The Entrepreneur Support program can help make great ideas a reality by funding entrepreneurs as they work towards stability and market penetration.

It is strongly recommended that you contact your regional Economic Development Officer to discuss your idea prior to the development of your proposal.

These investments are provided under the Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) Policy.

Who is eligible?

• NWT businesses and entrepreneurs

Funding

Under the Entrepreneur Support program, up to $25,000 in support can be provided in five categories:

• Startup Funding
  • Assistance may be provided for costs associated with planning, engineering, start-up working capital or other developmental costs deemed to fall within this category by the Regional Superintendent.
• Capital Asset Acquisition
  • Capital assistance may be provided, in Level 2 Communities only (see below), to assist with the purchase of capital items for operations of the business, as a means to provide Equity necessary to leverage loan financing, or where assistance is not otherwise available to take advantage of a business opportunity. 
  • Assistance provided must support the continuation of a business where lack of new investment would result in job losses, creation of employment directly, or improve efficiency or Capacity of a business required to stay competitive or access new markets.
• Market and Product Development
  • Assistance may be provided for new market or product development designed to increase sales of NWT products, to promote the NWT as a travel destination, or to participate in trade shows (excluding attendance at conferences). 
  • Assistance may also be provided for the marketing of existing tourism, arts and crafts, and renewable resource products through trade show participation, print advertising, internet marketing, or similar activities.
• Operational Support
  • Assistance may be provided to increase business skills and Capacity or to:
    • Identify and address problems faced by the business;
    • Develop a recovery or restructuring plan;
    • Provide emergency relief to effect business recovery; or
    • Assist with the cost of "winding down" a business which has a minimal net worth and cannot meet its financial obligations and which could hurt other businesses and employment opportunities if allowed to fail in a disorderly manner.
• Support for Film
  • Assistance may be provided in the areas of Film Development, Marketing and Promotion, Film Sponsorship, and Special Partnerships.
  • For more information on Support for Film, please visit the Support for Film webpage.

Equity Requirements, Costs or Fees

• Group/Level 1 communities (Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Smith, and Inuvik) – 30%
• Group/Level 2 communities (all other communities within NWT) – 20%

Required Documents 

Applicants are required to submit:

• Outline of the scope and intent of the project to include: budget, quotes, and related statements.
• The names of any outside services providing assistance to the project.
• Any other relevant information related to the proposal. This may include what is requested by the regional panel for evaluation and recommendation purposes

For a complete list of required documents see the Application Checklist on the last page of the SEED application.

Other information may be requested. Speak with your regional Economic Development Officer about specific proposal requirements and evaluation criteria; funding limits, equity requirements and specific purposes to which funding can be applied.

How do I apply?

To apply for Entrepreneur Support funding, download the application form below and contact your regional Industry Tourism and Investment office to book an appointment to speak with an Economic Development Officer. Please include all required documents along with your application, or your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.