Grants Available to Newfoundland and Labrador Businesses (2025): Top Grants + Tips for Applying
If you’re looking for grants for Newfoundland businesses, you’re in the right place! Because on this page you’ll find the best current grants, whether you’re looking for a Newfoundland startup business grant or grant for an existing business.
We also explain some of the fundamentals of business grants and give you tips for applying.
Let’s jump in!
What is a Business Grant in Newfoundland and Labrador?
In essence, a business grant is an amount of money provided to a company by governmental bodies, private entities, or non-profits for a designated purpose.Such grants are usually given to businesses that fulfill specific conditions, like being situated in a particular area, functioning within a certain sector, or emphasizing areas like sustainability or innovation. Since grant eligibility can differ significantly, it’s crucial to thoroughly check the stipulations before submitting an application.
What’s the Difference Between a Business Loan and Business Grant?
The primary distinction between grants and loans is that grants aren’t required to be paid back. Grants are often given competitively, targeting particular projects, sectors, demographics, or areas.
On the other hand, loans generally come with the obligation of repayment, often with added interest. They’re commonly sourced from banks or financial entities, but government loan programs also exist. The conditions of the loan differ based on the lending institution.
Types of Business Grants in Newfoundland and Labrador
Organizations that offer grants, such as government departments, strive to foster employment and boost the economy. To realize this objective, they frequently allocate grants to businesses aligned with specific:
- Audiences
- Activities
- Industries
- Regions
We even have a snazzy acronym for this: we call it the “AAIR Framework”. Here’s a breakdown of each:
Business Grants for Audiences
Governments acknowledge that certain demographic groups are not adequately represented in small busines. As a result, they offer grants and financial incentives to bolster these groups.Examples of demographic groups that have specific programs are black entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, and Indigenous entrepreneurs. One audience that receives a lot of support from funding organizations is Newfoundland and Labrador startups.
Business Grants for Activities
There are a handful of activities that are extremely important to the success of businesses. Funding bodies often provide grant support for these activities, which include:
- Hiring & Training
- R&D
- Buying equipment
- Exporting (and other business expansion activities)
Business Grants for Industries
Governments also aim to support the development of particular sectors, offering grants and other incentives to promote essential business operations like hiring, training, and exporting within these sectors.Some key industries in Newfoundland and Labrador that receive grant funding include:
- Ocean Technology
- Oil & gas
- Aerospace & defense
Business Grants for Regions
Finally, governments recognize that some regions have lagged behind economically. As a result, funding organizations sometimes provide monies to support job growth and economic development in specific geographic regions.
Who is Eligible for Newfoundland and Labrador Business Grants?
That’s the question we hear the most!
There are many grants for Newfoundland and Labrador businesses, spanning federal, provincial, and non-profit sectors. This means eligibility can differ. However, some general guidelines include:
- Incorporation status. While there are grants for sole proprietorships and partnerships, a larger number cater to incorporated businesses.
- Business history of at least two years. While there’s significant support for Newfoundland and Labrador startups, much of it is “in-kind” (like advice, mentorship, or networking opportunities). More tangible financial support tends to favor well-established businesses.
- Demonstrated revenue. Most funding bodies want evidence that you’re on the right track. A proven revenue stream is often a strong testament to your business acumen.
Alternatives to Business Grants in Newfoundland and Labrador
There are MANY other types of funding besides grants. Make sure you check out loans for Newfoundland small businesses, along with Newfoundland business tax credits, and Newfoundland business rebates.
Newfoundland and Labrador Small Business Grants: Current Programs
Now let’s get into the grants!
To learn more about a specific grant below, click on the grant’s title and you’ll be take to a dedicated page with detailed information on the grant program:
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Grants to Individual Artists aims to support the artistic development of individual artists, to support arts organizations in fulfilling their mandates, to contribute to the grown and sustainability of the St. John’s arts community, to improve the well-being of the community.
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The City of St. John’s aims to conserve significant heritage resources including buildings and streetscapes. The Heritage Financial Incentives Program assists property owners to maintain designated heritage buildings and homes. Properties in the City’s Heritage Areas will also be considered.
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Publishers Assistance Program supports publishers with potential for sustained or expanding business strength, sound market and business planning, employment growth over the long term, and responsiveness to the provincial literary sector. The program is designed to strengthen the publishing and the literary sectors overall by encouraging quality products, effective marketing, and by making professional development services available to publishers.
$200,000.00
Grant
Description:
The Business Growth Program provides non-repayable contributions for projects or initiatives to assist businesses start, innovate, scale and improve sales locally, nationally or internationally.
$75,000.00
Grant
Description:
The Green Transition Fund provides financial support to businesses, organizations, post-secondary institutions, and industry associations to assist with the province’s transition to a green economy. The program will de-risk commercial and non-commercial activities that facilitate collaboration, investment, and industry growth required for the transition.
$12,000.00
Grant
Description:
Prospectors Assistance (PA) provides direct financial support and training to individuals who want to conduct mineral exploration in the Province. PA is designed to encourage and promote development of the mineral-prospecting industry through the discovery of wealth-generating mineral deposits. PA is comprised of two components: Prospectors Assistance Grants and Prospector Training.
$20,000.00
Grant
Description:
The Provincial Agrifoods Assistance Program supports current farmers and new entrants to the province’s agriculture and agrifoods sectors. The program has two streams, focusing on land development and agriculture infrastructure. Projects must support food self-sufficiency and increase agricultural growth and secondary processing.
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The objective of the program is to assist in increasing
production of commercial aquaculture products
in the province, from both hatcheries and marine
sites, thereby increasing employment and spin-off
opportunities in the processing, manufacturing, supply
and service sectors, primarily in rural Newfoundland
and Labrador
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Atlantic Fisheries Fund supports innovative projects in the fish and seafood sector that help meet the growing global demands for seafood globally. The objective of the program is to drive new ideas and solutions to help the seafood sector meet market demand for sustainability sourced, high quality fish and seafood products.
$15,000.00
Grant
Description:
The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Job Grant (CNLJG) provides funding to eligible businesses and organizations to help offset the cost of training for their existing and future employees.
no fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Labor Market Partnerships Program provides funding to support employers, employer or employee associations, community groups and communities in developing and implementing labor market strategies and activities for dealing with labour force adjustments and meeting human resource requirements. Labour Market Partnerships may be used to provide assistance for employed persons who are facing loss of employment.
no fixed amount
Grant
Description:
Self-Employment Assistance is an employment program that provides financial and entrepreneurial assistance to eligible individuals to help them create jobs for themselves by starting a business. The maximum duration of an agreement with a participant is 52 weeks, and 78 weeks for persons with a disability.
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Business Investment Program provides term loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in strategic growth sectors as identified by Industry, Energy and Technology. The fund is also available to businesses which have export potential and require assistance to enter or expand in external markets. Funds are provided to complement funding from conventional sources, where a need has been demonstrated, and are also intended to increase the capital base of businesses allowing them to leverage new private-sector investments.
no fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Innovation and Business Development Fund is focused on investments to grow and diversify Newfoundland and Labrador’s oil and gas supply and service capabilities. The fund provides funding to commercial and non-commercial applicants for business development, emerging technologies and industry diversification. The fund supports The Way Forward on Oil and Gas – Advance 2030: A Plan for Growth in the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industry.
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The program provides funds to local film and video industry participants to assist with travel-related expenses to market their products globally
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The program provides funds to local film and video industry participants to assist with marketing-related expenses to market their products or for receptions related to the marketing of these products.
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The program provides assistance to the various industry participants and associations to develop the local skill base
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Climate Change Challenge Fund is a competitive, application-based grant program open to the private sector, not-for profit organizations, public sector bodies or boards, municipal governments, and Indigenous organizations to undertake greenhouse gas emission reduction projects in Newfoundland and Labrador.
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Newfoundland and Labrador Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) is established in the Management of Greenhouse Gas Act (the Act; sections 6 to 9). GGRF revenues accrue from the purchase of fund credits by regulated industrial facilities pursuant to the Act (sections 5 and 5.1), and by revenues received from enforcement activities pursuant to the Act and its regulations. The GGRF is an application-based funding program designed to support projects that result in verifiable greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in the industrial sector in the province. The industrial sector includes electricity generation, mining and quarrying, oil and gas, and manufacturing.
$750
Grant
Description:
This program is designed to provide professional development for the following:
To improve creative skills
To gain greater knowledge of the music industry
To conduct business that seeks to promote and market MusicNL members outside the province
To attend (virtual) music related conferences, festivals and events
$700
Grant
Description:
Small Business Micro Grant provides investments for small businesses (for profit) to provide musical experiences for their customers during 2024 and 2025. Businesses can avail up to $700 to help cover the costs associated with hiring musical talent in their community.
$150,000
Grant
Description:
PictureNL’s, Low Budget Production Program is available for eligible screen industry companies which are majority owned by a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador. Projects with production budgets up to a maximum of $150,000 are eligible to avail of this program. PictureNL can invest up to 33% towards an eligible project’s production financing. Low Budget Production projects are not eligible to apply for a tax credit through this program.
$40,000
Grant
Description:
Heritage NL is looking for projects that blend the restoration of a designated property with community planning workshops, architectural history research, and opportunities for transmission of traditional skills related to conservation of the site or the site’s history. The grant is intended to direct funding to projects that demonstrate community value as well as a need for material conservation.
$3,000
Grant
Description:
All Registered Heritage Structures are eligible to apply for a Maintenance Grant once every three (3) years, dated from the last payment of a grant for that property. Maintenance grants cover 50% of eligible expenses for exterior work using traditional materials, with costs for repair/replacement to historic windows covered to 80%, both to a maximum of $3,000. There is no fixed deadline for the submission of a Maintenance Grant application. The number of grants approved in a year will be based upon available funding.
No fixed amount
Grant
Description:
Registered Heritage Structures are generally heritage buildings or engineering works that are good examples of their type in a good state of preservation and which help to tell the diverse stories of Newfoundland and Labrador.
$95,000
Grant
Description:
The Affordable Rental Housing Program (ARHP) is funded by NLHC and partners with private and community housing developers to create new affordable rental units for lower income households. Support is provided through capital funding in the form of a forgivable loan for new construction projects, conversion from non-residential or additions to an existing residential structure. Funding amounts are determined by a combination of project location and attributes
$10,000
Grant
Description:
This program fosters and supports Newfoundland and Labrador musical culture through the funding of diverse artists and genres in singles, EP’s, full-length sound recordings, marketing and promotion materials.
$4,750
Grant
Description:
This funding program is designed to increase awareness of provincially produced music at local, national, and international levels, and to present NL music as an art form and viable economic driver. Export-ready musicians touring outside of the province and expanding their market reach within and outside of Canada should apply.
$5,000
Grant
Description:
Designed to increase awareness of provincially produced music at local, national, and international levels by touring.
$9,500
Grant
Description:
This program is designed to support professional development for the following:
To conduct business that seeks to promote and market NL musicians and music industry professionals outside the province. This may include attending music related conferences, festivals, and events.
To showcase at music conferences, festivals, and events, or to represent a showcasing artist.
To undertake training that enhances creative and/or industry skills.