Small Business Marketing Grant

The Small Business Marketing Grant assists resident small businesses improve the quality and effectiveness of their marketing. 

Objectives

The program aims to achieve the following:

  • To increase the number of resident small businesses that have developed a Marketing Plan
  • To assist resident small businesses in developing marketing materials for the execution of a strategic marketing project
  • To assist resident small businesses reach a broader market

Funding

The Incentive will cover up to 50% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $5,000, toward the creation of marketing content. The amount of the incentive will be based on the quality of the Marketing Plan and the proposed benefit of the Marketing Project.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Small Business Marketing Incentive:

  • Applicants must have a valid Resident Business Licence to operate within the City of Fort Saskatchewan
  • Applicants must have less than 50 employees
  • Applicants who are in arrears of municipal taxes or utilities for any owned property in Fort Saskatchewan will not be eligible
  • Applicants who have previously received a Business Development Program Grant from the City within the past 3 years will not be eligible. The single exception is if they have received the Small Business Education Grant

Frequently Asked Questions

If your questions are not answered by the FAQ section, please feel free to contact us.

Am I required to use local contractors when applying for any of the Business Development Program Incentives?

No. While we encourage businesses to use other local business, we want to ensure that applicants have the ability to seek out the most competitive quotations for their projects.
I have a project that would qualify under two Incentives. Can I apply for both?

You are permitted to submit applications for more than one incentive; however, you would only be eligible to receive one incentive.
Can I receive more than one incentive?

Business owners and commercial property owners are only eligible to receive one grant every three years. If you receive a incentive in 2016, you would not be eligible for another incentive until 2019.

The only exception is the Small Business Education incentive. Recipients of a Small Business Education incentive would be eligible for another Business Development Program incentive; however, you would not be eligible for another Small Business Education incentive for three years.
Why aren't advertising fees eligible for the Small Business Marketing Incentive?

The objective of the Small Business Marketing incentiveis to assist small businesses with improving the quality (not quantity) of their marketing. Funding is intended for development marketing content, not for advertising fees.

As an example, the cost associated with the creation of a website or the development of a promotional video would be eligible; however, the cost associated with website hosting and maintenance or airtime on television would not be eligible.

Download the Small Business Marketing Incentive Application & Guidelines