Growing Forward 2 Ontario Project Implementation for Producers FAQs

Growing Forward 2 (GF2) Project Implementation for Producers funding provides Ontario small business grants designed to help farm businesses take the next steps after completing Capacity Building Project(s) and deal with and respond to issues and risks.

What type of funding does the Project Implementation Stream provide for Producers?

Growing Forward 2 Ontario government funding provided through the Project Implementation Stream is provided as small business grants Ontario.

How much funding can I expect to receive from this Growing Forward 2 Ontario program?

Growing Forward 2 Ontario Project Implementation Stream will fund up to 35% of project costs or up to 50% of project costs if your project is considered innovative.

How can I ascertain whether or not I am eligible for these Ontario business grants?

There are two ways that you can qualify for these Growing Forward 2 Ontario government grants for small business:

1.)   If you are an established Producer in Ontario with a Premises Identification Number and a Farm Business Registration Number, and you filed income taxes last year as a farm/business, then you are eligible.

2.)   If you are a new Producer in Ontario who filed income taxes as an individual, and have not filed income taxes as a farm for the last two years, and you have a Premises Identification number and can demonstrate that your income over the next three years will be a minimum of $30,000, then you are also eligible.

What types of projects are eligible for GF2 business grants in Ontario?

Projects must be within one of the 6 focus areas of Growing Forward 2:

• Environment and Climate Change
• Assurance Systems
• Market Development
• Animal and Plant Health
• Labour Productivity Enhancement
• Business and Leadership Development

Each focus area has specific requirements for projects and applications.

What projects are eligible for Ontario small business grants under the focus area Environment and Climate Change?

The following types of projects will be considered for funding:

• Nutrient Management
• Soil Protection
• Water Protection
• Wildlife

For this focus area, some projects must be in specific watershed or water protection zones, in order to be considered eligible.

What projects are eligible for small business grants Ontario under the focus area Assurance Systems?

Projects that focus on one of the following areas are eligible for GF2 Ontario government funding:

• Animal Welfare
• Food Safety
• Food Traceability

With this focus area, some of the funding is directed towards particular animals: hogs, cattle, bison, sheep, goats and poultry.

What types of projects are eligible for business grants Ontario under the Market Development focus area?

Projects in this focus area must be about the expansion and growth of farm businesses through one of the following, in response to a risk identified in the assessment stage:

• Adoption and use of business tools
• Market, customer and competitor analysis
• Marketing resources

What types of projects are eligible under the Animal and Plant Health focus area?

In order to qualify for GF2 business grants in Ontario the projects in this focus area must deal with at least one of:

• Prevention of animal and plant diseases
• Control of the spread of animal and plant diseases
• Prevention and control of pests

What types of projects are eligible for business grants Ontario under the focus area Labour Productivity Enhancement?

Projects under this focus area must be dealing with an identified risk or issue and taking appropriate initiative to:

• Improve/provide training opportunities for HQP
• Implementation of new technologies
• Improvements to facility/site

What types of projects are eligible for small business government grants under the focus area Business and Leadership Development?

In order to qualify for GF2 Ontario small business grants projects must focus on improvements related to:

• Production efficiency including benchmarking
• Financial Management including the adoption of record keeping that indicates performance and progress
• Social Responsibility including measures that improve the productivity and efficiency of the farm and stewardship
• Human Resources improvements including new training opportunities for employees beyond required skills

What expenses are eligible small business government grants from the Project Implementation Stream?

Project expenses that are eligible for reimbursement include the incremental costs of renting facilities, equipment, machinery, contractor salaries and travel associated directly with the project. Capital expenses are also eligible including equipment and construction costs. However, for capital expenses, the applicant must contribute a minimum of 25% of the cost as cash. The total amount of capital expenses cannot exceed $100,000.

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