Main Street Innovation Fund

Applications are now open for the Main Street Innovation Fund in Little Jamaica. Apply by May 22 or before the grant funding has been expended.

Overview

The Main Street Innovation Fund provides grant funding for innovative and creative solutions to Toronto’s main street business challenges.

In 2025, City Council approved new funding to support the implementation of the Little Jamaica Cultural District Plan. Through this one-time funding program, eligible organizations in the Little Jamaica community can submit proposals to help strengthen neighborhood businesses and keep with the objectives of the Cultural District Plan.

The Little Jamaica focus aims to support the local economic development of Toronto’s Little Jamaica neighbourhood through innovative activations, creative placemaking and community capacity-building initiatives.

Objective

The Main Street Innovation Fund is a grant that provides funding to Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and not-for-profit organizations with ties to the business community to test innovative and creative solutions to local challenges and share their findings/results with others in the city of Toronto. The program goals are to:

  • Encourage innovation within the main street business model
  • Support new projects within Toronto’s main street business community
  • Expand the range of community improvement strategies that are available to Toronto’s main street business community
  • Showcase innovative, scalable solutions to challenges faced by Toronto’s main street business community
  • Pilot highly creative and exceptional projects in the city of Toronto

Success Stories of Past Recipients

Uma Nota Culture transformed a simple shipping container parked on the street into Art Vessel – a colourful, new studio and exhibition space where local artists can take part in residencies and be paid to show their creative work.

Two people smiling and holding restaurant food towards the camera
Photograph by Cameron Bartlett.

Scarborough Arts and Eat More Scarborough worked with many partners to develop the Culinary Everywhere! Tour Guide Training which brought five unique tours to Toronto’s East End and supported 20 local restaurants.​ Read more.

Funding Available

This program offers $25,000 and $50,000 grants for projects that meet the eligibility requirements.

Eligibility

The Main Street Innovation Fund is available to the following organizations:

  • Toronto BIAs within Little Jamaica: Eglinton Hill, Fairbank Village and York-Eglinton
  • Not-for-profit organizations including Business Associations and Registered Charities with strong local business involvement in the Little Jamaica community

Please Note: For profit businesses including sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations are not eligible to apply.

    Eligible Projects

    The Main Street Innovation Fund encourages projects within a wide scope of parameters such as:

    • Main street activations
    • Placemaking for main street growth
    • Business-centered community planning and policy making
    • Technology improvements

    Ineligible Projects

    The following types of projects do not qualify for funding under this program:

    How to Apply

    Applications are now being accepted.

    Before applying, eligible applicants must solicit feedback on their proposal from the program manager through one of the following ways:

    1. Register and attend an online information session on April 30 at 3 p.m.
    2. Attend a 1-on-1 consultation, or 
    3. Share a draft proposal via email for feedback.

    Then, applicants can apply below. The deadline to apply is May 22 at 4:30 p.m. or until grant funding has been expended.

    Apply Online

    For questions about the Main Street Innovation Fund, please email the Main Street Innovation Fund program manager at mif@toronto.ca.