What funding programs are available? What are lenders looking for? You'll find the answers in this section.

Government Sources:

• The Info-Guides on Financing Your Business and  Aboriginal Business provide lists of the most popular federal and provincial government financial assistance programs available to individuals starting or expanding a business;
  
  
• Search in the Government Programs and Services database for other federal and provincial financing programs;
  
  
• The Sources of Financing section of the Strategis web site helps you find the lender that meets your needs by providing access to an extensive Canadian database of sources of debt and equity financing.

Private Sources:

• The Financing section of the Canadian Business Map provides a listing of all Canadian Sources of Financing;
  
  
• The Small Business section of the Canadian Bankers Association provides direct links to the small business web sites of Canada's major banks.
  
  

Venture/Growth Capital:

Capital investments in a business can be needed at any stage of a company's life cycle, from seed to growth, from acquisition or expansion to turnaround. Becoming investor ready involves an objective evaluation of your company, your management team and your growth potential. You also need information that will give you a better understanding of what to expect as you go through the negotiating process and develop a long-term working relationship with an investor. The following sites will provide answers to your question:

• Learn about Angel Activity in Atlantic Canada. Find out if you are a good candidate for venture capital? This site offers valuable information on venture capital;
  
  
• Venture Capital - Advice for First Time Entrepreneurs - What do venture firms look for in evaluating a new company? Advice for First Time Entrepreneurs helps to answer this question;
  
  
• How to Win a Venture Capitalist - Business opportunities are everywhere for venture capitalists. Hundreds of business plans cross their desks every month. However, the successful venture capitalist invests in people first and business plans second;
  
  
• Steps to Growth Capital has been prepared to help companies increase their chances of obtaining risk capital;
  
  
• The Canadian Venture Capital Association Member List is a list of Canadian venture capital financing companies with funds under management and available for investment;
  
  
• The Investment Banking Channel's Entrepreneur Section provides unbiased, direct access to private capital resources and investment banking deals
  
  
• The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation  supports targeted and leveraged investments in innovation and in research and development in New Brunswick. By operating three equity based investment funds, the Enterprise Innovation Fund, the Seed Equity Fund and the Venture Capital Fund, the NBIF supports the development and growth of promising, innovation-based start-up and early stage companies in New Brunswick. It provides companies and entrepreneurs with enhanced access to risk capital and value-added support to ultimately allow them to grow and succeed.