Northwest TerritoriesBusiness Grants & Funding

Micro Business

Up to $6,000 drawn over three years

This grant provides funding up to $6,000 (drawn over three years) to licensed artists, crafters, filmmakers, commercial renewable resource...

NWT Student Financial Assistance - Loan Repayment and Incentives

Varies based on individual student loans and approved remission/forgiveness amounts

A student loan repayment assistance program that offers loan forgiveness (remission) and 0% interest on student loans to encourage northern students...

Cooperation with the Community Sector — Community Life (Programming Funding)

This grant provides funding to community organizations representing official-language minority communities to carry out ongoing programming and...

NWT Youth Corps

This program provides funding to non-mainstream, at-risk, and out-of-school youth under 25 years of age in the Northwest Territories. The funding...

Funding for the Innovation in Apprenticeship Stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program

Up to $5,000,000 per project from ESDC; applicant must secure minimum 10% cash contribution from other sources

This program provides non-repayable grants to support innovative approaches and best practices in Red Seal apprenticeship training. Funding supports...

Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Program (NIEOP) - Entrepreneurship and Business Development (EBD)

Varies by project; 2025-26 total program funding is $13.2 million across all NIEOP streams

The EBD stream provides project-based support to assist Indigenous entrepreneurs, businesses, and organizations in pursuing economic opportunities...

Canada Student Loan Forgiveness Program - Expansion to Health Care and Social Service Professionals

Up to $60,000 over 5 years for family physicians/dentists/pharmacists/psychologists; up to $30,000 for nurses/midwives/teachers/social workers/physiotherapists; up to $15,000 for early childhood educators/dental hygienists/personal support workers

A loan forgiveness program that cancels federal student loan debt for health care and social service professionals working in under-served rural or...

Northern Isolated Communities Initiative Fund (NICI)

Varies by project; part of umbrella territorial development program

NICI provides strategic investments and services to Northern Indigenous and Inuit communities, organizations, and businesses to support local and...

Strategic Workforce Initiative

No maximum allowable funding; dependent on regional budgets, available funding, and regional approvals

This program provides non-repayable funding to organizations for labour market development activities including research, strategic planning,...

Core Startup Program

Up to $75,000 in flexible, equity-free loan financing

The Core Startup Program provides equity-free loan financing up to $75,000 to help young entrepreneurs start or buy a business. Alongside flexible...

Early Childhood Infrastructure Fund

Amount determined on a per proposal basis; approximately $5.9 million available for 2024-2025

A non-repayable grant program that funds projects to preserve, expand, or create licensed centre-based child care spaces in Northwest Territories...

2026 International Joint Initiative for Research Harnessing Disruptive Technologies to Address Global Challenges

Funding varies by participating country and funder. Canadian co-PIs may receive up to CAD $1,500,000 through NFRF. Other funding organizations offer different maximum amounts in their respective currencies.

This is an international research funding program that supports interdisciplinary, collaborative research projects harnessing disruptive technologies...

Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF)

Varies by project; total announced investment of $369.57 million across multiple projects

A federal grant program that provides funding to remove infrastructure bottlenecks that prevent housing development. CHIF supports water, wastewater,...

Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth)

Varies by project; 2025-26 total program funding is $32.5 million

IDEANorth provides grants and contributions to support territorial economic growth and address gaps in small-scale economic infrastructure like...

New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) - Community-based Projects

Up to $25,000 per community-based project

A federal grant program that provides capital assistance to support community-based projects led by and for seniors. The program strengthens social...

Take a Kid Trapping Program

Up to $8,000

This funding program introduces school-age youth in the Northwest Territories to traditional harvesting practices including hunting, trapping,...

Canada-NWT Housing Benefit (CNHB)

Up to $800 per month

A federally funded rental assistance program that provides non-taxable monthly payments to help Northwest Territories residents afford housing. The...

Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Program (NIEOP) - Economic Research Stream (ERS)

Varies by project; 2025-26 total program funding is $13.2 million across all NIEOP streams

The ERS provides project-based support for research, knowledge transfer, and information distribution to establish a research agenda and target...

Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership (Sustainable-CAP)

Up to 100% of project costs for industry organizations, municipal, territorial and Indigenous governments; case-by-case funding allocations for other eligible applicants

A federal/territorial grant program that funds agriculture-based initiatives to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency in the...

Northern Indigenous Economic Opportunities Program (NIEOP) - Community Readiness and Opportunities Planning (CROP)

Varies by project; 2025-26 total program funding is $13.2 million across all NIEOP streams

The CROP stream provides project-based support to Indigenous communities and organizations for capacity and readiness activities to help them plan...