Question of the Day

Where do I apply for government funding for my business?

As always when we are dealing with any small business funding, government funding and applying for government funding questions, we turn to our in house funding experts. To help clear up that question for us, we brought it up to get you the best possible answer.

> As a small business owner, deciding to apply for government funding because you need the funds to help you start your small business, expand your current business, hire and train employees, conduct research and development, or purchase land, tools and equipment, is no easy task.

A lot of research, careful planning and dedication is definitely the key to applying for government funding. But one of the challenges we see most of the time here at CanadaStartups is entrepreneurs coming to us and asking where exactly they apply for funding.

Applying for government funding can be done a number of ways. The first step is to ensure you know which funding programs to apply to. The fact is that the Canadian government has over 900 government grant and loan funding programs available across Canada and offered by various funding agencies. There is no one place to go and apply. You must research and figure out which funding agency and which funding program is right for you.

Our team has developed the Funding Database to help entrepreneurs just like you. We have researched every single funding program and provided a detailed program guide. This allows you to avoid spending excessive time researching on your own and instead do a quick search based on your location, business industry and funding needs to generate a list of funding programs that may be right for your business.

Of course, you can do all of this on your own, but it does take careful research and a lot of time. One place to start is the Government of Canada website.

Once you have located a funding program and believe you meet all of the criteria and requirements, the next step is applying. Most programs provide an application along with a phone number, address and email for the program coordinator or director. This is where you apply.

Each funding agency and funding program is different, so be sure to read the requirements, rules, deadlines and application details before applying.

Tune in tomorrow for another one of our Daily Q&A sessions about small business startups, business plans, funding and more.