* $250,000 in Technology Commercialization Funding Available for New Programs
University Technologies International (UTI), Calgary Technologies Inc. (CTI) and SAIT Polytechnic have a special grant pool of $250,000 for new programs and initiatives which support advancements to the technology commercialization and innovation sector. This grant pool is part of a larger funding package of $1.5 million that Alberta Advanced Education and Technology (AET) awarded to UTI, CTI, and SAIT to further technology commercialization and collaboration in the Calgary region.

* Government Money for Rural Businesses in Ontario
From tomato canners to high-tech companies, firms and communities across Ontario are jumping on the cash available from the Rural Economic Development program known as OSTAR.

Ontario Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Brian Coburn, has been dropping down in small towns across the province to hand out oversized cheques. Intended to boost the economy and employment in rural areas and small towns.

* Join a Barter Network
In this article, we’ll look at ways to turn unused assets into cash. A company which rents out industrial equipment decides to expand its facility, so it can offer more equipment. Of course, building is a big capital expense, and the company has to go loan hunting. Or maybe not. What if the company could take an asset it’s not using to full potential… such as equipment which only goes out on weekends, and turn it into that warehouse… or part of that warehouse anyway. Hocus pocus?
It’s called barter.

*Family Financing: How to Grow Your Business Using the “Family Bank”
Whether you’re looking to spread your financing among various sources, or you think they might be able to finance the entire project, looking to family and friends can be a cost-effective and flexible source of financing – both short-term and long-term. It can be rewarding to both your business and the people who invest in it. From your standpoint, family members are often more flexible when it comes to interest rates and security. From their standpoint, they could earn a return while feeling they’ve played a part in your success. Or they may even have a stake in the business and be rewarded by its success.