Rural Economic Development Fund (RED)
Receive up to $150K to $250K in Grant Funding.
The Rural Economic Development Fund (RED), by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), supports regional economic development activities in rural southern Ontario communities. The program currently focuses on non-profits, organizations and associations, and municipal governments, and provides them with additional resources to carry out projects that boost regional economic opportunities.
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Eligible Applicants
Non-profits, organizations, associations, municipalities in rural southern Ontario.
800+
Annual Funding Applications Supported
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Give your application the best chance of approval. Ryan supports the writing of applications for more than 100 Canadian federal and provincial government grants, tax credits, and no-interest loan programs.
Amount of Funding
There are two streams for the Rural Economic Development Fund with varying contribution amounts:
- Economic Diversification and Competitiveness Stream: successful applicants may receive up to 50% of eligible project costs to a maximum of $150K.
- Strategic Economic Infrastructure Stream: successful applicants may receive up to 30% of eligible project costs to a maximum of $250K.
Please note that for both streams funding provided may reflect either the amount or percentage asked for. Also, neither the maximum eligible costs or the project timeframe may be extended/increased without approval from the OMAFRA organization.
Eligible Applicants
To be eligible for the Rural Economic Development Fund, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
- Applicant is a municipality;
- Applicant is a not-for-profit entity;
- Applicant is an Ontario Indigenous community; or
- The applicant is a Local Services Board.
Eligible Activities
Both streams of the RED Program require different eligibility criteria for activities.
Economic Diversification and Competitiveness Stream:
- Projects designed to remove barriers to businesses;
- Stimulate job growth;
- Attract investments;
- Attract or retain skilled workers;
- Strengthen sector and regional partnerships; and
- Projects to diversify regional economies in rural Ontario.
Strategic Economic Infrastructure Stream:
- Activities associated with reviving cultural, heritage or tourism attractions;
- Projects designed to redevelop vacant or under-used properties; and
- Improve main street minor capital initiatives.
Program Deadline
Speak with a member of our team to find the latest intake period info for this program or subscribe to our newsletter to be notified.
Averaging of
Time Saving
95%
throughout the application process
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Successfully applying for the right funding program at the right time, focusing on the right topics is no easy challenge. We provide an average 95% time savings to our clients, compared to businesses that apply for funding in-house.
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