This program will support a Northwestern Ontario rural community or Indigenous community with a population less than 3000 to adopt innovative approaches to identified gaps within their communities. Entrepreneurs located in these communities can also apply.
What Projects are Eligible?
Funding from this program will support innovative ways to address gaps in the following areas:
Housing
Food Security
Energy Sustainability
Information Technology (IT)
Industry Development/Entrepreneurial Development
Project feasibility study
This funding program does not support labour, staff time, and operating costs/ongoing costs.
This program will fund up to a maximum of $10,000 per project with a 90% cost share.
How will your project be judged?
This program has limited funding available. Your project will be judged on:
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Probability of implementation
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Preference will be given to larger projects over $50,000 (leveraging additional funding)
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Project leadership and community support
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Innovative nature of the project
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Impact after implementation
- Impact on the community (addressing new opportunities, problem areas/challenges within the community)
- Jobs created
- Sustainability of the project
How does the program work?
The following are the steps that need to follow to access the program.
STEP 1: Contact the NOIC to schedule a meeting with an NOIC representative
STEP 2: Start your application, including two quotes from vendors
- You will be able to save and return to your application at any time by clicking on the Terms and Conditions tab above and clicking submit. We suggest you regularly do this as this form does not auto-save and it will not prompt you should you accidently close your window.
- After you submit (save) your application the first time only, you will receive an email with a unique url for your application. You must use this url to access your saved application and you will continue to use this url until your application is completed.
STEP 3: Complete your application, including all the necessary documentation, by clicking ‘Yes, please submit to the review committee'
- Any changes made after this will not be included in the review process
- Please confirm with your NOIC rep that the application has been received
STEP 4: Applications for the Rural Innovation Fund will be reviewed after the in-take closes on March 31st
STEP 5: You will be notified of the review committee's decision via email.
How to Apply?
We want to make sure you don't spend time applying to a program that may not be the right fit, so email Jeff using the button below or call at 807-768-6688.
