With the recent developments in trade leading to an increase in prices and ultimately, business expenses, the demand for grants for small businesses has significantly grown. 

For businesses that are looking to expand their markets and ramp up their operations in an unstable economic environment, business grants can make a whole lot of difference.

So, chances are you’ve probably tried looking for government grants this year. We did too. And like us, you’ve probably noticed that simply typing “canada business grants” or “grants for small business” is simply not enough.

In this article we’ll go over the step by step process on how to find funding for small businesses in Canada for 2025.

Step 1: Understand the Type of Grants Available in Canada

Before we get into actual searching, it’s important that we understand what we’re looking for.

For government funding programs alone, Canada has over 1,500 programs available. With other grants coming from other sources like non-profits, industry associations, and private organizations, it might seem like there’s an endless number of grants available at a time.

However, when you dive into it, it can get overwhelming real fast. Knowing what types of grants are available might help you narrow down your search.

Here’s the most common types of grants available:

Operating Grants

An operating grant is a working-capital fund that helps cover day-to-day business expenses like rent, salaries, and overhead to help a business achieve its goals. It’s more commonly seen for non-profits or not-for-profit organizations.

This, however, does not mean that it’s entirely off the table for small businesses. Operating grants for small businesses in Canada do exist but it might just be harder to find as it is more limited, competitive, and tied to specific industries.

Project Grants

As the name implies, project grants fund specific activities, initiatives, our outcomes. For small businesses, this may mean grants for research & development, market expansion, equipment upgrades, digital transformation, or a launch of a new product or service. If you have a similar initiative, this type of grant is a way to move it forward without depleting your budget.

Hiring or Training Grants

For small businesses looking to hire and train employees, this type of grant is exactly what you should look for. Hiring or training grants help businesses grow their teams, upscale their workforce, and reduce staffing costs while investing in long-term capacity.

Don’t see anything that you might need? Don’t worry, there are many grant programs that don’t fall within the above categories. All you have to do is dig deeper. Which brings us to Step 2:

Step 2: Start with Canadian Federal & Provincial Grant Programs

Trying to find programs and don’t know where to look? Don’t worry, we won't tell you to just type in “canada business grants” on Google. Instead, we recommend that you start with a government grant search.

The Federal and Provincial government has an inherent interest to stimulate the economy. This means that there are always available Canadian grants for small businesses and these can typically be found through official government portals.

We recommend starting with government grant search tools like the Business Benefits Finder. 

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This easy-to-use tool can help you discover both federal and provincial grants, loans, tax credits, wage subsidies, expert advice, and more.

If you want something more targeted to where you operate, we also recommend checking out your provincial websites. To make it easier for you to navigate, we’ve listed out the websites for each province below:

• Government grants in Ontario
• Government grants in British Columbia
• Government grants in Alberta
• Government grants in Manitoba
• Government grants in New Brunswick
• Government grants in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Government grants in Prince Edward Island
• Government grants in Quebec
• Government grants in Saskatchewan

Step 3: Use Databases and Search Tools to Find Small Business Grants

Not everyone has the time to sort through thousands of programs. Not only do you have to look for programs that match your vision, you also need to determine if you qualify for it. With a business to run, that can quickly become tiresome.

We recommend using databases and search tools that compile grants for small businesses and even grants for non-profit organizations.

With the right search tool, you can just add in your basic business information, sit back, and let it do all the work for you.

Our favorite platform for this task is Grant Fund Pro. 

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Grant Fund Pro is an AI-powered search and writing platform that matches you with compatible programs based on your business profile. You can invite your team, get a centralized dashboard for all of your applications, manage your bookmarks, and get tailored monthly reports so you never miss out on new funding.

Once you find a program you like, its built-in AI writing assistant can even help you take the first step and draft strong applications to boost your chances of success.

Recap

With that, you’re practically ready to build the right grant search strategy. With the right tools in your arsenal, finding compatible Canadian small business grants will be a breeze. Remember:

1. Understand what type of grants you’re looking for and what type of grants your business needs
2. Look for Federal or Provincial programs on official websites
3. Skip the hassle and use online databases or grant search tools

Now that you know where to look, it’s important to know how to manage these grants. Luckily, we already have a guide to help you manage the entire grant application process. With this approach, you’re already one step closer to getting the financial boost that lets you and your business do more.