What is the Indigenous Business Development Services?
The Indigenous Business Development Services is a regional development agency administered by PrairiesCan, serving Prairies. Funding and business development support for Indigenous led businesses and organizations in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Funding: Project based.
How regional development agency funding works
Regional development agencies deliver federal economic development funding within their own region. Funding is usually project based and assessed against the agency's current priorities and annual budget, so timing and fit with the agency's mandate matter.
How to prepare an application
- 01Confirm the current intake window, eligibility and funding amounts directly with PrairiesCan on the official program page. These change from year to year.
- 02Gather proof of Indigenous ownership, membership or citizenship if the program requires it. Verification can take time, so start early.
- 03Prepare a clear project description, a budget showing every source of funds, and recent financial statements or a forecast.
- 04Line up the rest of the financing. Many programs fund only part of a project and expect the balance from equity, a lender or another program.
- 05Submit before the deadline, keep copies of everything, and report on the project as the funding agreement requires.
Combining it with other capital
Non-repayable funding works best when it is sequenced before debt. Grants and contribution agreements reduce how much a business needs to borrow, which can make the loan that follows smaller and easier to approve. Read why we stack non-dilutive capital before debt, or see how our grants and non-dilutive capital service works.