal and provincial grants to support heritage conservation projects.

The Heritage Preservation Partnership Program provides matching grants and scholarship funds to support initiatives that preserve and interpret Alberta’s heritage.

The Heritage Preservation Partnership Program (HPPP) provides matching grants and scholarship funds to support initiatives that preserve and interpret Alberta’s heritage. HPPP has several funding streams.

AICE-Market Access supports Alberta’s small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in carrying out real-world implementation projects, feasibility studies or clinical trials of innovative health technologies in partnership with testing sites located anywhere in the world.

The program is designed to support later validation and scaling stages for health innovations requiring significant clinical or user evidence before reaching the marketplace and adoption.

The AICE – Concepts Program serves to accelerate early-stage health research and innovation that demonstrates high commercial potential towards proof of concept.

The AICE – Validate program supports Alberta researchers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with up to $300,000 to validate their product, market fit, business model, and regulatory path, accelerating commercialization of their health technologies into care.

The Government of Alberta, in collaboration with the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and University of Lethbridge, developed GreenSTEM to offer a new funding model for high- quality technical talent to pursue entrepreneurship, develop the required business skills and move a deep technology concept towards commercialization.

The program supports a pan-Alberta cohort of technically-skilled GreenSTEM Fellows to transform their technical know-how into a business application and prioritize entrepreneurship over other conventional career paths.

The AFA celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to creating equitable, inclusive, and accessible programs for all, free of barriers and discrimination. We recognize the unique contributions all artists make towards our community, and encourage applicants representing diverse communities, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, women, people with disabilities, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

The Equity & Access in the Arts program is one of the ways the Edmonton Arts Council pursues our commitments to increasing support for artists and arts professionals from Indigenous and equity-seeking communities. The purpose of the program is to invest in a thriving and diverse arts community in Edmonton by supporting Edmonton based artists and collectives from communities that face barriers to access.

The Equity & Access in the Arts program is one of the ways the Edmonton Arts Council pursues our commitments to increasing support for artists and arts professionals from Indigenous and equity-seeking communities. The purpose of the program is to invest in a thriving and diverse arts community in Edmonton by supporting Edmonton based artists and collectives from communities that face barriers to access.

The Equity & Access in the Arts program is one of the ways the Edmonton Arts Council pursues our commitments to increasing support for artists and arts professionals from Indigenous and equity-seeking communities. The purpose of the program is to invest in a thriving and diverse arts community in Edmonton by supporting Edmonton based artists and collectives from communities that face barriers to access.

Water Innovation Program funds projects that lead to safe, secure drinking water; healthy aquatic ecosystems; and reliable water supplies for a sustainable economy.
The Water Innovation program aims to ensure Alberta has the quality and quantity of water, when and where it is needed. It supports water innovation that will:
–Help create a cleantech industry in water treatment.
–Enable continual improvement in water use, conservation, efficiency and productivity .
–Provide safe, secure and reliable water resources while maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems.

The Land and Biodiversity program works to ensure that natural resource development operations and practices are sustainable. It includes subprograms related to Environmental Monitoring, Oil Sands Tailings remediation and restoration, climate adaptation and a new initiative on abandoned well reclamation.

The program is positioned to support:
–that land reclamation is equal to or better than the rate of land disturbance; and
–that biodiversity in Alberta is maintained or enhanced.

The Voucher Program provides Alberta tech and innovation companies with up to $100,000 to accelerate new product toward commercialization for novel, promising technologies, and an identified product/market fit.

The Product Demonstration Program (PDP) supports Alberta tech companies commercialize their products and achieve optimal market position to increase revenue and expand into global markets.

Alberta tech companies may be eligible for up to $150,000 to enter a partnership with a strategic partner to conduct a product pilot or demonstration that proves their product’s technical and business merits. The strategic partner is critical to commercialization and could be the first buyer, distributor, or influential client.

The Micro Voucher Program helps Alberta tech companies to design and/or develop innovative technology solutions by providing up to $10,000 in non-dilutive funding.

The International Technology Partnership program helps Alberta technology businesses further develop their product or pilot the technical and business merits of their product to prove its value and advance commercialization. With the International Technology Partnership program, applicants will work with an international partner to prove the product value and advance commercialization.

The Industry r&D Associates Program supports Alberta tech companies with an innovative technology or knowledge-based solution looking to employ in-house professional research and developmental expertise.

Industry Commercialization Associate Program helps cover the salary for employees to promote the commercialization of your business. The Industry Commercialization Associate Program is managed through the Entrepreneurial Investments business unit within Alberta Innovates.

The Alberta Digital Traction program supports digital tech companies with software development at the core, who are looking to increase their customers, increase revenue, and scale to a global marketplace.

The Emerging Opportunities Grant Program supports the Government of Alberta’s strategic objectives related to growth and development of Alberta’s value-added agriculture sector. The program supports projects that focus on innovation and result in significant company growth and sector impact. Projects can include new technologies, best new practises, significant capacity expansions and new builds.

The Start Stream funds projects that support businesses in their efforts to advance the development of their innovations and begin commercializing them

The Scale & Grow Stream funds large-scale projects that support the scale-up and growth efforts of businesses while, in turn, producing significant economic outcomes

The Economic Action Plan Grant supports expansion and growth projects of local businesses and business associations that contribute to the implementation of the Economic Action Plan. This will lead to a more resilient, diverse and equitable local economy.

The Development Incentive Program supports the evolution of attractive, pedestrian-friendly
main streets, one new commercial or mixed-use building at a time. The program provides
matching reimbursement grants to cover a portion of eligible costs. Sites must be located
within Business Improvement Areas or other Council-approved Target Areas.

The Development Incentive Program supports the evolution of attractive, pedestrian-friendly
main streets, one new commercial or mixed-use building at a time. The program provides
matching reimbursement grants to cover a portion of eligible costs. Sites must be located
within Business Improvement Areas or other Council-approved Target Areas.

This program offers support of up to a maximum for constructing new commercial buildings, and support constructing new mixed-use developments.

Dance Individual Project Funding provides up to $18,000 to support the development of individual Alberta artists, arts administrators, or an ensemble of artists by providing funding for a specific dance project.

The Corner Store grant program is targeted to Neighbourhood Commercial properties or properties that meet the commercial needs of local residents.

Initiatives that will improve the capacity, efficiency, productivity and/or competitiveness of the business.

The Corner Store grant program is targeted to Neighbourhood Commercial properties or properties that meet the commercial needs of local residents.
Improvements to an underutilized ground floor or vacant commercial interior space.

The Corner Store grant program is targeted to Neighbourhood Commercial properties or properties that meet the commercial needs of local residents.

Improvements to an underutilized ground floor or vacant commercial interior space.

The Corner Store grant program is targeted to Neighbourhood Commercial properties or properties that meet the commercial needs of local residents.

Exterior improvements to active storefronts

The Corner Store grant program is targeted to Neighbourhood Commercial properties or properties that meet the commercial needs of local residents.

Exterior improvements to active storefronts.

The Continuing Care Capital Program provides grant funding to not-for-profit and for-profit organizations, housing management bodies, and municipalities to increase continuing care spaces in Alberta.

Murals are an important form of public art that can have a profound and positive impact on a city and its well-being.

Graffiti vandalism is a serious crime that greatly impacts property owners and the surrounding community. But together, we can tackle graffiti in a way that ensures our city remains safe, livable and a place we’re proud to call home.

ECF’s Community Grants program offers funding tailored to your organization’s unique needs—whether for renovations, equipment, program support, or other priorities you identify.

Renewable and Alternative Energy focuses on Grid Modernization and Clean Power and Heat technology innovation. The area supports Alberta’s energy industries and technology innovators in producing and delivering affordable and reliable energy, in all its forms, while delivering on environmental performance goals.

Energy Storage and Minerals focuses on the value chains and lifecycles of battery and non-battery energy storage in support of utility scale deployments and emerging consumer technologies. Key technology areas include mineral extraction and processing, multiple forms of energy storage, and material recycling and best practises.

This focus area invests in novel energy storage research, development and deployment projects such as next-generation materials and end products. Alberta Innovates funding enables a more competitive, modern, and sustainable minerals and materials industry.

Carbon Capture, Utilization, Storage (CCUS) and Hydrogen are positioned to reduce emissions, diversify Alberta’s economy, and enable technologies that facilitate other clean technology focus areas. Specifically, CCUS and Hydrogen contributes to the decarbonization of energy systems, creates new end-use products, and achieves emissions reductions targets and net-zero goals.

The Chinatown Vibrancy Fund aims to support the implementation of the Chinatown Strategy by bringing visitors into the area through festivals, events and cultural projects as well as building community cohesion and empowering residents both housed and unhoused

The Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge (CFGC) is a $26 million three-phase competition with the objective of accelerating the development of large-scale production pathways for short and continuous carbon fibre from bitumen-derived feedstocks and promoting their use in manufactured products. The Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge aims to produce new carbon fibre products and processes, reduce lifecycle GHG emissions of carbon fibres, and aid in the economic diversification of Alberta. There exists significant potential to increase the value of Alberta bitumen and grow Alberta’s green economy, all while increasing employment and export potential.

The Canada-Alberta Job Grant is a training program where an employer applies on behalf of their present or future employees for eligible training costs. Employers decide who gets training and what type of training may be needed for their employees.

Art enriches the lives of Albertans, promotes creativity and innovation, and contributes to a more diversified economy. This program seeks to inspire innovation in the arts and to promote a wider understanding and appreciation of the arts and artists in Alberta.

The Wildlife Damage Compensation Program (WDCP) compensates agricultural producers for wildlife damage to eligible unharvested crops, stacked hay, stacked greenfeed, as well as silage and haylage in pits and tubes.

The Alberta Petrochemicals Incentive Program (APIP) is a key part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan and the Natural Gas Vision and Strategy to turn the province into a top global producer of petrochemicals. It financial incentives in the form of grants to encourage private sector investment in new or expanded Alberta-based petrochemical manufacturing facilities, including those producing value-added, petrochemical, hydrogen, fertilizer, and fuel products.

Alberta Methane Emissions Program (AMEP) supports the development of methane emissions reduction technology in Alberta’s oil and gas industry to boost provincial emissions management efforts.

The Organization Project Grant assists Alberta-based companies engaged in the production of books, magazines or sound recordings, as well as some screen-based projects. Grants may be used to support projects in art production, training, career development, marketing and research. This grant, under the Alberta Media Fund (AMF), supports the growth and sustainability of Alberta’s cultural industries by helping them employ talented professionals, develop intellectual property and create quality products.

The Cultural Industry Music Organization Operating Grant is designed to increase the financial viability and business growth of the music and sound recording industry in Alberta, while still recognizing the cultural importance of the industry as a whole. Eligible organizations may receive funding to invest in the operations and administration of their organization to further its mission and strengthen the organization’s and industry’s capacity.

The Cultural Industry Magazine Publishers Operating Grant provides funding to invest in the operations, administration and in specific business development activities of their organization to further its mission and strengthen the organization’s and industry’s capacity.

The Book Publishers Operating Grant provides funding to help cover operating and specific business development related expenses related to the production of books. The grant is intended to increase the financial viability and business growth of the Alberta book publishing industry, while still recognizing the cultural importance of the industry as a whole.

The Post-Production, Visual Effects and Digital Animation Grant (PPG) provides funding to help cover labour expenses for Alberta organizations involved in the development and delivery of post-production services in Alberta, including visual effects and digital animation. This funding, under the Alberta Media Fund (AMF), supports the growth and sustainability of Alberta’s post-production sector by helping eligible companies employ Alberta talent.

The Project Script Development Grant supports Albertan writers, directors and producers by providing financial assistance towards the creation of quality, marketable and commercial production-ready projects and/or scripts.

The Alberta Made Production Grant (AMPG) is a competitive grant program designed to provide funding to Albertan producers for projects with a minimum eligible Alberta spend of $50,000 and total production budgets less than $500,000 CDN. AMPG assists Alberta producers to develop Alberta content. It also helps them attract and maintain skilled labour by providing employment opportunities for emerging talent and established industry professionals.

The capacity grant program is designed to be closely aligned with AIOC’s Loan Guarantee Investment Program. AIOC has a pool of discretionary funds available to help provide access to third-party professional services, expertise and support that can build their capacity to participate in qualified project opportunities. This capacity support assists with deal development, and may include providing legal, technical and economic expertise to Indigenous communities who want to move toward being long-term strategic partners with industry and the Alberta government.

The Alberta Export Expansion Program offers funding to help export-ready companies and non-profit organizations enhance access to international markets and attract global buyers. The Alberta Export Expansion Program (AEEP) supports Alberta’s small- and medium-sized enterprises, industry associations, Indigenous organizations, economic development organizations that promote Alberta exports through international travel to formal outbound trade events.

The purpose of the AgriStability Program is to provide Canadian agricultural producers with an ongoing whole-farm risk management tool that provides protection against large declines in farming income that threaten the viability of their farm and are beyond their capacity to manage. The compensation rate has increased to 80%.

The Bitumen Partial Upgrading program supports technologies that enhance the value of a processed barrel of bitumen while reducing associated emissions. Partial upgrading technologies are those that process bitumen to enhance value while reducing or eliminating the need for diluent. This family of technologies can also provide better feedstocks for generating non-combustion products, like carbon fibre and asphalt binder, per the Bitumen Beyond Combustion Program.

The BAM program develops technologies that convert Alberta oil sands components into non-combustion products (i.e., products that are not fuels, such as gasoline, diesel, and heating oil). Examples of BAM products could include carbon fibres, high-quality asphalts, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, and controlled-release fertilizers.

The Methane Emissions Reduction program supports technologies that detect, monitor, and mitigate methane emissions reductions from Alberta’s oil and gas industry.

The Digital Innovation in Clean Energy (DICE) program supports the development of digital technologies that create value and jobs while reducing emissions in the energy sector. This is inclusive of technologies in artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain, industrial internet of things, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), virtual and augmented reality, digital twins, etc. While many of these technologies have multi-sectoral potential, the energy industry represents both a wealth of data to de-risk technologies along with cash flow to create value to the developer and the end user.

The Recovery Technologies program advances technologies that improve recovery efficiency, create value for operators, reduce associated emissions, and/or unlock new resources. This includes new recovery processes, improved tools to access/produce reservoirs, and improved technologies for evaluating opportunities.

The Aboriginal Business Investment Fund (ABIF) can partially or completely fund capital costs for Indigenous community-owned economic development projects. ABIF is an initiative that improves social and economic outcomes for Indigenous communities by building partnerships and investing in economic opportunities.