1,000+ Opportunities
Find the right grant
Search federal, foundation, and corporate grants with AI — or browse by agency, topic, and state.
The Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program – Business Opportunities is a grant from Indigenous Services Canada that funds regional and national initiatives promoting Indigenous entrepreneurship and improving access to business opportunities.
The program supports non-repayable contributions to projects that foster an entrepreneurship culture, strengthen Indigenous organizational capacity, and help connect Indigenous businesses to broader markets and opportunities. This stream does not fund individual business startups or expansions. Eligible applicants are Indigenous organizations and community-owned Aboriginal businesses in Canada.
Awards reach up to $99,000 for individuals and up to $250,000 for community-owned businesses. The application deadline is October 31, 2026.
Get alerted about grants like this
Save a search for “Indigenous Services Canada” or related topics and get emailed when new opportunities appear.
Search similar grants →Extracted from the official opportunity page/RFP to help you evaluate fit faster.
Get funding for your group's project to support Indigenous entrepreneurship Community economic development > Indigenous business development"> Get funding for your group's project to support Indigenous entrepreneurship Use our Access to Business Opportunities funding to support a regional or national initiative that will provide tools and support to foster Indigenous entrepreneurship.
This program does not provide funding for individual business startups, acquisitions, or expansions. The deadline to submit your application is October 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm Eastern time. This funding offers non-repayable contributions.
We fund national or regional projects that: Promote a culture of entrepreneurship Improve access to business opportunities Strengthen the capacity of Indigenous organizations Projects are monitored and funding recipients are required to provide Indigenous Services Canada with regular updates on their projects. The Access to Business Opportunities stream has an annual budget of $850,000.
We may reimburse up to 100% of costs for eligible activities, up to a maximum of $500,000 per recipient per year.
The needs of the recipient First Nation and Inuit communities Indigenous-owned organizations and associations (as long as they are not charitable or religious) Universities, colleges, and other learning institutions Funding may be provided to Indigenous for-profit organizations and entities solely in support of activities that are non-commercial in nature and not intended to generate profit, increase business value or otherwise confer a commercial advantage.
Any contributions to private firms are made exclusively to advance program priorities and objectives and must not result in profit generation for the funded entity.
The scope of the project must be either: National: expected benefits will impact numerous communities and regions throughout Canada Regional: expected benefits will impact several communities in a specific region Eligible project activities may include: Institutional development, including training and development and business supports to business development organizations Business advisory services and training Support provided to businesses (ultimate beneficiary) seeking to start, scale or innovate Organizational development and advocacy activities We may give preference to proposals aligned with Indigenous and Government of Canada priorities.
These priorities may include, but are not limited to: Gender-based Analysis Plus For more details on eligibility, consult the Contributions to support land management and economic development: terms and conditions . Submit a project pitch by email to APA-ABO@sac-isc. gc.
ca . It is recommended to review the program requirements first as stated in the Contributions to support land management and economic development: terms and conditions . To ensure there is enough time to review and complete the full intake process, applicants must submit project pitches no later than 2 weeks before the application deadline on October 17, 2026 at 11:59 pm Eastern time.
You should receive an emailed response within 5 business days of submitting your project pitch. We will contact you to help ensure your: Project aligns with program priorities Project meets the eligibility requirements Organization is well prepared to complete the steps in the application stage of the process We may also request additional project information, if required.
If your project aligns with the program's terms and conditions, you will receive an invitation to complete and submit the application. The application will be used to complete a due diligence and benefits assessment.
The due diligence and benefits assessment is an in-depth evaluation of your organization's capacity and experience to: Implement the proposed project Achieve the stated project objective Meet program reporting requirements The review process can take up to 5 months, depending on the volume of applications.
After a due diligence and assessment review is completed, the review committee conducts a thorough evaluation of your application by comparing it to other applications received. After the review stage is complete, we will notify all applicants of the decisions made by the committee. Applications will be accepted from January 1, 2026 at 12:00 am Eastern time to October 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm Eastern time.
If you apply after our intake period closes we may: Invite you to apply in the following intake period Retain your application for the following intake period To learn more, email us at APA-ABO@sac-isc. gc. ca Did you find what you were looking for?
I can't find the information The information is hard to understand There was an error or something didn't work Please provide more details You will not receive a reply. Don't include personal information (telephone, email, SIN, financial, medical, or work details). Thank you for your feedback
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Indigenous entrepreneurs and community-owned Aboriginal businesses in Canada Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates Up to $99,000 for individuals, $250,000 for community-owned businesses Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is October 31, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.
Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program (AEP) - Access to Capital is a grant from Indigenous Services Canada, administered by the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA), that provides financing for Indigenous entrepreneurs and community-owned businesses. Eligible applicants include First Nations (status and non-status), Métis, and Inuit individuals aged 18 or older, with awards up to $99,999 for individuals and up to $249,999 for community-owned businesses with at least 51% Indigenous ownership. Applications are submitted through local Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs) rather than directly to the government, ensuring community-based delivery of capital support.
Inuit Cultural Education Centres Grant Program is an Indigenous Services Canada program providing grants to Inuit individuals and community-based Inuit cultural education centres to support the development, preservation, and promotion of Inuit cultural heritage. The program aims to enable Inuit individuals and communities to express, share, and develop their cultural heritage with other Canadians, thereby promoting awareness of Canada's cultural diversity. Eligible recipients include Inuit individuals ordinarily residing in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Northwest Territories and other Inuit land claim settlement areas, as well as community-based Inuit cultural education centres. Government funding will not exceed 100% of eligible expenditures. Program guidelines are effective from April 1, 2026, through the 2026 to 2027 program year.
Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program: Access to Capital is sponsored by Indigenous Services Canada (administered by National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association - NACCA via Indigenous Financial Institutions and Métis Capital Corporations). This program provides non-repayable equity contributions and business services to Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses to start, expand, or acquire a business. It enhances access to capital for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis businesses in Canada.