Business Development Program - Non-Commercial Projects / Business Support

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency's (ACOA) Business Development Program (BDP) aims at supporting Atlantic Canadian small and medium businesses (SMEs) and those who wish to establish in Atlantic Canada.

Eligibility Criteria

Non-commercial/non-profit organizations - including Aboriginal organizations - such as business and economic development associations, provincial crown corporations, universities, educational institutions, municipalities and their agencies, business or technology institutes are eligible.

Eligible Area

Atlantic Canada

Eligible Activities

The proposed project must provide a service to business in areas such as entrepreneurship development, marketing, training, innovation, quality improvement, productivity improvement, and business management skills.

Eligible activities may include:

• specialized services such as planning, business information, business counselling and advice, testing services, research and development services, technical or innovation services and business networking;
• market and trade development;
• capital costs associated with establishing, expanding or modernizing a facility for providing specialized services in support of business;
• the provision of site-specific infrastructure to support SMEs can be eligible but does not include basic municipal infrastructure.

Preference will be given to those projects which respond to issues and opportunities identified by ACOA. Priority will also be given to those projects which are of widespread benefit to industries or the region.

Contributions to non-commercial projects are considered to be seed funding only, and applicants must demonstrate that their projects are self-sustaining over the long term.

Summary

Amount of assistance available

Assistance is non-repayable and is limited to the proportion of the eligible costs which, in the opinion of ACOA, is required by the applicant in order to go ahead with the project.

For more information on this program, and other ACOA business development programs, you may contact the ACOA office nearest you or visit their Web site.

*Note: "non-profit" also known as nonprofit organizations, non profit organizations, not-for-profit organizations, voluntary organizations and volunteer organizations.

New Brunswick Contact(s):
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
570 Queen Street
P.O. Box 578
Fredericton, New Brunswick  E3B 5A6
Telephone: 506-452-3184
Fax: 506-452-3285
Toll-free (information): 1-800-561-4030
Web site: http://www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca/e/

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National Contact(s):
Claire DuLong
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
8th Floor
Blue Cross Centre
644 Main Street
P.O. Box 6051
Moncton, New Brunswick  E1C 9J8
Fax: 506-851-7403
Toll-free (information): 1-800-561-7862
E-mail: claire.dulong@acoa-apeca.gc.ca