Main Street Innovation Fund

 

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

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:

• Projects which are eligible for funding under other City of Toronto grants including BIA financial incentive programs, such as Streetscape Improvement Program, Outdoor Mural & Street Art Program or Streetscape Master Plan Program
• Projects located outside of Toronto

How to Apply

Applications are now closed.

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