CanExport Associations
The 2020-21 call for proposals has ended. We are not currently accepting new applications for CanExport Associations.
We will accept new applications for the 2021-22 funding round as of December 1, 2020.
In light of COVID-19, CanExport Associations activities requiring travel are currently on hold.
We encourage you to make informed decisions in order to minimize risk and protect your health and that of your employees. Please refer to Government of Canada travel advisories for the most recent information.
Canadian national industry associations and trade organizations may access up to $400,000 in annual funding. We will cover up to 75% of eligible costs for new or expanded international business development (IBD) activities that benefit an entire industry: organization’s members and non-members alike.
What activities do we fund?
We support the following non-travel activities:
Export training
Creating/updating strategy for international business development or market diversification
Gathering market intelligence (custom research, reports and studies)
Translating, adapting or creating marketing tools and materials
Attending virtual trade shows, networking functions, meetings or conferences
When travel resumes, we also support:
Visits to foreign markets
Organizing trade missions for SMEs in your industry
Organizing an incoming delegation of foreign buyers
In-person participation at trade shows, networking functions, meetings or conferences
Who can apply?
We accept proposals from:
- Canadian national industry or trade associations
- Canadian national bilateral chambers of commerce and business councils
- Canadian national horizontal / multi-sectoral organizations
- Canadian national organizations representing companies majority owned by under-represented groups in trade (e.g. Indigenous, women, LGBTQ2+)
To be eligible, your organization must:
- be a not-for-profit corporation
- not sell products that are sold by your members
- have sufficient private revenues to cover 25% of costs for proposed activities, confirmed by 2 years of financial statements
- have a 3-year, board approved, international business development strategy
