Business Scale-up and Productivity in British Columbia - Funding overview
Not currently accepting applications.
1. Funding overview
The Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program is open to incorporated businesses.
Funding:
- Interest-free repayable contributions of $200,000 to $5 million per project
- Lifetime maximum of $10 million per recipient
- Up to 50% of eligible project costs reimbursed up to four times per year
Repayment terms:
- Begins one year after project completion
- Repaid in monthly installments over five years
- No collateral required or penalty for early repayment
Funding source:
- At least 50% of project funding must come from non-government sources
Confirmation of non-government funding
At least 50% of your project funding must come from non-government sources.
Confirmation must be provided at the time of application and again prior to project approval.
Confirmation of internal funding can include:
- current bank statements
- unused portions of a line of credit
Confirmation of funding provided by third-party sources can include:
- official funding letters
- funding agreements
- signed term sheets
We do not accept the following as confirmation of funding:
- forecasted revenues
- accounts receivables
- commitments for future funding
- Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) credit receivables
Eligible costs
Our funding can cover reasonable, incremental and essential project costs including:
- equipment, machinery and other capital costs
- wages and benefits
- marketing
- intellectual property costs
- technology development and demonstrations
- professional services
Ineligible costs
Our funding cannot cover unreasonable, non-incremental or unrelated costs including:
- basic and applied R&D (Technology Readiness Level 1-6)
- land and buildings
- salary bonuses and dividends
- entertainment expenses
- refinancing of existing debts
- amortization or depreciation of assets
- provisions for contingencies or commissions paid to consultants to secure funding
- lobbying activities
- membership fees and donations
Additional considerations
- Consult with a financial advisor about tax and other implications of BSP funding
- Any government assistance received during the project and applied to project costs may reduce BSP funding to keep total government support at no more than 50%; assistance includes Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive Program (SR&ED) credits and other federal or provincial tax credits
- Exclude SR&ED eligible costs from your application when possible
