Rural Ontario Development Program

Funding:

Rural Communities (municipalities, Indigenous communities, local services boards and not-for-profit organizations in rural Ontario) can apply through the following streams:

• Economic diversification, competitiveness and capacity building: projects that support communities to build economic development capacity and implement strategies that increase competitiveness to retain businesses, attract investment and enhance growth
  • Strategies and plans:
    • up to 50% cost-share up, to $50,000
    • Projects will develop strategies or plans that will enhance the ability of communities to be prepared for and engage in economic development activities
  • Economic diversification and competitiveness:
    • up to 50% cost-share, up to $150,000
    • Projects will support the implementation an existing economic development plan or strategy
  • Capacity building events:
    • up to 35% cost-share, up to $10,000
    • Projects that support organizations in building community capacity to deliver economic development activities
• Workforce development, attraction and retention:
  • up to 50% cost-share, up to $150,000
  • Projects that support communities to implement strategies and/or to undertake initiatives for attracting and retaining workers
• Community infrastructure enhancements:
  • up to 35% cost-share, with large projects eligible from $25,000 to $250,000 and for small projects eligible up to $25,000
  • Projects that update or transform community assets that have been identified as important to the community’s economy

Rural Businesses:

• Small brick and mortar businesses in rural Ontario with 1 to 20 employees can apply through the business development stream
• up to 35% cost-share, to a maximum of $10,000

Eligibility:

• Your organization must be one of the following:
  • a municipality
  • a not-for-profit organization
  • an Indigenous community or organization
  • a local services board
  • a small business with 1 to 20 employees
• Your project must be within an eligible rural area of Ontario