Desjardins GoodSpark Grants for small businesses in Canada

Desjardins GoodSpark Grants for small Canadian businesses

$3 million in small business grants

The application period is now closed.
Recipients will be announced in spring 2024.

  • 150 grants

  • $20,000
    in financial assistance

  • For the well-being
    of individuals and the community

Who is eligible for a grant?

Small businesses that:

  • Are Canadian-owned and operated
  • Do business and have their headquarters in at least 1 of the following provinces: Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan
  • Have a minimum of 1 employee and a maximum of 50 employees
  • Have been registered for at least 1 year (before November 1, 2022)
  • Have a project that tackles at least 1 of the following areas: sustainable development, health and well-being, innovation and community impact

Read the program rules (PDF, 180 KB)  - This link will open in a new window.

Investing in projects that matter

Sustainable development

A project aimed at achieving 1 or more sustainable development objectives, such as protecting biodiversity and ecosystems, promoting responsible production and consumption or ensuring access to affordable and clean water and energy.

Health and well-being

A project that invests in health and overall personal well-being.

Innovation

New initiatives to help modernize the business.

Community impact

A project that positively influences the vitality of the community through the mobilization and involvement of the company in the community. This initiative aims to make the community more inclusive, safe, resilient or sustainable.

Congratulations to our 2023 grant recipients

Learn more about our recipients and how they got the good news.

See the successful applicants

About Desjardins GoodSpark Grants

For over 120 years, we've been supporting small Canadian businesses.

GoodSpark Grants are just one more way we support entrepreneurs. By funding their projects, we're promoting their business growth and development.

FAQ

Our internal selection committee reviews all applications and selects the 150 recipients based on selection criteria, which include, but are not limited to:

  • The extent to which the small business meets all eligibility requirements
  • How the grant will impact the small business
  • The applicant's written explanation as to why they should receive a grant and how it will be used

We encourage all applicants to read the program rules (PDF, 180 KB)  External link. This link will open in a new window. and fill out the application form  External link. This link will open in a new window. to the best of their ability. We cannot provide any feedback due to the large volume of applications.

To be eligible for a GoodSpark Grant, your small business project must fit in at least 1 of the following categories: innovation, health and well-being, community impact or sustainable development. For the definitions of these categories, read the program rules (PDF, 180 KB)  External link. This link will open in a new window. .

No, you can't make any changes to your application once it's been submitted.

Only 1 application per small business is allowed, and you cannot apply for more than 1 small business grant.

For the 2023–2024 edition, the winners will be informed in March 2024.

In most cases, we, or one of our local representatives, will deliver the grant cheques directly to the recipients.

No, cheques must be made payable to the business name as written in the application.

No, we are unable to provide this information due to the large volume of applications.

We may contact you to gather stories or testimonials on the progress of your project and on how the grant has helped your small business.

Yes, GoodSpark Grant recipients are eligible for government funding, loans or other sources of capital, such as fundraising. If in doubt, ask your accountant.