The Problem:
A Calgary-based logistics and compliance software company serving midstream oil and gas clients understood the value of Canadian government grants, but struggled to capitalize on them. They had previously hired a full-time employee to manage grant applications — but when that person left the company, so did their entire funding strategy.
Worse, even when the employee was in place, grant approvals were inconsistent, and some high-value opportunities were missed.
The company was spending over $70,000 per year on salary without a reliable return — all while leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars in untapped government funding on the table.
Like many fast-growing tech companies, their leadership team was focused on product development, sales, and scaling —not tracking the latest Alberta business grants, new business grants in Alberta, or navigating complex funding rules, reporting deadlines, and compliance requirements.
Our Solution:
That’s when they turned to Impact Applications and our Full Service Grant Management team.
We replaced the need for a single in-house employee with a dedicated team of grant experts — covering everything from grant research and application writing to grant stacking funding strategies, monthly claims, and final reporting. We even provided grant loan financing, giving the company access to funding up front rather than waiting 12+ months for reimbursement.
Why Our Model Outperforms In-House Grant Staff
Our model isn’t just more cost-effective — it’s performance-backed. While hiring an in-house grant coordinator can cost over $70,000 annually with no guaranteed results, our service is backed by a 2X Money Back Guarantee.
In 18 months, we helped this client secure over $494,000 in non-dilutive grant funding through a strategic mix of federal and provincial programs, including:
- Small business grants in Alberta
- Talent development subsidies
- International market expansion funding
By leveraging our strategic expertise and full-service model, this company built a reliable, scalable funding engine — without the risk, cost, or disruption of managing it internally.
Government Grants Secured
Here’s a breakdown of the Alberta business grants and Canadian federal grants we helped this client secure:
- Canada Summer Jobs Grant (CSJG)
- 50% wage subsidy up to $2,100 per new hire
- Used for hiring youth ages 15 to 30
- More details: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/canada-summer-jobs.html
- Technology Alberta First Jobs Program
- 80% wage subsidy up to $4,000 per student intern
- Used for hiring students or recent graduates
- More details: https://technologyalberta.com/for-technology-companies/first-jobs-program-overview/
- Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)
- 50% to 70% wage subsidy up to $15,000 to $21,000 per student employee per year
- Used for hiring postsecondary student employees
- Multiple delivery partners for the same program, here’s one of them: https://swpprogram.ca/
- Trucking HR Career ExpressWay – Employer Wage Incentives for Youth
- 80% wage subsidy up to $10,000 to $15,000 per employee per year
- Used for hiring new youth (age 30 or under) employees
- More details: https://truckinghr.com/career-expressway-thrc/
- ECO Canada Digital Skills for Youth (DS4Y)
- 80% wage subsidy up to $18,000 for for-profit companies or $25,000 for not-for-profit organizations
- Used for hiring youth (age 30 or under) postsecondary graduates
- More details: https://eco.ca/digital-skills-for-youth/
- Alberta Export Expansion Program (AEEP)
- 50% cost reimbursement per trip up to $15,000 per fiscal year
- Used to subsidize international trade event registration, travel, hotel, and meal costs
- More details: https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-export-expansion-program
- CanExport SMEs Program
- 50% cost reimbursement up to $50,000 per fiscal year
- Used to subsidize travel, event registration, consultants & market research, legal & accounting, and other international export expenses
- We stacked AEEP and CanExport to subsidize up to 75% of international per trip costs
- More details: https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/en/our-solutions/funding-financing-international-business/canexport-smes.html
- Alberta Innovates Commercialization Associate
- 75% wage subsidy up to $240,000 for two years
- Use to hire a sales employee to commercialize new technology
- More details: https://albertainnovates.ca/funding/industry-commercialization-associates/
- IRAP (Industrial Research Assistance Program) Technology Innovation
- 80% wage subsidy for various T4 technical employees, second projects are typically $200,000 to $500,000
- Used to subsidize current and new technical employees, Canadian contractors can also be reimbursed at 50%, to de-risk the development of innovative technology
- More details: https://nrc.canada.ca/en/support-technology-innovation/financial-support-technology-innovation-through-nrc-irap
Business Impact
With our help, this Alberta tech company:
- Hired 9+ new employees and subsidized wages for an additional 6 existing staff — including students, mid-level developers, and senior specialists — helping build a full-spectrum team to support growth.
- Expanded into international markets
- Accelerated R&D and innovative product development
- Onboarded a commercialization lead to drive go-to-market strategy and execute business development
- Became profitable faster than projected
And with grant loan financing provided by our team, they received up to 75% of grant value up front, improving cash flow and mitigating the 12+ month reimbursement wait typical of government funding programs.
What Full Service Grant Management Looks Like
We didn’t just apply for grants. We became the client’s outsourced grant department.
Our services included:
- Strategic funding roadmap development and navigation
- Ongoing grant research and alerts
- Application writing and submission
- Coaching for meetings and interviews with grant agencies
- Monthly claims, final reporting, and grant compliance
- Budget planning and strategic stacking of multiple grant programs
- Grant loan financing for approved projects
Ready to Unlock Business Grants for Your Company?
We help tech businesses like yours secure Canadian government grants, handle all the paperwork, and even provide cash up front.
Whether you’re scaling, hiring, or exploring new markets, our Full Service Grant Management helps you unlock funding you didn’t know you qualified for.
Book a Complimentary Funding Consultation.
Let’s turn your growth goals into funded outcomes!