Community Futures Program (Northern Ontario)
by Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Also known as: CFP · Community Futures · CFDC funding
You don't apply to this FedNor program directly, it core-funds 24 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) across rural Northern Ontario. Your local CFDC is the front door: small-business loans (sizes and terms vary by CFDC), free business planning and advisory services, and community economic development support. Continuous intake, walk in any time. Find your office through Community Futures Ontario (cfontario.ca).
Key facts
- Amount
- No program-wide loan maximum is published on FedNor's page. Loan sizes and terms are set by each individual CFDC, confirm with your local office.
fednor.canada.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source
Access to capital for small and medium-sized businesses and social enterprises
- Instrument
- Mixed instruments
- Status
- Open, continuous intake no fixed deadline; approvals on the funder's cycle
- Who qualifies
- Businesses Nonprofits and charities Municipalities and local boards
- small and medium-sized businesses
- social enterprises
- rural communities
- Services are delivered locally: each of the 24 CFDCs serves a defined rural catchment area, eligibility for a loan is determined by your local CFDC, not by FedNor
- Muskoka's FedNor-boundary status has shifted over time, confirm with FedNor/your nearest CFDC (uncertain)
fednor.canada.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source
FedNor supports 24 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) located throughout Northern Ontario.
- Where
- Algoma District · Cochrane District · Greater Sudbury (single-tier census division) · Kenora District · Manitoulin District · Nipissing District · Parry Sound District · Rainy River District · Sudbury District (excl. Greater Sudbury) · Thunder Bay District · Timiskaming District
11 of 11 Northern Ontario districts are eligible for this program. A filled dot is eligible, an outline is not.
How do you apply?
Call first. This funder expects contact with a program officer before you apply.
- Find your local CFDC (via the Community Futures Ontario directory)
- Meet CFDC staff, free business advisory and planning support
- For financing: submit a loan application; the CFDC's local volunteer board makes lending decisions
fednor.canada.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Reported, verification pending
Common questions
How do I get a Community Futures loan?
Through your local CFDC, not FedNor. Each of the 24 Northern Ontario CFDCs is a nonprofit lender with its own volunteer board that makes lending decisions locally. Loan maximums and terms vary by corporation, contact yours directly (directory at cfontario.ca).
Is CFDC help free?
Business advisory, planning, and information services are free. Loans are real loans, repayable with interest, but CFDCs lend to businesses banks often turn down, including startups and rural businesses.
I'm in a city like Thunder Bay or Sudbury, am I eligible?
CFDCs primarily serve rural communities; urban cores are often outside CFDC catchments. Your nearest CFDC can confirm whether your location qualifies or point you to alternatives like FedNor or NOHFC programs.
Where else could this money come from?
Chosen by what these programs have in common with this one, not by hand. The reason is shown for each, so you can judge whether it holds.
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Economic Development Initiative (EDI) in Northern Ontario
Open, continuous intake same funder (FedNor); fednor, community economic development — Up to 90% of costs
-
Community Investment Initiative for Northern Ontario (CIINO)
Open, continuous intake same funder (FedNor); fednor — Up to $100,000
-
FedNor, NODP Youth Internships
Open, continuous intake same funder (FedNor); both for small business, expansion — Up to $52,500
-
FedNor, Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP)
Open, continuous intake same funder (FedNor); both for small business, expansion — Up to 33% of costs
Guides that cover this program
Notes on this record
Context record: FedNor's page describes the CFDC network and services but publishes no loan maximums, those are per-CFDC. Verified from the official FedNor page 2026-08-17.
Apply
Apply on the funder’s site and confirm current terms there: