Over $2,000,000 in Government Grants Secured
How Impact Applications helped Grant Metal Products Ltd., an Alberta-based metal fabrication specialist serving markets since 1980, secure over $2,000,000 in non-dilutive government grants, turning tariff pressure into a platform for modernization, automation, and renewed export growth.
Client Video Testimonial
Sean Philipiew of Grant Metal Products on going from no grant success to over $2 million in funding, and growing from roughly 38 employees to about 50.
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My name is Sean Philipiew. I'm with Grant Metal Products. I am our managing partner, operations. Grant Metal Products is a manufacturer of custom metal work for the commercial, industrial, data centre, and air handling space.
Before we worked with Impact Applications, we didn't actually have a lot of grant writing or grant funding. Everything we found previously was all eastern-based, so we never had any real luck applying or even writing any grants. So we've definitely felt the benefit of using Impact Applications.
I went to TAP 32, which was put on by the Alberta government, and Chase and I believe Peter from Impact were at the same TAP group. It was just networking through there, and we started working together about six months after that.
I think the thing that we value the most is the partnership. We do feel that it is viewed as a true partnership. They come to us with ideas, we share ideas of what we're working with, and they do the heavy lifting of the grant writing. It's something that we don't have the capacity in house to do.
Very low time on our end. I would say less than probably 10 hours a month, definitely probably closer to four depending on the project. The bigger the project, obviously we have to put a little bit more time in, but on average less than 8 to 10 hours a month. The process has been really, really good.
They're hands-on. They make it very simple for us to apply for grants. They do all of the hard work, where it's really just filling in windows and boxes. We don't have to really read through too much of the hard work end of it.
So far we've been working with Impact for just over a year and a half, and they've secured over $2 million of funding with us.
The funding has allowed us to actually replace some pieces of equipment that allowed us to be far more efficient. It's going to be cutting down our energy usage, in turn saving us more money. But at the same time, we're also going to be growing our company based off of that. Before we started working together, we had roughly about 38 employees, maybe about 40 employees, and currently we're now sitting just around 50 employees.
Yes, I would recommend Impact to other business owners, and I already have, to be honest.
The Challenge
Absorbing a tariff shock while modernizing to compete again.
The Problem
Grant Metal Products had built a precision fabrication business over four decades, but a sudden wave of tariffs drove a 39% spike in material costs, compressed margins, and put hard-won export contracts at risk, all while capital-intensive modernization sat out of reach.
- A 39% increase in material costs, driven directly by tariffs, compressed already-thin manufacturing margins
- Lead times doubled, disrupting customer delivery schedules and straining long-standing relationships
- Key U.S. export contracts were lost to competitors as pricing became uncompetitive
- Rising energy costs and aging equipment left the business needing capital, and a strategy to deploy it
Our Solution
Impact Applications stepped in as Grant Metal's dedicated grant department, identifying, positioning, and securing funding from eight separate government programs into one coordinated modernization plan.
- Secured $1,000,000 through the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI), the maximum non-repayable amount available at the time, to offset tariff-driven costs and fund advanced manufacturing equipment
- Landed $1,000,000 from Emissions Reduction Alberta's Strategic Energy Management for Industry to cut emissions and energy costs
- Secured $30,000 through the Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant, the program maximum, matched at 50% toward productivity equipment following the CME operational assessment
- Won $25,000 in CanExport funding to support re-entry into U.S. and international export markets
- Added $13,802 across four hiring and export programs: the Student Work Placement Program, the Alberta Youth Employment Incentive, the Alberta Export Expansion Program and the Youth Internship Incentive Program
- Positioned every application to win and stacked the eight programs into a single, coordinated funding strategy
- Managed all eight grants simultaneously as Grant Metal's outsourced grant department, one point of contact for every program and deadline
Every Dollar. Every Grant Program.
8 programs, secured and managed together, adding up to $2,068,802.
Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI)
The maximum non-repayable amount available at the time, to offset tariff-driven costs and fund the Prima Power Shear Genius, a robotic welding cell, and fabrication line modernization
Emissions Reduction Alberta: Strategic Energy Management for Industry
Energy management program to reduce operational emissions and improve efficiency across production
Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant (AMPG)
The program maximum, matched at 50% of eligible costs toward productivity equipment following the complimentary CME operational assessment
CanExport
Support for re-entry into U.S. and international export markets following tariff disruption
Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)
Federal wage subsidy for a post-secondary student placement
Alberta Youth Employment Incentive (AYEI)
Provincial hiring incentive for a young worker
Alberta Export Expansion Program (AEEP)
Provincial support for export market travel and trade events
Youth Internship Incentive Program (YIIP)
Careers: The Next Generation internship incentive
Business Impact
$2,068,802 in Non-Dilutive Funding
Over $2M in government grants secured across eight programs, with no equity given up and no debt taken on.
Production Efficiency Up 150%
Robotic automation and upgraded fabrication lines dramatically increased throughput and precision.
39% Tariff Impact Offset
Modernization enabled full recovery of the tariff-driven cost increases that had compressed margins.
Advanced Equipment Installed
Funded a Prima Power Shear Genius punching machine, a robotic welding cell, and full fabrication line modernization.
Energy and Emissions Reduced
An energy management program cut operational emissions and improved energy efficiency across production.
Export Markets Re-Entered
CanExport funding supported re-entry into U.S. and international markets lost during the tariff disruption.
Working with their team was one of the best decisions we made. They took complex government programs and turned them into a clear, structured process. We would not have secured the funding without their guidance, and ultimately they helped us secure over $2,000,000 in grants. If you're considering applying, I would strongly recommend working with them.
Not a Grant Writer. Your Outsourced Grant Department.
We lead strategy, research, application development, submission, claims, and reporting from start to finish, so your team never has to.
Multi-Year Funding Roadmap
We design a long-term strategy that evolves as your business grows, not one-off applications.
Grant Stacking Strategy
Wage subsidies, innovation grants, and export programs are layered and sequenced for maximum impact.
Application Writing and Submission
We know what gets approved and what doesn't. Every application is built to win.
Government Coordination
We manage all communication with IRAP, Alberta Innovates, and other agencies on your behalf.
Claims and Reimbursement Tracking
Full claim preparation ensures your funding is received on time, without gaps.
Ongoing Compliance Management
Continuous compliance monitoring so your funding is never at risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Grant Metal Products didn't chase grants. We did that for them.
If your business is building, hiring, or expanding, there is likely significant government funding available to you right now. We will find it, secure it, and manage it, so your team never has to think about it.
Related Readings
- RTRI Guide: Up to $3M Non-Repayable, and $20M in Total
- Grant Stacking Strategy: How Canadian Businesses Combine Programs for Maximum Funding
- RTRI: Regional Tariff Response Initiative
- CanExport SMEs: Funding for Export Market Expansion
- Alberta Grants: The Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant
- Full-Service Grant Management