FROESE LAW
GOVERNMENT GRANTS
Froese Law provides Bay Street calibre support to all of its clients. As part of that commitment, Froese Law provides a value-add service to its clients by researching and applying for appropriate government grants for our clients so that they can access government funding. Government grants are available for a variety of business ideas and projects, including international expansion and export, hiring and recruiting, professional development and additional training, and more.
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Search for eligible government grant opportunities at the federal, provincial, and municipal level
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Provide strategic consultation and analysis to determine the best fit for clients
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Advise on grant writing approach and strategy
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Writing and editing grant proposals
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Submission review
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Post-award contract negotiation
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Post-award grant management, including activity and financial reporting
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Strategic consultation and advice on grant compliance and monitoring
FROESE LAW SERVICES
Am I eligible for government funding?
It depends. Each government department and program have specific eligibility requirements that applicants are required to meet in order to apply for and receive a grant. In most cases, corporations are eligible if they are an incorporated legal entity, such as a corporation, limited liability partnership, cooperative, or registered charity or non-profit. Other requirements and restrictions may apply depending on the funding opportunity.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I only apply for provincial grants?
No. You may apply for both provincial and federal grants for which you are eligible. Some government agencies may institute stacking limits that restrict the total amount of government funding (federal and provincial) you can obtain for a single project.
How much grant funding can I receive?
The amount of grant funding you may be eligible to receive depends on your organization and the availability of funding from different granting agencies. Grants can range from $5,000 for small start-up grants to upwards for 6- and 7-figures for multi-year projects. Contact Froese Law to find out what kind of funding may be available to you and how you can obtain government support to grow your enterprise.
What kind of funding is available?
Canadian government grant funding is available for a diverse range of business activities and expenses. Whether your goal is to hire or train new staff, expand into new markets, augment your technological capabilities, or research and develop new products and services, there are government grants available to help your business succeed. Additionally, if your venture specializes in a high-priority sector, such as green energy, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, or healthcare, you can find funding to get your business off the ground. Typically, government grants are designed to fund a specific project and cannot be used to fund your general operating expenses. Froese Law can help you understand the difference between these costs and how to factor this into your project budget.
Do I have to repay grant funding?
Unlike loans, grants do not need to be repaid.
How do I apply for grant funding?
The process of applying for government grant funding varies depending on the program and department. In some instances, you will have to register an account with the government agency offering the grant and apply through their portal.
In other instances, you may apply for grant funding via email or web form submission.
The documents required also vary depending on the source. Usually, government grant applications will require that you complete a form template and provide additional documentation, such as your articles of incorporation, financial statements, a project timeline and workplan, and a realistic and detailed budget. Some applications are multi-step processes; it is important to read the application guidelines thoroughly to understand the process and ensure you have the time to complete the next stages. It is important to submit all of the documents required, otherwise your application may be deemed incomplete and denied.
Froese Law can help you navigate the complexities of applying for grants and help you develop the additional documents you need to support your application.
I’ve applied for a grant. When will I find out if my application was successful?
After you’ve submitted your application, the review committee will assess your proposal and evaluate it according to their criteria. The evaluation process timeline can vary greatly depending on the amount of funding available, the complexity of your project and/or the grant program, and the number of applications received. Generally speaking, grants for smaller awards are processed faster than large, multi-year grant programs.
In some cases, grant officers may wish to book follow-up meetings to discuss and clarify elements of your grant application.
Before applying for a grant, it’s important to speak to a program officer to find out their anticipated turnaround time. This ought to factor into your workplan and budget, as most project expenses are only eligible after a grant is approved and the contract signed.
How long does it take to prepare a grant application?
The time it takes to prepare a grant application depends on the complexity of the proposal, your business’s organizational readiness, and whether or not you have applied for grants in the past. Generally speaking, the grant writing process can be accelerated if you have the following information on hand: a business plan, organizational and project budgets with other sources of financing and cash flow forecasts, financial statements, quotes from service providers and/or consultants, a project timeline and workplan, key staff biographies, a risk mitigation strategy, a headcount plan, metrics and data demonstrating your business’s impact and effectiveness, a market analysis, and defined project deliverables and goals.
Other information that may be required depending on the specific funding opportunity includes a list of board members with current positions and tenure, demographics of leadership and staff, and partnership letters or letters of support. An experienced grant consultant can help you develop any of these supporting documents, but being grant ready can help you launch your grant strategy faster.
Froese Law is an award-winning cross-border branding, corporate and commercial law firm. Our team of lawyers and legal professionals are dedicated to structuring your business, negotiating your contracts and protecting, enforcing and commercializing your brand. Contact us today for a free consultation!