Get funding for your group's project to support Indigenous entrepreneurship
Use our Access to Business Opportunities funding to support a regional or national initiative that will provide tools and support to foster Indigenous entrepreneurship.
This program does not provide funding for individual business startups, acquisitions, or expansions.
Call for proposals: open
We are currently accepting applications for funding for fiscal year 2026 to 2027.
The deadline to submit your application is October 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm, Eastern Time.
On this page
About the program
This funding offers non-repayable contributions, similar to grants.
We fund national or regional projects that:
- Promote a culture of entrepreneurship
- Improve access to business opportunities
- Strengthen the capacity of other Indigenous businesses
To explore other government funding opportunities, please visit the Indigenous Business Navigator Service.
Projects are monitored and funding recipients are required to provide Indigenous Services Canada with regular updates on their projects.
The Access to Business Opportunities program has an annual budget of $850,000.
We may reimburse up to 100% of costs for eligible activities, up to a maximum of $500,000 per recipient, per year.
Funding depends on:
- The needs of the recipient
- The eligibility of costs
- The economic benefits
- Project viability
Who Can Apply
- First Nation and Inuit communities
- Indigenous-owned organizations and associations (as long as they are not charitable or religious)
- Labour organizations
- Universities, colleges, and other learning institutions
Eligible Projects
The scope of the project must be either:
- National (expected benefits will impact numerous communities and regions throughout Canada)
- Regional (expected benefits will impact several communities throughout Canada)
Eligible project activities may include:
- Institutional development, including training and development, and business supports to business development organizations
- Business advisory services and training
- Commercial ventures, including business innovation and growth
- Market development
- Business development and advocacy activities
We may give preference to proposals aligned with Indigenous and Government of Canada priorities.
These priorities may include, but are not limited to:
- Cleantech and greentech
- Indigenous procurement
- Gender-based Analysis Plus
- Capacity building
For more details on eligibility, please consult the terms and conditions.
How to Apply
1. Consult with us
Submit a project pitch by email to APA-ABO@sac-isc.gc.ca. At this stage, it is recommended to review the program requirements as stated in the terms and conditions. You should receive an emailed response within 5 business days of submitting your initial request.
We will contact you to help ensure your:
- project aligns with program priorities
- project meets the eligibility requirements
- organization is well prepared to complete the steps in the application stage of the process
We may request additional project information, if required.
If your project aligns with the program's terms and conditions, you will receive an invitation to complete and submit the application.
2. Send us your application
The application will be used to complete a due diligence and benefits assessment.
The due diligence and benefits assessment is an in-depth evaluation of your organization's capacity and experience to:
- implement the proposed project
- achieve the stated project objective
- meet program reporting requirements
Be sure to check our application deadline.
3. Review stage
The review process may take several weeks.
First we complete a due diligence and assessment review of the benefits of your application.
Then our review committee conducts a thorough evaluation of your application against all of the other applications we receive.
We notify all applicants of the decisions made by the committee.
Deadline
We accept applications from January 1 (12:00 am EST) to October 31 (11:59 pm EST).
Applications should have a project start date of April 1, 2026. However, flexibility may be available as needed.
If you apply after our intake period closes we may:
- Invite you to apply in the following intake period
- Retain your application for the following intake period
Contact Us
Email: APA-ABO@sac-isc.gc.ca
Related Links
- Access to Capital - Funding for individual business startups, acquisitions, or expansions
- Indigenous Business Navigator Service - Get help to connect you with programs and services across different Government of Canada departments and agencies
- Business Benefits Finder - An online tool to help you find support for your business or organization