How to Leverage Canadian Government Grants for Marketing

Running a small marketing business is exciting, but let’s be honest, it’s also a lot of work. Whether you’re building websites, managing social media, or running ad campaigns, every dollar counts. That’s where government grants can help.

At Granted Consulting, we work with small businesses like yours every day. In this blog, we’ll show you how to use hiring, training, and market expansion grants to grow your marketing business faster, without breaking the bank.

Hiring Grants: Build Your Dream Team

Hiring is a big step. It’s also expensive. But there are grants that help cover employee wages when you bring on new talent.

Example:

Let’s say you own a digital marketing agency in Toronto and you want to hire a junior content creator. Programs like the Digital Skills for Youth or the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) can help cover part of the new employee’s wages for several weeks or months.

Pro Tip:

Hiring grants often support youth, students, minority groups, or persons with disabilities. These employees bring fresh ideas and are often eager to learn, perfect for creative roles in marketing, while possibly enhancing diversity in the workplace.

Training Grants: Level Up Your Skills (or Your Team’s)

Marketing changes fast. One month it’s SEO, the next it’s TikTok. Training grants help cover costs when you or your employees take courses or upskill.

Example:

Let’s say your business wants to start offering Google Ads services. You could send a team member to a certified course using a grant like the Canada Jobs Grant, which is often a part of your province’s workforce training programs.

Training grants generally require your business to be established for at least one year and to be properly registered according to provincial guidelines. It’s also important to note that any training opportunities you apply for will need to be paid upfront and in full before you get reimbursed. 

Fun Fact:

In some provinces, training grants cover up to 80% of the course cost. That’s a big win for small businesses!

Market Expansion Grants: Reach New Clients, New Places

Ready to grow your business into new markets, like a new province or the U.S.? There are grants that support market expansion, including costs like travel, marketing research,, and even lead generation activities.

Example:

You own a small agency in Vancouver and want to expand to Seattle. With a grant like CanExport SMEs, you could get funding to attend a U.S. trade show. You could get up to 50% of costs reimbursed to facilitate expansion efforts into foreign markets. Eligible expenses covered include travel, promotional materials, and market research for the country you’re wanting to expand to. 

Where to Start

Here are some first steps if you’re new to grants:

• Know what you want. Are you hiring, training, or expanding? Focus helps.
  
• Gather documents. You’ll usually need a business number, payroll info, and a clear market expansion strategy.
  
• Ask for help. Grants have rules and deadlines. Working with experts (like us!) saves you time and stress.
  

Final Thoughts from Granted Consulting

Grants are more than just “free money.” They’re growth tools that help you build your team, boost your skills, and reach new customers.

At Granted, we specialise in helping small businesses in industries like marketing get the grants they deserve, without the headache. If you’re ready to explore grant options, we’re here to guide you.

Want to learn which grants your business qualifies for?
Take the first step by entering your company’s information on this Grant Calculator, which calculates how much grant funding you are eligible for!