Business upgrades in Manitoba
BBN Labs helps Manitoba businesses turn funding into a real upgrade: a sharper storefront, a website that pulls in customers, heating equipment that cuts the bill. In downtown Brandon, the Façade and Storefront Improvement Program reimburses up to 50% of eligible signage and exterior work to a maximum of $20,000, and Manitoba's Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit gives money back on geothermal, solar thermal and biomass heating. Community funders go deeper: the First Peoples Economic Growth Fund backs Manitoba First Nation businesses, Louis Riel Capital Corporation backs Red River Métis owners, and Women's Enterprise Manitoba lends to women-owned businesses. Tell us your business and city on the funding fit check, and we'll show you what fits and build what the money pays for.
The local picture
Two Manitoba programs are open to any local business and worth knowing first. In downtown Brandon, the Façade and Storefront Improvement Program reimburses up to 50% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $20,000, for new signage, storefront work and accessibility upgrades. Province-wide, the Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit gives money back at tax time on geothermal, solar thermal and biomass heating, including a refundable 10% on eligible solar thermal costs. We design your signage and storefront, then coordinate the install with licensed local trades.
Manitoba's deepest small-business funding runs through community lenders, each serving a specific group. The First Peoples Economic Growth Fund backs Manitoba First Nation businesses with non-repayable contributions up to $99,999 for an individual owner and interest-free loans up to $300,000. Louis Riel Capital Corporation funds Red River Métis entrepreneurs with combined grants and loans, and Women's Enterprise Manitoba lends to women-owned businesses from $5,000 to $150,000. When you qualify for one of these, the money buys the same upgrades we build: a website, an online store, POS and a Google presence that gets you found.
Smaller, targeted help is here too. Community Futures Manitoba gives entrepreneurs with disabilities up to $750 toward digital marketing plus free business coaching, and CDEM lends to francophone-owned businesses across the province. The amounts are modest, but they cover exactly the digital marketing and local SEO work that brings customers through the door.
Verified local notes
- Brandon's Façade and Storefront Improvement Program reimburses up to 50% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $20,000, for exterior improvements like signage, windows, lighting and accessibility features on heritage-designated downtown buildings. source ↗
- Manitoba's Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit includes a refundable 10% credit on eligible solar thermal capital costs, plus credits for geothermal heat pump systems and biomass equipment used in a business. source ↗
- The First Peoples Economic Growth Fund's Business Contribution Fund offers Manitoba First Nation businesses non-repayable contributions up to 40% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $99,999 for an individual owner or $250,000 for a First Nation or group of First Nations. source ↗
Notes reflect official sources as checked on July 5, 2026; programs change, so confirm with the administrator.
Programs
Funding records relevant to Manitoba
Every record shows its official source, what kind of help it is, and when we last checked it.
Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit
This provincial tax credit helps Manitoba businesses and property owners offset the cost of installing eligible green energy systems. It rewards you…
Last verified July 2, 2026
Community Futures Network of Canada
Tap into a network of 267 non-profit offices across Canada that provide small business loans, training, and local support to help rural and remote…
Last verified July 2, 2026
BDC Financing — Certified Green Building Loan
Up to 100% of costs
Secure the capital you need to buy, build, or renovate a property with the goal of earning top-tier environmental certifications like LEED or Zero…
Last verified July 2, 2026
Canada Small Business Financing Program
Up to $1,000,000
This program makes it easier to get a business loan by having the government share the lending risk with your bank or credit union. You apply…
Last verified July 2, 2026
BDC Financing — Small Business Loan
Up to $350,000
Access flexible online financing from Canada's federal Crown corporation bank. Use these funds to scale operations, hire staff, or upgrade equipment…
Last verified July 2, 2026
BDC Financing — Commercial Real Estate Loan
This BDC commercial real estate loan helps established Canadian businesses acquire, expand, or renovate their premises. It also provides working…
Last verified July 2, 2026
BDC Financing — Start-up
Up to $150,000
BDC Start-up Financing provides the capital you need to turn your business plan into reality. Use these funds to purchase essential assets, cover…
Last verified July 2, 2026
BDC Financing — Working Capital Term Loan
Secure the cash you need for inventory, hiring, or daily operations without draining your current funds. This BDC term loan offers flexible repayment…
Last verified July 2, 2026
BDC Financing — Equipment Purchase Loan
Up to 125% of costs
Secure the machinery, vehicles, or tech you need to scale operations. BDC offers flexible loan terms including interest-only periods and long…
Last verified July 2, 2026
Solutions
What we deliver in Manitoba
Storefront Signs & Sign Boards
Sign concepts, mockups and measurements done right. Fabrication and installation quoted and managed for you.
Storefront & Façade Improvements
Façade refresh concepts, visualizations and contractor coordination, scoped the way municipal improvement programs expect.
Business Websites
Fast, search-ready websites your customers can actually use. Built, hosted and maintained by one accountable team.
E-commerce & Online Catalogues
Online stores and product catalogues that sell. Shopify, WooCommerce or custom, with payments, shipping and training.
Local SEO & Google Business Profile
Show up when nearby customers search: accurate profiles, real local content and reviews handled honestly.
Energy-Efficiency Solutions
Lighting, HVAC, refrigeration and controls: incentive screening and qualified-partner coordination, sequenced so you don't lose a program.
Accessibility Improvements
Accessible websites, clear signage, and ramps or entrance work handled by licensed trades.
Where a project includes physical work, it is completed by licensed contractors BBN coordinates.
Frequently asked questions
What Manitoba funding can I use for a storefront or website?
If you're in downtown Brandon, the Façade and Storefront Improvement Program covers up to 50% of eligible signage and exterior work to a maximum of $20,000. The Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit gives money back on efficient heating equipment anywhere in the province. Beyond those, community funders like the First Peoples Economic Growth Fund, Louis Riel Capital Corporation and Women's Enterprise Manitoba back qualifying owners with grants and loans that can pay for websites, online stores and POS. Run the funding fit check and we'll show which ones fit your business and city.
Many Manitoba programs are for specific owners. What if I don't qualify?
Several of Manitoba's strongest funders serve specific groups: the First Peoples Economic Growth Fund for Manitoba First Nation businesses, Louis Riel Capital Corporation for Red River Métis owners, Women's Enterprise Manitoba for women-owned businesses, and CDEM for francophone owners. If one fits you, we build the upgrade the funding pays for. If none do, the Brandon façade grant and the Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit are open to any eligible Manitoba business, and we'll point you to what's worth your time.
Also see: all verified funding in Manitoba, the full funding list and our guides.
Planning a project in Manitoba?
Tell us about your business and project. You get a practical plan, a clear quote, and an honest read on which programs may help pay. It's all free, with nothing to lose.
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Subject to program rules, available funding, and approval. Final decisions are made solely by each program administrator.